Solar hot water heater

1 Posts

Mar 10, 2009 10:04 am

Has anyone installed a solar hot water heater? If so, how do you like it? Is it reliable? How is maintenance on it? What about if you have to replace your roof, what do you do? And specifically, if anyone has advice pertaining to Jacksonville (good installers, etc), that would be great. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

Allen B

9 Posts

Mar 11, 2009 10:25 am

Re: Solar hot water heater

Daniel,
I installed a drainback solar water heater system on my house about 18 months ago, I like it and it works great when the sun is out. Does not run much in December and January. I have strainers in the heat exchanger that i checked once and they were clear. I use a four gallon portable water heater unplugged with distilled water in it. heat exchanger has two pumps, one for the drain back tank and one for the 40 gallon water tank. I did alot of research before I got what I wanted. I replaced my old roof as I installed the panel. Use flexable copper water heater replacement pipe which can be disconnected under roof if you must re-roof. As far as installer cannot help you much since I did my own , but i did check around and got quotes from $3200 to $6000 for a retro fit drainback system. Posted some pictures if you are interested. Tax breaks are good. Good luck

Amy Beaudet

22 Posts

Apr 15, 2009 04:54 pm

Re: Solar hot water heater

Daniel, here's a stat on the MassSave website I just found that may be interesting to you.

"More than 1.5 million homes and businesses in the United States have invested in solar water heating systems, and surveys indicate that more than 94% of these customers consider the systems a good investment."

You happen to live in the city that makes excellent solar water heaters, AET. According to the NABCEP web site, there is a certified installer in your city as well, http://www.nabcep.org/installer-locator?state=FL.

There is very little maintenance required on a solar water heating system, mostly once in a while make sure it's making hot water by checking the meter. If your roof is close to needing a replacement, even within a number of years, do it first! The collectors will last for decades, and while it is possible to remove them to replace the roof, it makes more sense to do the roof first.

Amy Beaudet
AltE Store

Fred Flintstone

19 Posts

Apr 25, 2009 10:10 pm

Re: Solar hot water heater

I just designed, built, and installed a 40 gallon batch heater about 10 days ago. Our regular propane water heater was burning through money 24/7/365, to the tune of $1200+ last year. Since hooking up the batch heater (which 'preheats' for the old propane heater, which is relegated to 'backup' and storage now) the propane heater barely comes on at all now. Woohoo!

Total cost for the batch heater and plumbing to hook it all up...less than $300. Break even cost will be in 3 months [actually it was immediate, since it costs $300+ to fill the propane company's 120 gal (rental) tank at approx $3.50 per gal for propane, and bought my own 23 gal propane tank instead ($124)].

But that pales in comparison to the cost of converting the skeptical wife over to the benefits of going renewable. Priceless.

I should do a website. Anybody interested?

Fred Flintstone

19 Posts

Apr 28, 2009 12:55 pm

Re: Solar hot water heater

Remove my 'membership' please.

« Last Edit: May 3, 2009 08:13 pm by fred flintstone »

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