Solar Hot water systems!!

[madmat34]

You guys are gonna love this!!!

Took the kids to the beach on sunday.... Returned home to find that there was no pressure in the solar tube system, toped it up it lost pressure??? toped it up again???? lost pressure again.. Checked the pipes for leaks. None found went outside to check the tubes...... WET ROOF!!!!! found the leak from the manifold on the roof. Phoned solar technik & they said they will get a tech out to me as soon as posible?? they said the same thing to me last week when I told them about the heat loss problem..
By the way heat loss problem solved, as I thought it was the 3 port was stuck on heating. turned heating system to off position and the three port selected water heating and its now keeping a lovely tank of hot water.... only problem now is the tubes arn't working so I'm back to global warming with my gas bolier... Yippie!!! can hear some eskimo's crying from here!!! lol
I have attached some pics of the system hope you guys can make it out & I've also turned the tank temp up to 85o as someone had mentioned to try & make it into a thermal store e.i. hot as can be so it heat lasts longer.

Does anyone know if the 3 port has a position that it always rests in? or does it just stay where it was used last?


sorry don't know how to post pics into my message??[/img]

 

[kevindgas]

seems like you've been conned
two panels ? are they flat plate (black box with tubes in) or evacuated tube (seperate tubes on a frame)
they are only capable of doing the hot water - when there is sufficient collector temperature, the pump should run to heat the store or unvented cylinder up to the set temp usually 60 to 65 (80 on thermal store)

when the temp reaches the set temp the pump should stop and the system then goes to stagnation I:E collector can get as hot as it likes but you water stays at required temperature

as for gain 100% is full sun mid summer south facing 35 degrees position of your colllectors
in mid winter you will only get 5 -10% gain so not a lot of good for your heating

A good Solar installer will tell you 70% annual gain with you type of set up for HW only
as for price we install for £5,000 panel, controls and Unvented cylinder
i also have BPEC qualification on Solar domestic hot water and have applied for membership of solar trade assoc

 

[Nigelo]

Does anyone know if the 3 port has a position that it always rests in? or does it just stay where it was used last?

On basis you have a mid poistion valve, I have already answered this above.

 

[pierrot]

the other bad news is you didnt need to change your boiler either, i know very little about solar heating however in this months gas installer there is a lovely diagram of how to run solar with a combi.