SOLAR WATER HEATERS
Is there enough sunshine in the UK to make it work?
As the panels work on diffused solar radiation as well as direct sunlight, they will generate energy even on cloudy days. This lowers the energy required from your conventional boiler. The DTI has calculated that there are sufficient solar radiation levels across the whole UK to provide useful energy. In geographical areas with lower solar radiation, the size and / or the number of panels can be increased to maximise solar energy capture.
Does my roof have to be south oriented?
No your roof does not have to be south oriented but the orientation will affect significantly the panel performance (see graph below).
Do we need planning permission before installing your panels?
The government guideline is that flat plate collectors DO NOT require planning permission, as long as it is not a listed building, or within a conservation area. We still highly recommend, however, you check with your local council.
Are the panels BBA certified?
A BBA certificate is not required for our solar water heating panels because they meet BS EN 12975 (efficiency and durability).
Is your system compatible with non-Redland tiles and slates?
We developed our system to fit with our tiles to ensure weathertightness and security against wind uplift. We cannot guarantee the system integration with non-Redland tiles.
How much would a typical solar system cost?
There is not really a typical cost. It depends on the number of panels required, size of the panels, if a new water tank is required, and on installation details such as accessibility for the scaffold and the complexity of the wiring.
We estimate the end user material costs to be between £2,500 and £3,000. These prices exclude the cost of a new cylinder and the installation cost.
How much can I save with the system?
We can judge the solar water heating system efficiency by considering the solar fraction, that is, the proportion of the domestic hot water needs met by the solar system. Our Solar Water heating system can provide solar fractions up to 70%. However, it may not be cost effective to try to achieve 70%. 50% may be a better option.
To determine the system efficiency (solar fraction) and hence calculate the savings generated by your system, Redland offers two options:
- a calculation via T-Sol specific to your project (roof and heating system) (i.e. the theoretical performance)
- a Datalogger (optional material) for recording actual data (i.e. the actual performance)
The actual savings generated will depend upon many factors as well as the energy cost of your conventional boiler, which vary in time.
Why 70% and not 100% of hot water for free?
In theory you can design a system to generate 100% of your hot water needs. This will involve the installation of numerous solar panels onto your roof to offset the fewer hours of sunshine in winter. However, the total cost of achieving this additional 30% via solar panels is high and it is more cost-effective to get this 30% of energy from a conventional water heating system.
Furthermore, a solar system with 100% solar fraction could suffer from overheating on sunny days in summer thereby reducing the panel lifetime from its design life of 25 years. One design solution to prevent overheating with a system with very high solar fraction, would be to use this overheat for heating a swimming pool in the summer.
Are any grants available when using your panels?
Currently there are no central government grants available for roof-integrated Solar Hot Water panels, although this is likely to change in 2009 once the microgeneration certification scheme accepts such systems. In previous central government grant programmes the value of these grants have been of the order of £400 for solar hot water projects.
However, individual boroughs and councils define their own local government grant policy. For example, Camden Council in London offers a local government grant of £1,500 (which coupled with central government grant could bring the total value of grants to £1,900 per domestic installation).
Who should I contact to buy the panel?
- Homeowner - Please contact our customer service hotline and they will provide you with a list of merchants in your area as well as trained contractors.
- Account Customer - All Monier Account holders are able to order the panels and the associated components direct from us.
Can I buy only the panel?
Yes you can buy panels on their own. Most of the parts can be bought from local plumbing suppliers. However, we strongly recommend using our panel installation packs. Our technical team designed them to integrate the panels into the roof. Our Redland 15-year roof guarantee is contingent upon our panel installation pack being used and fitted properly.
How many panels should I put in my roof?
Please visit the EcoMaster section of our website. Our technical team will calculate the optimal solution based on your location, amount of hot water required and other elements.
Do I have to use your specified antifreeze solution?
No you do not have to use it, but it is the only antifreeze solution we currently supply. You can use any liquid as long as its manufacturer approves it as an antifreeze solution for flat plate collectors.
Do I still need a conventional boiler?
A correctly sized Solar Domestic Hot Water heating system will provide up to 70% of annual domestic hot water requirements (solar fraction), so an auxiliary heat source is still required for times of low solar energy to ensure there’s always hot water on demand. In addition, the boiler is also necessary to operate the central heating system.
For a Domestic Hot Water only system, the back up can be provided by a heating element (immersion Heater).
Do I need a new water tank?
