Many of our customers want to shift to solar energy, but find the investment in a solar electric system too heavy. For such individuals, we often recommend going for solar water heaters to take care of the water heating requirements. This is relatively cheaper and easier to install, so you can save the environment and some cash too.

There is a basic difference between solar electric systems and a solar water heater. The former use the light energy of the sun and the latter, use heat energy. Thus, solar water heaters come sans the PV modules but with a solar collector which traps heat instead of light. There are 5 types of solar heaters available in the market:
1. Batch systems: For a 1-2 person household, low cost, temperate climate (not very cold winters), simple.
2. Thermosyphon systems: Passive solar system with no moving parts, suitable for temperate climate, less efficient and more expensive than active solar systems but very reliable, obtrusive in appearance. Fit for 3-4 person household.
3. Open-loop Direct Systems: Active solar system, the most simple of systems, heats domestic water directly in a storage tank, works well in temperate climates
4. Pressurized Glycol Systems: Closed loop system which heats up a non-freezing fluid and uses this fluid to heat up the water, suitable for regions with freezing temperatures,
5. Closed Loop Drainback system: Requires minimum maintenance, Works on similar principle as above, distilled water used as the heat transfer fluid.

Solar water heaters make a lot of financial sense and will drop your electricity bills or heating bills by almost 50%-80%. Add to this tax rebates and credits that you’re entitled to on purchase of a solar heater and the overall cost is reduced by a huge number.

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