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Passive solar water heating is the simplest form of the technology, and involves no pumps.

Passive Solar Water Heaters

Though some systems circulate the water itself, in the majority of applications it is more effective to circulate a thermal fluid, such as antifreeze, to heat water in the reservoir. This circulation can be done in one of two ways, via an active system, or via a passive one. In passive solar water heating, there is no pump operating under normal circumstances. Passive systems place the water storage tank above the collector panels, and so when the thermal fluid is heated in the panels, convection moves the fluid upwards into the tank for storage. As the fluid gives off its heat to the water in the reservoir it cools and sinks back into the collectors to be reheated.

Passive systems are attractive because they do not have pumps or moving parts that could break down or require maintenance. They are simple, and with an electric backup coil installed they can provide hot water on demand regardless of the time of day or season. Because of their simplicity, passive systems are readily available in kits.

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