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Heating Water with a Solar Panel - Summer Cruise Test Results

8/19/2015

2 Comments

 
In an earlier blog post I described how a solar panel can be used to heat water using the sun's radiant energy (not the electricity generated by the solar panel).  This year we put the concept of heating water by collecting the sun's radiant energy coming through the back of the solar panel to work during our 35 day cruise.  I mounted a custom made heat exchanger to the back of our 150 watt solar panel, added some insulation and a new back panel.  Water is circulated from the boat water heater through the heat exchanger and back into the water heater using a small circulation pump that draws less than .4 amp.  

Here is what we found during our 35 day cruise in northern Lake Huron:
1.  Running the circulation pump for several hours midday on sunny days provided us warm water for showers and dish washing within two hours.
2.  Water was heated from 60 degrees F to about 110 degrees F on sunny days.
3. Water was heated faster and to a higher temperature on calm days than on windy days.  This is because the wind tends to cool off the front face of the solar panel.
4. We enjoyed warm water from the solar panel water heating system 12 days at anchor.  Other days we either had warm water from running the engine to move the boat or the days were cloudy so no heat was collected.
5. The small circulation pump did not draw a significant amount of solar power.  Besides, our batteries were topped off by early afternoon so we had plenty of excess power.
6. Having the system tapped into our boat's water system made it very convenient to take advantage of the warm water.
7. The added weight (10 pounds) of the water heating system was no problem for the pole brackets or stern rail.
8. I added a T and a valve in the solar heater tubing to make warm water available in the cockpit for showering or rinsing off after a swim.  It worked perfectly.

All in all, the system worked as planned and provided us with warm water conveniently when we needed it.  Our next step will be to make a kit available to our customers to retro fit their solar panel systems or to order a water heating system with new installations.  We will have kits available for both our larger 150-160 watt panels and our smaller 100-105 panels.
Picture
Solar heater tubing attached to the pole and running to the circulation pump and water tank.
Picture
Valves isolate solar heating system from boat water system. "T" at top of valve is for cockpit outlet.
Picture
Back of solar panel showing heat collector and insulation.
2 Comments
Water tank link
8/25/2022 06:27:03 am

Great article! In conclusion, the radiant energy water heating system works well on sunny days with both our larger and our standard sized panels.

Reply
Omahawelldrilling.com link
10/3/2022 10:24:56 pm

Thanks for the easy 8 guide.

Reply



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    Thomas Trimmer has been cruising with his Ericson 38 sailboat on the Great Lakes for over 20 years.  He has pioneered the use of solar energy for wilderness cruising.  He is continually designing and building equipment to simplify and enhance the cruising experience.

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  • Home
  • Marine Solar Panels
    • Marine Solar Panels
    • Flexible Marine Solar Panels
    • Semi-Rigid Walk On Marine Solar Panels
    • Rigid Marine Solar Panels
    • Stern Rail Mounted Solar Panels
    • Kits - Solar System Kits
    • Van Solar Panels
    • Portable Solar Panels
  • Kits&Electronics
    • Kits - Solar System Kits >
      • Flexible Solar Panel Kits
      • Semi-rigid Solar Panel Kits
      • Rigid Solar Panel Kits
      • Auxiliary Solar Panel Kit
      • Portable Solar Panels
    • Solar Controllers & Electrical >
      • MPPT DuoRacer Dual Output Series
      • MPPT Tracer Series
      • MPPT Victron Smart Solar Series
      • MPPT Xtra-N Series
      • PWM Duo Dual Output Controller
      • Electrical Components
    • Mounting Systems >
      • Flexible Panel Mounting Systems
      • Semi-rigid Panel Mounting System
      • Rigid Panel Mounting System - Top Of Pole
    • Inverters
    • Outboard Motor Lifting Crane
    • Solar Water Heating System For Boats
    • Visit Our Store
  • Lithium Batteries
    • LiFePO4 Lithium Batteries
    • Portable Power Stations
  • Reviews & Installations
    • Reviews/Customer Comments
    • Gallery of Installations
  • System Design
  • Support
    • FAQ
    • Solar System Design & Installation
    • Manuals & Information
    • Solar System Installation Pointers
    • Troubleshooting
    • Contact Us
    • Solar System Installers
    • Battery Exchange Plus
    • Handy Products We Don't Carry
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    • About us
    • Call (248) 705-8337
    • Return Policy
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    • Marine Solar Panel Sizing Calculator Tool
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