how to build a solar hot water heater?

Image by Seattle.roamer
This picture shows two loops of my solar hot water system. The cost goes into paying a good plumber who knows how it all works to put together. It takes several days including running it up to the roof. The roof run was easy in my case.

The first loop is the circulation loop from the roof through the pump (center) and into a heat exchange coil in the storage tank on the right. This loop returns to the roof through the meter/pump and heads back to the roof collector. This loop contains (non-poisonous) anti-freeze (not Ethylene glycol which is the stuff in car radiator fluid).

The second loop is the domestic water. It comes out of the storage tank (upper right) and goes into (black insulated pipe) going into the domestic hot water tank, (bottom left).

The circulation loop includes a bypass "vacation" loop. You throw the value (center, above the pump/meter), and the water from the roof circulates through 10′ or so of baseboard radiator (hidden through the wall and under the stairs). The system keeps working in the best heat of the summer while your on vacation which prevents the coolant from being cooked. Meanwhile, the system keeps trying to get the heat into the storage tank. Since in the spring I’ve seen the tank get above 120 several sunny days including once to 150 F, I’m sure the system will be able to put plenty of heat in the tank even while losing lots through the radiator. When your not on vacation, the idea is that you use hot water which will keep the system circulating.

Question by Mary: how to build a solar hot water heater?
I need a really good guide on how to build a solar hot water heater system. Anyone know of one they have used?

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