After spending 8 weeks and over $1000 to have the pump and tempering valve replaced on this Beasley solar system due to very poor performance, my neighbour can now see an overflow from a pipe/valve next to the panels. Have just called same plumber but poor reception, could barely hear what he was saying, but apparently with all the sun (how can you have too much sun!) it's now too hot, and I need to keep running off hot water (I'm not using much in a one person house). Says because I didn't opt to also replace the controller with an updated bells-and-whistles one there is less control over.something. So what would happen if I were away for a week and no hot water was used! Are the panels or tile roof at risk! I don't understand what I should now be doing, and I can't actually see the panels unless I go to higher ground. I'm probably not making much sense, but can anyone help me understand this! Many thanks.
kmole,
Jan 27, 2:29am
Hi there,not a plumber but have had solar about 4 years. Ours overflows at this time of the year if we don't use enough, but we are on rain water and it just flows back into my tank. So is yours squirting water out onto your roof! That's what ours does, with no great harm, that I am aware of.probably not so good for roof or paint. We don't have a tempering valve on ours, I don't think you can get them that withstand the solar temps! I tend to run a deep bath and leave it several hours to cool down, around 3pm to try and keep the temp down so it's not too hot.
kaddiew,
Jan 27, 2:42am
Thanks that helps heaps!:)According to my neighbourit's trickling out onto the roof tiles (I can't see it), but no idea how long it's being doing it. Exceptionally sunny here atm like most places, but it never occurred to me it'd get too hot.especially as it was underperforming for so long before repairs.Yes the new tempering valve is for solar.according to the plumber.have been able to select the tap temperature for comfort. I can't see how overheated water squirting out onto any type of roof would be good for it. And it seems so wasteful that I've been told to run the hot taps inside just to cool things down, after being frugal with hot water all my life!
kaddiew,
Jan 27, 2:54am
I checked my invoice and it said "Apex 20mm Tempering Valve". I checked the Apex models online and they definitely have one called "TV20S" which is a 20mm Solar Tempering Valve.:)
liggy2,
Jan 27, 4:52am
www.solarplumber.co.nz/pulsevalve.html Try this I used to make these for the man that invented them and they are good because you do not need to raise the height of your cylinder or run an electric pump.
buddytom,
Jan 29, 3:45am
Allan Day in Levin is the local solar water heating expert in the area would be worth giving him a bell
kaddiew,
Jan 29, 8:11am
Thanks for that. Waiting to hear back from my plumber atm.The other thing I can't grasp is if I have to keep running off excess hot water in summer months, that not only wastes hot water, but I'll be paying for it being wasted, with council meters being installed here soon. I guess I'll have to weigh that wasted water cost against reverting to night-rate, electric-only water heating.
kmole,
Jan 29, 8:49am
What size cylinder did you put in!We put in a 360L, but also got more tubes than we needed when we bought the solar part, as it was already in the country and cheaper due to exchange rates. We have 4 in the house. I have plumbed my dishwasher to the hot tap, and would switch my washing machine over too if I could get the tap undone! And then just make sure they are run when the temp is ok.
kaddiew,
Feb 16, 6:59am
Think it's a 315ltr cylinder, with roof panels, but the system was already here when I bought 15 months ago. Have had so many hassles since. I rarely use the dishwasher (1 person house), but could see the benefits of plumbing it to the hot tap for a family! I would certainly never choose to install solar, for one person, if I move again.
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