Hello,

Initially, I was confused about getting one. One of my friends recommended that I get it installed by Solar Water Heating Ltd. Its been wonderful so far.

I have 3 kids so there is a lot of saving.

Regards,

Chloe

Moderator's note: website address removed.

hirtag:

We moved into a old cottage in the south of scotland last year and its in an area with no gas and the heating in the house is by a coal/wood burning stove in the living room heating the water and the radiators. Its very efficient and since ive just bought 22 ton of wood from the local forrest its also economical to run. Problem arises in the summer when no fire is on so it would have to be the emmersion on electric.

 

The actual plumbing was a bit archaic and the hot water tank was tiny and uninsulated in the cold loft. I removed the old plumbing, fitted new water tank that was highly insulated and fitted a twenty tube solar panel at the same time. One year on and a crappy summer later we have had hot water all summer (electric 9.5 Kw shower removed) and only about five times did we put the emersion on as the sky has been so gray for a wee boost.

 

During the winter we also had some input on any day when the sun is out or actually hazy. The previous writter pointed out that Australia is hot ....well actually solar panel dont work on heat but infra red radiation so you dont need to be in a hot country just one with sun.

 

Since it works here in Scotland it should work anywhere we just get less hours of it at a lower angle   
            

Yes but being hot doesn't hurt. Since the water is passing out to the panel it will lose/gain heat to or from the outside. In Australia you will almost always go the whole summer with enough steaming hot (and I mean steaming hot!) water for a family of 5 adults. Perhaps you'd get away with enough water for a family of 2 or 3 there but try having a family of 5 and not having to boost every day. I personally would invest in a wind turbine which would provide power (potentially) 24 hours a day compared to the 12 hours on average that the panels can heat water and you also have the benefit of the turbine providing energy throughout the year and giving you more "average" electricity bills because you will still bet getting benefit in winter too. That is of course if it's windy enough and you have somewhere good to mount the turbine.

This is the sort of solar hot water heating we use in Australia. www.solahart.com.au/ As opposed to most if not all systems I've seen here the water never actually goes into the panel itself. A glycol liquid (basically like your car coollant) goes through to the panel which then flows through a sleeve around the tank that holds the water.

Basically, if someone else has installed solar panels for heating, then it is a good investment, but the installation costs are high against the benefit so the overall saving is somewhat dubious and thr return on investment needs to be closely examined.

Photocell technology is another issue and it is categoric that this is NOT a saver at this time. The technology is too expensive and the return on investment is either non-existent or VERY long term.

SHARK!

We moved into a old cottage in the south of scotland last year and its in an area with no gas and the heating in the house is by a coal/wood burning stove in the living room heating the water and the radiators. Its very efficient and since ive just bought 22 ton of wood from the local forrest its also economical to run. Problem arises in the summer when no fire is on so it would have to be the emmersion on electric.

The actual plumbing was a bit archaic and the hot water tank was tiny and uninsulated in the cold loft. I removed the old plumbing, fitted new water tank that was highly insulated and fitted a twenty tube solar panel at the same time. One year on and a crappy summer later we have had hot water all summer (electric 9.5 Kw shower removed) and only about five times did we put the emersion on as the sky has been so gray for a wee boost.

During the winter we also had some input on any day when the sun is out or actually hazy. The previous writter pointed out that Australia is hot ....well actually solar panel dont work on heat but infra red radiation so you dont need to be in a hot country just one with sun.

Since it works here in Scotland it should work anywhere we just get less hours of it at a lower angle   
            

solar panels will work all year round, just because its winter doesnt mean you will get 0% just not as much as summer months

I researched solar panels for my 3 bed detached and I was quoted 4500 for parts and install, considering my quaterly gas bill for just my hot water is around £50 so it would take about seven years to break even.

I looked at other ways so save money and now have 2 jackets on my cylinder as well as the pre lagging already on it and I installed a cylinder stat which keeps my hot water at around 55 degrees and also a 3 way valve which lets me use my hot water independently of the heating system and now find that my system is saving me money and is much more effecient.

I just suggest you do an assessment of your system before considering solar panels.

Steve 

I guess it all depends on how long you intend to stay in your property as to if it is worth it.

I looked at Solar electric panels, cost=£12   £6k with 50% discount, that is a ;lot of years in a property to make it pay.. 

Hello all,

I too would be interested to hear if this is cheaper.

I do get queries off people trying to get us to pay out if they supply energy to the grid as they have these things fitted, however I dont know much more!

Regards

Daniel306:And I was going to suggest selling your two least favourite children and halving your water heating bill but I won't now :-P

I don't have any least favourite children. Grab your buckets because I am going to tell you that I love them all equally - and desperately!

Well, speak for yourselves, but the Welsh are very clean, and I have at least one bath shower PER DAY!

So there!

Broken Jar:How dare you! I'll have you know that us Brits bathe at least 3 times a year. Sometimes 4 if its a good summer.

And I was going to suggest selling your two least favourite children and halving your water heating bill but I won't now :-P

Broken Jar:How dare you! I'll have you know that us Brits bathe at least 3 times a year. Sometimes 4 if its a good summer.

absentfriend:

I'd be really interested to hear from anyone who has these. With a large house and four kids needing hot water for baths every day, I would like to install panels on my house, but wonder how long it would be before they recouped the cost of installation?

Might be worth looking at the centre for alternative technology website. I'm somewhat sceptical about solar hot water heating and solar power generation in the UK. In Australia I'd say 80-90% of houses have solar hot water and it works well in summer and even to certain extent in spring and autumn but in Winter you get NOTHING! I guess in summer you will get a bit of hot water but it rarely gets over 30 here and in Australia you get a few days a year which are 40+ which definitely helps. I think wind power is a better idea for the UK as you have shedloads of it :)

P.S I thought people in Britain only bathed twice a year? So heating water shouldn't be that costly? :-P

I'd be really interested to hear from anyone who has these. With a large house and four kids needing hot water for baths every day, I would like to install panels on my house, but wonder how long it would be before they recouped the cost of installation?