Alpha 280P burner not firing up

[gas4you]

Who makes Alphas solar systems?

 

[Paul Barker]

That I don't know. They won't sell the wax blend valve seperately though, not even to their service team, I asked.

Anyhow their price on it is very competetive and when you realise what is going on with the established methods, you can see the greater benefit pf the Solarsmart method.

In brief the crux of the matter is that if you have a two coil storage vessel, once your other heat source has heated it there is no capacity to make use of solar energy.

The Solarsmart system always makes use of solar energy and you always use that first before calling on your backup, which at certain times you might never need. There was a case of a system fitted at the start of the summer, when winter came a breakdown was phoned in. The engineer went and switched the boiler on.

 

[gas4you]

My only thought on the likes of any combi solar hot water system is that people often have had a combi fitted because they do not have space for a cylinder so where are they going to put it now

Also not all older combi boilers are suitable for installation onto a solar system as they do not want to accept warm/hot water through their cold inlet.

 

[Paul Barker]

Yes, it basically has to go in the loft, but anyway if you can't store water solar isn't for you in the UK. Where there is more sun there are systems available with integral storage on the roof but in the UK this wouldn't work.

Alpha actually wanted to make the solarsmart only available on their combis, but a real great down to earth ex gas board man on the staff persuaded them that making it suit other manufacturers combis would actually enlarge the market for it.

It is recommended when enquiring with manufacturers whether their boiler can accept 60 degrees incoming water and whether this will affect the warrantie, that you don't go blabbing about fitting an Alpha solar panel.........