solar water heaters

One of the most frequently asked questions about solar water heaters is how they work in winters. The fact that solar water heaters work on the sun rays and the heat generated by them, it seems hard to believe that solar water heaters can work in winters when the need for hot water is actually higher. The chilly days and uncertainty of seeing sun for days makes us wonder if it is really possible for solar water heaters to work in winters. However, solar water heater suppliers in India say that they do work in winters. Let’s see how technology makes solar water heaters work in the times when solar energy is a little bit hard to get on a regular basis. 

Does outside temperature affect the working of a solar water heater? 

Yes, the outside temperature is surely going to affect the working of the solar water heater. Since the heater works on the heat generated during the sunlight, rainy and winter seasons can affect the working of the system. However, it doesn’t stop working entirely because of other features installed in the system. 

How do solar water heaters work when there is scarcity of sunlight? 

It is not possible to expect the solar water heating system to work as efficiently in winters as it does in good sun days. To get hot water in winters and sunny days, some specific methods and technologies are employed to improve the output. However, it is advised to have electrical heating systems as a backup option to better fulfill the requirements. Here are two ways water heaters provide warm waters even in winters. 

Good insulation 

The water in the solar water heating system tank is heated with the help of radiation. The best way to get the maximum benefit is to isolate the radiations well to prevent them from skipping. There is no way you can suck out any sunlight from the atmosphere on sunny days, but when it comes to cloudy days, solar heaters can make use of whatever is available. 

The advanced solar systems can generate heat even with diffused sunlight that is available on cloudy days. There are also speculations about the fact that maximum amount of sunlight can be captured by using concave mirrors. The technology is used when direct sunlight is available for a few hours and you want to make the best use of that time. There is no proper research about how feasible this particular idea is. 

All the ideas come down to only one point and that is how well your system is capable of storing the captured sunlight. Lesser the escape of the sunlight, better will be the heating. 

Radiator fluid technology

The radiator fluid technology can be used to increase the efficiency of solar water heating systems in winters. The process involves use of radiator fluid which is a liquid catalyst. The fluid needs to be checked before the beginning of winters to ensure proper working. 

The heating process with radiator fluid is quite simple. The fluid gets warmed by the sun’s energy whenever it is available and the warm fluid then exchanges heat with cold water which in turn makes the water warm. The radiator fluid only works to improve the process and there is nothing you can do if there is no sunlight. 

If you are thinking of buying a solar water heater in Ahmedabad, but the thought of it not working in winters haunts you, there is not much to worry. You can still get good use of it since there is rarely any time when the sun doesn’t appear for days. 

By Anurag Rathod

Anurag Rathod is an Editor of Appclonescript.com, who is passionate for app-based startup solutions and on-demand business ideas. He believes in spreading tech trends. He is an avid reader and loves thinking out of the box to promote new technologies.