In Queensland we are blessed with an abundance of sunshine therefore it makes perfect sense to heat our hot water using the sun. The Rinnai range of solar hot water systems are perfect for doing just that.
There are 2 types of solar hot water available, the first and the most common system is the close coupled or on-roof solar hot water system.
In a close coupled system both the storage tank and solar collectors are installed on the roof.
Rinnai close coupled solar systems use the thermo-syphoning principle (i.e. hot water rises because it is less dense) to circulate the water through the collectors and then to the storage cylinder without the need to consume energy or the use of any moving parts. If insufficient heat is available from the sun (such as during cloudy or rainy weather or during winter months) the water can be heated via the built in electric element or a Rinnai gas booster.
The second system type is the split solar hot water system.
A split system is where the storage tank and the solar collectors are split and installed separately. A solar control unit ensures the water circulates between the solar collectors and the storage tank. This transfers heat from the collectors to the water in the tank if enough heat is available from the sun.
An electric element or a Rinnai gas booster mounted either on a wall or on the side of the tank will boost the temperature of the solar heated water if necessary.