solar tank costs

[Selfbuilder3]

Hello.

I'm looking to buy a 200 ltr (or there about's) solar hot water tank with second coil for a log burning stove.

The price range is vast from around £300 on ebay to £800 for a Grant make for example.

Is there a difference between the 300 and 800 quid tanks and if so what?.

They do the same job in my eyes. there does not seam to be any comparible data on any of the product descriptions such as how good the solar coil is transfering the heat to the tank and how good the insulation is etc.

The only thing that i see regular in the description is the thickness of the metal and the foam.

I be grateful for any relavant info.

Thanks DJ :smiley2:

 

[Titanium Trades]

The thicker the metal and foam then clearly the longer the water will stay hot for, you'd be surprised how much energy a little extra insulation can save.

 

[TBServices]

One will be made in china and be crap, the other won't be.

You get what you pay for in all instances. The more expensive cylinder will be better quality construction, have better recovery rates (heat up times) and better energy efficiency.


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[AWheating]

most good manufactures will give you the temp loss per hour or kWh/day of the cylinder if you ask. There is a BS for this but i cant remember the exact figure cylinders should be designed too. The less energy lost the better if you are trying to use solar only during the summer.

 

[Roger Welton]

As per above cheap generally equals corners cut, inferior grade stainless used, thinner gauge, etc. also it may have a warenty but if the company are no longer around or not contactable who is going to honour.

As an aside if I were putting a wood burner and solar together into one system I would use a thermal store, heated directly from the wood burner and via a coil for the solar.

 

[TBServices]

As per above cheap generally equals corners cut, inferior grade stainless used, thinner gauge, etc. also it may have a warenty but if the company are no longer around or not contactable who is going to honour.

As an aside if I were putting a wood burner and solar together into one system I would use a thermal store, heated directly from the wood burner and via a coil for the solar.

I am beginning to really want a thermal store in my house.


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[Selfbuilder3]

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

I quite like the thermal store idea and looking into the tank sizes (internet searching) can be vast from 300 to 1700 ltr (one site suggested 1700 ltr would be good if charged to heat a 4 bed house for a day) my problem is the tank will be gravity fed off the wood burner/back boilder to the first floor and im no structural engineer but my first floor joists (wood 3" x 9" c24 grade at 400mm centres) would have me sleeping with one eye open every night on 1700 ltr with the total weight of about 2 tonnes on bits of spanned wood.

I assume the thermal store suggestion just lets me link up my solar with logstove/backboiler (the best set-up) and the ltr size depends on what i can do and what i want to heat?.


again i be grateful for any relevant advice.

Thanks DVJ

 

[AWheating]

Useful information:

http://www.solidfuel.co.uk/pdfs/thermal_store_system.pdf
http://www.solidfuel.co.uk/pdfs/design_guide.pdf

Design Schmatic tool for thermal store/heat bank:

schematic2

the above may be helpful to yourself.

most cylinder manufactures will help you spec your required size cylinder based on your requirements. After all they want you to buy there products so ask them questions and earn your money

 

[Roger Welton]

I am beginning to really want a thermal store in my house.


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Me to!