Solar Water Heating

[Hector]

There seems to be only one organisation in the Hua Hin area that deals with Solar Heating, Sun Generation Asia. Does anyone out there have any experience of them, their work, reliability and so on? Grateful for any info.

[Hector]

Pity no-one in HH has any info on this one; I'll take it as a non-recommendation.

[Norseman]

No - you can't take this as a non-recommendation.
It's maybe as simple that none of the members have any recommendations to give you because they haven't installed solar water heating equipment.
Why would you need it here in the tropics?
(And that's a genuine question)!!

[poosmate]

Norseman:

Why would you need it here in the tropics?
(And that's a genuine question)!!

Not NEED but hot showers are good as is washing up and shaving. I cannot understand why as the suns energy is free why it is not used more.

[STEVE G]

I've thought about fitting one on our house in Issan just so I can take a hot shower in the morning.
It would be easier just to fit an electric shower except for the fact that the bathroom is in an extension at the back and it would mean having to route a heavy duty cable right around the house.
I was actually talking about this a few aweeks ago with a friend and we came to the conclusion that due to the cost and availability of solar water heating panels there, it might be simpler and cheaper to make one.
I've seen Chinese made ones that are no more than a network of plastic piping convecting into an insulated tank and that wouldn't take much effort to construct.

[hollister]

Anyone got some experience with these systems by now. Free hot water seems a nobrainer to me but me too found the prices quoted in Thailand are too expensive.

[TakeitToTheMax]

Mate I spent 4 years in the Kalahari desert in Africa, my shower was outdoors with walls made of palm leaves and for hot water just put a 100L black plastic tank up on scaffolding, pump water up (I had to lift it) and in no time it is roasting, yes it doesn't look great but with a bit of thought it can blend in especially in Isaan. An alternative is to lay black plastic UV piping horizontallaly back and forth across your roof connect one end to incomming water the other end to the shower. Only problem with both is that the water will most likely be too hot.

Enjoy the shower mate.

[deepee]

Why would you need it here in the tropics?
(And that's a genuine question)!!

Norseman you have answered your own question. The tropics is the perfect place to use solar water heating, and solar electricity generation for that matter, as this is one of the areas on our earth that gets most of the sun's energy.
Combine the sun's intensity with the higher ambient air temperatures and you will get more bang for you baht than many other regions of the world.

Sola- Hart are arguably the most experienced company in the hot water business but they now are up against some pretty good competition from many outfits.
You see lots of solar hot water systems on the roofs of many of the bigger hotels around the place.I have been told the Israelis are putting out some pretty impressive systems for a reasonable price but have not seen one in action. Might be worth looking at.

[Whaler]

We never had true solar heating in the Middle East. It was simple, the normal cold tank on the roof in the summer was very hot and the hot water tanks in each bathroom were switched off and became the cold as the AC kept them cool. It was just reversed in the so called winter.

I guess likewise in HH you will need two tanks one on the roof or a solar collector and one inside. What I have seen of building this is not the norm.

If you have the normal one or two storage tanks outside these may already be too warm to cool down an additional solar heated tank in the summer months.

A direct collector ( ie a tank with maximum exposure) will be a lot cheaper than an indirect, requiring pumps etc. The inside tank will have to be capable of taking a pressure as it will be a direct feed from your outside pumped storage tanks

[deepee]

Whaler,
typically most solar systems have a "closed loop"collector panel with the heated liquid(vegetable oil is commonly used) then being piped thru a coiled pipe inside a water supply tank. The absorbed heat is given off into that water . This water supply can be pressurized ie what ever pressure your normal water supply comes in at or simply gravity fed down from the supply tank if roof mounted.

[Nereus]

Whaler,
typically most solar systems have a "closed loop"collector panel with the heated liquid(vegetable oil is commonly used) then being piped thru a coiled pipe inside a water supply tank. The absorbed heat is given off into that water . This water supply can be pressurized ie what ever pressure your normal water supply comes in at or simply gravity fed down from the supply tank if roof mounted.

Erm, not sure what you are talking about here, deepee? There are hundreds of thousand of solar hot water heaters in Australia, and none of of them use oil in any form, they are all direct absorption, regardless of if the tank is on the roof or not. Solahart alone have produced over 1 million units over the past 40 years using this method.

Maybe you are referring to a "heat pump", which is a different thing altogether.

[deepee]

Erm, not sure what you are talking about here, deepee? There are hundreds of thousand of solar hot water heaters in Australia, and none of of them use oil in any form, they are all direct absorption, regardless of if the tank is on the roof or not. Solahart alone have produced over 1 million units over the past 40 years using this method.

Nereus ,
I helped Install my Sola-Hart 300L on my roof in Perth 15 years ago and we pumped into the collector with, as noted on the plastic container-" food grade vegetable oil in accordance with USA food and drug administration regulations".
My plumber- neighbor who, incidentally was one of the inventors of this very item, explained that it was used in case the loop was to leak into the water tank and somebody was to drink that water. Systems that were water filled were prone to freezing/boiling and that water was not too hygienic if the system was to leak.I think glycol as used in automotive radiators was experimented with at one point but it does not rate well if you drink it.
In the very very early systems the water actually passed thru the collector unit and on into the storage tank.

[Nereus]

Yes, they do make, and install, closed circuit systems. The main reason for that type of system is area`s prone to freezing, and / or very poor quality water. Not really required in Perth, maybe in the far South West, or where there is poor quality local water supply.

In the very very early systems the water actually passed thru the collector unit and on into the storage tank.

No, they still make and install the direct absorption type. The more modern closed system types have been developed for their export market.

[deepee]

The more modern closed system types have been developed for their export market.

Nereus, I'd heard that the eastern states were struggling to keep up with the Glamour State and the rest of the world for that matter but never knew they were that far behind.( sorry had to get that dig in, after all W.A. is paying the bills for the rest of the country )
Seriously thanks for that info and lets see if we can help Hector get some help on this subject.

[Nereus]

The more modern closed system types have been developed for their export market.

Nereus, I'd heard that the eastern states were struggling to keep up with the Glamour State and the rest of the world for that matter but never knew they were that far behind.( sorry had to get that dig in, after all W.A. is paying the bills for the rest of the country )
Seriously thanks for that infon and lets see if we can help Hector get some help on this subject.

Not sure what you are getting at about the eastern states there, deepee? Solahart is a West Australian Co.

I am all for solar heating for hot water, but it has to depend a lot on your individual situation. If you are living in a house with a bunch of young kids, and maybe babies, where you have a lot of daily laundry, then it may be worth the investment.
On the other hand, the cost of electricity here is a lot less than some home countries (nearly half that of Perth), and for most people, especially retired couples, the cost of installing a "bought" solar heater would never be recouped in your lifetime.

Although I detest them, the small instantaneous electric heaters used in Thailand are relatively efficient, and can be turned to either a low setting, or off altogether for most of the year.

If you are that way inclined a small direct absorption unit is not that difficult to make. I am sure that there are all sorts of advice on the Internet.