Quick information Guide on Solar Energy. (Hotwater)

AckwelFoley

Domestic Hot water Use

up to 70% of hot water needs from the sun

When averaged over the year, a correctly sized solar system can provide up to 70% of a household’s hot water needs at almost no cost to the home owner

Solar does works in Ireland!!

Solar power is available all year round; it even works on hazy and overcast days. The chart indicates the average level of sunlight in W per square metre.


Roof Inclination and Direction

Even though almost every roof type is suitable, the inclination and direction are very important.

Pure south-facing and an inclination of 40º are ideal and will achieve optimal performance of your solar product.

The direction can be from East to West but after pure South Southeast or Southwest are preferred. Both panels and tubes can be mounted at an angle between 20º and 90º

How a Solar Hot Water System Works


Solar heating involves the direct conversion of light into heat. A solar heating system normally consists of a solar collector, a controller unit with pump and a well-insulated hot water tank.

The solar collector, or solar panel, converts the sunlight it receives into heat. This heat is generated through the absorption of the sun's rays by a dark colour-coated absorber, which is connected to a piping system.The heat transfer fluid in the piping system absorbs the heat and is pumped to the hot water tank, where the heat is transferred to the water by a heat exchanger.

smooth operater

Yep, late February we had a few days were our dhw was heated entirely by the sun (50-60 degrees).

metalscrubber

Smoothy, snyper,

What kind of control system are you using ? Are you linking to a PC to record usage data ?

Cheers,

Metal

AckwelFoley

metalscrubber wrote: »

Smoothy, snyper,

What kind of control system are you using ? Are you linking to a PC to record usage data ?

Cheers,

Metal

i dont!

i built a house before they became "popular" and as i live alone, and only there perhaops 3 days per week i havnt bothered to install one, My esb bill runs at 35 per month.. so at the moment all that hot water would be a waste..

I am considering a new house in the short future.. as soon as i find ermm a wife and kids..

Then i will be using a ground to air heat pump and perhaps solar.

smooth operater

Its just a digital stat hooked up to it that gives out the temperatures in the tank and the return temps after the solar panel.....

AckwelFoley

smooth operater wrote: »

Its just a digital stat hooked up to it that gives out the temperatures in the tank and the return temps after the solar panel.....

The ones im familiar with have that stat and information on the control panel of the "pump station"