Approximately one-third of the cost of this system was funded by the state of Texas as part of it's Alternative Energy Demonstration Program. It is unique in that it does not have valves to balance flow or vent brakers.
Water flows through the collectors only when the pump is running.
When the pump is off, the water drains from the collectors into a 750-gallon drainback tank and remains there until the next day's cycle. The drainback tank is also the thermal energy storage subsystem. This provides sufficient time for the potable water to absorb heat in the storage tank even at a low temperature differential. Before the solar system was installed, St. Rose generated it's hot water using a oil fuel-fired steam boiler. This system is now used as the backup subsystem for the solar system.