Solar Hot Water Systems

Traditional Hot Water Heater

Tx Wind and Solar - Solar Hot Water Heating System

Would you be surprised to learn that between 20 to 30% of your total energy bill comes from just heating the water? This is because storage tanks for most hot water heaters are constantly being heated, even when no one is using them. If you live in an area that is electric only, a solar water system is ideal for you.

Solar Hot Water Systems
There are (3) primary types of solar systems for heating water. These types of solar solutions are: Batch Collectors, Flat Plat Collecters, and Evacuated Tub Collecters. Batch Collecters are primarily used in tropical warm climates. They are also referred to as an open-looped system, that have to be drained in the wintertime. Flat Plat Collecters use a flat black metal plate to collect heat. This heat is then transferred the heat water. These systems are more expensive and out of the budget of what most are willing to pay. Evacuated Tube Collecters use the latest technologies to collect hot water and are our choice at TX Wind and Solar for a Solar Solution.

Tx Wind and Solar - Solar Hot Water Heating System

Evacuated Tube Collecters
Evacuated tube collecters are the newest of the technologies for collecting hot water. Evacuated tube collectors consist of a series of long transparent glass tubes. Inside each tube is a copper pipe called the absorber tube. The absorber tube is covered with an absorbent material to collect the heat from the sun. Inside the inner tube there is a fluid designed for heat transfer, usually methanol. When the tube is manufactured the air in the outer tube is pumped out creating a vacuum (as in evacuated). Vacuums are very poor conductors of heat. Therefore the heat in the inner tube once captured cannot radiate out again and therefore a higher percentage of the captured heat is retained, making them more efficient then other conventional flat plat collectors.

The great thing about evacuated tube collectors is due to their greater efficiency; they can work well on cloudy days and in colder climates. 80% of the available radiant energy can be captured by these systems. Another advantage of these types of systems is that the vacuum in the tube prevents condensation from collecting, which sometimes happens in flat plate collectors.

Why an Earth-Tech Solar Hot Water System

System features of the Earth-Tech Solar Hot Water Heater are far superior to other brands. Look at these features:

Computerized controls to prevent freezing, regulate water temperature, automatically cycle the water, settings display trouble shooting functions.
High efficiency cathode ray collection tubes with air flow design and high strength aluminum alloy molding.
Dual tank system comes complete with heat collector, storage tank, computer controller, polyurethane insulated hot water tank, fittings for solar tubes and installation.
Anti-freeze protection, natural circulation for energy savings, digital displays and various tank sizes 30, 50, 80 and 130-gallon tanks.
Federal Tax Credit of $1500 available upon SRCC approval.

Other Options

A number of manufactures have developed a type of system called Tankless Water Heaters. These systems have no storage tank and “instantly heat” cold water to the desired temperature for the user. Manufactures that offer these units, in an electric only home, are doing a great disservice to their customers. The electrical requirements to heat 3 gallons of water per minute with an 80 degree F temperature rise will require a 150-amp 230volt circuit. This is 8 times the power required for a 3-ton air conditioning unit. Gas operated tankless water heaters are a great solution for many homeowners that have a gas option. We recommend only Rinnai Tankless Hot Water Systems www.rinnai.us and that they be installed only by North Texas Custom Plumbing.