Depends what your climate is like. The most efficient system is a solar collector hooked to storage tank with NO pump - just a thermo-siphon system. But that only works well in climates warm enough to have a storage tank next to the collector.
In cold areas, a collector on the roof using a closed loop of anti-freeze protected liquid gets hooked to a storage tank in a heated building. For this a circulation pump is needed. Often a small solar panel is used to run the circulation pump. Since no heating occurs unless the sun is shining, it makes a nice system.
There is also a drain-back system for cold areas that does not use a closed loop. It directly heats the domestic water. A bit more complicated, but the solar collector drains itself when it's cold to prevent freeze up. Even if you just stick an 80 gallon preheat tank in your home with no solar or wood coils, and hook it before the main fuel-fired (or electric fired) heater - it will make a difference, especially if you use deep-well water. My water is 48 degrees F when it comes out of the ground. It lets the water reach room temps before going into the main heater. Whatever you do, remember that . . . if you send hot water into a propane tank heater, you can damage it - you must use a tempering valve. Also, if you send preheated water into a tankless, you gain nothing and it heats the already hot water, over again. That is, unless you special order a thermostat controlled tankless - usually marketed as a "solar tankless."
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Today's Featured Article - Restoration Story: Fordson Major - by Anthony West. George bought his Fordson Major from a an implement sale about 18 years ago for £200.00 (UK). There is no known history regarding its origins or what service it had done, but the following work was undertaken alone to bring it up to show standard. From the engine number, it was found that this Major was produced late 1946. It was almost complete but had various parts that would definitely need replacing.
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