How big are the panels used for an average residential hot water system?
For solar hot water applications, a panel of approximately 7 feet by 7 feet will provide 100% of the hot water needs in the summer and about 80-90% of the hot water needs for the remainder of the year. To achieve 100% in the colder months, it would be necessary to deal with the excess heat produced in the summer. This can be accomplished by using the excess heat in a swimming pool, by cooling the hot water tank at night during the summer or by installing a heat dissipater in the system. A flash hot water heater can be installed on the supply line side to compensate for the remainder of your hot water needs.
