Solar Panels

Smokecloak

I was thinking of installing some solar panels to heat the house. DIY of course. Just wondering now, can you get a shock from these high voltage panels, or electrocuted? Haven,t heard any warnings.

Lantus

???? If you mean PV panels that generate electricity then they should be installed by proffessional installers and connected to the house electrical supply properly with the right kit. Using for heating wont work though. Installation costs can easily go from 10 to 20 or 40 thousand for a medium to large system.

Solar water systems are used to heat your hot water, much cheaper and much more effective generally. should get a full install for 3 to 5k but shop around and check out grants.

Smokecloak

Thanks for the info, Lantus. Thats the DIY idea gone out the window. However, there are people on the net showing how you can buy these panels, cheap, and join them together, for a fraction of the cost of the professional job. 300 dollars they reckon. I will have to think about it. You could certainly reduce the electric bill using these things.

annie gilpin

Lantus wrote: »

???? If you mean PV panels that generate electricity then they should be installed by proffessional installers and connected to the house electrical supply properly with the right kit. Using for heating wont work though. Installation costs can easily go from 10 to 20 or 40 thousand for a medium to large system.

Solar water systems are used to heat your hot water, much cheaper and much more effective generally. should get a full install for 3 to 5k but shop around and check out grants.

hi lantus,
im building a two story in donegal 2450 sqf.i plan to have a wood burning stove with back boiler backed up with oil.with building regulations i now have to have some sort of renewable energy.i was wondering which system would most benefit my family.the back of our house is south facing.i will be lighting the stove every day so solar heating the water wouldnt be of much benefit when its been heated by the back boiler.i want to keep cost at a minimum put comply with building regs.any advice would be great as i am new to all of this. thanks

Inchenagh

Solar panels placed on a south facing roof will provide most of your domestic hot water all year round. The most efficient type are the evacuated tubes. These also require the fitting of a highly insulated water tank. The cost, with installation is about 5k but there is a grant of about 800 available from SEI. Heating water with a stove is not very efficient. If you havent bought the stove yet, I would suggest you get one without a back boiler - you will get much better space heating from it. Solar panels to produce electricity is quite an expensive thing to put in. The panels are about 4 euro per watt. a 2000 watt system would cost about 8k with an invertor costing about another 2k.
In my view, any money you spend in renewable s now you will be thankful for later. Energy costs can only rise.

annie gilpin

thanks for the info.
does that grand apply to new builds?whats ure opinion on types of insulation?

alanhiggyno1

I've 2 solar panels on my roof and they are the best thing u could ever invest in ur house.they give off hot water all day long in summer when it's hot and saves money by putting on immersion which is great but they are deemed useless in winter unfortunately.but do get them installed the proper way by professionals

Lantus

A really warm house that costs little is all about getting the basics right.

1/ Excellant insulation levels above and beyond those called for in Part L. Part L is the 'worst case' that you must achieve and Ireland is years behind most other countries.
2/ Good quality windows with excellant seals. (that are practically air tight when closed.)
3/ Good quality front door that is well insulated and also well sealed.
4/ Specify a good air leakage rate for the house and have it tested. Most heat is lost via draughts.

A house like this wouldn't really need much heating at all. In this weather (and we have a 5 year old house) our heating is on for 3.5 hours a day spread over the day and we are as warm as toast.

Would agree that solar panels for hot water heating are the most effective and cheapest option. You get typically lots of hot water throughout the summer months when space heating is not required. Perhaps rethink your general heating strategy to suit if any of the above seems viable or sensible.

You could go whole hog towards a passiv haus. Then you wouldn't need any boiler, fire traditional heating system or radiators at all!

Smokecloak

I remember a man years ago, who insulated his house so much, mould formed everywhere. On the walls and ceilings, all over the place. Fresh air still has to get in no matter how cold it is, or you,l get this problem, and bad health.