The solar thermal system typically requires around 50 to 70 litres tank capacity for every square metre of collector panel employed. This is in addition to the capacity required for the auxiliary heating system, which is based upon the hot water consumption for which it is designed. This can be achieved either, by using a single tank with two heat exchanger coils (solar and auxiliary), or by using a separate single-coil tank for the solar and auxiliary systems.
If adding solar thermal to an existing system to provide domestic hot water only, then either the existing tank can be retained for the auxiliary system and a single-coil tank added for the solar water system, or a twin-coil tank can replace the existing tank. If the solar thermal system is to have an input into the space heating of the building, then an additional buffer tank is also required. Please contact Redland Technical Solutions for advice.
Can we use your panel for under-floor heating?
Yes, but please contact Redland Technical Solutions for advice.
What additional products will I need to complete the installation?
Research indicates that installers prefer to purchase all their solar equipment from one manufacturer so Monier supplies all the necessary components required for the system. This includes the panels, fixing brackets, solar pump station, solar control, and even the insulated flexible stainless steel pipes to run between the collectors and the cylinder. The only other items you may need are electrical cables, copper pipe work and the water tank (cylinder) if a new cylinder is required.
Can I install the panels on my existing roof?
Our panels can be installed on existing roofs: However, please be aware lifting equipment is required to ensure safe handling. Please also bear in mind the following:
If you do not have any roofing and Solar Water Heater installation experience we would strongly advise you to contact a trained roofing contractor to integrate the panels onto the roof, a plumber to connect the panel to your existing Hot Water System and an electrician for the electrical connections. A BPEC Solar Hot Water qualified or LOGIC Unvented Hot Water Systems qualified person should commission the entire system to get the panel manufacturer guarantee. You may also require a new cylinder.
If you have some roofing experience you can install the panel installation pack using the Redland Installation instructions (lifting equipment is required to position the panel onto the roof). You will need a plumber to do the hydraulic connections and an electrician for the electrical job. In general we would advise you to contact a roofing contractor to integrate the panels and the installation pack and a BPEC Solar Hot Water qualified or LOGIC Unvented Hot Water Systems qualified person to commission the entire system.
Where can I get the address of an installer in my area?
Please contact our Customer Service Hotline and they will pass your details internally to one of our local representatives. Our local representative will contact you with addresses of trained installers in your area.
Is a certified electrician required for installing the system?
The controller in the pump station is fitted with a 13 amp plug. If this can be plugged into an existing outlet there should be no need to use a certified electrician.
In cases where a new socket outlet is required (or it is desired to connect the pump station to a fused spur) then according to the regulations provided the unit is not to be installed in a kitchen, bathroom or outdoors an electrician is still not required as new outlets can be added to existing circuits. However, it would be desirable in some instances to have Part P limited scope.
Who should commission the system?
To get the panel guarantee, the commissioner has to be BPEC or LOGIC Solar Hot Water qualified. Although it would be good to use a BPEC or LOGIC Solar Hot Water qualified person to install the sensors to the panel and cylinder, in most cases, leaving this part of the solar installation to the commissioning stage will often add delays to the project, as sensors get lost from the original packaging etc. For this reason it is recommended that the sensors are fitting during the initial installation in accordance with Redland’s installation instructions.
Is any maintenance required?
Regular inspections and maintenance of the Solar Water Heating System by a specialist are the best way to ensure reliability and a high service life of the system.
It is important that the Solar Water Heating System is serviced annually. To ensure regular servicing, it is strongly recommended that the system is checked as part of an annual boiler service. The main elements to check are panel corrosion and the effectiveness of the antifreeze solution (How does one check the antifreeze solution?)
A Maintenance checklist will be posted to the system owner along with the 10 years collector guarantee upon receipt of a completed commissioning certificate.
Proof of Maintenance will be required in case of Guarantee Claims.
However, if you notice:
- Any leakage or corrosion
- Incorrect operation of the system
- Incorrect antifreeze concentration or
- Incorrect circuit pressure
you should contact the installer as soon as possible.
What specific backup is in place for the installers?
At this stage, we are focusing our support primarily at the installer market (Redland account roofing contractors exclusively) to ensure the systems are installed to the highest standard. This will also ensure there are sufficiently trained roofing contractors able to service the housebuilders.
The support includes:
- Installation instructions supplied with each system
- Comprehensive technical information on website
- Telephone support from Redland technical department
- Contractor Installation Course
What guarantee do you offer for your system?
The panels are covered by a 10-year product guarantee. As part of the Redland range, the system is also covered by the 15-year roof system guarantee when installed in accordance with our fixing instructions. A copy of both guarantees can be download from the Literature section on the website.