Solar Water Heating System Types

Integral collector storage passive systems.

Solar water heating system types.

Indirect systems water is heated directly into solar collectors and circulating in your home. The main difference between direct and indirect solar hot water is the type of fluid used to collect heat in the system. When a solar water heating and hot water central heating system are used together solar heat will either be concentrated in a pre heating tank that feeds into the tank heated by the central heating or the solar heat exchanger will replace the lower heating element and the upper element will remain to provide for supplemental heat. In an indirect system solar energy is collected and held in a special antifreeze fluid.

There are 3 types of solar hot water system to choose from. Although there are a large number of different types of solar water heating systems the basic technology is very simple. Collector based systems the first two types both use a solar collector that is placed on your roof. Worse still there are many different types on the market such as electric water heaters solar water heaters on demand water heaters conventional water heaters storage tank water heaters gas heaters tankless systems for heating water and high efficiency water heaters.

The water tank of a thermosyphon system itself usually does not require any pumps and controllers to operate in its simplest form using the pressure of the water connection in house would allow the system to operate effectively as an on demand hot water system heating the water in the tank to well over 60 degrees under fair conditions. It is best suited for cold or freezing conditions where the absence of heat exchangers means that cold cold water cannot be heated effectively. The active solar hot water heater the medium cost type is the active solar water heater. The antifreeze is circulated into your hot water storage tank which heats water for use in your home.

Active solar heaters are primarily of three types direct indirect and drain. The 3 types of solar hot water. There are two basic types of passive systems. This system is used if the tank is bellow the collector e g when concealed under a slanted roof.

An active solar water heating system consists of 3 major elements a flat plate solar collector and a solar energy hot water pump. Passive solar water heating systems.