Are your solar hotwater tubes working OK. (Not PV)

Wearb

I've come across so many people who've given up on repairing these, that I would like to know how widespread the problem is.

emaherx

Working

I've solar tubes they've been working since 2008 without much maintenance, not much use this time of year but far more effective Spring through Autumn .

I had to fix a leak and twice put the temp sensor back in place because crows pulled it out other than that no issues.

Wearb

Do you have any idea how much it's cost in repairs since you got it?

Do you periodically change the glycol?

chiefwiggum

Working

Have ours since 2009..never serviced🙈. No issues.

Pv panels going in within the next month with a hot water diverter

emaherx

Working

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121583548#Comment_121583548

It has cost roughly €0 in repairs, maybe a couple of cable ties and some sealant.

Never replaced Glycol.

Definitely considering replacing with a PV system at this stage.

CramCycle

Mileage varies and my old house had them, worked brilliantly for 4 years but then stopped. It was just the glycol but had to be washed out. For the amount of money it saved, it was worth the cost. This said a neighbour of mine got them in along time ago. The installer showed him how to top up the glycol. He hasn't had any issues since installing well over 10 years ago bar a litttle top up

lawred2

Working

Have them about 9 years. Serviced twice. Glycol flushed as part of those services.

Useless for about half a year.

I'd be surprised if these were still being installed on new builds/retrofits these days.

freddyuk

Installed mine in 2011 as I had imported my own kits. I have Solar into a buffer tank feeding main DHW cylinder as I also had WBS back boiler feeding buffer tank on gravity feed.

I used good Glycol which does not deteriorate if it overheats and not changed it so far. I do lose pressure so have an air leak somewhere but not had a chance to get on the roof recently. It will need servicing as the glycol will get diluted by constant topping up. If the sun shines (ha, ha) the collectors still heat up but not going to get much in winter - it just reduces the oil usage. Last time I checked all the tubes were intact although need cleaning underneath.

I have a system pump kit for replacing the fluids and spare manifolds, tubes and heat rods if anyone is struggling to repair theirs.

emaherx

Working

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121583548#Comment_121583548

Have you got panels yourself?

If so what type?

You are hardly considering installing them now? PV would make more sense now.

Wearb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121585883#Comment_121585883

No. PV here.

It's just that it seems to be at least half the people I've spoken to have abandoned them.

Leaks etc. And each callout costing the annual savings. (Now that will have changed a bit with energy cost increase, but then so has callouts)

893bet

Working

Working since 2016. If broke down would prob not fix.

Considering removal for PV panels but might ground mount the panels instead.

emaherx

Working

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121586537#Comment_121586537

PV definitly the way to go today.

Whatever little maintenance they needed I managed myself so near 0 cost, but I can see it being a different story for someone needing a call out each time. I guess I'd have needed 3-4 callouts if I wasn't willing to have a go myself and I'm sure a glycol replacement would have been recommended during some of those visits.

Then again I had to replace 2 zone valves and about 5 radiator valves and service/repair the boiler in the same time frame, so plumbing and systems in general with fluids/mechanical parts need maintenance, hardly surprising there have been some issues.

Shoog

We have flat solar thermal panels for about 10 years - no issues what so ever.

At the time evacuated tube was been heavily pushed but i was concerned about reliability vs flat panels.

emaherx

Working

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121586581#Comment_121586581

Far more hot water from the tubes though. We built 3 very similar houses together, ours and the wife's siblings either side. 3 heating systems are identical except we opted for the tubes in our house and we get hot water for more of the year..

Wearb

I've also read that the tubes are more efficient than PV, though needing more maintenance.

listermint

If you had them and the space, why would you take them out and not compliment your PV. Together they'd make heating water extremely efficient. As above in anyway handy you could just look after them yourself for little money.

Chicken Run

Partially working

My Calpak tubes were installed in 2009 - one tube is blown (cloudy) and I've had the system refilled with glycol once €150

They work absolutely fine in the summer - south-facing, massive amount of hot water

Have asked a couple of places to quote for replacing the blown tube but no replies

Getting PV in this year but won't be using for hot water whilst the tubes keep working

Packrat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121586581#Comment_121586581

Mine are up since 2007 and still working. 0 maintenance. I was wondering recently if they can be bought anymore.

Bear in mind, - anyone of us who got the grant for solar back then can't get the grant for pv... - I assume there is one...

What are pv systems costing these days?

Shoog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121590434#Comment_121590434

Between 8 and 12k seems to be the going rate. Depends on batteries and such.

Prices jumped last year for no obvious reason other than gouging.

They recon that PV for hot water only is cheaper than solar thermal because you save on the expensive plumbing. I have recently moved to a new house and will be getting PV with priority given for hot water since the new house shouldn't need heating from April through to October so that would be a lot of expensive immersion use. The solar thermal business has died for this reason.

mikep

Hi all

Interesting to hear others experiences.

We have flat panels and they work great,all year round.

However one of the glycol supply pipes is leaking so could someone pm me details of someone who could service these?

emaherx

Working

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121590403#Comment_121590403

I'd agree but south facing space would be the main reason for replacing, so it's either that or install the PV on the ground which may be an option as I've no shortage of that but would be subject to approval from herself.

Shoog

Out here in the west of Ireland we get zip from our solar thermal from October till April. Not a bean.

I hear tell that they work all year round out east.

Another advantage of PV is they will produce energy when solar thermal won't event switch on. A very small amount of winter PV output is still enough to heat all your hot water.

Chris_5339762

Working

Working here, never changed the glycol. Doesn't do a whole lot in Dec/Jan unless its a sunny day.

It provides more hot water than any PV excess because its approximately 60%-ish efficient.

That said, I wouldn't install a new one now, as PV is easier and cheaper. But I'll keep the old solar hot water until it falls apart.

dathi

Working

solar thermal installed here over 15 years 30 cheep Chinese tubes into a 200ltr stainless steel cylinder nearly all our hot water for 8 months of year the only problem i have had was a seized water pump which i changed myself have it set up so that when the cylinder reaches max temperature the excess heat is dumped into the central heating circuit this means the glycol never boils in the solar circuit . and doesn't need replacing , unfortunately i have seen a couple of systems that were poorly installed under the grant and where the home owner does not have the technical know how to fix simple errors . and judging by the head long rush into PV the placement of invertors in attics (out of sight out of mind) and the ever growing requests for help on boards i think history is repeating its self

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121590987#Comment_121590987

The concept of dumping more heat into house on a hot day was always going to be a catch-point with those systems, and a counter-argument to oversizing, unlike PV.

dathi

Working

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121595613#Comment_121595613

because of the size and our water usage i would say that my system heat dumps maybe two or 3 times a year . the way i have mine is the central heating pump starts and valves open without firing the boiler, and pulls some of the heat out of the cylinder via the coil when the temperature reduces by set amount the pump stops and solar continues to reheat the water, the amount of heat pulled out of the cylinder will barely get a couple of the rads lukewarm

Yellow_Fern

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121590821#Comment_121590821

Regarding winter generation, sunny spells in winter should provide some heating. Might not be obvious as water at 15C vs 10C could go unnoticed without the panels. I am actually working to put my solar thermal online for home automation. Has anyone done that here?

Yellow_Fern

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121595613#Comment_121595613

I was think it it would be nice to have an external hot top that would fill a outdoor poor, or maybe patio UFH.

Shoog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121600952#Comment_121600952

We are not in the house at the moment and when I went to check everything in case of frost risk I noticed that the solar tank was sitting at 18C which means that they must have been working for some of the sunny clear spells.