CI-81-07-4 -- Domestic Solar Hot Water Monitoring in Pennsylvania ✓ Most Recent

In 1979 The Department of Energy (DOE) provided funds for The Northeast Solar Energy Center (NESEC) to monitor solar water heating systems. The Solar systems to be monitored were to be installed under the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Solar Hot Water Initiative Project. NESEC's original plan was to monitor 200 sites in ten northeastern states. Pennsylvania was allocated 50 of these 200 sites. Under the HUD Project, Pennsylvanians installed close to 1500 solar hot water systems, each receiving a HUD grant of $400. Thus, roughly 3% of the HUD installed systems in Pennsylvania are being monitored under the NESEC program. As of July 31, 1980, 48 of the 50 monitoring sites allocated to Pennsylvania are providing data for the system performance evaluation.

The major objectives of the monitoring program are:

1. To assess the effectiveness of using a low-cost equipment package to determine solar water heater performance.
NOTE: A sample of the sites, will be monitored with both the low-cost equipment as well as with more expensive, more sophisticated equipment,,and system performance correlations will be developed if necessary.

2. To assess the systems performance and compare it with the HUD system certification predictions.
NOTE: HUD system certification procedures required that each system provide a minimum of 50% of the hot water energy requirement for a typical residence. In Pennsylvania, this 50% figure was reduced to 45%.

3. To establish the general effect of the joint HUD and State requirements for:
- System Certifications
- Warranties
- Installed Training Programs
- State & HUD Installation Guidelines
NOTE: A somewhat related solar hot water program was initiated and carried out by the New England Electric Systems (1975-76) which indicated several major problems associated with the use of solar hot water systems by the solar industry.

4. To establish maintenance and service costs.

5. To establish the reliability, safety, and useful life of solar hot water heaters.