Could any one tell me how they work ???

[connex]

Hi all
Could any one tell me how they work ???
I am considering fitting a solor panel water system
To our house in Spain the one that I am thinking of
Is the ones you see on the roof of practically all houses
Hotels ect in Turkey & the Greek isles, Cylinder attached side on
to the panel !!!!! So am I Wright in thinking.?? They are mains fed ?
The cylinder is indirect ? it’s a pumped system ? If so would a central
Heating pump do the job ? And if so where would this be attached on the
System ? Any info would be great
Regards

 

[Agile]

The system you describe is commonly used around the med.

I have always imagined that its a gravity open vented storage and the panel is direct and relies on gravity circulation.

In the UK we have to protect against freezing and excessive heat input and the simplest method is the drainback which empties the panel if its freezing or overheating and that stalls any flow to prevent any problem.

The simple system in the med does not have any protection against freezing and if I am right about being open vented would just boil the water if it got too hot. As a smaller panel area is used that becomes less likely.

Tony

 

[connex]

Thanks for reply Tony
Yes I thought it is a gravity system, like you say not much worry about freezing around
The med !!!! You say a drain back which empties the panel if its freezing or overheating
How dose that work ? My thoughts on the system is mains fed to the bottom of the
Panel, water travels through the panel system into an indirect cylinder then gravity fed
to your hot water taps !!!! But the boiling water would be a problem plus I think it
Must have a pump some where to circulate around the panel + cylinder ???
Keith

 

[Softus]

Any info would be great

You're asking the questions that a solar panel salesperson would have all the answers to.

 

[Agile]

There is no point in my explaining a drainback system for the UK if you are having a simple gravity system for the Med !

If you must know about it then you can take a £600 course on UK solar!

Tony

 

[gas4you]

Basically a drain back system 'does what it says on the tin' each time the pump turns off, regardless of what temperature is outside, the fliud drains back to a tank. Freezing fluid? In theory drainback systems shouldn't freeze, but thats what the glycol mix is for to stop any freezing. Drain back is a bit dated and in my opinion noisy.

I would assume also from my training that the ones you talk about will be gravity run.

 

[Agile]

A correctly designed and installed drain back system with the drain back vessel housed within the thermal envelope does not really need antifreeze.

Tony

 

[dal5band]

Connex - I think it's the other way round - the heating circuit is gravity i.e sun panel to heating coil in tank- no need for a pump if the tank is above the panel. That's why they have these hot tanks stuck up in the air in Spain.
The tank is mains fed, giving a mains pressure hot feed. Most HW systems are mains fed in Spain.