What Hot Water Heater is Best for You?

(Page 2 of 5)

March/April 2002
By Joe Hurst-Wajszczuk 
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If you live in an area that doesn’t experience hard-freeze winters, the simplest and least expensive solar heating system available is the batch, or “breadbox,” heater. This open-loop, passive system consists of one or more storage tanks within an insulated box. The tanks are designed to absorb solar energy and limit solar loss. Combining the collector and storage tank eliminates pumps, controllers, and wiring. Batch heaters start at about $1,000, but you can build one yourself for as little as $300.

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Shopping for solar

Solar water heating systems must be the proper size to meet your family’s needs. The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) recommends about 10-square feet of collector area and 20 gallons of water storage per person. If you live outside the Sunbelt, you’ll need to add another twelve to fourteen square feet per person. To be safe, contact a local solar equipment dealer and ask for a site analysis.

To compare complete systems, the FSEC’s Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) has established a rating system that’s similar to the mileage ratings used for comparing automobiles. The numbers contained on the SRCC label indicate how many BTUs (British Thermal Units) of heat a given system collects under standard conditions. This information is available online at www.solar-rating.org.

Because they can generate more hot water and can be adapted for use in colder climates that do experience winter, flat plate collectors (systems start at about $2,000) are more common than batch heaters. Most flat-plate collectors require some electricity to run the circulation pump and the temperature controller that tells the pump when to run. A few models use a photovoltaic module instead of an electric motor and controller; sunlight heats the water and produces the electricity needed to run the pump.

The smaller tubes within the flat-plate collectors are prone to freezing. To address this problem, many units use a freeze-proof fluid (such as antifreeze) that must be flushed and replaced every few years. Although you can find less toxic heat-transfer fluids, a safer option is to stick with water and choose a drainback system. In this case, the heat-transfer fluid (water) drains out of the collectors and collects in the storage tank whenever the system is off. When empty, the tubes within the collector are safe from freeze-related damage.

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