3 Reasons To Choose Solar Water Heater Instead Of Solar Panels
When we talk about solar energy, there are so many devices and technology available nowadays for common people’s use. People tend to debate about whether they should buy solar panels or a solar water heater. Although both are quite similar technologies, a debate always goes on about which one is more beneficial and which one is going to be more efficient. Both these technologies use the same source of power which is the sunlight but they both give very different results.
Solar panels are known to turn sunlight into electricity which can run almost the whole house while solar water heater turns sunlight into heat energy in order to heat the water in the tank. Although both give different results they are similar in efficiency and they both are environment-friendly.
So, as a customer, it might be that you would prefer to buy solar panels instead of solar water heating system. Producing electricity for the whole house instead of paying the electricity bill can be a great save of your money. But instead of banking all your trust on solar panels, you can also try using the solar water heater. Here are some reasons why solar water heater can be a better choice than solar panels.
For A Simpler Life
Solar panels have a lot more complications. The cost and maintenance for solar panels are much more. You will need to keep controlling it for your usage and give much more attention to it. Solar water heater, on the other hand, is easy to use. Once you install it, you can simply forget about it. It will keep producing hot water on its own throughout the day as long as sunlight is available. You won’t need to keep checking on it and the maintenance required for it is quite minimum.
An Elegant Solution
The technology and engineering used in solar water heater system are much more elegant and simple than solar panels. While solar panels can be feasible and suitable for most commercial purposes, a solar water heater is much more suitable for domestic purposes. Instead of turning sunlight to electricity and then to heat energy in order to get hot water, solar water heater shortens the process and directly turns the solar energy to heat energy.
Availability Of Roof Space
The availability of roof space is a major factor in installing any solar-powered technology. While solar panels tend to take up a lot of space, the solar water heater doesn’t take up much space at all. Whether you live in a big house or a small one, the solar water heater can be easily installed anywhere as long as sunlight is available.
Therefore, choosing a solar water heater can be a better solution for a lot of people to make their life simpler.
Read MoreHow To Protect The Collectors Of Your Solar Water Heating System?
Every part of a solar water heating system is essential and that includes the collectors. The collectors of a solar water heating system are known to collect the sunlight or solar energy to turn it into heat energy. So, if these collectors are not maintained properly, the whole solar water heating system will stop working. One of the problems that occur with a solar water heating system is that on the hot days these collectors tend to overheat.
On a hot summer day, the collectors absorb solar energy more than normal and the solar water heater generates enormous amounts of heat. But the demand for hot water decreases on a hot day, especially for domestic purposes. This gives birth to a condition known as stagnation.
Stagnation is the situation which occurs when the water storage tank heats up to maximum temperature very early in the day. In turn, the movements through the solar collector stops and thus the fluid present in the system starts to get hotter and hotter. This results in a high pressure due to the high temperature that can damage the system in long run. It usually happens due to the contraction and expansion of the system due to heating and cooling.
Also, when the anti-freeze gets overheated every day, it can become acidic which will then react with all the other elements and becomes corrosive. This corrosive element if circulates throughout the system, it will break down all the components in the long run.
In order to keep your solar water heating system running in the long run, you will need to give your solar collectors some overheating protection. The easiest way to do that is to cover your panels or collectors. If your system has accessible flat plate panels, cover them with sheets of plywood. But this is mostly possible if it is installed on the ground. The plywood sheets should fit the panel exactly so that not only it covers it wholly but it also doesn’t damage the panels due to wind.
If your solar water heating system consists of an evacuated solar tube, you can use a customized shade screen to cover them during the hot days. Make sure this shade screen is made with good material that won’t damage your system in any way but can also prevent the collectors from overheating.
Therefore, if you have a solar water heating system in your home, you should take care of your system and prevent overheating.
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