Solar Water Heaters

[Jenkins9039]

Has anyone had success with these?

 

We currently have three shower water heaters in the house, soon to be 5+ [excluding taps].

 

Not entirely sure if you actually save money on them, aside from that our household is quite big, not sure if heated water would be lost travelling the network of pipes we have going on - how did others resolve? with redundancy for backup water heaters?

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/solar-hot-water-heater-150-litre-stainless-steel-tank-can-save-30000-baht-per-year-in-electricity-cost-warranty-10-years-i1415434939-s12416000771.html?

[worgeordie]

I have Solar water heating installed for about 30 years , and can fully recommend it,

It is Solahart system from Australia ,the only one available here at the time , a quality

product , but not cheap , but it really has paid for itself , now there are a lot cheaper

Chinese made systems , one of the pluses with solar water heating for me is your

not using electricity to heat the water which is expensive and can be dangerous, 

 

It's best to install in a new build so you have hot water pipes installed to all your

outlets , 

 

regards worgordie

[Muhendis]

12 years ago I made my own flat panel heater.

Water is sometimes too hot and it still works just fine.

I do have an instant water heater for early morning shower but don't use it much and when I do, power for it is from solar/ESS.

 

[digger70]

Son in law and daughter in Aus got a 500 Liter Solar hot water system with automatic electric  backup  if the sun isn't available  in the Wet Season on their Very strong  roof for about 14 years 

Not cheap but very good.Never had a problem

Must make sure that ones Roof is strong enough to carry the weight . 

[Muhendis]

8 hours ago, worgeordie said:

It's best to install in a new build so you have hot water pipes installed to all your

outlets , 

Yeah.

I had insulated copper pipes for hot water.

If I were to do it again I would use PPR which wasn't around at the time of my build.

[brianthainess]

I would just use a coil (s) of black water pipe.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Water is sometimes too hot and it still works just fine.

So you don't have mixer taps ? 

[Muhendis]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

So you don't have mixer taps ? 

Of course I do otherwise showering would be impossible.

[khunPer]

18 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

how did others resolve? with redundancy for backup water heaters?

I installed one on my rooftop when building my house in 2009-2010. Works great...???? Whens it's really hot – like now – the water is close to perfect coffee-water temperature...???? However, when it's cloudy and cold the water is not hot, but might still be lukewarm.

 

You would need hot-water-pipes –normally the green insulated water pipes – to distribute the water from the solar heater.

 

If you install on the roof your tank might be places in the attic. In that case you'll need a circulation pump. Don't use a normal pump, it need to be a pump designed for hot water. I use a Danish brand "Grundfoss" hot-water circulation-pump – we use them in my Danish home country for water-circulation in central heating systems – they are available in Thailand and can sometimes also be found online at Lazada or Shopee. They almost lasts for ever. A 30 watt pump will do it, even when running on lowest of three speeds...

 

Some water-tanks comes with a back-up electric heater in case when not enough heat from the Sun. Mind you, that the hot water storage-tank might be 200 liters, so not cheap to keep it warm or hot by electric heating during cold periods.

 

I distribute the hot water from the central tank in insulated hot water pipes and have a local flow-through water 3.5kW heater in each bathroom to boost during cloudy cooler season, instead of using the central tank's heater. The local flow-heaters only need to be heating almost at minimum. During warm sunny periods the mains can be switches off for water heaters; their inter 0.5L or less storage tanks is not a problem for fast hot water in the tap, but of course depending of the distance from your solar water heater's storage tank to the outlet...????

[xtrnuno41]

When im in Thailand, i feel ok not to have warm water shower. It is adjusting, but its ok. when adjusted.

I saw your link and it was 28950 Baht. I checked again on lazada for more of them by search term "solar water heater" and there it was , i saw your item again, only this time 20950 Baht.

Already saved you 8000 baht

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/150-30000-10-i1415434939-s12416000768.html?

Mmm link doesnt show directly, I cut it in as it was veryyyyyy long.

But if you copy and paste, then it shows you same vendor, same machine, lower price.

Second hand? dont know, it is not in the description. Or because im searching from a not Thai location?

I scroll further and there it is again, now it costs 23950 B, it is the only solar heater for sale and also the only same vendor.

I took your link, got back in water heaters listing and searched again. I was on page 20, stopped and no solar heater in all those pages.

Weird, very weird

[xtrnuno41]

You can also check on internet Alibaba. Yes normally they sell by lots of sets, but not with solar collectors. You can buy even a set  $50 !

Of course you have shipment, transport, tax to pay , dont forget that, well you can chat, ask, negotiate ? 

Dont forget Thailand water can be totally different. In "my" country pH=7, but Thailand can have other water, and with another pH. 

I see some people have such solar heaters and no problems mentioned. 

The one you choose is a solar collector with vacuum tubes, the thing now to go for.

DOnt forget there is a tank on it with 150 kg of water and then again the set weight, is your roof able to handle that?

 

https://www.china-solarheater.com/solar-water-heater-manufacturers-thailand/

Which give some manufacturers in Thailand.