Wrenches, Several years ago I stopped recommending solar hot water systems with pressurized collector loops, because of problems with leaks and the need to test and replace glycol solution every 3 to 5 years. I now recommend drainback systems from AET Solar (www.aetsolar.com) that use a collector loop that is at or near atmospheric pressure, and use water as a collector fluid. This places a lot less strain on the collector loop plumbing. No problems since.
Good luck, Randy Brooks Brooks Solar, Inc. Solar Power for People 140 Columbia View Chelan, WA 98816 509-682-9646 ra...@brookssolar.com www.BrooksSolar.com On Jun 21, 2011, at 10:03 AM, Solar Energy Solutions wrote: > After 25 years of installing solar thermal panels, we have come to the > unfortunate conclusion that they all suck. We have had out of the box > failures on all panels we have used... and we are a very, very, very small > company. We pressurize our solar thermal systems to 60-80 psi and let them > sit for 3 days. If they hold that pressure... like a ROCK, we complete the > install. What we find, as often as not, is some little piddly leak somewhere > in the loop. Micro holes are not an uncommon encounter in panels. So, we > then have to wrestle the solar thermal manufacturer into first believing > their "infallible" product is leaking , "out of the box" and then pay, out > of OUR pocket the substantial labor costs for its replacement. So far as I > can tell, all solar thermal manufacturers warranty their panels for 10 years. > But, they only cover $100.oo in labor costs to replace a defective product. > This does not begin to cover our labor costs. Consequently, I have started > down the road, (without success so far) of demanding solar thermal > manufactures to stand behind their products with a 5 year $500.00 Labor > warranty. I have talked to a ton of solar thermal manufacturers and they > all say the same thing. "Our panels are the best. Our failure rate is less > then 2%. We warranty them for 10 years, but we only pay $100.00 labor to > replace those that are defective out of the box." I can't even get the > evacuated tube guys to stand behind their product with a decent labor > warranty! > > Perhaps if more than one solar Bozo stands up and says, "Enough, we want a > panel with a 5 year $500.00 labor warranty". A manufacturer might see the > competitive edge of being the first to do so. > > Sincerely, > > > Andrew Koyaanisqatsi > President > Solar Energy Solutions, Inc. > Since 1987, > Moving Portland and Beyond > to an Environmentally Sustainable Future. > 503-238-4502 > www.solarenergyoregon.com > > "Better one's House too little one day > than too big all the Year after." > > From: August Goers <aug...@luminalt.com> > To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 7:19 AM > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Stiebel Eltron SHW Collector condensation issue > > Hi David - > > Doesn't sound fun. We experienced a similar problem with a 10-collector > system with Schuco Slim-Vs about 3 years ago. The collectors had lots of > condensation build up in them, especially during the rainy season. Schuco > stepped up and gave us new 2nd generation collectors under warranty. The new > collectors do not have the condensation problem. Apparently they redesigned > the ventilation method. Generally speaking I like the Schuco product although > now we're noticing a browning effect occurring near the in inlet and outlet > pipes on the absorber plate on Slim Vs installed a few years ago. I have yet > to deal with this issue. > > It sounds like Stiebel is still working out their design. You'll probably > want to make sure that they have it fully figured out before replacing the > old collectors under warranty otherwise you might have the same problem! > > Good luck with it. > > Best, August > > From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Dave Palumbo > Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 12:58 PM > To: 'RE-wrenches' > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Stiebel Eltron SHW Collector condensation issue > > SHW Wrenches, > > Our first experience with SHW flat plate collectors with a condensation issue > on the inside of the collectors’ glass cover. The system has two Stiebel > Eltron Sol 25 collectors (88” x 48” each) with a 82 gallon single heat > exchanger insulated tank in the basement of the home, with a SOM 6 solar loop > controller. System installed fall of 2008. > > Condensation problem was first noticed by homeowner late last December. The > collectors’ manufacturer, Stiebel Eltron, instructed us to watch and see if > the problem resolved on its own. It did not. Stiebel then instructed us to > drill small holes through the sides of the collectors near the top for > venting and more holes through the sides near the bottom for draining the > collector (see attached pdf for Stiebel’s venting advice). We did that in > early May of this year. The homeowner called us back with the same > condensation issue. > > Stiebel then sent a bag of plastic insert venting plugs that required us to > drill out larger holes in the side of the collectors and pop these vent plugs > in. Plugs appear to be an attempt at making more venting area while trying to > keep the rain out. After we installed these plugs we still have the same > issue, homeowner still sees condensation and poor performance from the SHW > system. > > The homeowner is now asking for new collectors under warranty. Have others > experienced a similar SHW collector problem? And have collector manufacturers > stepped up with new collectors? > > Thanks, > > David Palumbo > Independent Power LLC > 462 Solar Way Drive > Hyde Park, VT 05655 > www.independentpowerllc.com > NABCEP Certified PV Installer > Vermont Solar Partner > 23 Years Experience, (802) 888-7194 > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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