The best brand of solar hot water heater

 Evacuated Tubes vs Standard Copper tank

Anyone got any comments
I am going to be installing one soon and want to know which US available
brand is the best for the money
need something to handle 3 bathrooms - as a preheater I suppose

DT

--
David B Turner
Island Computers US Corp
2700 Gregory St, Suite 180
Savannah GA 31404

T: 877-6364332 x201
Intl: 001 912 447 6622

E: dturner@islandco.com
F: 912 201 0402
W: http://www.islandco.com

 

Evacuated tubes vary. I don't know what you mean by "standard copper
tank", so it's not very standard. The "standard" hot water panel would
be a flat pate collector, and they vary too. One of the good versions
(or several, depending on how much water you draw in your 3 bathrooms)
should do you fine in Savannah, GA most of the year.

What's good, what isn't good?

http://www.solar-rating.org/ratings/ratings.htm

Done.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

 David Turner, Island Computers wrote:

Evacuated tubes do have better heat transfer than strait copper tubes
but they do not shed snow as well. You need to look at the efficiencies
and cost for your total system. Have a look at NREL and contact the
manufacturers for more info.

Michelle P

 David Turner, Island Computers wrote:

What's a copper tank?

Let's assume you mean flat plate collector vs evacuated tubes. As
mentioned already evacuated tubes vary widely. Where a good evacuated
tube collector has an advantage is in poor conditions because it has
less loss. That would be on cloudy days, in very cold weather and early
and late in the day when there is less light. This is called
instananeous collector efficiency and is rated at (water temperature -
ambient temperature) / (solar insolation). The efficiency falls as the
ambient temperaure falls or the amount of sunlight falls. Evacuated
tubes should fall less although they may not start quite as high (you
have more non collecting area in an evacuated tube array).

  You can probably afford a much larger collection area of high quality
flat plates than evacuated tubes though and the flat plate may be more
efficient under your average conditions in Savannah. Also, you can buy
the absorber plates already assembled and make the boxes yourself if you
wish to have some sweat equity.

   You may wish to ask over in alt.solar.thermal.

   Jeff