Side-by-Side Testing of Water Heating Systems: Results from the 2009-2010 Evaluation
To compare the performance of different types of solar and conventional water heaters, a test facility was constructed at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) in Cocoa, FL. The facility tested seven systems simultaneously in a side-by side configuration.
The objective of the water heating systems evaluation project is to compare energy performance and time-of-day electric loads by conducting side-by-side tests of solar and conventional domestic hot water (DHW) systems.
Download this document to examine the comparative performance of the following seven different types of residential water heating systems:
- Standard electric resistance 50-gallon tank
- Solar flat plate collector (40 ft2) connected to an 80-gallon storage tank with temperature differential controlled pump – direct loop circulation
- Integrated Collector System (ICS, 32 ft2) connected to a standard 50-gallon water heater
- Solar Flat Plate collector (40 ft2) connected to an 80-gallon storage tank with
photovoltaic pump – direct loop circulation - Standard residential 40-gallon natural gas water heater tank (storage upright vented type)
- Natural Gas tankless water heater
- Electric tankless water heater