Your Solar Hot Water System
Thank you for your investment in the FAFCO
Solar Hot Water System. Since 1969 our goal has
been to design, test, and produce solar heating systems that save you money and add value
to your home. Please read the following pages carefully to get the most out of your FAFCO
Solar Hot Water System. The maintenance procedures should be followed properly in order to
maintain warranty and a trouble-free system that provides energy and maximizes savings. The
FAFCO
Solar Hot Water System is designed for many years of reliable operation and is backed
by the warranty found at the end of this manual.
What you can expect from your Solar Hot Water System
The FAFCO
Solar Hot Water System is designed to provide a significant portion of the water
heating energy required in a typical home. As wonderful and abundant as solar energy is,
performance varies considerably with available solar energy, outside air temperature, ground
water temperature and household hot water demand. These conditions will vary from home
to home even in the same neighborhood and affect how much energy your solar system will
save you. Savings will also vary throughout the year due to weather variation and different
amounts of sunlight available by season. Naturally, summer will provide the largest amount of
solar hot water heating, but a useful contribution will
be provided by the other seasons as shown in the table on the
right. This translates to over half of a typical household’s annual
hot water needs:
Operation
Solar energy is absorbed by the solar collectors and heated water is circulated through the
fixtures and appliances that require hot water such as clothes washer, dishwasher, bath,
shower, and other fixtures. The system is designed to operate automatically, taking
advantage of solar energy when it is available. An electronic solar controller signals the system
to turn on when solar energy can be added to the water heater. The solar controller will
activate the circulation module which will push water up to the solar collectors and begin
circulation. When solar energy becomes unavailable or when heated water is not required,
the system will turn off and all water will gravity drain into the drainback tank so the water
cannot freeze on your roof or in your attic.
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* All brand and product names appearing in this manual are registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Hot water provided by solar
Spring
20 to 50%
Summer
60 to 90%
Autumn
20 to 50%
Winter
0 to 30%
Summary of Contents for Solar Hot Water System
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