Off-Grid Stuff

Solar water heating is a small part of the entire solar heating subject. In british climate large amount of energy you use annually goes to make domestic hot water. In sunny days this water might be prepared using solar energy with a help of solar water heater.

The solar water heater in most cases is not one device, but a system consisting of at least three components:

1. solar thermal panel, the device that makes the hot water using solar radiation,
2. storage tank, well insulated, that holds the hot water from time it’s prepared to the time you open the tap,
3. pump and controller that turns the pump on only when the sun is shining (except for the thermosiphon systems).

For systems that prepare the hot water in a storage tank already, retrofitting your home for solar energy use is quite easy. In other cases you need to create the entire system from scratch…

You can find even electric immersion water heating elements that may be powered using solar photovoltaic panel, but it’s just silly. Simple solar thermal panel is able to produce usable heat from solar energy with even 60-80% efficiency, while most solar PV panels are in 15-25% efficiency range.

Some say that you can use solar water heaters to heat your home but that’s difficult as in winter you don’t have much solar energy.

Solar Water Heater Panel £26.00 (2 Bids) Auction Ends: Saturday May-19-2012 13:40:47 BST   | Watch this Item

12v Volt 1" WATER HEATER IMMERSION ELEMENT solar wind V £54.95 Auction Ends: Saturday May-19-2012 13:49:27 BST   | Watch this Item

solar water heaters, flat plate, solid copper sheet heat collector £200.00 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Saturday May-19-2012 17:27:49 BST   | Watch this Item

100 Liter Solar Water Heater Tank, with copper coil, with electrical element £316.31 Auction Ends: Saturday May-19-2012 17:32:04 BST   | Watch this Item

12 VOLT Immersion Water Heater Element 12V Solar Wind V £47.95 Auction Ends: Sunday May-20-2012 15:56:27 BST   | Watch this Item

48Volt 48V IMMERSION WATER HEATER ELEMENT SOLAR WIND V £58.95 Auction Ends: Monday May-21-2012 11:05:52 BST   | Watch this Item

NEW-Advanced 300 Lt Solar Water Heating Heater Panel-30 Evacuated Tubes x 58mm £995.00 Auction Ends: Monday May-21-2012 19:22:30 BST   | Watch this Item

12 Volt WATER HEATER IMMERSION ELEMENT solar wind 12V V £58.95 Auction Ends: Wednesday May-23-2012 10:47:07 BST   | Watch this Item

24v DC water heater camper van wind turbine solar power £42.50 Auction Ends: Wednesday May-23-2012 18:13:00 BST   | Watch this Item

I strongly suggest checking as those above are not the best or even the cheapest you can get. I must also say that you can make your own cheap solar water heater, but that’s another story.