Fafco Hot20 water heater. Anyone tried it?

I just bought a house out in the sticks and I have no shade and lots of scalding hot, just right pitched roof for solar. I've got 3 little ones and wash a lot of clothes so hot water is the first thing I want to tackle.

I am in Coastal Mississippi so freezing isn't a huge deal but it still happens, so I like the idea they have on the drainback tank. It also looks like the panels are cake to install but I bet they would be lot more efficient in the winter time if they were cased which I might do too.

I have one hot water closet...since we use a good bit of hot water for baths at night I doubt that a single tank would be very efficient without the storage tank. I don't have enough space for one though (single storage closet)...so my thought there was to get a single, skinny 80 gallon and disable the bottom element. Hopefully we wouldn't use over 40 gallons at night and by the time we need it in the next day the panel could reheat it before the cold makes it to the top element. Thoughts?

Any one have any experience with thier kits in general?

P.S. I've been reading tons in here...thank you all for the great info...I'm very excited to turn our new house into a green machine.


Thanks,
JT