Solar panels - distance from house.

[scooby1]

We are having to place solar panels for our new build on the existing garage. This is approximately 15 metres from the house and the place where the boiler, tank, and all the rest of the gubbins is located.

Is this dramatically innefficient or can the pipes be insulated to such a degree that heat loss can be minimised ?

TIA for any help and advice given.

 

[D_Hailsham]

We are having to place solar panels for our new build on the existing garage. This is approximately 15 metres from the house and the place where the boiler, tank, and all the rest of the gubbins is located.

Are there technical reasons for locating the panels on the garage or is it just the local Planning jobsworths being awkward?

 

[Boilerman2]

The Pipe work between the collectors and the cylinder should be kept as short as possible to maximise heat transfer and minimise losses during cooler periods of weather, the collectors are harvesting quite low grade heat so the insulation of the pipe work is very important to prevent heat loss

 

[scooby1]

We are having to place solar panels for our new build on the existing garage. This is approximately 15 metres from the house and the place where the boiler, tank, and all the rest of the gubbins is located.

Are there technical reasons for locating the panels on the garage or is it just the local Planning jobsworths being awkward?

The reason why they are on the garage is because we have a complicated roof on the new build. The house has been placed to face South and on the South facing side there are two large gables with a roof inbetween that has a large dormer in it. No room for suffiecient panels.

We do have lots of ground around the house (fields etc) and I am toying with the idea of panels on frames at ground level but they wouldn't be much closer than the garage.

 

[scooby1]

The Pipe work between the collectors and the cylinder should be kept as short as possible to maximise heat transfer and minimise losses during cooler periods of weather, the collectors are harvesting quite low grade heat so the insulation of the pipe work is very important to prevent heat loss

Yes, but is 15 metres "do-able" ?

 

[Norcon]

With uponor econoflex quattro its do-able. And keep everything in the garage.
Unvented cylinder, boiler, controls etc
http://alturl.com/39dtb

If the building heat loss is around 25kw.
Though you want to check the pipe sizes carefully. Some plumbers have been caught out by not using inside diameter.

The f&r in the largest quattro is 26.2mm id. Beyond that and you'd have to go for a double run. So extra cost.
Then you have 23.2mm for the hot supply which should be ample and 18mm for the secondary return.

Econoflex needs to be considered early in the build. I did one once and recommended econoflex but the guy stalled. Ended up having to rip up flooring up through the main living room with jack hammers to get it in which I can tell you was no easy job. It also had to pass under a fire place.

What you want on a large new build is a duct say 300x300mm exiting to a 600x600 manhole lid just outside the property which acts as a transition point and extends to a central location inside the property. Then cable 110mm ducts from the garage exit here at the man hole and from here are then sent inside the larger duct which can have a few pipe ducts also.

 

[Agile]

I dont understand your perceived problem!

The solar thermal panels collect heat and that is used to heat the hot water cylinder which is just below the panels inside the garage.

The only heat loss you will have is the hot water feed ( and pumped return ) which has to cross the 15 m seperation from the house.

We are having to place solar panels for our new build on the existing garage. This is approximately 15 metres from the house and the place where the boiler, tank, and all the rest of the gubbins is located.

Or do you mean to say " the tank is in the house and 15m away from the garage"?

If that is the case then its not a big problem to have adequate insulation on the solar feed pipes through underground ducts. I would not bother for my own installation but the correct insulation for solar pipes is high temperature and very expensive ( like everything else with the description "solar" )

Tony

 

[scooby1]

I dont understand your perceived problem!

The solar thermal panels collect heat and that is used to heat the hot water cylinder which is just below the panels inside the garage.

The only heat loss you will have is the hot water feed ( and pumped return ) which has to cross the 15 m seperation from the house.

Tony

It is not my perceived problem. I know nothing about solar panels or heat loss in pipes. It has been brought to my attention, via the firm that are building my house, that the solar panel suppliers perceive there to be a problem. They visited last week and apparently there was a sharp intake of breath from them.

The solar panels are only being installed to satisfy the 10% renewable diktat as laid down by the planners. I am quite happy with the amount of insulation that has been installed in the house, the underfloor heating on ground and first, and the log burner for which I have enough timber on the farm to see me through to the end of my days.

I just wanted to know if it is money down the drain placing panels in a location such as this.

 

[Agile]

Its totally feesible to insulate the pipes adequately if they have to traverse a 15 m span.

But its very important that the ducting is totally rodent proof. They love chewing foam insulation.

To be totally correct you would probably have to use the solar insulation and then add normal foam pipe insulation on the outside as designed for 50mm pipes.

Is this near Barford?

Tony

 

[scooby1]

Its totally feesible to insulate the pipes adequately if they have to traverse a 15 m span.

But its very important that the ducting is totally rodent proof. They love chewing foam insulation.

To be totally correct you would probably have to use the solar insulation and then add normal foam pipe insulation on the outside as designed for 50mm pipes.

Is this near Barford?

Tony

I hope I haven't given the impression that the pipework has to traverse a 15mt. span. The pipes will in fact be laid underground and so there won't be a rodent problem once it enters the ground.

Not near Barford but not a million miles away.