There are many common household appliances that are labeled as "major energy consumers." Items such as a refrigerator consume a great deal of energy because they are in constant use. Similarly, a water heater is constantly using up energy in order to maintain adequate supplies of hot water. However, by switching out your conventional water heater for a solar water heater, these operating costs can be all but eliminated.
Water heating via solar power is not a new idea. There are many examples of rudimentary solar heating methods dating back to the early 20th century. In most cases, these units were nothing more than a large metal water tank that had been painted black and set out in an area of consistent, direct sunlight. The black paint helped to absorb solar energy, which was then transferred to the water inside the tank. While these systems were somewhat effective, they were largely inefficient. Fortunately, modern technology has created many, more efficient methods.
Today, a solar water heater is most often made up of several different components. Of course, the most common component is the water tank, which is used to store the heated water. However, other components can include a solar energy collector, a water pump, and various lengths of tubing; all of which play an important part in the overall system.
The solar collector is the primary means of generating the hot water. In most cases they are built as a black box with a glass top. Inside this box is a long length of tube that enters on one side, winds back and forth through the box, and then exits on the other side. As water is pumped through this tube, sunlight enters through the glass top and heats the water inside. This heated water is then pumped into the storage tank for later use. The temperature is maintained by circulating the colder water from the bottom of the tank through the solar collector, and then back.
Depending on the particular system, other components are also common. Water pumps, for example, are used quite a lot. However, they do require some electricity and therefore need to be installed near a power outlet.
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