With the built-in electric backup, the SolarHot system gives you an economical solar solution for your hot water needs that will not run out of hot water even on a cloudy day.
Graphic courtesy of ESTIF
The Collectors
The most popular collector design on the market today is the flat plate collector. It is aesthetically pleasing and lies flat on a tilted roof. The flat plate collector is the most economical solar collector available. The roof can face in any direction between Southeast and Southwest with little change in yearly performance. In situations where the preferred collector direction is more easterly or more westerly, the addition of an extra collector will allow the solar system to maintain performance. As an alternative, a nearby ground location for the collectors is also possible.
Existing Home Retrofit , Colorado
Heating the hot water tank
There are several popular approaches to getting the heat out of the collectors and into the hot water tank for your use. In most regions of the US, a compact twin pump and heat exchanger combination is used to deliver highly efficient performance while at the same time, providing wintertime freeze protection. Another interesting design alternative for off-grid homes uses a small PV module to run the system.
Commercial Use
The most common commercial usage of solar thermal systems is to provide hot water for the ongoing hot water needs of the business. These include warm water for a car wash, hot water for a laundry, hot water for restaurant food preparation or cleanliness, hot water for hotel showers, etc. The commercial solar thermal system often requires a larger solar thermal system in order to generate the quantities of hot water demanded by commercial use. The payback of these systems remains quite attractive and the savings after payback are substantial. Contact Re-Align Technology to discuss your hot water needs and to understand if solar thermal can help your business.