DIY Solar Hot Water

A DIY solar hot water system is one of the first projects people consider when they are looking to lower electric bills, decrease their reliance on limited energy resources and increase their usage of renewable energy.  You don’t need to go ‘off-grid’ and a DIY solar power water heater system is one of the most efficient, cost-effective and simplest of home power generation plans.

Heating water accounts for just over 30% of the average household’s power bill, so tackling just this one area can significantly reduce your monthly power costs, as well as reducing your carbon footprint.

DIY Solar Hot Water – Step-by-Step Instructions

And a solar power water heater can be used effectively in both warm and cold climates, which makes it a very popular do it yourself solar power project.  The Return on Investment is excellent and a good DIY solar hot water system can be straightforward to install, reliable, easy to maintain and can last decades.

Versatility is also another advantage when considering your own DIY solar power water heating system as there are a number of different alternatives to choose from depending upon your own specific circumstances.  How much water do you need to heat?  How simple do you want the system to be?  What cost and efficiency are you looking for?  What are the climate conditions where you live?  There are different types of systems you can build, designed for your particular application, location and budget.

Your DIY solar hot water system will fall into one of two main categories:

• Active – these use a pump (or fan) to control water flow
• Passive – these need no auxiliary power to operate

In any type of system you will need some type of solar collector and a storage tank.  The system may or may not connect to conventional gas or electric water heaters.

You will be pleasantly surprised at how economical your DIY solar hot water system will be to build and this is an excellent project to start your journey towards your ultimate energy independence using solar home power.  There are several guides available to help you do this – the one we recommend below gives step-by-step, easy-to-follow instructions and details about all of the individual components you will need.  The guide costs $37 and the solar power water heater system suggested can be built for less than $100, which obviously compares very favourably with the expensive, commercial installation of readymade units.

DIY Solar Hot Water – Step-by-Step Instructions

Solar Power Water Heater – Further Information