Technical

The Sun Heats the Solar Panel, glycol solution from the panels is circulated though the solar system via a pump station and controller. When the panels are hot enough the controller switches on the pump and the hot glycol solution is pumped though a large heat exchanger coil at the bottom of the solar water tank. For much of the year the sun will provide enough energy to heat the water. In Winter and on less bright days, the preheated water is then topped up by the boiler to the storage temperature of 60 degrees. From around April to September the boiler will have little work to do as the pre heating will raise the temperature significantly. The remainder of the time, the boiler will still benefit from reduced usage, wear, and maintenance.

Solar panels; we offer a range of panels including flat panels and evacuated tube panels. We prefer to specify panels to suit the application rather than be tied to just one manufacturer. Evacuated tubes are usually more efficient, because of their superior insulated vacuum design, simular in principle to a thermos flask. The glass tubes are made from borosilicate glass (used for making Pyrex) and are very strong, in the unlikley event of a tube getting broken they can be replaced easily and individually without disturbing the system.

Pump station and controller; this is the heart of the system and via thermostatic probes, switches the circulation pump on when required. The user can also view the system temperatures; panels, store, and supply. The pump station uses only a very small amount of electricity.

Water storage cylinder; the application will determine the type of cylinder used. This will be a twin coil solar cylinder, and usually will be an unvented cylinder giving high flow rates, powerful showers and fast filling baths. The unvented cyliners that we install are all long life stainless steel, the vessel its self carries a 25 year guarantee. A thermal mixing valve is fitted to the outlet of the tank to limit hot water temeratures during the summer.