I had a solar water sytem in a house that I once owned. It had a 80 gal tank, and a panel on the roof. It also had a timer that let the heater have electrical power for two hours in the morning (sort of a "just in case" thing). On sunny days, you could use all the hot water you wanted. Even in the evening, there was plenty for dishes and a few showers. The only thing that convinced you to use less water, was the amount they charge for water in the first place.
Once I have a few more $$'s saved up (or a car sold), I will most likely replace the energy sucking low boy, and stuff a 80 gal in the garage, and mount a solar heater on the roof. I might even consider hooking up to city water at that time.
Yes, I didn't talk about tankless heaters....My point is that if you have enough sun in your area, you may want to consider a solar heater.
