Solar Hot Water System - is it comfortable?

Hi All, I really need some urgent advice regarding solar hot water system. I'll rep you for your time on any helpful advice!!

I've never showed with a SOLAR hotwater system. Just wondering is it comfortable?

Is the idea to save on electricity?

Are there any downsides to using a hotwater system? like if someone shows the next person who showers won't have any hotwater?

If you have 5 people (kids who shower for 15mins+) showering one after the other can a hot water system cope?

With a 250L+ tank? does tank size matter?
 
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I've never showed with a hotwater system. Just wondering is it comfortable?

I don't understand this question. Compared to what? Cold showers? Water doesn't feel any different based on the source of energy that's used to heat it. It's water + heat. I mean, do you feel different every time you shower in, say, hotels or gyms or whatever? How do you know what energy source they're using?

Usually, people install solar to save on electricity costs. It's strange that you're thinking about doing this without seeming to care what you will be saving?
 
Sorry I made a typo. I mean Solar hot water system vs just regualr electrical hot water system.

Please provide feedback if you have showered using one (Solar hotwater system) compared to a house you had that didn't have the solar hot water system.

I'm not installing one. Thinking of buying a house that has a solar hot water system.

Just wondering will a house be worse with a solar hot water system? much does it does it save (reduction in electricity) compared to any trade off (downside) not having enough hot water or water is not even hot?
 
We have solar hot water and it's fine. Although we do have an electric booster so I don't know how much is solar vs electric.

At the same time we got it we started doing out market Mexican food- so we were cooking a lot more and running an extra fridge and freezer- the power bills were similar before and after.
 
We have solar hot water and it's fine. Although we do have an electric booster so I don't know how much is solar vs electric.

At the same time we got it we started doing out market Mexican food- so we were cooking a lot more and running an extra fridge and freezer- the power bills were similar before and after.

How do i see if the house I'm looking at has an electric booster?

All I see is a large water tank.

Does all solar hot water system come with a "booster"?

I assume boosters are used when solar isnt working (no sun)? or make up the difference in heating? solar gets it up to X degree and then booster boosts the temperature from X + Y degrees??
 
Often there will be a timer (perhaps in the electric meter box or perhaps elsewhere). Ours is in the laundry.

In Canberra a booster will be needed heaps more than in Brisbane. But I once rented a place in Canberra where we didn't even realise that there was a booster for six months- until late autumn. Then we needed it full time. That was many years ago when possibly solar hot water was a lot less efficient. There was just a wall light switch which we didn't know where it connected.
 
Solar HWS is an old tech way to replace a heap of energy consumption,

Heating of water is one of the most consistently high demand energy uses in any home, using 20 to 30 % of an average home total energy consumption.

Has been around in large numbers since the 1970s, and is one of the most effecttive ways of reducing your home's carbon footprint if you believe in that stuff.

large tanks are preferable since if you exhaust the heated water supply your booster will heat the water. Most Solar HWS have electric boosters NOT connected to Off peak power, so can be pricey to run if you dont use the system the way it was designed.

Many systems have a MANUAL booster overide switch, most often located in the kitchen. If you cant find it, look for a largeish fuse/ switch labelled HwS booster in the switch board.

An average saver hower head would use 6- 9l per min.

5 x 15 = 75 mins shower time = 450 to 675 litres per day

Id expect even the largest single HWS wont cope with that, as wont any off peak storage system, since you have other hw requirements in addition, and the recovery time of the unit will be 24 hrs in ideal conditions.

You could look at replacing the unit with a continuous gas one if you have natural gas available.......

Having a near 30 yr old 300 litre unit with a manual booster it works great for us as long as we keep showers to a sensible 5 mins or so average. We use the booster maube 5 times a year, most often when we have large numbers of visitors,r several days of cloud at a time

ta

rolf
 
The best system for a solar hot water would be a solar collector with an enormous storage tank and then one of the infinity type gas water heaters that the hot water actually runs through.

In this way if the water is hot then the gas heater does nothing. If the storage has run out of hot water then the gas kicks in and heats the water on the way through.

I haven't as yet determined the right model gas booster to use as it needs to be one that can take hot water coming into it but I do believe there are some available that do this job.

As already mentioned the solar heaters do a great job. We have one with an electric booster hooked up to off peak. We turned off the off peak in October and have not needed it through the summer.

Cheers
 
Hi All, I really need some urgent advice regarding solar hot water system. I'll rep you for your time on any helpful advice!!

I've never showed with a SOLAR hotwater system. Just wondering is it comfortable?

Is the idea to save on electricity?

Are there any downsides to using a hotwater system? like if someone shows the next person who showers won't have any hotwater?

If you have 5 people (kids who shower for 15mins+) showering one after the other can a hot water system cope?

With a 250L+ tank? does tank size matter?

It depends on the age of the system, how big the tank it, and the type of booster for cost savings.

My husband swears by solar HWS as it has a higher flow rate than some of the instantaneous systems (well this was the case back in 2002). Ours is electric boosted and we need to use the booster in winter but in summer and shoulder months we don't need it.

Ours is electric boosted as we couldn't get gas to our property.

We have a family of 5 and it copes for washing clothes, showers, dishes and baths but not in winter.
 
Sorry I made a typo. I mean Solar hot water system vs just regualr electrical hot water system.

Please provide feedback if you have showered using one (Solar hotwater system) compared to a house you had that didn't have the solar hot water system.

I'm not installing one. Thinking of buying a house that has a solar hot water system.

Just wondering will a house be worse with a solar hot water system? much does it does it save (reduction in electricity) compared to any trade off (downside) not having enough hot water or water is not even hot?
our PPoR has a solar system and one if those instant heat units for back up on the cloudy days - never runs out of hot water no matter how long you stand there.

As for the difference? Can't discern one - other than the cost of the energy to run it being less.
 
Solar hot water doesnt come out at 40 billion degrees because the sun is 40 billion degrees.

I grew up with solar at my parents house, and have had solar, gas and electric hot water in places during my adult life, all the showers feel the same.
 
Solar all the way...

Much 'smoother' water temp.

Much 'softer' water flow.

Water tastes so much better.

I didn't think anyone did electric still?

But really... 5 people doing 15 minute showers. FFS! This is Australia. Wasteful mofo's!!! Educate ya family!
 
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