Thin Film Technology Building Integrated PV

Solar Collectors for Heating Water

We have been working with and installing thermal solar water heaters for about 30 years. In that time, we have seen some good ones and some bad ones. Here, in Costa Rica, this is the best we have found in terms of efficiency and durability.

  Solar Costa Rica Solar Hot water Systems

       Consists of three basic elements:

1. A solar collector (panel), which sits in the sun on a roof or on a stand in an open area. The collector is a glass topped metal box and mounted inside is a solar absorber made of copper with copper water tubing going through it.

 

• ALTERNATE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FLORIDA
• USA   (800) 874-2190
• Warranty Information   AET         AET Panel Warranty Card  

2. Pump Circulation systems for circulating the water from the cooler part of the tank or tanks through the solar collectors either by use of a pump. We use copper tubing in the solar loop.

         3. Storage tank or tanks for holding the hot water gathered during the day for use later in the day or the next morning.  These are US made imported glass lined solar storage tanks with electric heating backup element.   Tank info

  A Backup Systemis recommended - when there is no sun for a day or two and to accommodate partial solar gain during cloudy and partly cloudy weather. You can use a conventional hot water heater as a backup system - either gas or electric powered. This may already exist at your site.

Solar Collectors

We import the highest quality collectors in the world and they are from the US - with a 10 year guarantee and 30 year guarantee of the most critical welded connection.  This is a long lasting appliance from AET that will outlast anything else on the market

 The AET EagleSun collector series has been around since 1978 and is made in Jacksonville, Florida.  These solar panels have an expected life of at least 30 years.

The AE-Series is a top-performing collector that is aesthetically pleasing as well as reliable, durable and long lasting.

One collector (AE32) will easily heat up 80 gallons of in the Central Valley and 100 gallons in the beach areas of the Pacific.  This household hot water for a family of 4 people.  Here is a link to the specifcations of the AE EagleSun 32

If this would fit your needs, a family of 4 -6 people, then we recommend that this be installed with a 24-volt DC pump that is powered by a small solar photovoltaic panel. This will automatically operate when there is enough solar energy available to heat your water.  When used this way, you are assured of constant and reliable performance that is not dependent on utility supplied electricity.

AET Collectors on the Tree House Hotel in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Circulation systems

This part of the solar hot water system consists of the plumbing parts required to circulate the cooler water from the storage tank to the solar collectors. 

We have two types of pump systems. One uses a microprocessor with temperature sensors to determine when more heat is available from the sun. The other type uses a small solar electric (photovoltaic) panel mounted in the sun that is connected directly to a circulating pump.