How's it going?

[AE-NMidlands]

Are the solar thermal pretty much no maintenance?

Rather than get this lost in a different topic entirely I thought I would start another thread.
My solar tubes have been brilliant. I have checked the primary circuit pressure occasionally over about 10 (edit: almost exactly 15) years and topped it up once (but even that was only by a little bit to bring the pressure back up.)

As the tubes are on a single storey extension to the house I can get at them quite easily to wipe them if it looks as though a dust storm has coated them - I try to clean them if it looks bad, but I don't know how necessary it is. Washing with a hose is quite effective.

Clumps of moss have started to grow in the channels between the tubes and the stainless reflectors so I pull them out where I can reach them, and one day I shall take all the reflectors off to clean them and the tubes under them. Maybe I have done it once already. I doubt anybody else bothers with any of this though.

The kitchen ought to be completely rebuilt, so my plan would be to put the solar on the main roof first (with microbore tubing this time.)
If you are re-plumbing a house I would do it, but I can see that the costs of a new twin-coil cylinder might put people off when solar pv heating water via a normal immersion heater is mainstream now.
A

[Joeboy]

I had given thought to a set to free up the PV generated for other things. They seem like a really good, simple low maintenance way to heat water. In the end I added more PV anyway but I still like the look of these systems and what they stand for.

My mate I spoke about at his most recent house had a massive amount of forest trees that had wild seeded on the grounds. They completely shaded the house until 11am. He & I got cracking with the chainsaws, the next day he got the surprise of his life as the house was only a couple of weeks in his ownership and suddenly this solar thermal system that he had not bothered with as busy with other things fired up! Roasting hot water and huge solar gain inside the house now every day.

[Tinbum]

I love mine. I've only had one problem with it in about 10 years and that was a leak on a joint between 2 sets of tubes. I'd like to transfer it onto my new build but the roof orientation isn't the best so don't know if I will. If I do I will try to fit it so it is flush with the tiles.

[John_S]

It was solar thermal that caused me to find and join the other place around 15 years ago.

I had planned to add it to my house when I did a loft conversion in 2008/9. In the end I did not as the builder and his heating guy were not very keen and were going to charge me too much. As I was only using 2 or 3 cu mtr of gas a week in the summer, I decided that the saving on heating would be minimal (especially at prices in those days) and it would not give me a pay back.

Best decision I made, as it would have precluded me from installing PV, at the original FIT rates, and later a solar immersion for the hot water.

John

[ALAN/ALAN D]

I have had 20 tubes on the roof since the begining of the Other Place.
They got took down a few weeks ago.
Replaced with four 380watt panels.
With P.V, there is no water / oil leaks and you can use the electric for
direct connection to heaters and or grid inverters.
Took them down because of futre maintenance / leaks in the years to come.

All the bits free of charge if any one wants to come and collect.