A solar hot water system is designed to capture the heat of the sun to preheat the hot water supply and reduce the amount of energy used by a conventional hot water heater.  The heart of the solar hot water system is the solar collector.  Mounted in a south-facing solar path, the collector consists of an aluminum frame and tempered glass beneath which heat absorbing copper plates are located.  A biodegradable antifreeze solution flows through these plates and absorbs heat during daylight hours.  Solar energy also powers a DC pump which circulates the solution through a heat exchanger where the heat is transferred to water and stored.  The cooler solution returns to the collector to be reheated.  As hot water is called for, the preheated solar water is transferred from the storage tank throughout the water heater.  Less energy (natural gas, electricity, or propane) is needed to heat the water, saving hundreds of dollars in energy costs throughout the year.  A conventional hot water heater stays in place to heat water when the solar heating system is not meeting consumer needs (cloudy days, night use, exhaustion of hot water supply), however the majority of hot water produced will come directly from the solar heating system.