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Have Hot water all the time :)

  • 20-01-2020 4:08pm
    #1
    Ropo
    Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭


    Hi,
    I've oil heating at the moment- I reckon we will change to Gas due to renovations planned.
    Due to the age of the house , it doesn't make it easy or cost effective to move to a heat pump for heating.
    So , is there any way I can have hot water from solar or some sort of pump ?

    Thanks
    :confused:


Comments

  • #2
    garo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭garo


    Yes you can get solar hot water tubes. These are different from solar PV. Take a look at this document https://www.seai.ie/publications/Homeowners-Guide-To-Solar-Thermal.pdf
    You should get a large 300l+ preinsulated cylinder which is compatible with solar tubes i.e. has two coils.


  • #3
    Ropo
    Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭Ropo


    Would a heat pump for hot water be better solution?



    quote="garo;112308254"]Yes you can get solar hot water tubes. These are different from solar PV. Take a look at this document https://www.seai.ie/publications/Homeowners-Guide-To-Solar-Thermal.pdf
    You should get a large 300l+ preinsulated cylinder which is compatible with solar tubes i.e. has two coils.[/quote]


  • #4
    seannash
    Registered Users Posts: 5,672 ✭✭✭seannash


    Ropo wrote: »
    Would a heat pump for hot water be better solution?



    quote="garo;112308254"]Yes you can get solar hot water tubes. These are different from solar PV. Take a look at this document https://www.seai.ie/publications/Homeowners-Guide-To-Solar-Thermal.pdf
    You should get a large 300l+ preinsulated cylinder which is compatible with solar tubes i.e. has two coils.
    [/quote]

    You said your not going to install a heat pump. This is a solution out forward based off the fact you said that in your original post


  • #5
    garo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,874 ✭✭✭garo


    Yes you could go with a heat pump for hot water only. https://www.joule.ie/products/aero-hot-water-pump/
    I doubt the running costs will be cheaper than oil or gas though as it will run of electricity and even with a COP if 3-4 you’d be paying about the same. Of course if you get night rate it may save you some money. No idea about up front costs. Contact Joule.

    Whether it is better depends entirely on what you mean by better.


  • #6
    Alkers
    Registered Users Posts: 6,810 ✭✭✭Alkers


    Look into gas combi boilers


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  • #7
    Ropo
    Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭Ropo


    Thanks for the replies, I suppose I'm looking for an alternative to oil / gas to heat the water
    In the summers we wouldn't use the oil currently , outside of heating water. Was hoping to find a way to have hot water on stand by
    Thanks again


  • #8
    MicktheMan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,823 ✭✭✭MicktheMan


    Ropo wrote: »
    Hi,
    I've oil heating at the moment- I reckon we will change to Gas due to renovations planned.
    Due to the age of the house , it doesn't make it easy or cost effective to move to a heat pump for heating.
    So , is there any way I can have hot water from solar or some sort of pump ?

    Thanks
    :confused:

    :confused:
    Why would you be looking to pay for a second water heating appliance when your new boiler should do the job adequately for you?


  • #9
    Ropo
    Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭Ropo


    MicktheMan wrote: »
    :confused:
    Why would you be looking to pay for a second water heating appliance when your new boiler should do the job adequately for you?

    As in the summer we dont use the oil . Looking for an alternative so there is always hot water in the tap regardless without having to set timers or turn on the oil / gas.


  • #10
    Irish_peppa
    Registered Users Posts: 653 ✭✭✭Irish_peppa


    garo wrote: »
    Yes you can get solar hot water tubes. These are different from solar PV. Take a look at this document https://www.seai.ie/publications/Homeowners-Guide-To-Solar-Thermal.pdf
    You should get a large 300l+ preinsulated cylinder which is compatible with solar tubes i.e. has two coils.

    Is it true that even on a cold winters day like today hovering around the 1 to 5 degree mark (Cloudless) you can get Hot water from Solar hot water tubes?


  • #11
    MicktheMan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,823 ✭✭✭MicktheMan


    Ropo wrote: »
    As in the summer we dont use the oil . Looking for an alternative so there is always hot water in the tap regardless without having to set timers or turn on the oil / gas.

    My point being that you can have your new boiler system give you hot water on demand (winter and summer) if it is designed properly without the need to spend big on a second hot water heating appliance / system.

    Tis like having 2 cars, one for the long journeys and one for the short school runs and only one driver so only one car can be driven at a time, rather than just one car to do both types of trips.


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  • #12
    seannash
    Registered Users Posts: 5,672 ✭✭✭seannash


    combi boiler


  • #13
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,342 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Irish_peppa wrote: »
    Is it true that even on a cold winters day like today hovering around the 1 to 5 degree mark (Cloudless) you can get Hot water from Solar hot water tubes?

