Solar water heater

[skylinechild]

just as the topic says a solar water heater.

need a water heater for my room and i dont want to increase my electricity bill so i'm looking into solar powered units.

saw the advertisement in the newspapers visited the web address and this is what they offer.

It's essentially a tank/ storage unit and a solar unit.
the unit heats the water running through the piping and when hot is then stored in the tank, ready to be used...

the only drawback is that the storage tank MUST be located on the roof as well.
In my case supplying water to the unit to start off the process is very very hard- no pump and the roof is very high and steep. also i'm not keen on installing a 40 gallon tank on my roof.i'd prefer it somewhere else out of sight.

good news is that the smallest unit is 40 gallons & no electricity also uses a clean free source of power!!
Instead of supplying water to only my room i can supply to the kitchen and each bathroom!!!

below is some info i've taken from the site on how it works as well as the different models






Model # Tank Size Collector Size
4018 40- gal 18 sq ft collector
5018 50- gal 18 sq ft collector
5024 50- gal 24 sq ft collector
6524 65- gal 24 sq ft collector
6530 65- gal 30 sq ft collector
6536 65- gal 36 sq ft collector
8030 80- gal 30 sq ft collector
8036 80- gal 36 sq ft collector
8042 80- gal 42 sq ft collector
8048 80- gal 48 sq ft collector

as i said before my main issue is that my roof is very high and i dont have a pump to supply water to the unit to start off the process as well as tank placement issues.
( i dont want a storage tank on my roof)

tomorrow I'll give them a call and find out their price range and stuff !!

any tuner got this @ home and willing to share their info on it as well as feedback !!

this is the web address so other tuners can check it out !!
http://www.solarisenergy.co/index.php/

[sliderz1]

any where else you can lay it out? backyard or maybe even a tank stand considering it gets maximum sunlight

[nick009]

I am interested in the cost of these units, can you post the price when you receive.

Also if you have enough cleared land that is exposed to the sunlight (for the daylight period) and not blocked by the building then you could install it on the ground too.

If you dont have a pump i assume you are on the main? and the mains pressure should be enough .

[skylinechild]

sliderz 1
I thought about laying it out on the ground or height however two things bother me:

1.if i put it on the ground it's essentially easy for Mr.bandit to walk in & take it up when no one home

if i put it on a height remember that the tank MUST be above the solar unit ( if installing vertical ) OR the storage unit be installed a bit higher ( couple of inches )than the solar unit ( if installing Horizontal- gravity to feed to solar unit )and the solar unit MUST be placed in such a way to get maximum sunlight exposure.

2. if it's on the ground how am i getting the hot water out of the system to use it.


nick009 - when i get the costing i'll post it up and no i'm not on the mains- i have a tank stand - gravity flow feeds the house pretty well but the gravity flow wont reach the roof of my house where the unit has to be installed.

Technically i'm on the mains - i'm connected to the mains but we dont get water everyday.
when we get water i just open up a valve allowing water to full my tank and run through the house- when the tank is filled i lock off another valve and water continues through the house as normal - two valve system!

[haseib786]

doh waste yuh time the batteries for those solar units are ridiculously priced........

[nick009]

ahh i see
well if you put it on the ground the water will flow out of it you know , once you open the hot water tap in your bathroom.
water will flow from the main tank to the unit to your bathroom

sounds like you screwed if you dont want to put it on the ground thou. Best you buy a pump or only get hot water when you have water on the mains haha

[sliderz1]

sliderz 1
I thought about laying it out on the ground or height however two things bother me:

1.if i put it on the ground it's essentially easy for Mr.bandit to walk in & take it up when no one home

if i put it on a height remember that the tank MUST be above the solar unit ( if installing vertical ) OR the storage unit be installed a bit higher ( couple of inches )than the solar unit ( if installing Horizontal- gravity to feed to solar unit )and the solar unit MUST be placed in such a way to get maximum sunlight exposure.

ooooo security is an issue.......

and yes i see ........convection needs to take place

2. if it's on the ground how am i getting the hot water out of the system to use it.

depending on the size of storage tank you consider then yes that'll be a problem, is your room that much higher?

if you can build a tank stand large enough or get a platform to facilitate them then go for it. It might cost you some dollars tho

[rfari]

doh waste yuh time the batteries for those solar units are ridiculously priced........

I think u referring to something else tho. OP ideally the panel should be tilt 10 deg south for max 'efficiency' which isn't worth the hassle compared to a flat surface. Hopefully the installers realise this. If not ask them that they think about getting a platform fabricated.

[skylinechild]

haseib786- why would i need batteries.? it entirely solar powered.
The supply tank is also a storage tank. so during the night it keeps the water warm.
The hot water cant run back to the supply line that feeds the storage unit cause there's a check valve.

i am aware that there are other types that use batteries and/or electricity that allow you to use the unit when there is little to no sunlight, however i'm going fully solar!

silderz 1- The smallest size of storage tank is 40 gallons....i live in a flat house -my room is essentially at ground level - give a couple of inches- however water still wont be able to get to the tap from the storage unit if it's placed onto the ground - capillary effect wont be much - pressure will be next to nothing....

gravity flow is better- i think thats another reason why they recommend installing it on the roof - above all your water fixtures....

another idea i'm considering is installing a small solar powered water pump to supply water from my tank to the storage tank and install another small solar panel to power the pump.

the pump will also have a very small pressure tank with it so when we use water the pump comes on - with sunlight - pumps water to the storage tank.- if there's no sunlight the water in the pressurized tank should be enough to top off the unit.

