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lekamu
#1 Posted : Wednesday, March 25, 2015 4:11:34 PM
Rank: New-farer


Joined: 2/22/2015
Posts: 61
Does anyone have experience with solar water heating for domestic use?

In particular, how effective is it in both the rainy and hot seasons (average water temperature attained)?

Any specifics on the system installed (capacity versus utilization rate).

One more thing, for those with bathtubs, how do oyu ensure a constant supply of hot water? For instance, an instant heating alternative to installing a boiler?

Only Fools Have No Plan B
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wa P
#2 Posted : Wednesday, March 25, 2015 6:26:37 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 5/26/2009
Posts: 326
Location: Nairobi
First: solar hot water depends more on your choices than the weather.

- quality of PV. usually cheap is expensive
- technology used.
- water usage behavior esp in kitchen
- choice of installer


Depending on your choices, you can get hot water 24/7/365. Rainy and cloudy days will still yield higher heat than your body temp.

if you want to know more, insert a coin here
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Pesa Nane
#3 Posted : Wednesday, March 25, 2015 9:31:12 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 5/25/2012
Posts: 4,105
Location: 08c
lekamu wrote:
Does anyone have experience with solar water heating for domestic use?

In particular, how effective is it in both the rainy and hot seasons (average water temperature attained)?

Any specifics on the system installed (capacity versus utilization rate).

One more thing, for those with bathtubs, how do oyu ensure a constant supply of hot water? For instance, an instant heating alternative to installing a boiler? modern units have an electric heater option


A functional unit will guarantee you SCALDING HOT water on those sunny days and shower temperature water on those REALLY DULL RAINY days.

make sure:
1.You purchase a capacity corresponding to your hot water needs
2.Separate shower unit from kitchen unit
3.Consult installer and organize site visit before purchase to determine type of unit (Direct/indirect) and capacity

Pesa Nane plans to be shilingi when he grows up.
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lekamu
#4 Posted : Wednesday, March 25, 2015 10:26:41 PM
Rank: New-farer


Joined: 2/22/2015
Posts: 61
Pesa Nane wrote:
lekamu wrote:
Does anyone have experience with solar water heating for domestic use?

In particular, how effective is it in both the rainy and hot seasons (average water temperature attained)?

Any specifics on the system installed (capacity versus utilization rate).

One more thing, for those with bathtubs, how do oyu ensure a constant supply of hot water? For instance, an instant heating alternative to installing a boiler? modern units have an electric heater option


A functional unit will guarantee you SCALDING HOT water on those sunny days and shower temperature water on those REALLY DULL RAINY days.

make sure:
1.You purchase a capacity corresponding to your hot water needs
2.Separate shower unit from kitchen unit
3.Consult installer and organize site visit before purchase to determine type of unit (Direct/indirect) and capacity




Thank you for the info
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chiaroscuro
#5 Posted : Monday, March 30, 2015 2:39:32 PM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 2/2/2012
Posts: 1,134
Location: Nairobi
wa P wrote:
First: solar hot water depends more on your choices than the weather.

- quality of PV. usually cheap is expensive
- technology used.
- water usage behavior esp in kitchen
- choice of installer


Depending on your choices, you can get hot water 24/7/365. Rainy and cloudy days will still yield higher heat than your body temp.

if you want to know more, insert a coin here



PV; in a water heater?
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wa P
#6 Posted : Monday, March 30, 2015 3:13:40 PM
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Joined: 5/26/2009
Posts: 326
Location: Nairobi
chiaroscuro wrote:
wa P wrote:
First: solar hot water depends more on your choices than the weather.

- quality of PV. usually cheap is expensive
- technology used.
- water usage behavior esp in kitchen
- choice of installer


Depending on your choices, you can get hot water 24/7/365. Rainy and cloudy days will still yield higher heat than your body temp.

if you want to know more, insert a coin here



PV; in a water heater?



For lack of technical word - meant the module that receives sun heat, and transfers the heat to the highly volatile thermal liquid that in turn exchange heat with water. It has a shape and look of PV or those tubes you see on the roof.

