How to Install a Solar-Powered Water Heater | This Old House

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Harnessing the sun's power with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and plumbing and heating contractor Bob Dudley. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)
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Richard and a local HVAC contractor helped a homeowner reduce his energy costs by installing a solar thermal water heating system. The system includes two solar collectors that are mounted on the roof. Antifreeze is pumped between the roof collectors and a heat exchanger coil inside the water storage tank. The tank also has a gas-fired burner that will heat the water when there is not enough sunlight.
Tools List for Installing a Solar-Powered Water Heater:
Tubing cutter
Roofing spade
Reciprocating saw
Adjustable wrench
Crescent wrench
Pliers
Impact driver
Propane torch
Shopping List:
Solar collector system
Roof shingles
Copper pipe and assorted fittings
Lead-free solder and flux
Emery cloth
Teflon tape
The solar thermal water heating system was manufactured by Velux America, Inc. [www.veluxusa.com/]
Installation support was provided by Harris-Dudley Co. Plumbing & Heating [www.harrisdudl...]
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How to Install a Solar-Powered Water Heater | This Old House
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Опубликовано:

8 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 93

@supremelawfirm 6 лет назад

Richard, you always make these projects look SOOOO EZ!! Nice job!

@davidhatetrain6423 5 лет назад

ethylene glycol is anti freeze propylene glycol is a plant based lubricant that can be eaten but poses no health threats it also works as a water absorption tool

@enkrypt3d 5 лет назад

it never mixes with the water what are you talking about? the anti-freeze is in a closed loop.

@davidhatetrain6423 5 лет назад

enkrypt3d I never said I mixed with the water

@enkrypt3d 5 лет назад

@@davidhatetrain6423 so what's your point?

@allentoyokawa9068 2 года назад

@@enkrypt3d If it leaks...

@chowspecial Год назад

Don't forget regardless of your insulation, the fact that this isn't directly heating your roof saves on AC

@ggletsplay5041 Год назад

This is cool but man I am not a fan of cutting holes in any roof.

@paytonlee3326 Год назад

What is the name of the sensor used to monitor the roof temperature in the collector?

@ehhhsteve8582 2 года назад

This would be great … if I could find anyone to install this in Baltimore!

@rayw3332 6 лет назад

What about the torn up roof and missing shingles between units?

@donhill1825 3 года назад

I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume the installer didn't just drive away with a hole & missing shingles on the roof. Why is there one of you in every TOH comment section?

@mikebald 10 лет назад

I'm failing to see why they could have used the old gas water heater again for this project instead of replacing it. Given that the old gas water heater should have been thermostatically controlled it should have worked well too. Neat install though and good idea; I've read about these systems in HomePower magazine.

@malachy1847 10 лет назад

Inverter controlled Hybrid water Heaters could also be the way to go as they are seriously cheap to run and could have a faster pay back than seasonal solar panels... There is a lot of 'Green wash' out there at the moment

@parallelburrito 7 лет назад

This system consist of 2 heat exchanges. One on the roof and one in the water heater. They are using an antifreeze as the working fluid to address freeze conditions. The old water heater would have required they circulate the actual water to the roof which would have been problematic in freezing situations.

@joeaaronsen 9 месяцев назад

@@malachy1847 You can use both with a storage tank holding hot water from the roof panels then feeding into the heat pump water heater as hot water is used in the house.

@vincentokunyanyi8418 6 лет назад

quite elaborate explanation

@Stevenowski 7 лет назад

I'll stick with my tankless water heater. I never run out of hot water. MORE importantly, my wife never runs out of hot water! 😉

@pioneer7777777 6 лет назад

Stevenowski You would never "run out" of hot water with this setup. You just use solar before using gas or electricity. Either way you will always have hot water.

@5tonyvvvv 6 лет назад

"The multiverse theory may be dressed up in scientific language, but in essence it requires the same leap of faith." -Paul Davies

@marco114 2 года назад

It appears that company doesn't do solar hot water systems any longer, any other recommendations?

@tjam4229 6 лет назад

Where is this house located? I love the look of the mountains in the background. Utah? Colorado?

@311mdub 3 года назад

I was gonna say Utah based on the house designs and mountains..

@311mdub 3 года назад

Also curious how efficient a solar water heater would be in Utah, especially during winter months with low sun angle low daylight..

@murrys5444 5 лет назад

The worse part about this video is the reactions of most people going "well it takes years to recoup, so why bother". And that is a huge problem. The more people that convert, the more the costs go down, the more money/gas/electricity is saved, and the better it gets for everyone. A solution doesn't have to solve something right now, and payback also doesn't have to happen right away. Stop planning for the tip of your nose and think about the generations after you.