[Damien]

current aint that expensive brah

[speedfreak44]

current aint that expensive brah

ent

[rollingstock]

^ Holy bot batman

[Kish]

Lei Feng is back?

and wrt batteries, most solar units use batteries that charge while in operation so for night uses it would use the batteries and then recharge during the day.

[hustla_ambition101]

*exits thread quietly*

[dyne]

go with having the storage tank installed in the home and have a solar powered circulating pump connected so during the day / adequate sunlight the pump circulates the heated water from the collectors on the roof back into the storage tank and at night the pump stops so u have no or very little loss of heat from the water stored in the insulated tank.
then u have another pump powered by you regular t&tec supply to circulate the heated water from the tank to your individual points of uses.
or simply give DC Power Systems Ltd a call these guys know their stuff about solar power generation and water heating

[haseib786]

haseib786- why would i need batteries.? it entirely solar powered.
The supply tank is also a storage tank. so during the night it keeps the water warm.
The hot water cant run back to the supply line that feeds the storage unit cause there's a check valve.

i am aware that there are other types that use batteries and/or electricity that allow you to use the unit when there is little to no sunlight, however i'm going fully solar!

silderz 1- The smallest size of storage tank is 40 gallons....i live in a flat house -my room is essentially at ground level - give a couple of inches- however water still wont be able to get to the tap from the storage unit if it's placed onto the ground - capillary effect wont be much - pressure will be next to nothing....

gravity flow is better- i think thats another reason why they recommend installing it on the roof - above all your water fixtures....

another idea i'm considering is installing a small solar powered water pump to supply water from my tank to the storage tank and install another small solar panel to power the pump.

the pump will also have a very small pressure tank with it so when we use water the pump comes on - with sunlight - pumps water to the storage tank.- if there's no sunlight the water in the pressurized tank should be enough to top off the unit.

i actually checked it out at an exhibition in trincity mall.... wanted it for multiple uses thogh, for washing machine and kitchen sink, so for tht application the system had a battery tht charged to full capacity during the day in reserve for the night or low sunlight or so..... the batteries unit are like 2-3K so i decided to buy the tankless electric....to each their own thogh.........GL...

[skylinechild]

there is an electrical back up heating element inside the storage tank.
The website didnt say if this connection is mandatory or optional, and if mandatory if it uses AC or DC.
when i call tomorro i'll find out !!

haseib786 -i also considered the electric water heater-tank and tank less models,
they say with the tank models the pressure / temperature switch usually goes bad and the cost to replace is the cost of a new one.

the tankless ones - in order to heat up water on the go- it goes into the water heater normal temp and comes out hot on the other end - doing that takes alot of energy.
once it's on it heats up the water regardless of how much / little water you use.

with the tank types the unit stores the hot water and turns itself off.....when the hot water runs low it turns on and heats up....

plus maintainance = you have to install a filter on the line in of the heater - to help remove some of the chemicals they treat the water with- chlorine and be wary of calcium buildup on the actual element...!!!

[skylinechild]

UPDATE:

finally made time and called them today, my use, for 3 bathrooms a 55 gallon tank is required,
also the electrical backup unit is OPTIONAL- you can do without it.
water temp is around boiling....or a bit under....
and also free site visits to come and check your home.
it can also be installed onto a platform - not on your roof- you will have to build a platform or they will do it for you- at an additional cost.

also, for my application the cost is $11,000.

[nos_specialist]

bury a tank underground....put a submersible pump in it....full it with water during the day, the heat from the earth will keep the water warm...then pump it out when needed..

[brams112]

buy a fricking water heater,once you have a good water supply you have no problem,by my house when power is out our heater still sends hot water through the lines once there is a good pressure in the mains,and my house is not small, the heater is almost 100 feet away from my shower in counting distance along walls,plus it is under road level,with my room in a upstairs house,think a 400 pound weight will stay on your roof for how long?because a gallon of water is 10 pounds,it all have to do with your plumbing,,,

[Habit7]

My experience with these solar water heaters is that in the early morning when hot water is most appreciated, it is lukewarm or cold. But the water is steamy hot from dusk onwards.

[brams112]

oh we have a 20 gallon heater,it cost less than 3 gran,and the element is around three hundred dollars which you will not have to change for more than 10 years of use,,,

[nos_specialist]

i have a water heater shower head...cost $150.00 and good enuff for me

[geodude]

i have a water heater shower head...cost $150.00 and good enuff for me

this !!!

but bai is like $99 dong in Penal bai

[Habit7]

Because of the cheapness of local electricity, solar water heaters might not be that cost efficient. If you want cost efficiency dont buy tank water heaters but tankless water heaters, they flash heat the water as its flows to the faucet, rather than heat water in a tank only for it to cool later on. Solar water heaters are certainly more green, but we inherently live in a more green climate than the North American and Europeans.

[Bizzare]

In Trinidad man looking to reduce electricity bill..... ?

[skylinechild]

In Trinidad man looking to reduce electricity bill..... ?

yes bizzare...i find i pay too much for electricity....i pay somewhere like $250 or so...

another update :
had a site visit done today, and i decided to go with the 80 gallon system and 48Sqft solar collector. the price is $10,000 and $2,000 to install it - they supply ALL brackets and piping etc as well as do the plumbing...or just the $10,000 and you can do the install yourself.

also you can claim back VAT on this. The rep said i can claim back 25% of the the cost of the item. so i'll be getting back $2,500 when the next tax time comes around.

so from $10,000 it comes to $7,500 to put out to get this - I already have $2000 put aside to install it.

as for the calcium deposits inside the unit - it will take significantly longer than the tank less / tank water heater to buildup calcium deposits.
when the buildup occurs the system can be back-washed to remove the deposits.

Remember the more you use it the QUICKER it pays for itself and then you begin to save on the electric bill.