Fafco Hot20 water heater. Anyone tried it?

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
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. :D


Thanks,
JT
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Fafco Hot20 water heater. Anyone tried it?

    http://www.hot2o.com/How-FAFCO-Solar-Products-Work.html

    After looking at that, their easy install, limits you to electric water heaters.

    Another one I have heard of, but have no experience with, its the "solar wand"
    http://butlersunsolutions.com/html/pr_solar_heat_exchagne_wand-46-reg.html
    which can run a anti-freeze solution in (double wall) and they have a PV pump kit too
    http://butlersunsolutions.com/html/pr_pvptanktop-big.html

    And there are many home-brew systems too. this is just the first off the top of my head.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || 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 ,

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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: Fafco Hot20 water heater. Anyone tried it?

    It looks like you can use this system for preheat for a demand gas tankless water heater. You may need to use a dummy electric for a storage tank. I confess I didn't read the whole link.

    Tony
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