PV Solar electricity tied directly to a DC Water Heater

10-04-2012, 07:14 PM	#1
JStofik Newbie   Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 9	PV Solar electricity tied directly to a DC Water Heater There are DC heater elements available for use in electric water heaters. Therefore, can PV Solar panel output (DC) be directly wired to a DC Water Heater of the matching voltage (assuming a thermal controller is installed to prevent over heating). Any ideas or brain storming? Thanks, Joe

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10-04-2012, 09:41 PM	#2
Missouri Bound Member     Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Almost Arkansas Posts: 2,764	PV Solar electricity tied directly to a DC Water Heater Why not? What heats the water when it's cloudy? __________________ Do you want it your way or the right way? To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-05-2012, 10:15 AM	#3
JStofik Newbie   Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 9	PV Solar electricity tied directly to a DC Water Heater On cloudy days, the existing gas hot water heater will supply hot water. It will be plumbed so the DC electric is a feed tank to the existing gas water heater.

10-05-2012, 10:24 AM	#4
Missouri Bound Member     Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Almost Arkansas Posts: 2,764	PV Solar electricity tied directly to a DC Water Heater Got it! __________________ Do you want it your way or the right way? To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-09-2012, 10:50 PM	#5
Thunder Chicken Member   Join Date: May 2011 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 320	PV Solar electricity tied directly to a DC Water Heater You can do this, but energy-wise it is a waste of panel area. You would get more heat into the water using indirect solar thermal instead of PV. You generally only get about 10% of your incident solar into the form of electricity in PV. Solar thermal is far more efficient if your goal is to make hot water.