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Old 05-16-19, 05:26 PM   #4
Xringer
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Location: Woburn, MA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph III View Post
3) I could add a second holding tank and use it to preheat water prior to going into my natural gas hot water heater, if a better design? I can get individual vacuum tubes at an affordable price so I suppose I would need a holding tank of some sort?
My first solar assisted system was a storage tank that fed into the cold-water input of my oil-burner (that supplies our hot water).
The system used an antifreeze/glycol loop from roof panels feeding down to a typical 1970s heat exchanger, with pumps for input and output.

https://www.history.com/topics/1970s/energy-crisis

The hard-water slowly destroyed the heat exchanger. After 5 or 7 years oil prices came back to the affordable range and I uninstalled (dumped) the leaky system. The problem with solar hot water system (and electric hot-water) is they don't last very long before they start leaking..

Up in here MA, gas hot water is the cheapest way to go. Adding a bunch of plumbing might be more trouble than it's worth.
If I had gas on my street, I wouldn't being working on a leaking hybrid solar PV / Heat pump this week. The stupid anode thread is leaking and it's not looking good. Just what I don't need is a flood in my basement shop..
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