At an elevation of over 2,400 meters (7,800 ft) and clear skies for most of the year, solar hot water heating makes great sense. While photovoltaic solar electric power may not make sense for all households, solar hot water heating is a sure win and reduces reliance on propane gas or electric hot water heating.
Left: Installation of our solar hot water heater Right: Solar hot water heater
The principal is simple. Cold water enters into an insulated tank, then flows into black tubes which are heated by the intense power of the sun. The tubes are sheathed in an outer glass tube which contains a vacuum. Since the heat of the black tubes cannot pass across a vacuum, it is all trapped with the water. The heated water rises to the insulated tank and is available for use. Like a big thermos, the tank keeps water hot all through the night.
We intend to experiment with creating our own types of solar hot water heaters as well.
