My son uses passive solar to heat the water for his house during the late spring, summer and fall. He then switches to the wood stove for his water heater. The passive consists of copper tubing enclosed in a case with a black background and clear cover.
In the summer he actually produces way too much hot water and he has to be careful that his over pressure valve is working properly on the heater tank he has.
Where Tilapitopia is much further south than my son (SE Ks) AND where the tilapia do not need 180 degree water like his kids do to have enough to mix with cold water to take showers, I wonder if a passive solar thermal water heater could not be used for the bulk of heating needs and the solar electrical resistance water heater only be needed for supplemental heat?
Son's system is nothing but copper tubing run like a radiator with a black background and enclosed clear front covering. I know he says he puts out a lot of hot water even in fairly cool temps. Don't know if it would at the temps highflyer will be experiencing. A person would have to do some research on that type systems to see if they would be suitable to do a bulk portion of the heating. If they would, not nearly as large of solar electric array would be needed. Or maybe it would for the coldest temps and days????
Just a thought.
Last edited by snrub; 01/11/16 04:57 PM.