@Luckingsworth 5 лет назад

I agree for the most part. But outside of the tropics where it is 100F year round these really are terribly pointless systems to add on to houses. If you are building a new house and design it from the start it would be good. But 99% of American homes built nowadays, for better or worse, are not built to last the length of time needed for this to make any difference. The money is better spent on something like solar.

@JohnWatkinsUK 4 года назад

This is solar.

@frankb5728 4 года назад

@@Luckingsworth this is solar

@Luckingsworth 4 года назад

@@frankb5728 I think I meant that it is better to buy solar panels for electricity, than waste the money trying to use sun energy to heat water. Since in colder climates that isnt going to work 75% of the year where at least solar panels will continue to produce electricity.

@frankb5728 4 года назад

@@Luckingsworth solar of any kind is kind of a waste for anything north of 30 ( I'm making a point, making such a blanket statement ). photovoltaic or thermal. It really depends on your location and weighing the pros and cons of different systems. I will agree that this probably wasn't the wisest investment for this homeowner but who knows what kind of subsidies or tax breaks he got for the system. I've seen DIY solar air heaters that seem to give a good return for minimal investments, so there might be a day where these are efficient enough to justify the investment.

@krazedkathooman 4 года назад

That is wacked. But I already have a solar system (came with the house) and the tank finally quit. Now I see it is totally piped in wrong. Both to and from collector piped into the bottom of tank. So what was a simple tank swap is now a major repiping. Sigh. I love diy I love diy I love diy.

@aaronbaraiya3692 2 года назад

you ever figure it out? or get it replaced?

@chris76-01 9 месяцев назад

Mine was also piped opposite of what was labeled on the tank. It has factory labels for a reason. Lol.

@BlairSteffen 2 года назад

Can I get a refernce for a company here in Portland Maine who does this? I have a system that needs upgrading

@sidthetech7623 2 года назад

"Edith, I told you I can't build you a candy house. It will fall down. The sun will melt the candy. It won't work!" "It will if it never rains"

@san379 10 лет назад

i assume around 20.000$.including roof replacement and labor n materials

@chris76-01 9 месяцев назад

Mine was $10,000. I wouldn't have bought one if I knew better back then 😢

@ziggyc4474 4 года назад

He knows bunchy guy in Orange overalls

@Chuck59ish 10 лет назад

How much?

@Maxid1 10 лет назад

You know the old saying, If you have to ask?

@CommentPerson 10 лет назад

Between $6,000 and $17,000 depending upon the size of the system and the needs of the household, along with any additional considerations, such as the use of radiant heating.

@enkrypt3d 5 лет назад

how much does a system like that cost?

@aaronbaraiya3692 2 года назад

a lot

@chris76-01 9 месяцев назад

Mine cost $10,000 and they didn't match the pipes to the labels on the tank so I think it's running backwards 😢

@hmmmisthatright7509 4 года назад

How do you know what way the solar panel should face?

@moosilauke18 4 года назад

South in the Northern hemisphere towards the sun.

@TNtoolman 10 лет назад

I imagine payback is not measured in years, but decades... I have an 80 gallon electric hot water heater that cost about $350 and with our hydro electric power through the TVA, operating costs are not bad, and we have never run out of hot water. Supposed to cost about $300 a year to run. I can not imagine a system like this solar one even being a consideration...

@jonhipolito807 5 лет назад

Why not gather electricity for a electric water heater.

@fnhwk 6 лет назад

Good idea. However this must cost way more than what it's truly worth. Lots of work just for hot water.

@warrensteel9954 3 года назад

The main downside of these systems is they can't recover more than what you spend on hot water. If you don't spend a lot then you may be better off with a waste heat recovery coil installed in your drain. Much less upfront cost and are pretty much install and forget.

@CadillacM 7 лет назад

yea just cut holes is the roof, by the time you install this in your home, you need a new roof, and don't forget about all the plumbing too. if it's not broken don't fix it.

@johnbenson3174 5 лет назад

Can't see how that system saves the home owner any money,still using ,gas, and electricity, what the point installing a system of that size when a simple tankless on demand system that use lpg

@VamooseRooter Год назад

The future is here 😂

@NewsBroadcasting Год назад

freezing

@eastriverequinehospital2264 7 лет назад

Let's all start doing some basic math and do a quick calculation to reveal that the breakeven point on a project like this is probably 10 to 11 years. And, that's if this unit does not need any maintenance.

