Solar Hot Water Homeowner Installation Workshop

The CanSIA/Solar BC Solar Hot Water Installer Workshop is going ahead - please click here for more details

The manufacturer of the Sunwell solar heater has, unfortunately, discontinued this product. Because of this, VREC has had to postpone the homeowner workshop till we find a suitable and affordable CSA-approved system to install in it's place.

 As part of our mandate to help make renewable energy systems more affordable, the Vancouver Renewable Energy Cooperative (VREC) is offering a solar hot water installation workshop. This workshop is designed for homeowners and others who are interested in installing one of these systems on their own home, or in understanding the installation process. This workshop will help you save installation costs and be better informed about a technology that saves money and reduces greenhouse gasses.

The one-day workshop is hands-on and will be held Sunday, September 23rd in North Vancouver during the day (exact time and location to be announced). It will be taught by experienced installer Mike Anderson. Together, workshop participants will install a type of system that is the simplest to install, a three season batch solar heater.

Suitable rooftops for solar water heating systems will have a flat or south-facing portion that receives full sun for several hours each day during majority of the year. These systems may be twinned with a conventional hot water tank or a tankless hot water heater, or used as a stand alone hot water system for buildings not currently served by hot water.  The three season system is ideal for a summer cottage or as an economical alternative to a four-seasons system for a year round home.  The system owner must drain it for the winter months. Four season systems which don't require draining are also available, but aren't the focus of this workshop. A discussion of shading and siting of these systems will be included in the workshop.

The cost to attend this one day workshop is $80. The workshop is offered free of charge to people who purchase a batch solar water heater from VREC prior to the date of the workshop. For more information please contact main@vanrenewable.org or call 778-869-8333

To register and pay online using paypal, please visit the following link and send $80 to robert@vanrenewable.org  (You don't need a paypal account to do this, just a credit card) Indicate the description that it is for the SHW workshop. You will receive a confirmation email with the course details. You can also mail a cheque to VREC at 2046 Franklin Street, Vancouver BC V5L 1R3.

About the system we will be installing at the workshop 

SW200 SunWell batch solar water heater    

The following is the supplier-provided information on the sunwell batch solar water heater we will be installing on the 23rd at the workshop.

To order your own SunWell batch solar water heater, please contact VREC at 778-869-8333.

Item Description

Designed and manufactured in Delta, BC. This product is a three-season passive solar water heater that pre-heats water before it reaches your current hot water heater. Due to its simplicity in design, any home or business can take advantage of the savings it offers. This unit can reduce your hot water heating expenses by up to 50%.

During the summer, the SunWell solar water heater can provide almost all of your hot water, and in the spring and fall it will pre-heat the hot water. By connecting directly to the incoming water supply line, it avoids the need for pumps, controls, wiring, and heat exchangers. This simplifies the system and reduces the cost.

The SunWell can provide most of your summer hot water requirements. In the spring and fall, the SunWell pre-heats water, which is then topped-off by your existing hot water heater. This guarantees your hot water will be at a constant temperature. The less your current heater works, the more money you save. If you currently have a dwelling with no hot water at all, this unit can work as a stand alone hot water system. Also ideal for those with a woodstove hot water system, which is only used in the winter months when space heating is required.

Contact Us: 778.869.8333 in Vancouver, Canada or main@vanrenewable.org
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