I tried the “solar only” route too, thinking it’d save a ton, but winter just laughed at me. Even with a decent collector and insulated pipes, the water was lukewarm at best on cloudy days. I caved and put in a cheap immersion heater as backup—honestly, my wallet’s happier since I’m not running it all the time. Maybe if you’re in Arizona or something, pure solar might work, but here it’s just wishful thinking. Anyone actually pulled it off in a colder spot?
Tried to make it work up here in Ontario, but yeah—winter just doesn’t play nice. Even with evacuated tube collectors, I’d get maybe a tepid shower if the sun peeked out, but most days it was just too cold. Ended up wiring in a timer-controlled electric backup, which honestly saved my sanity (and marriage). Solar’s great for shoulder seasons, but unless you’re somewhere with real sun, pure solar feels more like a science project than a solution.
“Solar’s great for shoulder seasons, but unless you’re somewhere with real sun, pure solar feels more like a science project than a solution.”
That’s been my experience too. I tried to push through one winter with just solar and a wood stove backup—let’s just say, lukewarm showers got old fast. Electric backup on a timer is definitely the way to go in our climate. Solar can take the edge off in spring and fall, but yeah, it’s tough to beat physics when the sun ducks out for weeks. Good call on the hybrid setup.
Hybrid’s really the only setup I’d recommend around here too. I’ve installed a few all-solar rigs, and folks are usually calling me back by January asking for an electric element or a gas booster. Even with good insulation, you just can’t store what you don’t collect. If you’re set on solar, at least go with a tank that’s got ports for backup—makes life way easier when you hit those cloudy stretches.
Had a customer last winter who was dead set on going full solar, no backup. By mid-January, their showers were lukewarm at best, and I had to retrofit an electric element. Here’s what I usually recommend: 1) Always check your tank for backup ports before you buy—retrofitting later is a pain. 2) Make sure your wiring and breakers can handle an electric booster if you go that route. 3) Don’t skip the pressure relief valve—seen too many folks forget that step and end up with leaks or worse. Even with the best insulation, you’re still at the mercy of the weather... better safe than sorry.