When most people think of solar panels and their applications, they may envision their use on rooftops, in large solar farm fields, attached to roadside call boxes, and even on satellites orbiting the planet. While all good examples of use, they all are of the variety that generate electricity. Not many people think of solar as a reliable means to generate hot water, and unlike the power producing panels, it usually only takes one panel of a certain type to do the job.

In actuality there are multiple panel types and various systems that use both passive and active methods for heating water. With passive systems there is no need for an electric source and water is allowed to flow naturally through a feeding pipe outside the home and into the interior of a heat retention panel that heats the network of pipes and the water within, before the hot water flows out of the top portion and into the top part of the hot water tank. For active systems there is typically the use of a pump that either circulates the water or a special heating fluid that is used to heat the water in the tank through the use of convection or a heat exchanger. Depending on the climate and water needs, different systems are more suitable for specific locations.

Although it mainly varies with the water tank placement, an independent solar garden panel can be either passive or active types, where those in warmer climates use the more efficient passive systems and the colder climates use the freeze-resistant active system. It is typically more effective to have the passive systems where the exposed water pipes are in no danger of freezing and the use of pumps with the active systems where freezing is a concern. Either way warm water is generated at a fraction of the cost otherwise.

The way the panels work is as easy as a dark colored watering can left exposed in the sun. As the sunlight is absorbed by the dark coloration, the heat is held within the material and passed to the fluid within, warming it significantly. Using a similar principle, light enters the dark colored panels and the heat is held within the panel chamber, warming the pipes and the liquid that flows through the network of the heat exchanger. As the cold liquid flows into the system at the base, it will pick up the retained heat as it flows along the long extension of winding pipe and exits from the warmer top section. This liquid as water will be then piped directly to an insulated hot water tank, or the liquid as a chemical will be pumped through a pipe located within the hot water tank, warming the water through convection. Either new cold water or the now cooler chemical liquid will flow through the base and start the process all over again, usually resulting in a steady supply of hot water throughout its use.

Not only for hot water, these independent panels can be used to heat outdoor swimming pools as well. Both homes and businesses can benefit by using the power of the sun for their hot water needs as a supplement to normal heating methods, only now instead of costing a certain fee, it can be done with little to none at all.