Solar Heating via Evacuated Tubes
skifixer
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
Does anyone have experience with solar thermal evacuated tubes (as opposed to panels) for hydronic heating and domestic water use? I’ve been looking at the Viessmann system specifically for a new home I’m planning. I saw a previous post mention that solar heating systems “require a lot of maintenance” which leaves me wondering about my hope for green heating.
Replies
Nothing I'm experienced with, but "green heating" is no problem. Lots of choices.
Whenever you go for an active system you get required maintenance. Higher tech generally equates to higher maintenance, sometimes along with higher performance.
Which is one of the reasons I chose a passive system, no maintenance. Satisfies my KISS inclinations, which in certainly not universally applicable.
Love gadgets/performance? Put up with the maintenance.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I'm currently reading a book, Solar Hot Water Systems {Lessons Learned 1977 to Today} By Tom Lane.
I have a project in the planing stages for next summer, evacuated tubes had kinda caught my attention.
The more I read about them the less I like them.
When they become covered with ice or snow the only recommend way to clean them is hot air, because of the vacumtube they don't melt snow or ice off of themselves.
This is one of those projects where a person should do alot of homework, or find a professional installer with really good reference's.
Another weak point they talk about is the seal where the tube enters the manifold.
There might only be a 15 year life expectancy on the tubes.
There are a lot of varibles in a solar system, location,type of collector,type of storage, the demand on the system.
The life expectance of some of the systems in the book is 30 to 40 years, I like that aspect of solar.
Remember I'm still reading and haven't done any installations yet.