Solar water heating, how much??

Cardew

Hapless wrote: »

We are lookinginto a small microgeneration unit to charge up batteries that would run an inverter that could power our deep freeze and our tumble dryer. that set up would cost near £1,200 but that is a daylight panel which would even charge under a full moon.
With the inverters we could keep the broadband hub and freeview on and not feel guilty as they should not be switched off at the mains.

To power a tumble dryer alone would require a large battery capacity and a heavy duty inverter, and would take a long time to charge the batteries from a ‘small microgeneration’ panel.

Could you please provide more technical information and details of where you can get such a set up for £1,200.

moonrakerz

Hapless wrote: »

We are lookinginto a small microgeneration unit to charge up batteries that would run an inverter that could power our deep freeze and our tumble dryer. that set up would cost near £1,200 but that is a daylight panel which would even charge under a full moon.

I used to work with Uninterruptible Power Supply Equipment, which is similar in someways to what you would require to power your tumble drier. I have to say that if someone is telling you that this can be done for £1200, then they are not only having you on, but they are L***G !!!!!. Through their teeth !

I have had a hunt on the web, a UPS to meet your your power requirements is priced at £2584.99. This does have some electronics that you wont need, but in addition you will need your solar/lunar array. The battery with this unit provides 5 minutes of power. You would need a HUGE battery bank to run your tumbler for an hour, and I am not talking about batteries from Halfords, you would need special to type industrial batteries and as for recharging them from a full moon !!!! Another site quotes a weight of a 70 minute UPS as 389kG - most of that will be batteries (30+ car batteries !) - no price given for this monster. I honestly think the natural losses from the battery would be more than the input from your array. The batteries in these UPS are of course recharged from the mains, this will take some hours, even then.

I am not trying to belittle the post I have quoted, but it is difficult not to sound this way when well meaning folk are taken in when such ludicrous claims as this one are being propogated !

I think I (and others !) have said this before, there are too many people trying to get rich quick by preying on, sorry !, gullible people who believe this outlandish drivel.

Lag your loft, get low energy lamps, sell the Range Rover and get a diesel Fiesta, grow your own veg, have a compost heap; please don't get conned !

Hapless_2

depends what you mean by small

1 polycrystelline solar panel (130watt) £648
3 heavy duty batteries (we already have) £240
1 regulator £107
1 3kw inverter £300

tumble dryer on low heat 2 kw (occasional use only when weather is bad)
various power tools (various powers, never at same time as use of dryer)
chest freezer would not be 1kw.

the prices have gone up a little since last tot up and it would now be £1295.
I have had it confirmed by an independent electrical engineer unconnected with the company that this is more than suitable for my needs.

Items from various sources including Sunshine Solar who's website I have quoted.

Hapless_2

I have seen systems like I quoted working in homes not connected to any grid batteries never disconnected from regulator so getting permenantly topped up, even in Africa they use tumble dryers! I have not suggested anyone go out and buy it and do it themselves, it is just the road we are taking.

I do think that the majority of people on this site are not so stupid/guillable to think that investment in solar or alternative power brings short term savings. It is a long term investment, environmentally and financially. As in all investments, you may be lucky enough to break even. As technology progresses prices will become more affordable and saving will increase.

tr3mor

Hapless wrote: »

What price not lining the fat cats with their pay bonuses at the big energy companies?

A much higher price paid to the "green" con men?

moonrakerz

Hapless wrote: »

depends what you mean by small

1 polycrystelline solar panel (130watt) £648
3 heavy duty batteries (we already have) £240
1 regulator £107
1 3kw inverter £300

tumble dryer on low heat 2 kw (occasional use only when weather is bad)
various power tools (various powers, never at same time as use of dryer)
chest freezer would not be 1kw.

the prices have gone up a little since last tot up and it would now be £1295.
I have had it confirmed by an independent electrical engineer unconnected with the company that this is more than suitable for my needs.

Items from various sources including Sunshine Solar who's website I have quoted.

I'm sorry Hapless but you really are being conned !

How long will your "130 Watt" panels take to recharge your batteries ?
3 "Heavy Duty" Batteries - what sort ? 3 decent car batteries will cost you that ! How long will they power your drier ?
A 3kW inverter £300 ! really! - probably Modified Sine Wave - rubbish !

You will not break even on this - you WILL lose your money !

Do you think that I post my comments because I have a 'thing' against you personally ? I put my comments because I KNOW you are being taken for a ride.
If you do not wish to accept fairly well informed comment that is up to you - but it saddens me to see people such as you being fleeced.

Buy this junk and let us have proper figures of it's performance - I wait with interest !

Cardew

Hapless wrote: »

depends what you mean by small

1 polycrystelline solar panel (130watt) £648
3 heavy duty batteries (we already have) £240
1 regulator £107
1 3kw inverter £300

tumble dryer on low heat 2 kw (occasional use only when weather is bad)
various power tools (various powers, never at same time as use of dryer)
chest freezer would not be 1kw.

the prices have gone up a little since last tot up and it would now be £1295.
I have had it confirmed by an independent electrical engineer unconnected with the company that this is more than suitable for my needs.

Items from various sources including Sunshine Solar who's website I have quoted.

Solar Arrays like the one you describe are normally used to power illuminated roadside signs etc drawing DC power in the region of 20 watts or so.

The British Photovoltaic Association which promotes this technology gives several case studies. This link gives details of a system designed to provide 3.4kW @ 24v which with the addition of an a inverter should meet your needs.

http://www.greenenergy.org.uk/pvuk2/uk/casestudy6.html

At £170,000.00(at 1995 prices) it costs more than your system, and an inverter to handle that amount power would need to be added. As at matter of interest it uses 5,200AH batteries which is the equivalent of some 80 heavy duty car batteries.

Joking apart, the system you describe will not come anywhere near the coping with the use you expect – IMO of course.

P.S. I don't know who your Independant electrical Engineer is, but if you post his email address(or PM it to me) I will gladly discuss it with him on your behalf. It is pertinent to point out that I am a Chartered Electrical Engineer.

kate2510

Coo I bet mumof3girls did not expect this to get so techie or so heated('scuse the pun).
I know that if I did the Lottery and had even a modest win this is something I would do with the money. Cost effective or not.
If the great-granny flat we are contemplating/costing at the moment does come to fruition we'll do our utmost to have some solar powered water heating.
Instead of telling us where we can't smoke the Gov. should be supplying more info and regulating the cost and suppliers of alternative energy technology until the costs are reduced by market forces .

(non-smoker)

Ken68

No need for an automatic (and expensive) rooftop system.
My neighbour and I are each making 18litres of hot or warm water in a sun cooker. On a long sunny day this becomes very hot water.
Capital cost was less than a fiver.
Not thru a tap but the cheapest way.

moonrakerz

kate2510 wrote: »

I know that if I did the Lottery and had even a modest win this is something I would do with the money. Cost effective or not.

Final word on this one, honest !

If people wish to spend their hard earned (won !) money on wind turbines, or whatever, and produce 'green' electricity at £10 kWh, fine. As long as they are fully aware of what they are doing and they know the total costs involved. I would rather buy mine from British Gas at 10p/kWh and reduce my electricity useage in more substantive ways..

However, schemes such as the tumble drier one, just will not work ! Take the £1295 in fivers and burn them, you will probably produce more energy for your money that way.

Apart from which .......

.................surely a tumble drier is an eco no-no ? what's wrong with a clothes line - £3.99 from Wilko.