Solar panels and combi boiler - feasible?

Cardew

Skiduck wrote:

half facts again, if you are prepared to read what you want to read, I can not help you - I never ever said I was in the solar industry, I said I had joined one of my customers, heating engineers.
Solar does not give a finite amount of hot water, do some research, the finity you think is more to do with the size of any cylinder, the consumption per hour.

If you think my data is wrong, your's is completely propesterous, as you seem to think the only variable to take into account if the cost of running DHW at this present time, I have told you time and time again that this is an incorrect way to calculate. Hard to understand?

All the information given has been in response to questions, figures given are from the manufacturers, researchers and independant bodies. I suggest you write to them all and demand they resign as you are far more capable than they are.

I have always stated that solar panels are very much dependent on a persons individual circumstances, much as a heat pump - a heat pump will do no good in a poorly insulated house.

I have stated in numerous threads other ways to reduce energy bills other than using sustainable technology.

I believe that you may have been caught out/ or nearly caught out by a solar scam - there are purely solar panel companies out there that have done little for consumer confidence with sky high prices and totally fake payback schedules - I have heard 4 years been quoted by some companies.

Why bother including in your arguments, future interest, debit or credit, when you constantly negate the information I give you about the future costs of fuel? seems a bit one sided doesn't it - you can include and exclude whatever you like in your argument - I include all data available to every and I am wrong?

You still have not answered my question, which I have posed many times to you, are you involved with an energy company?

Last things first. I wasn't aware that you had asked me if I was involved with an energy company. However if you are posing that question, the answer is No I am not and have never been involved with an energy company other than as a consumer – unless you count being a shareholder in a number of utility companies.( (a very minor shareholder – all Privatisation allocations)

I investigated solar heating for a swimming pool I owned some years ago and was appalled at the mis-information I was given. I also have interests in Florida and have been investigating the viability of solar heating for a very large communal pool there – it ain’t viable!

I have taken an active interest in solar energy for a long while and am absolutely convinced that my statements on this board are accurate.

Of course the energy produced by a solar panel is finite. It depends on collecter size, weather, daylight hours etc. A panel of x sq ft in y conditions can only produce z amount of heat. Lack of storage capacity might limit production but if you had say a swimming pool to receive the hot water the output(z)of a solar system would still be limited by x and y.

When have I ever ignored the future cost of energy? In fact I said you could double or triple it in your calculations

The trouble with your input to this Board is that you make statements that you cannot back up. When challenged you simply say they are not your statements.

I have asked you repeatedly to give your figures and assumptions for several statements and you just obfuscate. So I will ask once more. You have stated:

1. The payback period for a system costing £6,000 is 15-16 years.

2.That Solar is viable for a family in a large house x kids etc.

All we require is YOUR approx figures and assumptions on which you base those statements. You haven’t given any such data because you are fully aware your statements are unsupportable and if you tried you would be shot down in flames by a number of knowledgeable contributors to this Board.

Go on prove me wrong!

P.S.
I take it the word 'shorter' in post 49 is a typo?

paul_h

Skiduck wrote:

do they have more baths in ireland then?

It would appear so, or very large baths...

...perhaps they repaired a rather bad oil leak at the same time. I don't know. All I am saying is that the comment in the report is flawed - there is no way an average household can save 1000 litres of oil, even if the solar DHW produced 100% of their needs, which it cannot.:rolleyes:

Skiduck

Cardew, I think calculations done by independent experts are far likely to be more accurate than your own.

I have given you information and figures, you have given me information and figures, it seems like we will never really agree over this.

I can quite happily accept what you are saying and leave you to find out differently, however, in a lot of your posts, you have cast aspertions on my character and I feel that is out of place in a forum where the only knowledge you have of another poster is minimal.

Now, I will happily join in your crusade to attack PV, how about that?

Bob63

Thanks to those who gave me the initial advice.

No thanks to those who have turned this into a who can pee highest up the wall competition. Posts duly ignored...

