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  • solar water heater tank connections

    Hello,

    I am new to this forum and am seeking advice.

    I am planning a simple DIY solar water heater. I live in the tropics and need a system to help save our high energy costs.

    I am building a collector of black polyethylene tubing and have a small recirculation pump that will run PV only and have two hot water lines running back to my small electric water heater. My plan is to hopefully hook into my conventional water heater and recirculate the heated water using the water heater tank as a storage tank.

    My water heater tank appears to have three water outlets/inlets. There is the cold water in, hot water out and the outlet capped with a pressure relief valve.

    I'm not sure how I can hook the recirculation lines from the collector into this tank. I was considering T ing one line into the cold water line prior to where it enters the water heater and doing the same thing for the other line into the water line at the pressure relief valve outlet. I would keep the pressure relief valve working as well. The recirc pump would bring water from the collector to the T at the cold water inlet and the return would come from the pressure relief outlet.

    Does this appear workable? Do I need to install check valves anywhere or other devises?


    Thanks.


    Regards,

    BelizeTed

  • #2
    IN this scenario it would be better to set up a separate tank to feed your existing tank.
    Plumb the hot out of the solar tank to the cold inlet of the electric tank.
    Remove the cold water inlet from the solar tank with the dip tube and cut the dip tube so it goes about 1/2 -2/3 down the tank and reinstall.
    remove the drain valve and install a cross in this port. Plumb the cold water inlet into one side of the cross install a drain valve in one leg and the collector suction into the last port. The return from the collectors goes into the cold water inlet on top of the tank where the dip tube is.
    NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

    [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

    [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

    [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

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    • #3
      Usually water heaters have a drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Remove the drain valve, and install the hot water connection from the collector in it's place.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Naptown View Post
        IN this scenario it would be better to set up a separate tank to feed your existing tank.
        Plumb the hot out of the solar tank to the cold inlet of the electric tank.
        Remove the cold water inlet from the solar tank with the dip tube and cut the dip tube so it goes about 1/2 -2/3 down the tank and reinstall.
        remove the drain valve and install a cross in this port. Plumb the cold water inlet into one side of the cross install a drain valve in one leg and the collector suction into the last port. The return from the collectors goes into the cold water inlet on top of the tank where the dip tube is.
        Thank You. By "solar tank", do you mean a special solar water tank or can an old hot water heater tank be used for this purpose? Solar tanks are not available here and importing one would really drive my costs up.

        Would this "solar tank" have to be co-located with the hot water heater? My utility room with the water heater is pretty small. Can the solar tank be located away from the water heater.

        Lastly, it is possible to plumb this system in without a separate tank? Our hot water needs are not great as we are in the tropics. We mainly want to take the chill off the water during the winter months!

        Thanks for your advice.


        Regards,

        Belizeted

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by LucMan View Post
          Usually water heaters have a drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Remove the drain valve, and install the hot water connection from the collector in it's place.
          Thanks. My water heater does not have a drain valve at the bottom. Only the Hot/Cold water and the overflow/pressure outlet.

          Belizeted

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Naptown View Post
            IN this scenario it would be better to set up a separate tank to feed your existing tank.
            Plumb the hot out of the solar tank to the cold inlet of the electric tank.
            Remove the cold water inlet from the solar tank with the dip tube and cut the dip tube so it goes about 1/2 -2/3 down the tank and reinstall.
            remove the drain valve and install a cross in this port. Plumb the cold water inlet into one side of the cross install a drain valve in one leg and the collector suction into the last port. The return from the collectors goes into the cold water inlet on top of the tank where the dip tube is.
            Hello Rich,

            Thank you. I am attaching a photo of my tank and connections. Note that there is no separate drain outlet on this unit. I T'd in a drain valve at the bottom of the coldwater inlet of the tank.

            I have an additional (currently unused) small water heater of the same type of configuration. Would this be suitable for the second tank or can I get away with just using the one pictured???


            Regards,

            Belizeted

            tank connections.jpg

            Comment


            • #7
              Not ideal but could work.
              A standard water heater works better (ones that have the hot and cold both at the top)
              NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

              [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

              [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

              [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

              Comment

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