The use of sunlight in warming water is probably the most ancient use of solar energy on mankind’s part. So, keeping the ancient tradition alive are the solar power water heaters that meet our heating needs of today. Simply put, solar panel water heaters are arrays of photo electric pipes through which a working fluid circulates to and fro.
It can cost you anywhere from $8,000 and up to get solar power water heaters installed. Fortunately, you can save THOUSANDS if you do-it-yourself!
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Solar panel water heaters can help remove your carbon footprint from the environment as at an average a four member family requires 6500 kWh of electricity each year to heat their water.
If the electricity on your grid is coming from the conventional sources then the system would be only 30% efficient and would be releasing 10 tons of CO2 every year, just like out automobiles do.
If the family used an oil-fuelled water heater then they would contribute 3 tons of CO2 annually. Statistically the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by the water heaters in your homes equals the total CO2 produced by total number of trucks and cars in the USA.
Consider this if even half the number of homes was to use solar panel water heaters then the CO2 emissions would reduce as much as increasing the fuel efficiency of our cars by a factor of two! Well, it looks like this is not going to be difficult as more and more people are turning to using solar power water heaters as their long term environmental and money saving benefits is very obvious to everyone.
As long as there is sufficient sunlight, the solar panel water heaters can work in any climate and 1.6 million solar power water heaters are already installed. As more and more people are realising that within 4 to 6 years the solar water heaters pay for themselves.
The solar heater once installed lasts for 10 to 40 years therefore after the initial cost there is none and only benefits besides free hot water. The government also offers incentives like 30% or up to $2000 rebate for the cost of installation of solar power water heaters.
Unfortunately though, these government benefits have not been extended to the hot tubs and swimming pool heaters. It is also required to get you system certified by local authorities for safety certification.
Solar power water heaters look like skylights when looked at from a distance. One or two of these panels suffice for a standalone home of a family of four. These are placed on the roof and are about 10×4 feet in area. The cold water pipe is connected to the solar storage tank; the water to be heated is circulated between the solar collectors and the storage tank.
The water collected in the storage tank gets heated to the good extent then this water is fed into the conventional water heating system. The water gets heated further by this conventional water heater.
If the solar power water heaters are properly designed they can provide up to 70 percent of the hot water requirement. There are formed plastic collectors, flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors to choose from in the commercial options.
If these are too costly or you like to try your hand at making things then there are many DIY projects available on the internet to choose from. There are guides, forums and blogs which discuss and offer advice on building your own solar power water heaters.
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