Also, thseng? this is a 5 dollar water heater. Electricity does not boil water. It requires an investment in a boiler or heater. How much did the boiler in your house cost when it was installed? Bet you 5 bucks it cost more than this solar heater. And if you're going to compare the cost effectiveness of a solar heater to an electric heater, as you pointed out, the electricity for this will cost you one cent, while solar energy is free. So financially we have:
Solar heater: initial investment of heater=$5, cost of energy=$0
Electric(or gas): initial investment > $5, cost of energy > $0
Also, there are reasons to do things besides financial justification. A solar heater heater has no dependence on power lines, or any power source besides the sun. This means it will work with the power off, whether from a blackout or from not paying the power bill. That independence is worth something to me.
Edited by hamilton (08/16/07 04:50 PM)