    My solar panels were heating the water yesterday.

    It will heat the water on clear winters days, but it won't be enough by itself to heat to the temperature you'd want for a shower for example.


  • #14
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    awec wrote: »
    My solar panels were heating the water yesterday.

    It will heat the water on clear winters days, but it won't be enough by itself to heat to the temperature you'd want for a shower for example.

    My 40 solar tubes are not going over 12ish this winter.
    What kind of temps are you getting ?

    Kind of worries me...


  • #15
    dathi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭dathi


    rolion wrote: »
    My 40 solar tubes are not going over 12ish this winter.
    What kind of temps are you getting ?

    Kind of worries me...

    30 Chinese tubes anything from 10 to high twenties 107 kwh added to the tank for the month of December according to the sorel controller


  • #16
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,342 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    rolion wrote: »
    My 40 solar tubes are not going over 12ish this winter.
    What kind of temps are you getting ?

    Kind of worries me...

    The water in the collector tank is currently 9 degrees right now (6:30pm). My system doesn't have any way of telling me historical temps unfortunately.

    For my system to heat the water in the main tank, the collector tank has to be 10 degrees hotter than the current main tank temperature. Or at least that's what the engineer told me.


  • #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Hot Feed On-Demand Water Heater Clicky


  • #18
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,342 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    rolion wrote: »
    My 40 solar tubes are not going over 12ish this winter.
    What kind of temps are you getting ?

    Kind of worries me...

    Just checked again for you, the collector tank is currently 39 degrees. As I understand it, this is the tank that the panels actually heat before the hot water goes into the main tank.


  • #19
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    I can see mine online here:
    https://www.vbus.net/scheme/3a2d0feae70e6ff873aaaf72aec7fea2


    Rarely over mid 10ish.

    You may be talking about the collector in the tank/cylinder top where is normal to have very high figures as that is representing the boiler doing the work.


  • #20
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,342 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    rolion wrote: »
    I can see mine online here:
    https://www.vbus.net/scheme/3a2d0feae70e6ff873aaaf72aec7fea2


    Rarely over mid 10ish.

    You may be talking about the collector in the tank/cylinder top where is normal to have very high figures as that is representing the boiler doing the work.

    Not sure to be totally honest, the instructions for my system are totally crap. The guy did say to me that the temperature I am looking at is the one from the solar panels, but you could be right too.

    I have 3 temperatures - collector tank and then the top and bottom of the main tank. Right now collector is 20 degrees.


  • #21
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    awec wrote: »
    Not sure to be totally honest, the instructions for my system are totally crap. The guy did say to me that the temperature I am looking at is the one from the solar panels, but you could be right too.

    I have 3 temperatures - collector tank and then the top and bottom of the main tank. Right now collector is 20 degrees.

    Ok,thanks.

    Here is my January reports,with a break of few weeks due to fcuked firmware upgrade.
    The RED line is the top roof mounted colector sensor.
    In the summer,peaking on the top.
    In the winter, at the bottom.

    https://www.vbus.net/D1ZQ-3dQ


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  • #22
    unkel
    Registered Users Posts: 64,739 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    rolion wrote: »
    Rarely over mid 10ish.

    Your system doesn't seem to be working, rolion. Possibly a faulty collector temp sensor?

    My collector temp is 33C at the moment, with a bit of sun coming out. I have seen it at 50-60C while the outside temp was below zero in the past on a very sunny winters day

    My delta is set at 8C, so the pump is working away, preheating the water in my cylinder that comes in from the attic storage at around 10C in winter (similar to yourself)


  • #23
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    unkel wrote: »
    Your system doesn't seem to be working, rolion. Possibly a faulty collector temp sensor?

    My collector temp is 33C at the moment, with a bit of sun coming out. I have seen it at 50-60C while the outside temp was below zero in the past on a very sunny winters day

    My delta is set at 8C, so the pump is working away, preheating the water in my cylinder that comes in from the attic storage at around 10C in winter (similar to yourself)

    Probably... looking for a plumber that i can trust as my chap familliar with my system went abroad.
    Need to replace the termo_agent as well.


  • #24
    spose
    Registered Users Posts: 297 ✭✭spose


    Have 30ish small tubes on 400L cylinder. Currently have 27deg in the tubes and 18 at the bottom of the tank. No change in temperature at the panel would suggest probe problem. I had a similar issue with a loose wire on the bottom of the tank reading a high value so pump never kicked in. Worth giving the wires a jiggle at the controller or maybe running the pump manually to see if it changes.
    By the way how are you getting all that data out of it. Would love to be able to see that. All I can go back to is total pump running hours


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