Solar Water Heating
Using Solar Power to Heat Your Water
There are 2 major problems with solar systems in Arizona. The solar collectors can freeze and corrode. Arizona Accurate has the system that solves these problems. Arizona Accurate installs a drainback system. This system has an external heat exchanger filled with distilled water and never needs replacement, unlike the anti-freeze system which will corrode your collector if not replaced every 5 years. The reason the system will not freeze is because that every time the system shuts off, all the water in the collector drains back into the heat exchanger tank. Now there is no water in the collector to freeze. That is why it is called a drain back freeze proof system.
System Operation
As the sun comes up in the morning, and starts to shine on the solar collectors, the collectors will begin to heat up. This system has a differential controller that senses temperature differences between the solar collector and the coldest water in the storage tank. When the water in the collector is about 12 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the water in the tank, the controller turns on the pumps. When the temperature difference drops to about degrees 3-5 Fahrenheit, the pump is turned off. This way, the water always gains heat from the collector when the pump operates.
The system collects heat by circulating water in the drain-back reservoir through the collectors. At the same time, water is also circulated through the heat exchanger in the drain-back reservoir from the drain-back reservoir to the storage tank. When the pumps turn on, the water in the collector loop is circulated through the collector and gets heated. The return water from the solar collectors that accumulates in the drain-back tank then heats the heat exchanger through which potable water from the storage tank is circulated. The heated potable water is then circulated back to the storage tank. When there is no longer a marked difference between the temperature at the solar collector and at the solar storage tank (4 degrees Fahrenheit) the controller automatically turns the pumps off-since there is no heat to be gained. This process is repteated continually throughout the day, so that by the end of the day, the water in the storage tank is hot. This is all done automatically and requires no interaction on the part of the system owner.
DX Drain-back system provides a fail-safe method of ensuring that collectors and collection pipe never freeze by removing all water from the collectors and collection piping loop when the system is not collecting heat. Freeze protection is provided when the system is not running. Water in the collectors and the exposed piping drains into the insulated drain-back reservoir tank each time the pump shuts off. A slight tilt of the collectors is required in order to allow complete drainage. A slight glass attached to the drain-back reservoir tank shows when the reservoir tank is full and the collectors have been drained. For this reason the DX drain-back system is protected from freeze damage at all temperatures.
Our Solar Panels are HOA Approved!
State law prohibits any Home Owner's Association or CC&R from denying the use of Solar Power for your home. You will still have to let the HOA know of your plans for installing solar and file the appropriate applications. To read about the State's statute, please click the following link: http://www.azleg.gov/ars/33/01816.htm.