Solar full of water

tiny timy

hi,
I was round at my neighbours last night looking at their new solar tubes. It looks very well and well laid out, but one thing i did notice was that they had to top it up by water from the tank in the attic. Correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought all solar panels had to be filled with a special fluid, and that there should never be any great need for to have to top it up again after that, but they are topping up two or three times a day with water, saying that's what the plumber said they had to do. Sounds wrong to me, so i'm just curious as to see what you guys think and as to what sort of action they should take if it is wrong. Thanks.

dathi

are you able to put up some pictures the solar loop should be sealed and independent of water tank

tiny timy

No, there's noway i can get any pics. All i could see as far as a feed was, a copper pipe coming from the tank in the attic with a valve on it, and they had to open the valve when they wanted to top it up and close it when the pressure built up. They are doing this 3 or 4 times in the day. I thought you had to use a special liquid because the water would destroy the tubes when it got cold outside and froze.

Sparkpea

I know virtually nothing about solar systems and have only seen a couple installed but had a pressurised feed which was independent from their oil fired system.

ntpm

tiny timy wrote: »

hi,
I was round at my neighbours last night looking at their new solar tubes. It looks very well and well laid out, but one thing i did notice was that they had to top it up by water from the tank in the attic. Correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought all solar panels had to be filled with a special fluid, and that there should never be any great need for to have to top it up again after that, but they are topping up two or three times a day with water, saying that's what the plumber said they had to do. Sounds wrong to me, so i'm just curious as to see what you guys think and as to what sort of action they should take if it is wrong. Thanks.

The solar water system is a sealed pressurised system. The sytem fluid consist of Glycol and water mix ( similar to anti freeze).
There is no need what so ever to be topping this up especially with water.
There is a small red or white vessel ( usuall near the cylinder/ pump station that act as an expnsion vessel). This is a pressurised system. ( as sparkpea states)

The small tank in the attic is the heating/ boiler Feed and expansion tank.
If there is a valve that your neighbour has to open to represurise the system then it looks like it is a semi sealed system... where the tank is used to top up the heating water/pressure should it drop and there is a red expansion vessel to take any expansion that may occur. this is unusual to see but some plumbers are still using this type of system.

Topping up system ( heating or solar) 2-3 times a day is VERY WRONG. There is a leak in the system. Advise him to get the plumber back.

Micky Dolenz

Yeah, leak on the system. Ensure the installer tests coil in cylinder if no leak is visible.

They shouldn't be able to top it up either, once fitted, there are no connected feed points.

Sparkpea

Fingers crossed for them that it's not the coil otherwise they r washing and brushing their teeth in chemicals and someone is going to get very sick.

tiny timy

Goly, doesnt sound good. Just have to figure out a way to tell them now. HAHA. Thanks for all replies

kscobie

In the early solar days, there used to be a "drain back system", which the pump drove from a reservoir, through the collectors and through the cylinder. When the pump stopped, it drained back, but that system went out with the Morris Minor

freddyuk

Drainback systems are alive and well and being fitted in new builds in the UK. They are fitted in small social housing developments with small storage tanks. I guess they are cheap and easy to fit with no freezing problems so are suitable for this purpose.

laugh

Is the solar loop not filled with glycol? if you have water in your panel and it freezes the internal piping will burst?

tiny timy

I haven't a clue, they said they had to keep topping it up with water. So i doubt it.