Decommissioning cylinder coil on wet solar system

[plumb_know]

Hello Everyone,

I have customer with solar that doesn't seem to be working so only gets 1/2 a tank of hot water which is heated by the central heating system. She can't find a company to come out and service the wet solar system and she is looking at getting loft conversion in the future will likely get the solar removed.

She would like me to cap the solar coil going into the cylinder and pipe the bottom coil into the heating also so she can get a full tank of hot water, is it just a simple case of looping out the solar pipework before the coil?? I am concerned about the solar not having any source to dump its heat if it gets hot?? Also I know the solar has anti freeze in it, how much water should I get roughly from a system and what is the proper procedure to get rid of this water??

look forward to your replies

Thanks

 

[oz-plumber]

You should be able to loop the solar coil with the heating coil in parallel.
I would just drain the solar system and leave it open if not in use.

As for the anti-freeze, it would be food grade anti-freeze - not poisonous, so you should be able to dispose of the liquid down the sewer.

Done many systems where the boiler has been connected to the heating coil and solar coil in the tank - connected in parallel, without any detriment.

 

[John.g]

Why all in parallel?, was it to get fastest cylinder warm up??.

 

[oz-plumber]

Why all in parallel?, was it to get fastest cylinder warm up??.

Basically, yes.
And it works well.
Also, may as well put the extra coil in the cylinder to use, because there was no solar on the system.

Heat up times were reduced substantially.

 

[plumb_know]

Thanks Oz, yeah I have bought solar compatible cylinders and piped them up twin coils in the past so customer has option of getting solar in future.

I was just concerned about disposing of the anti freeze and also whether it would be dangerous or have any ill affect on the solar panels not having any liquid in them

Thanks for your help