These days they even have the hot thermal liquid stored in the tank, water only passes through a spiraled, thin aluminum conduit; cold in, very hot out within a short time.



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Mukiri
#7 Posted : Monday, March 30, 2015 8:50:19 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 7/11/2012
Posts: 5,222
Is this doable? Connecting the Solar heater to the swimming pool too.. such that when its not heating the shower or kitchen, then its heating the pool?Pray

Proverbs 19:21
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msahle
#8 Posted : Tuesday, March 31, 2015 5:49:22 AM
Rank: New-farer


Joined: 1/14/2015
Posts: 10
Location: Nairobi
Mukiri wrote:
Is this doable? Connecting the Solar heater to the swimming pool too.. such that when its not heating the shower or kitchen, then its heating the pool?Pray


Shame on you Potable water and chlorinated pool water in the same pipe! Not practical plus design challenges will come into play.
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Mukiri
#9 Posted : Thursday, April 02, 2015 10:55:08 PM
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Joined: 7/11/2012
Posts: 5,222
msahle wrote:
Mukiri wrote:
Is this doable? Connecting the Solar heater to the swimming pool too.. such that when its not heating the shower or kitchen, then its heating the pool?Pray


Shame on you Potable water and chlorinated pool water in the same pipe! Not practical plus design challenges will come into play.

Who talked about mixing the two? Hiyo inaitwa jumping to your own conclusions!

If Kitchen and shower unit are separate, si its a matter of adding pool unit? Im of the opinion its doable, if someone is not too lazy to think out-of-the-box

Proverbs 19:21
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lekamu
#10 Posted : Thursday, August 06, 2015 7:57:15 PM
Rank: New-farer


Joined: 2/22/2015
Posts: 61
What do Wazuans think of this charcoal brickets water heaters in terms of efficiency, cost effectiveness....

http://www.chardust.com/water-heaters.html
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lisaox
#11 Posted : Thursday, May 18, 2017 2:17:33 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 7/4/2010
Posts: 118
And what do Wazuans think about ERC regulations that existing (existing before 2012) residential buildings must install systems for solar water heating?

In apartments for example, is the requirement to install a system for each unit?

Structurally for example (Im no architect etc)is it possible to install such a solar system on the roof of any structure after-the-fact? The regulations talk of some specific angle elevation requirement etc.
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majimaji
#12 Posted : Thursday, May 18, 2017 3:12:22 PM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 4/4/2007
Posts: 1,162
Mukiri wrote:
Is this doable? Connecting the Solar heater to the swimming pool too.. such that when its not heating the shower or kitchen, then its heating the pool?Pray


It is do-able.
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nakujua
#13 Posted : Friday, May 19, 2017 12:37:01 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 12/17/2009
Posts: 3,583
Location: Kenya
lisaox wrote:
And what do Wazuans think about ERC regulations that existing (existing before 2012) residential buildings must install systems for solar water heating?

In apartments for example, is the requirement to install a system for each unit?

Structurally for example (Im no architect etc)is it possible to install such a solar system on the roof of any structure after-the-fact? The regulations talk of some specific angle elevation requirement etc.

from ERC

Quote:

1. All premises within the jurisdiction of local authorities with hot water requirements of a capacity exceeding one hundred litres per day shall install and use solar heating systems;


I would assume in the case of an apartment block or flats each unit will be a premise, but I am very curious how they will determine daily hot water requirements for each premise
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kayhara
#14 Posted : Monday, August 20, 2018 3:01:11 PM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 5/5/2011
Posts: 1,059
Can you have a solar system where you only have one line unlike the current system whee you have hot and cold line? of course you will have a separate line for toilet flushing but the rest kitchen, showers and basins will be hot at say 45 degrees? the system needs to have a return line so that hot water is available on demand, current systems are complicated with mixers etc for a system like mine you use normal taps, any plumber who can tell whether this is viable?
To Each His Own
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Aleksks
#15 Posted : Wednesday, September 19, 2018 6:16:12 PM
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Joined: 9/19/2018
Posts: 14
thanks for sharing your experiences
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