panel on the roof

chprt

Folks I was thinking of getting a thermodynamic panel on the roof of the house, I had a lad out from a reputable company, I dont want to post it here unless I am asked to. Basically it works in all weather conditions and provides me with 300L of water at 52 degrees

Has anyone here every installed one of these and is there anything I should be concerned about


Cheers Paddy

chprt

should have said I have read this already
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=78028191

thanks paddy

quentingargan

There are many companies now aggressively selling thermodynamic panels, but I have yet to see anyone on Boards or elsewhere independently publish what their electricity consumption was to run one of these over a year. There were a few cowboys on Boards with one or two posts to their name doing a bit of shilling on the technology:D, whose claims I would ignore (and I think the posts were all deleted).

What you have with these is a heat pump. Personally I prefer to see a heat pump running off a better source than a small panel. Also, unlike solar thermal, the energy isn't exactly free, even if the COP is as claimed. Also, the heat pump has moving parts and will ultimately break down like any fridge or heat pump, and your warranty is usually with a new company using an unproven technology. Solar thermal systems, if properly installed, will last 20 to 40 years, with replacement tubes very cheap. If Thermodynamic systems fail more expensive replacement may be involved.

Thermal solar panels - particularly vacuum tubes - are incredibly efficient during the summer at a time when your heating system is switched off. This is the time when your hot water usually costs a lot more than it does during the winter, when the central heating system is relatively efficient at heating water en route to the radiators etc. They only use a small pump to circulate water - typically about 40 watts - a lot less than the heat pump of a thermodynamic system.

I know you were looking for somebody who has one. Maybe someone will come back who has had one for a year and has monitored their power consumption with it. I would be interested in seeing this.

shane0007

I think you will find that in that posted thread link, you will find exactly that, Braka's exact usage for exactly 1 year with exact usage in kwh.
I have also installed one in my house but not the thermodynamic one, but an air to water. I am very pleased so far & I would also be very pleased with Braka's results.

The more I investigate about heat pump technologies, the more I like. I was always a skeptic but u can tell you I am far from one now. I put my money where my mouth is & installed one to test & my investigations are all positive.

With ground source heat pumps, I am discovering 3 important factors are emerging.
1. An accurate heat loss calculation (load) must be known.
2. The heat pumping be sized to match that load & it must be modulating.
3. The pipe work must be sized to suit the heat pump & have the ground conditions as stable as possible throughout the year, therefore bore hole is best.

Getting one or more of these wrong gives poor & expensive performance & thus giving the technology a bad name. Blame the ignorance of the installer not the technology.

What you said about heat pump technology being new is not quite accurate. I find that the technology dates back to 1852 & invented by Lord Kelvin. It was developed by Robert Webber in the late 1940's & finally taken to new levels by Dr James Bose in Oklahoma University. This is now the centre of excellence for this technology.
So heat pump technology dates to before the first solar thermal system which began in California in circa 1890.

Having said that ANY company aggressively selling anything should be immediately dismissed as motives are not usually in the right place. My advice is do your own research, talk to as many people as you can, both lay & professional & then make up your own mind.

My personal experience will be far better once I have a winter under my belt but Braka has just that.

MOTM

chprt wrote: »

Basically it works in all weather conditions and provides me with 300L of water at 52 degrees

....as would most basic heating systems