Solar powered water heaters refers to a water heater that uses sunlight as the fuel source. Because the fuel is a natural thing that shines enormously in the sky, of course, it is free. However, to collect the diffuse light, this system needs solar panels. So, this system consists of a panel to catch the sunlight and a tank to hold water. There are still many questions about this kind of system that will be answered here.
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Solar Water Heater Types
Solar powered water heater have two types: passive and active.
Passive
The passive system does not possess controls and pumps for circulation. There are two subtypes of this. The first is integral-collector storage which works by putting the liquid in the tank. Then it is heated right away by the sun. To make this work properly, the upper cover is made with the transparent material. This accelerates the process.
The warm liquid then goes to the pipework. Because it needs intense sunlight, the system can only work properly in areas with a lot of sunlight. In an area with extreme cold temperatures it is hard to use this.
Another subtype is the thermosyphon system. The liquid is on the roof, in a container that is also known as a collector. When this batch finishes its heating process, the hot liquid flows through the opened faucet.
Active
The active system has controls and pumps, the opposite of the passive one which doesn’t have them. This also has two subtypes, the first one is direct circulation. The pumps initiate the liquid circulation from the household collector and then pump to the house again.
Another active system is indirect circulation which is popular for the super cold weather. The circulation begins with the liquid that is sent through collectors and then through one more part, the heat exchanger. After the fluid reaches a certain hot level, it will flow back home.
Solar Collector of Solar Powered Water Heater
This is the main part of the system because it establishes the device to be on or off. For residential or home use, there are three types, they are evacuated-tube, integral collector, and flat-plate solar collector. Because this system relies on the natural thing, backup is highly required. There is a time when the hot fluid or warm environment needs more than usual.
To cover this, the saved energy might be insufficient. This is also the solution to face a cloudy day. Most solar systems come with backup. The provider already knows about some possibilities that might happen related to energy sufficiency.
Solar Powered Water Heater Tank
There is a slight difference between the conventional system and the solar-based system. Because this one needs hard work to save energy, the insulation must be upgraded. In this system, there are extra inlet and outlet to connect the collectors and the tank. The highlighted point of this is that the solar-based heater uses a tank with better insulation to maintain the heat.
The Advantages of Using a Solar Powered Water Heater
There are at least 10 advantages of using this natural energy system. The following are three main advantages among the other advantages.
Reduce the Use of Fossil-Based Energy
The world has exploited this so much that the amount of the source decreases from time to time. And it becomes a kind of addiction that is hard to stop. Using the solar base system reduces this overuse and gives a new option of the energy source.
Easy Maintenance
The thing that you have to do is clean the solar collector panel from the dust, dirt, leaves or tree debris that covers it. If the system runs as it should without any failure big damage, the device’s lifespan can be 20 years (or more).
Energy Saving and More Eco-Friendly
By using this system, the homeowners don’t need to install certain electrical things. This usually requires additional costs for wire and labour fees. Something that you have to be concerned about is how to optimize the energy so it doesn’t need backup.
Frequently Asked Questions about Solar Powered Water Heater
Questions always arise. But it’s a good thing because it is a sign of interest.
Does It Work in Winter?
No, it does not. The energy for a day’s heating is quite big for regular days. Meanwhile in winter, the source of the energy doesn’t show off often. The energy will not be enough to turn the extreme cold into a warm comfortable environment.
Is It Okay to Drink the Water from the Heating System?
The experts suggest not to do that. The fluid has been travelling through the pipework. It might carry bacteria or metal residues.
Do Clouds Disturb the System?
Few clouds might block the sunlight, but the rays could go through it and be caught by the solar collectors.
Solar powered water heaters are here as a good sustainable alternative that gives so many advantages.