Electric and gas hot water systems accounting for approximately 20% of a household’s greenhouse gas emissions,and by installing a solar water system you will reduce these emissions and also save up to 75% of your water heating costs! Table below is sourced from the Debartment of Environment and Climate Change NSW.
How does solar hot water work
There exist two types of collectors:
flat plate collectors (great for when tank must also be roof mounted)
evacuated tubes (great for frost prone areas)
Flat plate collectors work on copper pipes running through a glass covered collector, often connected to a water storage tank on the roof. The hot water can then thermo-syphon itself in and out of the tank, thus heating the water. The updated option of flat plate collectors are evacuated tubes.
Evacuated tubes use a glass tube with a vacuum inside it and copper pipes running through the centre. The copper pipes are all connected to a common manifold which is then connected to a slow flow circulation pump which pumps water to a storage tank below, thus heating the hot water during the day. The hot water can be used at night or the next day due to the more…