by Joe Brooks

Created on: November 27, 2010

The idea of solar hot water heating is not very new. Camp showers have been around for a long time, using a bag of water that is heated by the sun and then drained for a quick warm water rinse. Nearly forty years ago I was a commercial fisherman off the coast of Florida. We would tie gallon jugs of water up on the hard cover to be heated by the sun. Being miles and miles from anyone, on a bright afternoon you could stand up there and pour solar heated water over yourself. It seemed a great luxury at the time. Now of course we have some pretty advanced solar water heating systems. We can deliver solar heated water to our conventional plumbing, a great improvement over standing in the great outdoors and pouring warm water over yourself.

The simplest forms of solar water heaters function about like the camp shower bag or our boat-top gallon jug hot water system. A large collection tank, usually painted black to increase heat absorption, holds water that is heated by the sun's rays and then is available on demand. The limitation of that system is that it is only good after a considerable time of strong sun and for a short period after the sun is no longer shining. These systems are however much less expensive to install than the more advanced systems. They can even be homemade. For a supplemental system, for a cabin or simple dwelling, and in a warm sunny climate, this type solar water heater may be all you need.

A more advanced system works more like a car parked in the sun or a greenhouse. The sun's rays enter a glazed enclosure, are prevented from escaping by a reflective coating and thus deliver their energy to heat the water contained in tubes or channels. This water can then be pumped or carried by natural convection to a holding tank. There are variation of this system suitable even for severe climates.

More typical, more expensive, but more practical in the long run, are the combined systems, that use solar water heating to supplement a conventional water heater. A large water heater becomes the storage tank and clever systems combine to provide solar heated water when available and conventionally heated water when needed to meet usage demands.

For conventional family homes the soundest solution is probably the combined type system, using solar water heating as well as a gas or electric standard water heater. A solar expert can advise on the type collector best suited to your climate. A solar system matched with a high-efficiency conventional water heater makes a great combination. Your local plumbing and heating expert will be well informed in both these areas. A call to your plumbing professional can lead you to an installation that will save your pocketbook and the planet you live on for years to come.

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