DIY Solar Hot Water

Minder

As there are a couple of threads about the capital cost of renewable energy installations, I thought I would ask the question - are DIY solar hot water projects a go?

The internet has a wealth of information about building heat exchange solar panels for a moderately experienced DIYer.

Any thoughts?

I have a diy system under construction at the moment, I see no reason why it's not going to be successful.
I will update one of the solar threads here when it's finished.

The main saving will be in the fact that you can build a large cheap unit that has the same output an an expensive commercial one. The return on investment time can be much shorter.
The only downside is you can't diy evacuated tube systems, but you can self install.

Do-more

I've seen DIY solar panels made from old truck radiators with a glass cover and insulation backing seemed to work perfectly well, very little fabrication and cheap as chips!

AckwelFoley

thing about DIY is...

If one wants to source all the kit themselves and fit it.. i know one could but panels only for about 400 or 500 quid.. which to me is not worth the bother of making them up..

Alot of the money is in making up the rst of the kit.. the control units are about 350 fo a decent one.. proper mounting system etc..

You have to understand that a company that has a reputation to uphold will source a decent product and decent quality accessories, becuse once they sell the unit and its up and running.. they dont want any problems.

All that being said, there must be a good sence of satisfaction of mking and designing ones own

Minder

What lead me to ask the question was some recent radio programmes about the cost effectiveness of renewable energies. The capital outlay seems to be very large measured against the potential savings on energy. Ten years or more to recoup the capital costs. Or do I have this wrong?

Minder

Minder wrote: »

What lead me to ask the question was some recent radio programmes about the cost effectiveness of renewable energies. The capital outlay seems to be very large measured against the potential savings on energy. Ten years or more to recoup the capital costs. Or do I have this wrong?

Any payback period is dependant on the cost of the fuel you are substituting solar for, those payback times will reduce rapidly at the cost of oil rises.

BigglesMcGee

Minder wrote: »

What lead me to ask the question was some recent radio programmes about the cost effectiveness of renewable energies. The capital outlay seems to be very large measured against the potential savings on energy. Ten years or more to recoup the capital costs. Or do I have this wrong?

I calculated a lot more than 10 years. If you only have to get them repaired once in the 10 years then thats going to set you back too.

I like the idea of DIY. Id love DIY Solar PV though, but the panels are so expensive.

AckwelFoley

Minder wrote: »

What lead me to ask the question was some recent radio programmes about the cost effectiveness of renewable energies. The capital outlay seems to be very large measured against the potential savings on energy. Ten years or more to recoup the capital costs. Or do I have this wrong?

ive figures, which are pretty accurate,to calculate the payback on an Air to waster heatpump at 3.5 - 4.5 years.. IF installed correctly and commissioned correctly.

Granted the price its based on does not include fitting of the unit.

.. in effect the calculations is based on 7k supply only.