Hi, this is Greg with Phoenix Green Team. We want to take a moment to explain about solar hot water heaters.
We refer to “solar water heating systems” as a combination of tank, circulating pump and panel. The tank will determine in many cases whether or not we employ a closed loop or an open loop configuration. Many times we use a Schuco tank, which is produced by a German manufacturer and utilizes a serpentine copper element within the tank to transfer the heat from the circulating antifreeze that is heated in the panel, to the domestic hot water that will actually be used within the household or office. Serpentine elements are preferable to “tube and header” elements in two important ways.
1) There are no breaks in the element. The copper tube is “wound” throughout the tank or the panel and because of this, the element is more durable and less prone to leak. Tube and header elements typically will have more maintenance associated with the systems.
2) Serpentine elements also have a higher flow rate than tube and header systems, which means that the circulating liquid can move faster and still pick up the heat needed to warm your water.
Solar hot water is a great technology to look at. It can save you up to 90% on your hot water heating costs, especially if you are heating your water with electricity. For the average family of 3-4, that is about $400 per year at current energy prices in late 2010. If you’d like more information, please visit our website: http://www.phoenixgreenteam.com
