Solar Panels and Combi Boiler but no tank?!

kimbyanne

When we purchased our house (new build) five years ago, it came with solar thermal panels - all the houses on the development did - we never really thought much about it and assumed they just “worked”.

We had our house valued today and the valuer was confused as to how they actually work, as we do not have a water tank or cylinder. According to the sales brochure when we purchased they are “solar thermal in-roof panels that work with your gas fired boiler to heat your hot water”

So how do they work if there is no water tank or cylinder? The control panel for the panels is quite basic and there is a light on during sunny days to say they are working, but other than that not really sure that is going on with them?!

Any ideas?!

bris

Your combi will have a small pre heat tank built in. What model is it?

kimbyanne

It is a Baxi Duo-Tec Combi 28 HE A

bris

kimbyanne wrote: »

It is a Baxi Duo-Tec Combi 28 HE A

Ok, no tank in that one so either they haven't connected it or there is a slim line tank in the roof space that the surveyor missed.


Ask a neighbour, maybe they know.

kimbyanne

No one seems to know, there is definitely to tank in the loft - we have boarded it and there is nothing up there. The cables run from
The panels down to the solar “box” and there are pipes off that which go downstairs but we aren’t sure where they go as they aren’t above the boiler?!

The house was signed off and inspected to I can’t imagine it’s not connected somehow?!

southcoastrgi

What do the panels look like

This


Or this

kimbyanne

The first ones!

jbainbridge

So the panels generate electricity not hot water?

Are there cables or pipes gong to them?

kimbyanne

jbainbridge wrote: »

So the panels generate electricity not hot water?

Are there cables or pipes gong to them?

There is a cable that runs down from the loft into a blue box, then off that it goes to another box?

I can take a photo if it helps! I am confused as to what they do, the sales info definitely states they are for the hot water!!

tonyh66

kimbyanne wrote: »

There is a cable that runs down from the loft into a blue box, then off that it goes to another box?

I can take a photo if it helps! I am confused as to what they do, the sales info definitely states they are for the hot water!!

If they are the 1st picture, then they are definitely for generating electricity, if they were for water there would be pipes running from the panels, not cables.

Are you feeding free electricity back to the national grid???

ashe

Check your electricity tariff you should have something called a feed in tariff for unused electricity to go back to the grid