Bit of advice please we are toying with the idea of getting a solar panel for heating the water who would be the best person to contact re information. has anyone on the oxford got one we can have a look at or antone near to us that could help


stew & Karen

Hi S+K,
I cant help answer your question Im afraid but I hope there are others that can. Hopefully a very interesting topic in the making. We've found the solar panels that we use to charge batteries a real god send this summer, our next thought was solar heated water for next summer but as yet we havent really looked into it in detail. Good luck with your search !
Les+Heidi

I too cant offer much help on a application for boats. We do have it at home and find it good, it is based on a bank of special tubes through which water is pumped and it then goes through a loop as in your calorifier and heats the stored water. In a house there are few space limitations and tank sizes, additional insulation etc are not a problem. Whether a boat calorifier can accomadate a third heating coil I dont know, additionally power is req for the pump. the size of the collection bank is dictated by the requirements in the house, how small you could use on a boat I dont know. Best of luck with your search and keep us posted

Because our calorifier won't take an immersion heater we have to run the Webasto to get hot water in summer, which means we also have to have at least one radiator turned on.

A bigger calorifier (to take an immersion coil) plus installation will cost at least £500.

I too would be interested in any information on solar water heating, especially how it compares price-wise with installing a replacement calorifier.

The solar panel works through a coil in the calorifier in the same way as your webasto (but an additional one ) The immersion is a separate unit a bit like an electric kettle. you would need both a solar panel and a different calorifier

You might be interested in this:


viewtopic.php?f=37&t=683

Whatever happened to water heaters? Turn 'em on, flame comes on, heats water, turn off, no flame. Er...Paloma!, that's the bugger. Worked perfectly for us.
Probably been killed off by the 'elf'n'safety Nazis.
Hector

Used solar panels serve two reasons firstly it saves a lot of money and secondly with a lot of concern for global warming happening recently, this panel saves the environment also. As all environmentalist say, it is always better to reuse a product so as to get the maximum utilization of the product. Therefore going for used solar panels is a great deal for money.

Try Hugh on 07900432249 for 'hot water' advice. He supplied our boat's solar panels and even travelled to where we were moored to deliver them in person. Seemed knowledgeable and we're very pleased with their quality and performance.

Some folks occasionally confuse solar panels with photo voltaic cells, many suppliers put Solar panel on the package and description. These "Solar Panels" covert light into electricity to recharge a battery. Then you can get into which silicone panel and energy audits, size of panel versus cost. Angle of mounting to catch maximum light in June or December. Ouch!
A radiator painted black or a black bag from a camping shop like Towsure can provide hot water, and be plumbed to a water tank.

We got a solar shower from a camping shop. We never got warm water never mind hot. This was in summer a complete dead loss. If anyone wants one they can have mine foc.
Sue

You're meant to put it outside on the Roof, Sue - - - - -