Can waterheater be laid on its side

I have a new rheem heat pump water heater that I will be installing to replace my Geospring that I have given up on. Been experimenting with 300 watt 24 volt dc element powered of my battery. 24/7. I t will make more hot water than I need so have to shut off the power some. I want to take the old 50 gal Geospring down in my celler crawl space which has block walls and cement floor. Just like a basement but only has 42 inch clearance under floor beams. I want to lay it on its side and connect the dc element to preheat the water some before it goes to my new waterheater in my ground floor utility room. I am going to use an unused solar panel to power The dc element. I know it will not overheat the water because it will only heat when the solar panel is working. A survey I read states that the well water temp. is 44 degree F. I have 2 175 watt solar panels that I can use and if 2 would make too much power I could also connect the 240 volt 4500 watt panel which only uses about 55 to 60 watts of 24 vdc. . I also bought 9 new panels to power my magnum inverter. Thinking of putting a 24 volt temperature guage in my power room to monitor the dc powered water tank. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?
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Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
In order to get warm/hot water out of it you really would need to keep the water heater in an upright position.
I do not know what it would do to your safety devices if you lay your water heater down, since they can not measure/read the correct temperatures.
Most likely it will not blow up when overheating if the over temperature/pressure relieve valve is still in place.
I also do not know if the buil-in thermostat can handle 13 amp DC since it was build for switching AC, if you are using it.
Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
The tank laying on it's side will waste a lot of energy using the elements to heat the water. Resistance elements have a c.o.p (coefficient of performance of 1, ( basically you get one unit of energy out for each unit in).
#2 The water in the the horizontal tank will not stratify as it did when standing verticle ( hotest water rising to the top) and your btu losses through the insulation will increase because of the larger surface area that the hot water is now exposed to.
If you want to use the extra tank circulate the hot water through it from the Rheem and you will decrease you power consumption by 300%.
Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
Go for it, every bit of preheat helps in that case. If the water heater has the T&P valve on the side of the tank you can remove it and use it for the HW out if that part of the tank is up, then reinstall the t&p valve in the old hw out fitting.
Also remove the dip tube that is inside of the cold in, plug the end and drill holes in one side of the dip tube reinstall with the holes down. This will help slightly with the stratification and slow down the mixing of the cold and hot water if water is drawn.
Have fun!!!