PV powered On Demand Water Heater ????

Kicking around the idea of using some spare PV panels I have to power a small on-demand water heater to heat my pool. Doing a quick internet search earlier PV powered hot water is considered a bad idea (due to cost I think). However, I don't need hot water all of the time since it's for a pool and I don't need to reach the typical 120 degrees, shooting for about 80-85.
I currently have 600w of PV, a xantrax power hub and charge controller. I just don't know if 600w will cut the mustard for even the smallest heater.
The goal would be to increase the water temp by 10-15 degrees over 7-10 days.
Here is the thread I found earlier,
https://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/13188/i-want-to-run-my-water-heater-on-solar-power-newbie
So what does everyone think?
Thanks for all of your help!
-Bob
I currently have 600w of PV, a xantrax power hub and charge controller. I just don't know if 600w will cut the mustard for even the smallest heater.
The goal would be to increase the water temp by 10-15 degrees over 7-10 days.
Here is the thread I found earlier,
https://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/13188/i-want-to-run-my-water-heater-on-solar-power-newbie
So what does everyone think?
Thanks for all of your help!
-Bob
Comments
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,
Eg. 10x20x5' pool =1000cu.ft. @62# = 62,000# x 10° = 620,000btu. 10 days x 4 full sun hrs x 2000btu = 80,000btu, enough for only 1° or so.
The second number is tougher; net external heat gains/losses. This will be a function of delta between water temp which would increase as the water warms) and ambient air/ground temps, insolation, convective/radiant gains/losses, etc.
A 10x20 pool is roughly 3m x 6m, so 18sq.m.
STC solar insolation of 1000w/sq.m or 3400btu x 18 = ~ 60,000 btu. If a dark pool cover could absorb half that for 4hrs that's 120,000btu/day in gains, vs ~8,000 for pv. The pool cover would also reduce losses at night.
My arithmetic may be off, but it looks to me like the cover wins vs pv. The pv might be more useful running a circ pump during the day to make the cover heat gain higher (by reducing stratification and increasing delta between warm cover and adjacent pool water).
FWIW
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