HI Keith

On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 13:32:24 +0100, "Keith D"
wrote:

Flat plate or evacuated tube?
Open or closed systems?
Size and type of solar thermal store?

Any experts out there?


You could always ask in alt.solar.thermal - there's more than a few
experts there g

My 2-pennorth - evacuated collectors are reckoned to be more
efficient, although they are more costly to purchase.

A closed (sealed / pressurised) system allows you flexibility in where
you position the collectors, as there's no need to have a f&e tank
above the highest collector. It's no more difficult to install.

We put in our system when we were renewing the plumbing / hot water
tank in this bungalow - so there was plenty of plumbing going on at
the time g - and we needed a new tank anyway so we went for a
dual-coil one.

It's worthwhile (if not essential !) to fit a thermostatic mixing
valve on top of the hot water tank - as, on a good day, the solar
water can get HOT ! (Currently the sensor half-way up our tank is
showing 68 C....)

From May to September we'd expect the solar kit to deliver most of our
hot water heating, outside those times you can still get useful gain.
Our system is from Solarmax - and has 20 collector tubes. I bought a
kit from the supplier, he installed the panels and I did the rest.
Cost 5 years ago in the region of £2300, not including new DHW tank,
copper pipe and my time...

Hope this helps
Adrian
Suffolk UK