solar hot water

91winsun
91winsun Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
Can anyone recommend a hands on course installing SHW systems. With contract installs in mind. A comprehensive course using the
best and most common systems. Can travel in the US. thanks
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: solar hot water

    Some places to start:

    www.arttec.net/Solar/BarnHeat.html (read thru entire site--He shows both his mistakes and his fixes)
    www.solarroofs.com (a do it yourself friendly shop--They may have a dealer/installer network too--Not sure)
    Low tech home made heating system (another DIY install--But very interesting how it was done using "low tech" hardware)'

    Sorry I cannot give you more names/contacts--I am not in the solar business... And interestingly, the solar thermal installers have pretty much died in the SF Bay Area (last I checked a couple years ago--only a hand full for the area). Not sure why (lots of plumbing and most solar installers here are electricians? Too much after service support? :confused:).

    Even a roofer I use here was looking into going with Grid Tied Inverter systems--Since he was fixing a lot of leaking roofs from electrician installers. :p

    So--either solar thermal is wide open--or a grave yard for solar thermal businesses. Don't know.

    Good Luck.
    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • 91winsun
    91winsun Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭
    #3
    Re: solar hot water

    how about an installers course for gas on demand hot water unit installs?? I'm really looking for a new gig and need to get going..
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: solar hot water
    91winsun wrote: »
    how about an installers course for gas on demand hot water unit installs?? I'm really looking for a new gig and need to get going..

    From what I have seen, the documentation of on-demand system installations is much better (reflecting a mature, widely used product) and does not leave much to be filled in by the installer. You can freely download the installation documents from at least some of the manufacturers (e.g. Noritz). The biggest issue that I have seen in forums related to on-demand is in correctly setting the customer's expectations and giving them the right info on how to treat their hot water usage differently!

    (One example: if you combine a too-high temp setting on the on-demand heater, which then requires a mix of a substantial amount of cold with hot for a shower, with a low flow shower head, then the flow rate at the on-demand heater will not be enough to keep it working properly. The fix is to lower the heater temperature so that the shower is using almost all hot to get the desired temp.)

    For my on-demand installation, having a remote control to set the output temp of the heater (Noritz) from inside the house is BIG plus so that I can get high temp water only when I need it! For example, this allows me to set the temp high just when I want to run the dishwasher, so that I do not have to use inefficient electric heat inside the dishwasher to get sanitary rinse temperatures.

    Unfortunately, I cannot help you with a pointer to a course.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #5
    Re: solar hot water

    a basic plumbing and reading the manufacturers' indstruction manual is really all that is needed. Just because it is solar hot water does not introduce any really complicated things. Adding a check valve, pressure releease valve, and sometimes a ciruclation valve due to cold temps are pretty basic things.

    In short there aren't any courses for solar hot water installation because it is not that hard to do. IMHO.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: solar hot water
    BB. wrote: »
    ... And interestingly, the solar thermal installers have pretty much died in the SF Bay Area...

    Didn't California go to some silly double closed loop thing, where the heat exchange can't run in the tank with a single wall between the antifreeze and the potable water?
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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