Drainback Solar Water Heater

Drain back systems have fewer components than pressurized systems making drain back systems easier to use service and maintain.

Drainback solar water heater. Closed loop solar water heater systems sometimes referred to as anti freeze or glycol systems include the heat collectors insulated piping a circulating pump an expansion tank a hot water storage tank a heat exchanger solar fluid usually a solution of water and nontoxic propylene glycol antifreeze a controller valves and gauges. This is the reason why the system must be designed in a way to drain the fluid fast and thoroughly. It s ultimately up to you and your project needs but our system does not need to have a drainback system installed in it in order to work. They are more complex but within the capability of many diyers.

Solar water heating swh is the conversion of sunlight into heat for water heating using a solar thermal collector a variety of configurations is available at varying cost to provide solutions in different climates and latitudes. A drain back tank allows all the water from solar collectors and related piping connections to drain into the tank reservoir protecting the system from both freezing and overheating. Some of the articles listed below on closed loop and drainback systems are sufficiently detailed to use as plans to assemble a. The tank must be installed as high as possible but low enough to allow complete draining.

Closed loop and drainback solar water heaters drainback and closed loop systems provide freeze protection for year round operation in cold climates. The way our solar water heater is designed it can be mounted 90 degrees so the water will drain naturally out of the copper tubes. A draindown system not to be confused with drainback is an open loop water heated by the collector goes to the hot water faucet system in which the collectors are filled with domestic water under house pressure when there is no danger of freezing once the system is filled a differential controller operates a pump to move water from the tank through the collectors. Understanding solar hot water systems the drain back design.

The two dominant types today are the pressurized glycol system and. There are variations among the variations. There are many types of solar hot water systems pressurized closed loop pressurized open loop drain back thermosyphon and variations called direct and indirect referring to the placement of the heat exchanger. The drainback solar water heater is recommended for all climates even the coldest since it drains the fluid out of the collector and exposed pipes.

The drain back tank ships without a heat exchanger for use with a solar water heater with an internal heat exchanger.