Going Green: Solar Water Heaters

Solar water heaters are quickly becoming common household product as consumers realize the benefits of going green. Still, the average user doesn't understand how they function and which type would be suitable for his household needs. Because of these ambiguities, it might happen that the solar water heater you are using isn't working well for you. The problem, most often, is not in the device but in your inappropriate selection. Read on to appreciate the various kinds of solar water heaters available so you can select the best one for yourself. Solar heaters typically have solar collectors and storage tanks. Mainly, these systems are classified as active solar heaters and passive solar heaters. Active heaters include circulating pumps so they usually cost more when it comes to maintenance. Passive solar water heaters, on the other hand, do not need pumps as they depend on natural circulation; hence, they are less of a hassle when it comes to maintenance and result in less maintenance expenditure after their installation.

Active solar water heaters are available in two different types: direct circulation systems and indirect circulation systems. Direct circulation systems heat water inside a storage tank and the circulating pumps move it forward into the house. But these systems aren't successful in areas where water gets frozen often. Indirect circulation systems were introduced to solve this problem; these include a heat exchanger filled with a non-freezing fluid. Solar energy is used to heat this fluid, which in turn passes heat to water running inside your house.

Passive water heaters are low-priced but are less efficient that active heaters. They too come in two types: the integral collector storage (ICS) system and the thermosyphon system. Like direct circulation active systems, ICS systems work well in warmer climates where water freezing is not an issue. Thermosyphon systems, on the other hand, are designed to work in all temperatures. When the temp. hits the freezing point, water is brought to a regular water heater. Thermosyphons are generally more reliable than ICS systems but also come with a higher price.

Heating systems aside, solar collectors come in a few common types: flat-plate, ICS and evacuated-tube solar collectors. 'Flat-plate collectors' are made of dark absorbing plates within a tiny insulated area that keeps the plates safe from all outside events. Sometimes, they come without these insulated containers when they are needed for outdoor usage like heating a swimming pool.

'ICS collectors' often have one or multiple tanks within an insulated material and have a heat absorbing outside, so that both this and the tank can be inside one box. Water gets warmed as it passes through these tanks and is brought to a regular water heater before being brought through the home. These are feasible only in places where outer pipelines don't get frozen during winters. While readymade ICS heater-collector systems are available in markets, several people build their own because they are rather simple to create.

Finally, the evacuated-tube solar collectors consist of translucent glass pipes that run parallel to each other. A meta-absorbing pipe is connected with a fin in such a way that the energy absorbed from the sun is conserved inside for a longer duration.

Having read all the details about the various types of solar water heaters and collectors, now you can choose one that suits your needs perfectly.