Mike

Skiduck

I appologise cheesy.mike

BTW Alpha boilers have a drain back, unvented store system for combi boilers

Cardew

cheesy.mike wrote:

Thanks to those who gave me the initial advice.

No thanks to those who have turned this into a who can pee highest up the wall competition. Posts duly ignored...

Mike

Not, I suggest, the most constructive post.

It might surprise you that other people also read 'your' thread to gain information, (or mis-information)

It wasn't the first thread to 'migrate' fom the original question; and I suspect will not be the last. If you gained enough information from the "initial advice", it was not compulsory to read the rest! Or having started the thread do you feel you some sort of ownership rights?

Bob63

Cardew wrote:

Not, I suggest, the most constructive post.

It might surprise you that other people also read 'your' thread to gain information, (or mis-information)

It wasn't the first thread to 'migrate' fom the original question; and I suspect will not be the last. If you gained enough information from the "initial advice", it was not compulsory to read the rest! Or having started the thread do you feel you some sort of ownership rights?

Still trying to get higher up the wall then?

No, I don't claim ownership rights on a thread, I just get a little bored when a thread turns into a vehicle for a couple of people trying to score points off each other. I left that kind of thing behind in the playground 30 years ago.

As you say, the rest of the thread is optional, I got what I wanted out of it so I'll ignore it from now on.

Mike

Kathyc_2

cheesy.mike wrote:

Thanks to those who gave me the initial advice.

No thanks to those who have turned this into a who can pee highest up the wall competition. Posts duly ignored...

Mike

I thought it was a bit more like handbags at dawn, but thoroughly enjoyable.

I came here to have a look at whether it would be a good idea to have a solar panel installed when we buy a new central heating boiler (type to be decided) later this year. But I think that I need a lie down and an aspirin now


However, summarising, what I think has been said is that the solar panel is a reasonable proposition if your primary objective is to be green - but the saving in monetary terms are negligible, and payback is unlikely. Is this a fair summary?

Kathy

almacmil

Kathyc wrote:

However, summarising, what I think has been said is that the solar panel is a reasonable proposition if your primary objective is to be green - but the saving in monetary terms are negligible, and payback is unlikely. Is this a fair summary?

Kathy

Oh God Kathyc, you'll set them off again!;)

I've got a panel for DHW (backed by electricity) and a GSHP (ground source heat pump) for underfloor and all I know is my fuel bills are lower in this house than in my last, which was significantly smaller, fuelled by oil and electricity (and this is when oill was 18p per litre or so), although this is much better insulated.

This house also has lots of 50w halogen downlighters (29) and three youngsters now with tv and Playstations etc so my "like for like" savings are probably greater.

The above suited my situation and also gave me a chance to try to move away from fossil fuel usage at point of delivery. But like has been said above, it's not right for every situation.

margaretclare

Skiduck, I wish you would come and quote for us!

South Essex, pair of wrinklies, live in a 2-bedroom 1930s jerry-built bungalow with single-skin brick walls. Huge loft space, ideal for placing a new condensing combi boiler!

Ideal Standard back boiler and gas fire in sitting-room, installed December 1992. We want a replacement boiler in the loft. Flooring, loft ladder, lighting etc all in situ. We see no point in having a 40-gallon tank of hot water sitting up there to be heated all the time but we don't want a huge hole left in the sitting-room as JackieO describes. We want the existing back boiler rendered unusable, drained down and left there. Gas fire very rarely used, perhaps once or twice in coldest part of winter.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=3009379#post3009379

Usage: we both use the shower each morning, modern Hotpoint 'A' rated washing-machine used twice or perhaps thrice a week, other than that, the usual washing-up and hand-washing, and the 40 gallons still has to be kept hot. Gas is now costing us £58 a month as opposed to £28 at the start of this year.

Obviously we will not survive long enough for huge costs to be recouped, even though we are very concerned about the environment, our grandchildren etc.

Your thoughts will be appreciated!

Margaret