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Division of Carroll Joinery
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Solar Thermal FAQ
- What Size is the Gasokol Collector?
- Is there a grant on these panels?
- What warranty is there on the panels?
- What size solar cylinder should I fit?
- How hot will the water get?
- Can solar provide central heating?
- Can I fit this system myself?
- What about freezing in Cold Weather?
- Can I get a grant for these systems?
- Do I need planning permission?
What Size is the Gasokol Collector?
" tecSol (on-roof) 2100 x 1070 x 105mm (HxWxD) weight 48kg
topSol (in-roof) 2100 x 1050 x 125mm (HxWxD) weight 52kg"
Is there a grant on these panels?
" Yes. There is a government grant available on some solar panels. Solar panels must be certified and registered with Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to attain this grant. The panels we sell are eligible for a grant of €250sqm. ie €500 per panel to a max. of 3 panels."
What warranty is there on the panels?
" We offer a 10 year warranty on Gasokol panels and 2 year all other components supplied by us, against component failure and defects in workmanship. Your installer will cover warranty on system installation etc. Not covered is breakage after delivery or damage due to lightening strikes, storm damage etc."
What size solar cylinder should I fit?
" We recommend that 1 panel is used with cylinders between 100 and 120litres (very small system), and the 2 panels are used with cylinders up to 240litres. Larger cylinders can be heated with 3 or more panels, and it is possible to add an extra panel to benefit from higher temperatures in the winter. In fact, if you fit a smaller cylinder, you will have hotter water, but less of it.
An option is to put a smaller cylinder in and set the controller to allow this cylinder rise to 75 degrees - but you MUST fit a thermostatic mixing valve on the outlet to bring the temperature back down and prevent scalding. This increases the effective heat storage and at the same time, on partially cloudy days you are more likely to have water at an acceptably high temperature."
" This depends on the size of the cylinder you chose, and the amount of water you use. A smaller cylinder will be heated to higher temperatures, whereas a larger cylinder will heat more water, but not to the same degree. Systems are generally designed to heat water to 65C or so, although during the winter, it may be necessary to ‘top-up’ the heat on less sunny days. "
Can solar provide central heating?
" Unfortunately, in Ireland it does not make economic sense to use a solar water heating system to drive the central heating. In the summer when the sun is warm enough to provide sufficient energy there is no need for central heating, and in the winter when the central heating is switched on, there is not enough energy from the sun to provide the volume of hot water required by a central heating system. In some European countries it is common practice to install a very large array of solar panels and generate sufficient energy to supply a central heating system. This is because, in countries such as Austria and Germany, although the ambient winter temperatures are cold, the sunlight is still strong enough to provide sufficient energy. However, in Ireland the sunlight is much weaker in the winter, partly because of cloud cover and partly because we are further north. "
" Yes you can! These systems are easy to fit, and anyone with basic plumbing and electric skills can carry out a DIY installation. Mounting the panel on the roof is sometimes daunting. If you wish to available of the SEI grant for your system it must be commissioned by a registered installer. "
What about freezing in Cold Weather?
" The solar panel is very well insulated - the collector is surrounded by 2"of insulation. However, it is recommended that you take precautions to prevent the possibility of freezing, by either adding antifreeze to the system the best way, (use a non-toxic solar antifreeze) or you can use a DELTASOL B controller which has ‘freeze protection’ - this controller monitors the temperature of the collector - and if it falls below 4C, it will turn on the pump, allowing water to circulate and heat the panel. You should turn this function off if you use antifreeze. "
Can I get a grant for these systems?
" Yes at time of print the grant available for the Gasokol panels is €250 per sq.m. Please visit www.sei.ie for further information and updates. "
Do I need planning permission?
" No. Unless it is a listed building. "
