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Lexicon7's avatar
Lexicon7
Explorer
Jul 30, 2014

Solar Water Heaters for RV's!

As a retired swimming pool contractor I know that in the pool biz in SoCal, large rubberized panels utilizing an abundant amount of tiny water flow channels are highly capable of producing very hot water very quickly! These are Fafco Panels! I found lots of ideas on the subject including coiled Polly pipe & bypassed clunky & costly old LP "paper weights" like the one in my older Lance!

The concept of course based on the smaller piping heating efficiently..
I think the challenge may be around pumping & back pressure...
I will contact some pool solar friends & get more research on this...!

PS.. I am aware of available online products however most appear too costly, heavy & inefficient!
  • JiminDenver's avatar
    JiminDenver
    Explorer II
    Jul 31, 2014
    Sure you can, it just gets more complicated when you have to deal with freezing temperatures. Then you have to have a fluid that wont freeze and use a heat exchanger in the tank.
  • Lexicon7's avatar
    Lexicon7
    Explorer
    Jul 31, 2014
    Depends on where you live.. If you are in Washington State or perhaps Oregon you will need LP! Where Sleepy resides and here in San Diego or Arizona at the Colorado River any time of year... Yes you can!
  • sleepy's avatar
    sleepy
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2014
    BTW... perfect for us... we bath before we go to bed... not in the middle of the night... 5am...Nah!

    We are active, get dirty, sweaty, smelly... and don't sleep with animals... a clean bed is a blessing.

    Hot water... is a blessing to.

    Back to solar hot water... I'd use my water storage tank and heat it all... we consume bottled water on the road.

    I would want to limit the temperature of the water in the tank so that we wouldn't ge burn't.
  • sleepy's avatar
    sleepy
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2014
    Another advantage of the solar hot water system is for
    the

    PVSolar panels is if
    the
    "hot water absorber tubes" are mounted tightly to the back of the PV panels.

    PVSolar panels are at their maximum efficieny at 77°F or 25°C, at higher temperatures electrical resistance makes the less efficient the hotter they get.
  • Lexicon7's avatar
    Lexicon7
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2014
    Yeah I know.. It's a complicated idea and you know what they say right... if it were easy, everyone would be doing it or the other one would be.. in this technological environment we have today somebody is already making just about anything you can think of it works or there is $$$ to be made!
  • JiminDenver's avatar
    JiminDenver
    Explorer II
    Jul 30, 2014
    In the 70s we designed systems not only to heat the water but the home too. Now you can find dual purpose solar panels with PV on top and passive on the bottom. Some even use a heater element powered by the excess from the PV to do it but they all have the same issue of providing hot water early on.

    I thought about doing the diversified load but in the end it would cost a lot to run the wires, fuses and get the 12v element for hot water when I didn't need it. The same money will fill the propane tanks many times and we have hot water when we want it.
  • Lexicon7's avatar
    Lexicon7
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2014
    Now you are giving away my design plans!

    (PS... I am retired now... The only showers I take at 5AM are the ones in my dreams and they are in the Bahama's under a misty little (and warm) waterfall with 15 scantilly dressed native girls who cater to my every need!)
  • portscanner's avatar
    portscanner
    Explorer
    Jul 30, 2014
    Just one question - how much hot water do you get at 5 in the morning out of this? Unless you have some insulated holding tank....

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