Solar Water Heater
Non-Electric
- The first and most elementary concept to understand about a thermosiphon style solar hot water heater is that it uses no electricity. The solar panels are for the collection and concentration of light energy to convert into heat. They are not photovoltaic panels and do not produce electricity.
- The Solar Panels
- Most thermosiphon solar water heaters use evacuated tube panels. These use a collection of several double-layer water pipes. The outer pipes are made of glass and have a special coat of light absorber, which replaces the outer glass panel of other solar water heater designs. The inner pipe contains the water to be heated. This model has the advantage of being less subject to outside air temperature. some of these units have added a parabolic mirror for concentrating sunlight.
- Once the water is heated in the panel, it is moved from the panel to the tank and then from the tank and into a home by two forces: gravity and convection. This is what defines the thermosiphon model. Other solar hot water heaters may use the same panel, but this model does not use electric pumps for circulating water.