|
How much Sun
do I need?
Ideally
unshaded direct sun exposure for 6 hours/day (9
am to 3 pm) throughout the year is preferred,
but partial shading can be okay too. We
will evaluate your site for shading tolerances.(Top)
Does my
roof/yard have to face south?
Ideal exposure
is due south, but south-east or south-west is
acceptable. (Top)
Where can the panels be located?
With a southern
panel orientation , they can be either roof
mounted or ground level mounted.
(Top)
How much hot water do I need?
Each person in
a house typically uses between 15-25 gallons of
heated water per day. We will size your
system based on your personal habits.
(Top)
How much space do I need in my basement for the
tank?
Solar Hot water
can use different tank configurations, either a
one tank or two tank system
One tank:
a single tank receives solar heated water and
has an integral backup heater. When cloudy
weather limits solar heating, the backup heater
in the tank turns on. The benefit of this
system is space is required for only one tank.
The disadvantage is more energy consumption
because there is less solar hot water storage
volume.
Two Tanks: One storage tank receives
only solar heated water. A second tank is
located in series with the solar tank. The
second tank is the backup tank using
conventional fuels for heat. Typically, a
homeowner simply re-uses an existing water
heater. This system requires space for the
two tanks and is very energy efficient because
the entire volume of the solar heated water is
used to offset fuel consumption.
(Top)
How does the system prevent freezing in the
winter?
There are two
types of systems, drainback and glycol
(anti-freeze)
Drainback type:
Water is only circulated in the exposed piping
and collectors when the temperature in the
collectors is hot. At night time and
cloudy days, the system is off and the exposed
pipes are empty, which prevents freezing.
The collectors must be located above the storage
and drainback tank. This system will
not overheat in summer
Glycol type:
This system uses a circulation pump to transfer
heat from the collectors to the storage tank.
At night time and cloudy or snowy days when the
system is off, the pipes stay full of the glycol
solution. Special controls are used
to prevent this system from overheating in the
summer.
(Top) |
