In hazy sunshine conventional solar panels are only 5% efficient - barely enough heat to take the chill off water. However, Thermomax solar tubes under the same condition are an amazing 75% efficient giving solid water heating capability from hazy sunshine.

 

For each person in the family you will need to install only 1 square meter of south facing panel ( half the roof area of previous systems) plus about 100 litres of overnight hot water storage in an insulated hot water tank (the 'solar' tank) . Count children as 'half a person'. Thus a typical system for a 3 bedroomed house has 3 square meters of collector tubes. Each system will also require the Thermomax Panel control box and some very simple plumbing. 1 Square meter is conveniently 10 solar tubes.

 

The Thermomax kit of parts is wonderfully comprehensive. The amount of plumbing will be determined by your house/flat layout and would normally run to about £200-600 for a domestic system although a good DIY person could install the system for less than half this amount including hiring an access tower to the roof for a day.

 

The cost of components for a typical system is likely to be less than £1000 per head. Spread this cost over 15 years as is done with double glazing and the average daily cost is

 

£1000 / (15 x 365) = 18 pence a day for solar heating of your domestic hot water.

 

Moreover, energy prices are constantly rising, and at the end of 15 years, the panel will still be working, will have a value that rises with the price of the house (for each £1000 spent on a panel now, you will have an asset which could add over £2000 to the value of the house in 15 years because of inflation) and it will still be producing about 650-700kWh of energy per year per square meter depending on location.

 

Doctor.G. says Practically Green people will love these units because the environmental (global warming) benefit of one panel for a small family is equivalent to taking a small car off the road!

 

If you are unsure of the best place to put the panel, Practically Green can supply a design service for a system at a cost of £100 per square meter. Paid up front this is subtracted from the list price of the panels when purchased. This fee is used decide the best place put the panel, the solar tank, and the pipe runs, and to calculate the energy savings and the assist in arranging finance from the cheapest source and to select a plumber or guide the DIY installer. However, the basic rule is 'face it south'!

 

Financing.

A loan to cover the cost of the equipment, panel, pipes, tank and controller will cost about 33p per head per day including finance charges on a mortgage extension or home improvement loan - it could vary a little on this as the plumbing connection fee will differ for flats and houses. Approach your local building society or bank for a mortgage extension or home improvement loan on mortgage terms.

 

Just think - months of solar powered hot water could cost you less than a pound a day for the family but more importantly, the money is being invested in the value of your home not the electricity board or coal merchants bank account and a solar panels shows the world that you really care for your environment - I think that makes sense!

 

Call to order your panels or arrange a design study.

 

SETS

 

20 Tube Set

1415mm wide x 2130 high (45kg)
Part No Description Quantity Units

Price

£ Stg.

 Extended Price
 C001 MS20 Manifold for 20 Tubes 1 each

284

284

 C0086 T'Max Memotron Solar Tubes 2 Box of 10

479

958

 C0057 Pump Control Unit SMT100 1 each

330

330

         

 1,572

 T210  Solar Tank      

 790

 PIP

 

Pre Insulated Pipe

  Per meter   meter  16  

30 Tube Set

2124mm wide x 2130mm high (68kg)
 COO4

 MS30 Manifold for 30 Tubes

1

 each

 401

 401

 C0086 T'Max Solar Tubes

3

 Box of 10

 479

 1437

 C0057

 Pump Control Unit

SMT300

 1

each

533

533

       

 total

 2,371
           
 T210

 Solar Tank

    

 790

  
 PIP

 Pre Insulated Pipe

 per meter

  

 16