Solar Panels

[Drago]

Er, Mr Subaqua, I'm not disagreeing with you so I'm not sure what that's about?

I don't have a hot water tank system, so without entirely replumbing my house with a new water management and heating system aren't in a position to benefit from a solar water heater.

 

[huwsparky]

Oh I forgot . Somebody always knows better. Silly me.

Dear all do what hue says he knows best obviously

Erm... I don't really know how to take that but, if it were my money, that's what is be doing. And I suspect anyone with a bit of sense reading this threat will come to the same conclusion.

I mean, to install thermal panels you have to rip out a perfectly working system if your retrofitting. I struggle to see how your team of experts could convince me with maths on how thermal panels are more efficient (overall)

I'd never consider thermal before PV if it was a choice between the two BUT thermal panels have their place. They work well on a thermal store heating system as they are always being used due to the high volume of water to be heated. Also the FIT is around 19p (higher than PV) so they have their place for the correct install.

 

[huwsparky]

Er, Mr Subaqua, I'm not disagreeing with you so I'm not sure what that's about?

I don't have a hot water tank system, so without entirely replumbing my house with a new water management and heating system aren't in a position to benefit from a solar water heater.

You can fit a load diverter to any fixed electrical load. Immersion heater, storage heater etc.

With your circumstances, just try your best to time washing machine dishwasher etc to come on in the day but not at the same time. The sun is at its most intense between 12 and 2.

 

[Drago]

I don't have an immersion heater and don't have a hot water tank. Daytime use for the white goods is easily achievable though. According to the guff my panels won't need intense sunlight to perform their best.

 

[huwsparky]

I don't have an immersion heater and don't have a hot water tank. Daytime use for the white goods is easily achievable though. According to the guff my panels won't need intense sunlight to perform their best.

The performance of your panels is directly proportional to the sun's irradiance. In other words, the brighter the sun, the more electricity you'll produce.

 

[subaqua]

Er, Mr Subaqua, I'm not disagreeing with you so I'm not sure what that's about?

I don't have a hot water tank system, so without entirely replumbing my house with a new water management and heating system aren't in a position to benefit from a solar water heater.

Not aimed at you.

Solar PV has Been made out to be the bees knees but it isn't one size fits all sadly.

You never get told that the efficiencies are calculated at a specific temperature range. Out of the temp ranges then the efficiencies drop right out. In the summer at peak sun and peak heat the panels can be at less than 50 % efficient.

The sellers bang on about south facing giving the best results but there is evidence that if I could get to on the ipad I would post , that east and west facing can give just as good results as the panels don' t get far out of the temperature range so efficiencies do not drop.

Still if you know what you get yourself into then go for it.

There are still ways to put storage tanks on combi systems so never rule that out. Good for you for thinking about energy reduction even if it is for the smugness

 

[subaqua]

The performance of your panels is directly proportional to the sun's irradiance. In other words, the brighter the sun, the more electricity you'll produce.

Within certain temperature bands of course. Out of them watch the efficiencies fall.

 

[huwsparky]

Within certain temperature bands of course. Out of them watch the efficiencies fall.

True, but that's why the UK is very well suited to PV, as it doesn't get as hot (relatively) as other countries.

 

[Archie_tect]

Look at Solar Angel combined PV/solar hot water... best of both worlds... but new emerging technology not in mass production yet.

 

[biggs682]

we had them fitted nearly 2 years ago saving about 40% @Drago