Solar powered Underfloor Heating

mr.wiggle

Had anyone come across solar powered UFH. I hear about it a while back, but am unable to get any information on it. It sounds too good to be true?

mr.wiggle

mr.wiggle wrote:

Had anyone come across solar powered UFH. I hear about it a while back, but am unable to get any information on it. It sounds too good to be true?

Works best in the summer

UFH only needs the water to be heated to about 40deg, if you have a large enough panel you could certainly heat the house in sunny days in the winter.

Just be sure to have an additional heat source for those foggy days etc

ircoha

mr.wiggle wrote:

Had anyone come across solar powered UFH. I hear about it a while back, but am unable to get any information on it. It sounds too good to be true?

what do u mean too good to be true?

tribesman

I have UFH and solar panels. The solar panels only heat the domestic hot water, they don't contribute to the space heating.

While solar panels do work on days that are not particularly sunny, I don't think you'll really get any benefit from them when you need them most. It's one thing to heat up a tank of water on a cold, sunny, winters day but heating 3 inches of contrete on your floor is a different matter.

Also, for those cold, sunny, winter days I reckon you'll get mcuh more benefit by designing your house so that you have you living rooms south facing and have large south facing windows to use passive solar gain.

Only my opinion. I'm no expert.

I do recommend solar panels for hot water heating.

mr.wiggle

ircoha wrote:

what do u mean too good to be true?

Heating the house without using fossil/ solid fuels.

mr.wiggle

Deleted User wrote:

Works best in the summer

UFH only needs the water to be heated to about 40deg, if you have a large enough panel you could certainly heat the house in sunny days in the winter.

Just be sure to have an additional heat source for those foggy days etc

Hi dolanbaker. I have been looking at solar tiles from a company based in the Uk. These certainly loook capable of doing the business. If I can do this, I would also be looking at having an oil burner for backup.

mr.wiggle

tribesman wrote:

I have UFH and solar panels. The solar panels only heat the domestic hot water, they don't contribute to the space heating.

While solar panels do work on days that are not particularly sunny, I don't think you'll really get any benefit from them when you need them most. It's one thing to heat up a tank of water on a cold, sunny, winters day but heating 3 inches of contrete on your floor is a different matter.

Also, for those cold, sunny, winter days I reckon you'll get mcuh more benefit by designing your house so that you have you living rooms south facing and have large south facing windows to use passive solar gain.

Only my opinion. I'm no expert.

I do recommend solar panels for hot water heating.

Hi tribesman, agree with you on the south facing aspect, my plans are taking that into account. Not so sure about the solar for hot water heating only, as it appears that the cost versus payback does not add up. I'm sure there is a warm fuzzy feeling generated every time you use your hot water, but its a pity it costs so much.

tribesman

mr.wiggle wrote:

Not so sure about the solar for hot water heating only, as it appears that the cost versus payback does not add up. I'm sure there is a warm fuzzy feeling generated every time you use your hot water, but its a pity it costs so much.

Fair enough. The pay back is long term alright.

But at least it works. Before you invest, just be sure that these solar tiles can provide heat when you really need them.

ircoha

Mr Wiggle: Can u please give us a link to the solar tiles site.

One reason I am interested is to see if u need planning to replace ur existing tiles with these.
U may have seen my post in GI re retro-insulation of roofs, solar tiles would fit in well with that job.

Thanks again.

bro'

I am in the process of installing solar panels for both domestic hot water and space heating support in my new build.
It is not up an running yet but the plan is to have DHW supplied for most of the year and for the UFH the water temp to be raised as high as possible [weather permitting]to the required UFH temp so the Oil condensing boiler has less work to do in raising the water temperature and hence save oil consumption that way.

I am confident of the benefits of the panels for DHW but need to see how solar panels benefit the UFH as i have not met anyone who has installed this yet but know it is offered by solar energy suppliers? I have installed a condensing oil boiler because I believe this suits UFH better and I can also upgrade to Wood pellet boiler in the future if decided. To aid the system i have upgraded on insulation with installing both kingspan cavity wall insulation and dry lining all external build walls along with south facing passive heat gain....

I'm looking forward to seeing how effective it all works.

mr.wiggle

ircoha wrote:

Mr Wiggle: Can u please give us a link to the solar tiles site.

One reason I am interested is to see if u need planning to replace ur existing tiles with these.
U may have seen my post in GI re retro-insulation of roofs, solar tiles would fit in well with that job.

Thanks again.

Hi ircoha, here are a few links, i have contacted two suppliers in the uk to see if these tiles are available here in eire, I will post the reply's.

http://www.solexenergy.co.uk

[URL="http://www.solarcentury.com/projects/domestic/bexhill_on_sea_gorsuch

mr.wiggle

received this reply from solarcentury in the Uk

Thank you for your enquiry. At present solarcentury is a UK service provider, we do not have agents or distributors outside the U.K. We can only supply goods on a wholesale basis to UK registered companies, and are not able to design or install systems outside U.K. This may change in the future, so do keep an eye on our website for further information www.solarcentury.co.uk

See link below, you will find a link to the International Solar Energy Society's website; ISES have members in over 50 countries worldwide.

We wish you every success in your venture.

Regards,

Christine Murage
www.solarcentury.co.uk/wholesale

www.ises.org

Other useful websites:

www.pvportal.com

www.solarbuzz.com

mr.wiggle

Hi Bro', Just wonering what size space you intend heating and what size cylinder/ buffer tank you will have installed. I have been told I may need a 1000 ltr tank to use with UFh for a 3500sq ft house.

bro'

My house is 3200sqft and I have 11.2sqm of panels with a 850l dual tank system.

mr.wiggle

I have also received a mail from solexenergy.co.uk referring me to one of their distributors here in Ireland.
http://www.solarone.ie

I have asked for a quote on a complete heating solution.

bren96

mr.wiggle wrote:

Had anyone come across solar powered UFH. I hear about it a while back, but am unable to get any information on it. It sounds too good to be true?

Hi

Has anyone out there used solar tubes primarily for space heating on an UFH system?

Bren

inchbyinch

bro' wrote:

I am in the process of installing solar panels for both domestic hot water and space heating support in my new build.
It is not up an running yet but the plan is to have DHW supplied for most of the year and for the UFH the water temp to be raised as high as possible [weather permitting]to the required UFH temp so the Oil condensing boiler has less work to do in raising the water temperature and hence save oil consumption that way.

Bro from what I'm hearing from people in the heating business is that if you can get an intelligent controller for the system it should use whatever heat is available from the solar panels and then kick in your alternative. Then if you can get one that regulates/programs itself using a series of stats on your UFH water pipes, your water tank and your room temp then I'd imagine you'll be laughin. looking into the same thing myself and I'm nearly there and think I might have, just by accident, found my controller. I'll keep you posted on any developments.

bro'

Inchbyinch, the system has a solar controller [not sure which make or specification] and I also have individual programmeable thermostats for each room with the UFH so hopefully this will maximise the effeciency setup. Will know more when I'm in the place!

frankie2shoes

interesting thread. am starting a build soon and was planning on going for solarpanel/pellet boiler combo for water and ch. lets know how you get on with the controller: this seems to be the key to a truly effective system

inchbyinch

Frankie

the more I read and look at these things the more important I think the controller is. for a truely efficent system I would concentrate on

1)insulation, insulation, insulation
2)installing solar panels (IMO the only sustainable renewable for the house)
3)getting a top quality intelligent controller

I'll let you know how it goes with the new controller

Inchy

Belkin1975

Hi I don't know if any of you still logon here but I am building a new house and would like as much info on your heating systems please. I'm planning on going with solar panel for UFH and another source!!