The oldest, simplest and most common solar thermal collectors are flat plate collectors. They have a robust design that can withstand temperatures falling well below zero and rising well above most climate norms (they work fine at around 180°F or 82°C). It's no surprise that they're the base to which all other, more complex collectors are compared.
As you might expect, a drainback installation for space heating is much like a similar solar thermal system for hot water. However, the space heating setup has three main options.
The simple answer to this question is "No", but the reality is a little more complicated. It is actually possible to heat a domestic water supply with an air-based solar thermal system... it's just a very bad idea.
These systems have the following advantages:
It's also important to consider the disadvantages:
Since evacuated tube collectors are, by necessity, a closed system inside their collector box, many of them use a neat technological idea called a heat pipe. Instead of simply passing the gathered heat out along a piece of metal to the manifold (and thence to the storage tank to heat your water), they use a two-stage approach.
These systems have three major advantages:
It's also important to consider the disadvantages:
These systems have two main advantages:
It's also important to consider the disadvantages:
These systems have three main advantages:
It's also important to consider the disadvantages:
With any solar-powered heating system, whether it's for the domestic hot water supply or space heating, a diversion load can be essential to safety and the system's lifespan.
Assuming you're installing a closed-loop, pressurized solar thermal system, a pressure gauge is absolutely essential. You can place it almost anywhere in the loop, but it's best to locate the gauge close to the charging ports.
