dont bother going solar panel

[the plumbing miracle]

the thing i have been doing in the summer months to get free hot water is to rig up three bare copper cylinders in the garden within about 6 hours of hot sun i had plenty of hot water, through the copper heating up.

 

[oilman]

Try that in western Scotland or north Ireland.

 

[the plumbing miracle]

not bothered about the scottish,irish,welsh only the southerners

 

[JohnD]

Down here, near the equator, if I leave my garden hose in the sun, I can have a hot shower out of it.

 

[doitall]

I connected the four swimming pool panels to an indirect copper cylinder, and it boiled

I had to install a by-pass to control the heat.

That was in Spain though

 

[Nige F]

3 clyinders in yorn garden=£66.00 in tot to me if I finds `em

 

[the plumbing miracle]

you shouldnt be using a garden hose this summer remember hosepipe ban and all that (thames water selling 7 reservoirs and dodgy pipework throughout london

 

[JohnD]

Ha, ha, Thames Water!

Down here it runs off the South Downs faster than we can catch it. I daren't dig in a fence post without finding an underground stream on its way to the sea.

http://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/home.shtml

Quote:
There are currently NO RESTRICTIONS ON CUSTOMER'S SUPPLIES IN THE PORTSMOUTH WATER AREA.

 

[Biggles..]

I only have a window box, no room for alot of cylinders but managed to paint an old radiator black and gripfilled it to the roof, Cheaper than any panel probably should have used lockshields though that TRV looks bloody unsightly.

 

[micky p]

if i leave my brew in my south facing window it can stay warm for upto 40 mins on a sunny day.

 

[Paul Barker]

In all seriousness, back in the seventies we energy efficiency students took and old rad, painted matt black made a wooden box stuffed with rockwool, cleaned out old fluorescent tubes and stuck them together for a free double glaised cover. This low budget up front cost panel was at that time the only way to bring the payback period the right side of 20 years. I don't expect it has changed.

Most accountants want to see between 5 and 10 years payback period for a capital investment. A local fisherman bought a new boat and paid the bank back in two years.

Solar heating? Rich man's toy.

 

[RigidRaider]

Good point but what if the hundreds of PVCu window frame makers brought their efforts to bear, made solar panels and achieved the kinds of economies of scale they have achieved with windows?

What will they be doing with all their equipment once most houses have replacement PVCu windows? (And it's already a high proportion, I reckon)

Suppose for example you could buy a panel, for arguments sake, 1 square metre, for £100. How long would that take to pay for itself, bearing in mind the cost of all the rest of the installation?

Another question: whay aren't the big house builders obliged at least to make provision for solar panels to be retro-fitted to their houses in the future when the energy cost balance tips in favour of solar?

 

[ChrisR]

I must start keeping old copper cylinders then, and put them up on the roof.
Street would be full of lusting ****** though.

 

[sm1thson]

Another question: whay aren't the big house builders obliged at least to make provision for solar panels to be retro-fitted to their houses in the future when the energy cost balance tips in favour of solar?

exactly, a friend of mine has built a massive extension; due to the size of his house, the prices of fuel and his remote location he is considering alternative energies, (but hasnt yet because the payback period is still too high ). He told me of his large south facing roof I said Im sure there is an optimum angle for solar panels (depending on your latitude) he was a bit gutted that this wasnt considered in the design of his new roof!

 

[Paul Barker]

Surely it's just one consideration when designing the sloap of the roof, and may be overiden by mor imediately important needs. If you wait for solar heating to be a good investment you'll be due a new roof anyway.