solar question

[brickit]

i have had a new central heating system installed recently, i got a santon 210ltr indirect twin coil cylinder. The boiler & cylinder is installed in a single story extension. i want to install solar panels on the flat roof (it gets good sunlight).

could anybody recoment a good system that i could fit myself, also a 'idiots guide to solar'. thnx

 

[simond]

I would recommend a lap dancing club.

It will be more fun and the return on your investment will be palpably visible.

Solar is for politicians. They like it and windfarms because they are a visible sign that 'we are doing something'. The fact that solar doesn't significantly reduce our energy consumption and windfarms are the new licence to move money from the taxpayer to large corporations isn't widely publicised.

The best solar systems are ones that integrate with the boiler controls such as Viessmann or Vaillant. Other than that they are all of a muchness. The once popular evacuated tubes made by Schott have been recalled due to a few breakages so you are looking at mainly flat plate collectors.

 

[htgeng]

The best solar systems are ones that integrate with the boiler controls such as Viessmann or Vaillant.

Agreed. You can by the Viessmann Vitosol 300 solar kit from somewhere like PTS. A good piece of kit and higher spec than the 200. Each tube can be taken out of the manifold without draining down the solar system. Also each tube has got a high temperature limit cutout device which many other systems do not have.

 

[Agile]

I still prefer the drain back type.

I noticed the Ferolli ones are the only system apparently sold as a drain back by a major supplier.

At the last show there was one small panel supplier whose panels were suitable for drain back but the nupty salesman did not even know what a drain back was!

I am planning to fit some for my house but other than a DIY project they are not financially worthwhile.

Tony

 

[heatingman]

ferrolli and alpha are the only two mans that market the drain back system in uk. Everyelse goes for fully pressurised

 

[gas4you]

i have had a new central heating system installed recently, i got a santon 210ltr indirect twin coil cylinder. The boiler & cylinder is installed in a single story extension. i want to install solar panels on the flat roof (it gets good sunlight).

could anybody recoment a good system that i could fit myself, also a 'idiots guide to solar'. thnx

Although planning permission is not required, make sure you get 'approval' from the planning dept of your local council. Most around your area want full details, photo's/pics, what roof elevation it is on, how far off the roof line it will protrude etc etc before allowing it

 

[JPC]

i love the idea of renewables...

i find it hard to "sell" solar.

put the £2500 - 3000 in the bank and benefit from 150 interest a year and get your money back whenever you want. !

 

[elliottt]

One of the best drainback systems is the Zen Eager system. It been around for years and isn't available "off the shelf" in you local Plumb Base.

Don't go for the Viessmann tubes, your going to be dealing with high temperatures that will casue you problems unless you know waht you're doing.

There are plenty of drain back systems available. Don't buy the brands from the local plumbers merchants. You'll have no back up if things go wrong.

Try Zen Eager solar or filsol.

 

[elliottt]

i love the idea of renewables...

i find it hard to "sell" solar.

put the £2500 - 3000 in the bank and benefit from 150 interest a year and get your money back whenever you want. !

It's a shame people think like you. It's why the worlds so polluted and climate change is an issue that's going to make our planet a hard place to inhabit for our children.

Solar should be on all new builds and everyone should have it on their homes and offices.

Your attitude is narrow minded and out of date. Solar is the future and not everybody is as selfish as you are.

 

[elliottt]

Tapping the Sun: A Solar Water Heating Guide by Chris Laughton. £7.59

Buy this from Amazon, it's a good guide.

 

[simond]

It's a shame people think like you. It's why the worlds so polluted and climate change is an issue that's going to make our planet a hard place to inhabit for our children.

It is your children that are going to be the problem. The population of the world is due to double every 30 years. That is the elephant in the room.

Our governments would rather fanny around sticking a few wind turbines and solar collectors.

If you think solar energy is the answer you are both deluded and a solar salesman. In fact you probably need to be one, to be the other.

 

[gas4you]

Couldn't agree more with you simon.

Another form of indirect taxation

 

[oilman]

It's a shame people think like you. It's why the worlds so polluted and climate change is an issue that's going to make our planet a hard place to inhabit for our children.

Unfortunately for you, it is people like Simond who DO think. He and I work in heating. I probably have not been in it as long as Simond, and I do not agree with him on all matters. The trivial effect solar heating will have is indescribably small for installations in the uk. It is people's incessant bonking and the ability to stop them dying which is causing the problem. Whilst you are posting here, you may like to reflect on how much power it takes to keep internet servers running, never mind your own computer. Your computer will consume more fuel than a typical household solar system will save.

Solar should be on all new builds and everyone should have it on their homes and offices.

Everyone SHOULDN'T have air conditioning in their offices, this is a major power consumer. Do you ahve an air conditioned office?

Your attitude is narrow minded and out of date. Solar is the future and not everybody is as selfish as you are.

I have worked in several industries, as a way of earning a living, and I can see the future better than you. Solar heating will NOT provide the future. Oil is the basis for the whole "western" economy, it has spread to most other places I admit. When the oil supplies cannot meet demand, which will be a few years from now, THEN you will see changes, you will not believe the extent to which they will happen.

Consider this, the amount of fuel used to make solar panels is greater than they will save in their lifetime. This applies to wind turbines too.

My narrow mind is allowing me to construct a very low embedded energy heater, which will be indirectly solar powered, but it will work at night, and when the sun isn't shining, and when it's raining, and will work, and will be independant of mains power once built.

What has your broad minded approach allowed you to do?

 

[elliottt]

The amount of embodied energy would be would be paid back in a few years where solar panels are concerned. Never paying back? What a joke!

The sad state of affairs is that a pluming and heating engineer such as yourself doen't know hat he's talking about, my laptop uses 19V and about 5A. That's slightly less than a solar thaermal system will produce in one year that god! A solar thermal system will produce about 380kWh to 500kWh per m2 allowing for heat losses in pipework pump etc.

If all homes had this it would be a signifiacnt reduction in CO2 compared to the norm now.

The human race with all it's bonking should be more responsible, not as the other guy said "I'd rather keep the money in the bank etc"

And yes air conditioning is a joke. Good building design would cut out virtually all need for heating and air conditioning.

Oil Man - Good luck with the all weather 24/7 solar powered heater.

 

[elliottt]

Brickit - Don't go for intergated boiler and solar controls because the boiler will override the solar system if there is an overcast period during the day.

The best way to use the solar thermal system is to have the boiler and solar running of seperate controllers. It's standard practice to set the systems up this way.