What should water temperature be during no sunlight periods, using a solar/electric water heater?
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Question by Cookin’ in Hawaii: What should water temperature be during no sunlight periods, using a solar/electric water heater?
We have solar water heating, but during off-peak hours, the electric water heater kicks in. ( Two hours in the evening and 1.5 hours in the early morning) The water is 140 degrees. Is this normal? I know the thermostat can be turned down on regular water heaters, but does it need to be this hot because of the solar? Water is scalding hot!
What do you think? Answer below!
One Response to What should water temperature be during no sunlight periods, using a solar/electric water heater?
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I would think it needs to be turned down. They recommend a maximum 125 to prevent scalding.
I have only worked on a few solar systems but they all used a “regular” water heater to supplement the heat and store the warmed water. They were just plumbed differently.
Usually they were set lower and on all the time. Lower so they did not try to heat the water going through the solar panels.
But it is near impossible for us to tell you how yours is set up, the logic of the system. We know nothing about it, how it is plumbed, what controls, even how it works normally.
I don’t know if you have two tanks or one and the single tank is for both storage and heating.
The main reason people turn up the temp is if the water is hotter you use less. So at 140 you might get three showers first thing in the morning, but at 125 degrees maybe only two without time in between heating water.
I say try it. I can’t think of any reason lowering the temp would be a problem, except for capacity as mentioned.
Good Luck.
Thor
December 5, 2011 at 2:03 am