[Aidan17]

I am strongly considering installing Solar Panels however a plumber has suggested we change our boiler to a combo boiler and remove our immersion. By doing this am I reducing the benefits from installing solar panels. It is a ( person home with 3 teens/ early 20’s girls, so lots of showers.
I reckon I will be purchasing an electric car in the next 5 years and if the solar panel produce an excess electricity I would use that to power up my car.
Looking at 10 solar panels @ €6k after grant (€1.8k) and a 4.8kwh pylontech battery @ €4.4k

Looking for any views on whether or not I should change to a combo boiler or not?

Thanks

[Funsterdelux]

You'd get a better answer in the renewable energy forum. Some knowledgeable solar posters there

[Aidan17]

Originally Posted by Funsterdelux

You'd get a better answer in the renewable energy forum. Some knowledgeable solar posters there

Thanks, but I cannot see that forum, how do I move this to the Renewable Energy Forum?

[emaherx]

Originally Posted by Aidan17

I am strongly considering installing Solar Panels however a plumber has suggested we change our boiler to a combo boiler and remove our immersion. By doing this am I reducing the benefits from installing solar panels. It is a ( person home with 3 teens/ early 20’s girls, so lots of showers.
I reckon I will be purchasing an electric car in the next 5 years and if the solar panel produce an excess electricity I would use that to power up my car.
Looking at 10 solar panels @ €6k after grant (€1.8k) and a 4.8kwh pylontech battery @ €4.4k

Looking for any views on whether or not I should change to a combo boiler or not?

Thanks

Yes, no matter what sort of solar panel you are getting you'd want to keep the immersion. But especially with PV panels it makes perfect sense to use any excess power to heat water.

[Aidan17]

Originally Posted by Aidan17

Thanks, but I cannot see that forum, how do I move this to the Renewable Energy Forum?

I found it, thanks

[Aidan17]

Originally Posted by Aidan17

Thanks, but I cannot see that forum, how do I move this to the Renewable Energy Forum?

I see it now thanks

[Flipperdipper]

I'd keep the immersion, it doesn't cost anything just sitting there and handy in an emergency. We installed solar water heating about ten years ago but I kept the 9Kw electric shower. We need it on average about 30 - 40 days during the year, the rest of the time the showers are from the solar.

[ted1]

Originally Posted by emaherx

Yes, no matter what sort of solar panel you are getting you'd want to keep the immersion. But especially with PV panels it makes perfect sense to use any excess power to heat water.

Does it really? About 500 for an diverter, with less than 10 year lifespan. Would you get the 500 back? Bearing in mind in summer you’ll probably end up dumping half the water.

Would it not be better to use batteries or scale the PV correctly?

[emaherx]

Originally Posted by ted1

Does it really? About 500 for an diverter, with less than 10 year lifespan. Would you get the 500 back? Bearing in mind in summer you’ll probably end up dumping half the water.

Would it not be better to use batteries or scale the PV correctly?

€ 500 for always hot water during times you'd rather not use the boiler sounds like a bargain to me. Why less than 10 years? What's going to fail? Perhaps a contractor, would hardly be a massive repair.

Why dump the water? Why?

Scale PV correctly? Yea OK, that's sort of difficult unless you plan on using more electricity on sunny days and less on overcast days. (The opposite tends to happen in reality)

Sure batteries are a good option, will cost a lot more than €500 for any decent amount of storage and they don't last for ever either.

Even without a diverter I still see no reason to remove the immersion.

[ted1]

Originally Posted by emaherx

€ 500 for always hot water during times you'd rather not use the boiler sounds like a bargain to me. Why less than 10 years? What's going to fail? Perhaps a contractor, would hardly be a massive repair.

Why dump the water? Why?

Scale PV correctly? Yea OK, that's sort of difficult unless you plan on using more electricity on sunny days and less on overcast days. (The opposite tends to happen in reality)

Sure batteries are a good option, will cost a lot more than €500 for any decent amount of storage and they don't last for ever either.

Even without a diverter I still see no reason to remove the immersion.

The water gets dumped as there’s no requirement and the tank has a limited capacity

Diverter fail and don’t last more than ten years.

Keep the immersion. But it doesn’t make perfect sense to get a diverter

[emaherx]

Originally Posted by ted1

The water gets dumped as there’s no requirement and the tank has a limited capacity

Diverter fail and don’t last more than ten years.

Keep the immersion. But it doesn’t make perfect sense to get a diverter

I don't doubt they can fail, but I presume are repairable most likely a simple contactor replacement.

Still don't see why water would be dumped, surely the immersion is still thermostat protected.

[Wompa1]

Keep the immersion. The solar panels are nice to have in the summer but not so much in the winter. Also, if someone uses up all the hot water you'll be sickened you'll have to wait until the next afternoon to get hot water again.

[Aidan17]

Originally Posted by Wompa1

Keep the immersion. The solar panels are nice to have in the summer but not so much in the winter. Also, if someone uses up all the hot water you'll be sickened you'll have to wait until the next afternoon to get hot water again.

With the combo boiler you get hot water instantly without the need for an immersion tank. Our plumber suggested the combo boiler and removing the immersion tank which we were going with until I started thinking of solar panels, tbh I think I will go with the combi, remove the immersion and put the solar panels on hold for a few years.

Thanks for all your responses.