Have you ever wondered how the solar panels work to heat water that you have in your home? In today's post we give you the answer!
Thanks to the ability of this type of solar thermal panels to transform the solar energy they receive into solar thermal energy you can, for example, shower comfortably in your living place. The water is hot because solar thermal energy has taken care of it. Now, given that there are photovoltaic solar panels and thermal panels, how are they different?, Are both types of hobs capable of heating water?
No. Although photovoltaic solar panels and thermal solar panels use solar energy for their operation, the former produce electricity and the latter heat water. So depending on what function you need your solar panels for, one type or another will serve you. Furthermore, not only its function is different. Photovoltaic and thermal solar panels also differ from each other by the material they are made of, their useful life, the type of installation that they require, and even their cost!
So, how much does a solar panel for water cost? The price of solar thermal panels will largely depend on the type they are, that is, the material they are made of. Thus, as a guide, you can find solar panels to heat water for between €1,000 and €1,500, but the total price of the installation will be determined by how many panels you need , the quality of these, the type of pipes and the capacity of the accumulator.
However, from the first day you use this system of solar panels to heat water, you will notice the savings (in water and gas). So it's worth the investment! Therefore, below we are going to answer some of the most frequent questions that usually arise around solar panels for heating water, so that everything is much clearer! and you can enjoy your thermal solar panels without worries!
How solar panels work to heat water
Although it is very common to have an electric water heater in addition to solar panels to heat water in a home, there is an alternative system that, unlike this, does not require power from the electrical network for its operation. These are the solar water heaters, which make it possible for you to have hot water using clean energy, the energy of the sun. But how do they do it?
In this case, the solar water heaters have solar collectors. And these are the ones in charge of directly heating the water without using electricity. Thus, the sun heats the water that circulates through the pipes until it reaches the tank, and the cold water reaches the collector to heat it.
We can say that, in essence, this type of installation with solar panels to heat water or thermal solar panels consists of three circuits (primary, secondary and consumption). The first collects solar energy with the collectors, the second accumulates hot water in the tank and the third carries this water, through the pipes in your home, from the tank to the tap.
In short, with this system, in the accumulator tank the water is kept hot by solar energy without it being necessary to turn on the heater and waste electricity.
I live in the north of Spain. Is it profitable for me to install solar thermal energy equipment?
Although it is very likely that you will need a larger installation than if it were in another area, it will be equally profitable for you install this type of equipment with solar panels to heat water and benefit from solar thermal energy.
In fact, this type of installation is carried out in many parts of the world, and not only in countries with as much sun per year as ours. France and Germany, for example, install a large number of solar collectors and are further north than Spain. So no problem!
How many solar panels do I need to run a water heater?
The normal thing is that you need about 4 or 8 thermal solar panels or solar panels to heat water to be able to operate a water heater for a average consumption.
Are they used to generate electricity?
No. As we mentioned before, although there is a type of solar panel that does generate electricity, photovoltaic panels, solar panels for heating water do not generate photovoltaic solar energy but solar thermal energy.
Will I have hot water at night?
Even at night, with solar panels to heat water you will be able to have hot water in your home. Thanks to the insulation of the tank of this type of solar thermal energy installations, the water stays hot.
Is a 300l tank enough for 2 people?
A storage tank of 300 liters is enough for two people living in a house. Of course, always depending on how much hot water they both consume.
And now that you know how solar panels work to heat water and how many you need in your solar thermal energy installation, you can now enjoy hot water in your home!
