Direct Vs Indirect Solar Water Heater

However indirect heaters are more efficient in other ways.

Direct vs indirect solar water heater. Standard direct water heaters don t need to transport water over a distance so in one regard they can be seen as more efficient. Of the two types of circulation systems for solar water heaters direct systems or active systems are easier to understand. Best indirect water heaters are used during the colder months of the year when the household heating system is being used throughout the house. The system is essentially a closed loop that water flows through.

Direct fired water heaters are solely dedicated to the job of hot water generation providing a faster heat up and response time compared with an indirect system which is in fact heating water to heat water. Indirect solar water drainback systems are also a indirect design that use a heat exchanger to separate the collector loop from the potable water. A direct solar hot water system cycles potable water through your collectors where it is heated by the sun and moves throughout your home. Instead of relying on glycol for freeze protection this system allows all the water in the array to drain back from the array and into a storage vessel in the solar loop when the pump is turned off.

Meanwhile an indirect heater can provide unlimited hot water. Tankless water heaters can provide a certain number of gallons per minute based on their rating indefinitely. Indirect water heaters have a limited hot water supply and require flushing two issues a tankless heater is less prone to. Indirect solar water heating systems circulate a fluid typically a mixture of water and glycol in a circuit between the rooftop thermal collector and a heat exchanger that actually warms the potable water.

There are two types of solar water heating systems. The most obvious difference between an indirect and tankless heater is the existence of a tank. These types of water heaters are traditionally the most energy efficient. An indirect storage tank is heated through the boiler this requires your boiler to get up to temperature to heat the water properly.

A direct fired water heater can be heated by propane oil or natural gas and has its own burner. Active which have circulating pumps and controls and passive which don t. Traditionally indirect systems are more successful nationwide than direct systems because of their resistance to cold. Before buying and installing the best indirect water heater think about whether you would want a traditional water heating system that you could rely on throughout the year even in warmer months.

From a tank the water flows up through solar collectors and back down to. This increases the chance of heat losses in the boiler and associated pipework between the boiler and calorifier. 50 more efficient than gas electric water heaters. Direct circulation systems vs.

Indirect heaters making the decision between these two water heater types can be difficult as each style offers unique benefits.