Rheem Manufacturing Co. is now offering solar water heating systems under the Rheem Solaraide brand. The systems are manufactured by Rheem's Australian subsidiary, Solahart.
Combining a storage tank with one or two collector panels, the passive Solaraide systems operate without pumps or controllers, relying instead on the natural process of convection – also called indirect thermosiphoning – to circulate the heat-transfer fluid.
The systems use a specially developed, freeze-proof heat transfer fluid to absorb and deliver heat energy, even on cold and overcast days, the company says. The fluid also circulates in a closed-loop environment, which further protects against freezing and allows the systems to be used year-round.
Rheem says its Solaraide solar water heaters are offered in two configurations, each carrying a five-year warranty: A 47-gallon system (RS47-21BP), measuring 97.5 inches long and 58.5 inches wide, includes a single collector panel and is designed to provide approximately 45% of the annual hot water requirements of a home with 1.5 baths; and an 80-gallon system (RS80-42BP), measuring 97.5 inches long and 91 inches wide, incorporates two collector panels to meet approximately 58% of the annual hot water requirements of a home with two or three bathrooms.
Both models have been tested and certified for durability, performance and efficiency by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation, with the 47-gallon model having received a Solar Energy Factor (SEF) of 1.3 and the 80-gallon model, a 1.5 SEF. These numbers represent the energy delivered by the system, divided by the electrical or gas energy put into the system.
‘These systems are comparatively straightforward to install, taking perhaps a day the first time – and probably less thereafter as the installer gains experience,’ says Jeff Mahoney, Rheem's alternative energy market manager. ‘To mount the system on the roof, all the installer needs is a pipe wrench, a crescent wrench, a hammer, screwdriver and drill.’
Rheem: (334) 260-1500
SOURCE: Rheem
