Solar Water Heater

Hot Water from the Sun: A Consumer Guide to Solar Water Heating

by: Franklin Research Center, United States. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, U. S. Department of Energy

Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 12/20/2009)

Solar Water Heating: A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Water and Space Heating Systems (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series)

by: Bob Ramlow, Benjamin Nusz

Despite Federal tax credits (up to $2,000 at this writing) for solar water heating there's a lack of information on the subject.
For a handyman with good plumbing skills, or a homeowner wanting to learn about solar water heating, this is the best book available.
After a history of solar water heating in the US, the book describes various systems that use the sun to heat and store water. Climate, freeze conditions, water quality and amount of sunlight available are some of the factors considered in choosing a system, and the book describes them all. Individual components are detailed in a logical, straightforward way. It's obvious the authors have extensive practical knowledge. The writing style is informal and easy to read.
Besides all the solar water heating information, this book also has a good section on radiant floor heating, detailing the use of PEX tubing to heat a concrete slab.
The book uses a lot of drawings to demonstrate how things work. More actual photographs of systems and components would have been helpful. I also wish the authors would have included brand names and sources for equipment. The industry still suffers from the stigma of poorly designed systems of the 1970's and 80's. Some reassurances from the authors regarding which component manufacturers are good would have been nice.
For the past two years, I've lived with a solar water heating system I bought as a package and installed myself. I've been happy with all the "free" hot water it's provided. If this book had been available when planning my system I would have had a much better idea of what I was doing. Having all the components matched and sized with specific instructions gave me a lot of confidence during installation. In my opinion, for the neophyte, a component package is a good way to go.
For anyone planning a residential sized solar water heating system, this is the best book available. It's an excellent guide, whether you decide to choose the individual components yourself, buy a package, or hire a contractor to install a turnkey system.
If you're a contractor or someone wanting to get into the solar water heating business, "Solar Hot Water Systems - Lessons Learned 1977 to Today" (Tom Lane) is very good, but the amount of technical detail implies you already have a good working knowledge of plumbing and roofing. -- David Stebbins

Not being a plumber I can't say this book will be as much value to someone with those skills. He covers the systems so thoroughly that I would imagine if you had the plumbing ability this book would be all you need to get started.

I was a little frustrated having read the first chapter only to find out that several systems described in detail the author would never recommend using. I was thinking to myself why did I waste time reading about those. But that's where the comprehensive part comes in. And by knowing why the author doesn't recommend those systems you get to participate in the joy of knowing everything there is to know about solar water heating.

I especially enjoyed the cost analysis of the hot water systems vs. gas and electric, as well as the discussion of using solar heated water to provide whole house heating. -- C. Thomas (Dallas, TX)

This is a great collection of information on the subject of solar water heating. I love how the author doesn't pull any punches. There are definite reasons why we don't use more solar hot water in this country. Regan led by example in the 80's when he pulled the solar collectors off the white house roof. While the author spends a bit on the history of solar heating this is definitely a manual on how to design and install a system. The author obviously has had a lot of experience with these systems and he knows what works. read this book and get a high quality solar hot water system up and running in your home. Our planet depends on it.
In fact he dedicated the book for our earth. -- Diego Martinez (Colorado, USA)

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Amazon Price: $17.96 (as of 12/20/2009)
List Price: $24.95

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Gravity-Fed Solar Water Heater - 53-Gallon Capacity, Model# 54122

- Heater consists of a series of evacuated solar tube collectors and a water storage tank
- Can be refilled manually or by low pressure source
- Aerospace technology produces higher water temperatures than other solar systems
- High-capacity heater can provide household hot water needs for most of the year, depending on location
- Operates in temperatures down to 28 degrees F

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Gravity-Fed Solar Water Heater - 26-Gallon Capacity

- Heater consists of a series of evacuated solar tube collectors and a water storage tank
- Can be refilled manually or by low pressure source
- Aerospace technology produces higher water temperatures than other solar systems
- High-capacity heater can provide household hot water needs for most of the year, depending on location
- Operates in temperatures down to 28 degrees F

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The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling

by: Daniel D. Chiras

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Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 12/20/2009)
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Passive Solar House: The Complete Guide to Heating and Cooling Your Home

by: James Kachadorian

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Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 12/20/2009)
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The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower (Mother Earth News Wiser Living)

by: Dan Chiras

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Amazon Price: $21.24 (as of 12/20/2009)
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The Solar Electric House: Energy for the Environmentally-Responsive, Energy-Independent Home

by: Steven J. Strong

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Amazon Price: $17.12 (as of 12/20/2009)
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The Natural House: A Complete Guide to Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes

by: Daniel D. Chiras

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Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 12/20/2009)
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Solar Sun Shower 5 Gallon Camp Water Heater

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How to Build a Solar Hot Water System.

The step by step procedures are excellent; the clear and comprehensive explanations of basic solar thermal heating concepts make the book invaluable. I never thought I'd be able to build and install my own solar hot water system from basic construction materials... until now! Thank you for blazing a trail into the "Solar Age" :-) -- Sunlover (NY)

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Solar Heating Systems for Houses: A Design Handbook for Solar Combisystems

This book is a must for anyone who deals with or want to learn about solar combisystems. The book is actually a study (Task26) about 21 combisystems that generally are installed in many places in Europe including real examples based on these systems. It describes important aspects such as designing and dimensioning, behaviour and maintenance, performance in regards to different climates and types of construction. Many many references are included, book, internet links. Highly recommended.

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Amazon Price: $113.51 (as of 12/20/2009)
List Price: $146.00

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