@peger 7 лет назад

Depends where you live. In some countries you can get a grant for this purpose. So the whole system will be much cheaper.

@jonandrew4316 6 лет назад

And the water heaters they took out have a 10y warranty

@marks6663 6 лет назад

so the working class tax payers have to pay to subsidize the electricity bills of the wealthy. The people who can most afford this, are the people who are getting subsidized by the people who can least afford it.

@invidious07 6 лет назад

No one should be forced so subsidize anyone else, that is tyranny. Taxes should only be used for the common good, like military, roads, schools, ect. Welfare is theft and worst of all it doesn't work, it keeps the poor dependent on the government in exchange for their compliance (and votes).

@tjam4229 6 лет назад

We should ALL be forced to use the best fuel for the common good of the people...That is the sun! No one should be using finite resources if we have renewables that are capable of doing the same job! I don't care how expensive it is to start, we all need to do the switch to renewables. If its mandated by laws, the renewable sources of energy will be the same cost as using gas/oil....and awy better for the earth and its inhabitants for years to come

@Worldviewsandthoughts 3 месяца назад

Sounds like recipe for disaster if that antifreeze line leaks into the hot water tank!!

@TheSpatulaCity 2 года назад

Probably loose money after all the costs for the fancy equipment, installation and repairs compared to leaving the old water heater in place and paying a few bucks more per month for gas or electricity.

@jgood005 3 года назад

Spending an extra $25,000 on a solar water heater to save on that $30/month gas bill. Gee, I wonder why these aren't more popular.

@fmartin59 2 года назад

Where is it $25,000?

@chris76-01 9 месяцев назад

Mine was $10,000

@jaimeidiyaly4386 9 месяцев назад

Throwing solar power panel might be the way depending on finances. Can use the power from that to go power hybrid WH, etc. Excess can be used for other devices.

@MoanikaLewinsky 5 лет назад

That looks like a pretty penny to me....I think I will go for tankless instead, by the time a solar water heater is installed, I probably have spent over 15 times the price of the tankless, so I wont have any savings with solar!

@Cypher791 7 лет назад

my solar system? O_O

@johneldorado 6 лет назад

So like $20,000 to save like $10 a month on your utility bill.

@chartedtravel 4 года назад

looks like you dont care about the environment

@jasonjayalap 3 года назад

@@chartedtravel You put $20K into your own system? And that's the best use of 20K to improve the environment?

@chartedtravel 3 года назад

I m just being a troll. Of course it's complete idiocy to do 20k to save 10 on bill. Improve the insulation and you will need to burn less fuel. But in the end unless democrats raise gas prices to $13 a gallon as they promised just keep burning natural gas. It's cheap and abundant in this country.

@chris76-01 9 месяцев назад

Mine was $10,000. Definitely more than its really worth.

@ziggyc4474 4 года назад

Are they plumbers ?

@miguelescutia5556 Год назад

nah, just a tv host.

@chris76-01 9 месяцев назад

No, but they probably stayed at a holiday Inn. 😂

@staym925 7 месяцев назад

Vacuum panels are way better.

@myothercarisadelorean8957 2 года назад

Is that really going to save you much money? I thought Water heaters were not that much of a gas hog unless you're taking long showers 3 times a day.

@dtm7909 6 лет назад

The homeowner looks to be about 60 years old so if the system doesnt break after warranty he will be 76 years old when he breaks even on his investment from the electricity savings.Lets hope he lives a long life so he can save that first dollar. Id rather stay on grid and take some extra vacations and enjoy my life!!

@gpnulife 7 лет назад

Why not power the whole house? Install tankless water heater and solar can power lights and water heater.🤔

@nightmarejr 7 лет назад

Eagle i Trader solar not that efficient. Each panel will give anywhere between 80-500 watts of power. More commonly used are the 300 watt range. So you'd probably need atleast 5 panels with 100% light to power a small water heater. This doesn't include solar panel degradation which is approximately 1-2% a year. Solar excels when paired with battery backup but for power hungry houses it's more of a supplement. Just to add, if you live in North America, Canada included, solar panels are never super efficient.

@markhopkinsphoto7257 6 лет назад

From my research the cons of going tankless are: if you get A model that allows One to have 2 showers going at the same time, then you may need to upgrade your panel to allow for larger and more breakers plus you will need to run larger electrical. That is for electric tankless. With gas you will need a larger gas line.

@paulaverner8691 2 года назад

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