Hot Water & Heat

Hi,

I completed a solar thermal build back in 2010 and whilst not completely offgrid, since it uses a very low power requirement to operate the solar controller and the diverter valves, this could easily be accomplished by battery power source.
I built the panel to a serpentined construction with 12mm copper pipe inlaid into underfloor heating aluminium spreader plates. This was backed with 50mm thick polyisocyanate board with reflective surfaces. The copper pipes were completely coated in a primer material to prevent preferential corrosion with the aluminium contact. The DC pump is powered by two small solar panels mounted on the Solar thermal panel frame, thus the glycol is only pumped exactly when the sun is shining and at a rate proportional to the sun's intensity. Thus on really hot days, glycol is moved through the panel much faster, delivering more energy to the solar coil inside my 300l unvented tank. I have three temperature probes, no3 measures top tank temp, no2 the bottom tank temp & no1 measures the glycol temp arriving at the tank(note not the panel temp, since there would be losses en route to tank). The diverter valves are set up such that when the temp of panel fluid is higher than bottom tank temp, it is diverted thro the coil. If it isn't at a high enough temp, then the default is to bypass the tank and go back around to pick up more heat. I also have a second diverter valve in line, such that the default is for the fluid to pass thro the solar coil, however on the top tank temperature reaching 85deg c, the diverter valve opens and runs the fluid through a heat dump radiator. The boiler room was specifically constructed to be small and fully lined with reflective insulated plasterboard, to maintain as high a temperature as possible (hopefully decreasing the deltaE between the tank and its immediate surroundings). I also selected the tank with the most insulation at that time. Back up heat for the winter is provided by the gas boiler, which inputs thro the coil in the middle of the tank, so only heating the top half.
Anyways, see photo's attached to get an idea of components and finished look...

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Hello,

I started A new Topic for you, as I feel it is a great entry for my Solar Panel Combiner Box Give-A-Way !!!!!!!

You should make a walk-thru video of how it is currently working. Many can learn from all your efforts !

Outstanding effort and planning my friend !

Alan

Thanks Alan,

But i have no use for the Solar Panel combiner box i'm afraid, so best that 'giveaway' goes to someone else. I currently have a 2.59Kwp grid tied solar array on top roof, so if i put up any more panels i wont be able to see my house...lol. (There is one bit of roof still available though, but i dont mention that in front of the wife )

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Made a 'sort of' walk through video...a bit of waffling i'm afraid, but hopefully some handy info in there also.

Hello my friend,

Extremely informative video, and immaculate install ! I am very impressed !

Keep up the good work !!!

Alan