Solar Hot Water systems and trends

[Wobs]

Absolutely. Although I think most cowboy operators have been drawn to Hull since the floods. There's so much building/repair work going on, the trading standards guys must be having a field day.

[LMagic007]

Yes unfortunately people get ripped off in many industries.

[brianidaho]

Has anyone here put in a solar HW system, or at least priced one? I'd consider it if the economics were there, I currently use electric for hot water heating. Given that a conventional electric or gas fired water heater can be purchased for $300 or so, and given the relatively simple components involved in a solar system, I'd think the hardware cost wouldn't be that great. If it were $1000 or less I'd consider it, payback would be reasonable. The biggest expense I'd guess (other than labor, which I'd do myself) would be for the insulated HE for water storage. Is there anyway to add a heat exchanger within the shell of an existing water heater tank? I've got a "super-insulated" Marathon one I would want to keep. One headache here is that we get well below freezing in the winter, I'd look at a secondary system with antifreeze.

Bri

[LMagic007]

Not sure but might you need a licenced plumber to install it ? Depends on your national, state or county regulations I guess.

[brianidaho]

Originally Posted by LMagic007

Not sure but might you need a licenced plumber to install it ? Depends on your national regulations I guess.

Here we need to have a state inspector review and approve any plumbing work. They are pretty easy to work with, I plumbed my house, they gave some input but didn't try to make things difficult. You just need to buy the permit for the work-Idaho is pretty good for the do-it-yourselfer. I figures as long as I had to pay for the permit I might as well pick his brain...he may just have wanted me to go away...

B