Solar Water Heating

 

Cape Town, South Africa Tel 0215108786 Skype: robinthomson

 

Everyone can and should use Solar water heaters :

 

This Cost Benefit Analysis will be updated in when we know the new component prices and the approved Eskom price increases. The picture below is an indication only of how long it takes to save with solar compared with normal geysers.

 

 

* Based on installation costs of R2500 for electric geysers and R3500 for solar geysers

* 90% of heating provided for by solar during the day

 

Eskom have requested 45% annual increase for the next 3 years

 

 

For people who are hot and smart !

Solar water heating has been around for many years, but most South Africans still do not use solar. This is despite more than sufficient sunshine. SunPower aims to change this and get more of us to take the smart, hot choice!

Solar water heating is a new product in that most South Africans have never purchased a solar water heater. We will take care to address any concerns you may have and ensure that you take a decision that will benefit YOU.

 

Please contact us on 021 5108786 or 0861 468 786 and we will gladly assist you and prepare a demonstration.

 

Over the life of a hot water system, you have 2 costs - the purchase price and the running costs.

 

Only use electricity when it is not sunny - this will save you 90% or more per year. Electricity prices will rise, solar energy remains free.

 

When the running costs are electricity, we can expect them to rise by over 20% per year. If the main heating method is solar, then the running costs are greatly reduced. The electrical cost will be about 20% of your current heating costs. This is because no matter how great our technology, we are unable to guarantee sunny days 365 days a year in Cape Town. We have had requests from the Department of Water Affairs to allow some overcast days to provide rain to fill our dams. On these days, please use Eskom to heat your water. For the rest, please use the sun.

 

Eskom Demand side management have the following on their website:

 

"http://www.eskomdsm.co.za/resdsaving.php

 

1. Hot water system (geyser):

 

Did you know?

· It takes a 3kW, 150l hot water cylinder (HWC), or geyser, element to heat the water from 20 ºC to 65 ºC in the order of 2 hours 40 minutes and consumes about 7.838kWh and at an average cost of 35c/kWh which amounts to R 2.74.

· It does not make a difference if the increase of temperature is from 1 ºC to 2 ºC or from 60 ºC to 61 ºC, the necessary energy and the length of time will stay the same.

· To heat 150l of water by 45 ºC (from 20 ºC to 65 ºC) with a 9kW HWC element will cost the same as with a 3kW HWC element. The 9kW element will just take a third of the time the 3kW element would take.

· With a normal HWC and 4 metre of hot water pipe, the losses are R40.12 (at 35c/kWh) per 30-day month. This is the cost to have hot water on standby. Each type of HWC and type of pipe will have different losses. The horizontal HWC has more losses than the same volume vertical HWC.

· The average losses, in the hot water cylinder and 4 metre of hot water pipe, for a thermostat setting of 70°C is 3.821kWh per day and that of a thermostat setting of 60°C is 3.058kWh per day. The homeowner, lowering the thermostat setting, can achieve the difference in losses of 0.763kWh per day, or R8.01 per 30-day month. To put this saving value in perspective, we use a family consuming 1,200 kWh per month. The saving on the monthly account is then only 1.9%. The higher the monthly consumption, the lower the percentage saving will be. On average, the HWC consumes 40% of the total home's consumption. The lowering of the temperature, from 70°C to 60°C reduces the cost of supplying hot water with 4.8%. CAUTION: You may run out of hot water if you lower the temperature, because you will use more water from the HWC to achieve the same task. If you install additional insulation, you will save more AND keep the HWC temperature higher, without experiencing cold water.

· If you install an additional layer of insulation (50mm insulation for example) around the cylinder and pipes, the losses can be reduced by 51.2%, without reducing the thermostat temperature. This is R 18.08, or 4.9%, per month of the sample family's account of 1,200kWh per month. Again, this reduces the cost of supplying hot water (40% of total consumption) to only 12.2%.

· NO gadget, or additional control or anything else can save more than additional insulation. The only exception is if the homeowner pays for electricity on a time of use tariff.

· To reduce hot water consumption one can make use of water conserving showerheads, self-closing hot water taps or mixing valves and flow restrictors and aerators in sink taps.

Saving Tips:

· Install a geyser blanket,

· turn down the thermostat to 50-60 degrees C,

· insulate at least the first 1,5m of hot water outlet pipes and use less hot water"

 

Solar Water Heaters and Solar Generated Electricity Information Page

Sunpower Solar Water Heating Pty Ltd Unit 1, Royal Business Park 19 Basson St Maitland, Cape Town 7405

Tel (021) 5108 786 or 0861 468 786 (0861 HOT SUN) Fax 086 611 5521 http//www.sunpower.co.za

Skype: robinthomson