Solar Hot water

[tandttravis]

I know this is for tractor projects, but I used the tractor to lift the solar panels up to the roof! This will provide my family of 4 ; 80% of our domestic hot water. This was a really fun and rewarding project, I had help from a plumber friend, but did most of it myself. So 4 weekends and about $3500 later, I'm up and running!

 

[BamaJDfan]

Did you piece the items together or did it come as a kit? I'd like to do something similar but need info.

 

[tandttravis]

I pieced together this assembly, but you can find the same items sold in kits, check out Callefi's web site

 

[3RRL]

Sounds like a very cool project.
Will it give you hot water year round?

 

[Conservation]

That plumbing makes my head hurt a bit! Can you explain some of it? I get the pump and the loop that goes to the solar panel, and the pex tubing to the mainfold that looks like it supplies the house. And that is about it. I see an expansion tank, and a dead line, and a line with just a gauge on it. And then another loop that goes to the right with a pump. And what looks like a boiler on the right. I want to learn more!

 

[woodlandfarms]

This is a pretty great intro site to tall things energy efficient, A great section on different types of Solar...

Home Power Magazine: Solar | Wind | Water | Design | Build

And then once you have decided on a plan

Solar Water Heating Projects and Plans

 

[GIJOE]

Looks very professional.
My only question..... Is the uni-strut that the pipe is clamped to made of steel or fiberglass? If it is steel, you may want to wrap your pipe at the clamp location to keep the copper from oxidizing and creating a leak.

Joe

 

[tandttravis]

sorry to reply so late, I haven't checked this post in a while It provides hot water even in cloudy weather, but not enough for an entire family, but on sunny days (even when cold) it produces 100% of our hot water . as for piping, it is a closed loop system, with propylene glycol as a heat transfer medium, as I live in a cold climate, and straight water will freeze. the system includes a circulation pump, expansion tank, air seperator, flow check valve,pres & temp gauges, it is controlled by a temperature differential controller, which switches the pump on when the temperature in the solar collectors exceeds the temperature of the storage tank by 8 degrees, and switches it off vice-versa. as for the unistrut , it is not fiberglass, but epoxy coated as to isolate the copper and prevent electrolysis.

 

[tandttravis]

well about 5 months of solar hot water later, and pleased to say
that my natural gas bills are averaging $7 per month! it is still a long payback period, but very gratifying!!

 

[mjncad]

Very clean installation!