Solar Thermal

[adammid]

Does any know what would be a typical size (KW) for a Solar hot water system to be fitted on a 4 bed house.

I just need a bit of an idea.

Many thanks

 

[Technician]

I have had a look at this;

Put it in as a search and there is a calculator

for roof type, area, selection of solar unit etc.

Returns Calculator | Spirit Solar

 

[roys]

Not sure about the kW rating, but for what it is worth I have 2 solar thermal flat panels and they give me all the hot water I require for probably 6 months of the year dropping of to only preheating the water in the short dark winter days.  My water temp just now is sitting at 75 deg C purely due to the thermal panels.

 

[OnOff]

Not sure about the kW rating, but for what it is worth I have 2 solar thermal flat panels and they give me all the hot water I require for probably 6 months of the year dropping of to only preheating the water in the short dark winter days.  My water temp just now is sitting at 75 deg C purely due to the thermal panels.

Makes me quite the happy bunny reading this. With my 2'x2' home made one I'm getting 46degC in the barrel! What sort of size are your (presumably commercial) panels?

 

[roys]

Hi OnOff, The panels are each about 2.4M x 1M, they are designed to cut out when it gets above 70 deg C ish or below 5 deg C ish, it does this by a drain back system where the glcol mix is drained back it its storage 'flasks' in order to protect the system from overheat or frost damage.  I should never see the temp much above 70 deg C, just checked it just now and the system is shutdown due to this.

This solar thermal feeds a coil in the 200L hot water cylinder, there is a 2nd coil in the hot water cylinder which is fed from the log burning stove but that was last on about 2 months ago.

Cheers roys

 

[OnOff]

Hi OnOff, The panels are each about 2.4M x 1M, they are designed to cut out when it gets above 70 deg C ish or below 5 deg C ish, it does this by a drain back system where the glcol mix is drained back it its storage 'flasks' in order to protect the system from overheat or frost damage.  I should never see the temp much above 70 deg C, just checked it just now and the system is shutdown due to this.

This solar thermal feeds a coil in the 200L hot water cylinder, there is a 2nd coil in the hot water cylinder which is fed from the log burning stove but that was last on about 2 months ago.

Cheers roys

Cheers. EVEN happier now considering I've got such a small one! I was debating buying a second hand copper cylinder for like £50 to take the solar heat and use this to then feed pre heated water to the oil boiler heated existing cylinder.............

 

[adammid]

Does anyone know if a Solar King Span 2 panel kit with 250l twin coil albion cyclinder would be a good system?