How Do Solar Water Heater Panels Work

The mechanics of a solar pool heater are surprisingly simple.

How do solar water heater panels work. As water is pumped through the mat s veins heat is transferred from the pp mat to the water. Of course a home water heater has to work faster and bigger than that so the system has to be more complicated. Solarcraft s solar pool heating systems work seamlessly with your pool equipment and are fully automated. Solar thermal panels use heat from the sun to warm fluid passing through them as the diagram below shows.

Solar water heater winter the solar water heating system can be effective because of efficient insulation. After a while it s not iced anymore. When the temperature is cold during winters radiator fluid technology is used in solar water heaters. The mats also called collectors are laid out in direct sunlight to absorb its heat.

The same thing is happening when you leave a glass of iced tea in the sun. You set the desired water temperature on the solar control and when solar energy is available at the solar collectors an automatic motorized valve diverts the water through the solar collectors and carries the suns heat back to the pool. At its core a solar water heater does one thing. Unlike traditional water heaters solar water heaters don t use energy from the grid to heat water.

In the simplest panels sun heats water flowing in a circuit through the collector the panel on your roof. An immersion heater unvented hot water cylinder might be needed as a back up heater or to get the water to the temperature you want. This is then used to heat your water which is stored in a hot water cylinder. How it works solar water heaters solar water heaters come in a wide variety of designs all including a collector and storage tank and all using the sun s thermal energy to heat water.

Solar water heater panels are situated on the roof of a home and allow water to flow through them so the sun s rays can heat the water. Here s a simple summary of how rooftop solar hot water panels work. The water leaving the collector is hotter than the water entering it and carries its heat toward your hot water tank. Solar water heaters are typically described according to the type of collector and the circulation system.

The most common type of solar pool heater is an array of polypropylene pp veined mats that are spanned between two feed pipes. The heated water travels to the domestic hot water tank and flows into and out of pipes on either side of the tank. Chilly pool water travels through your existing pump then a new set of pipes and finally through the solar collectors installed on your roof garage or pool house whichever is nearest to your pool with a southern roofline. It uses sunlight to warm water.

The solar energy collected is then used to heat the water in your home.