This system was installed on the side of the owner’s house while building a new home, consisting of 2 solar panels with a photovoltaic cell; tubular, black glazed glass, filled with food grade glycol 40%, 60% water, (enough for a 4–5 person home).
System is sensor driven, once the photovoltaic cell is activate it sends a message to the electric motor with pump, and by convection it heats the water in first tank. Once heated, the hot water fills into second tank which is also connected to city grid as a backup. When both tanks are filled with hot water, signal is stopped. It takes about one week for this couple to use the water in one tank, therefore always has lots of hot water. In the summer, system runs all the time until 8pm, in the winter runs less. During overcast days when there is not enough sun for the photovoltaic cell to send a signal to pump the backup system connected to the grid takes over to heat the water.
This system saves between $50 and $60 per month.
