Solar water heating + electric water heater

[Todd M. Soper]

Just to clarify: The panel and its tank are located on the roof, and the heated water drains down into the house via gravity.

[phinsperger]

Originally Posted by Todd M. Soper

Paul, just one additional question: If the electric boiler somehow overheats because it is getting pre-heated water from the panel, won't its (the boiler's) built-in safety kick-in and mitigate the situation?

If the water temp from the panel is higher than the temp seting on the boiler then the boiler will simply not kick on. The heated water will simply flow though. If it got really high then yes, the safety valve should open.

[phinsperger]

Originally Posted by Todd M. Soper

Just to clarify: The panel and its tank are located on the roof, and the heated water drains down into the house via gravity.

Yes, an external storage tank using a thermo siphon method. I checked their web site http://www.baymak.com.tr/grup.asp?grup_no=219&dil=ENG which wasn't help. They list 2 systems the 100 and the 200. I don't run activeX on this computer so I may not be seeing some of the info they have on their systems. You may be able to see more than me.

[phinsperger]

Originally Posted by Todd M. Soper

I am currently off the Mediterranean coast (Turkey). The panel is manufactured by Baymak, a company that is owned by the Baxi Group of UK.

I must conceed that I have not personally visited your part of the world but me thinks freezing is not a concern

[phinsperger]

Your manufacture make a remark that they used a closed loop system so that there is no scale build up. Even if you used distiled water in your closed loop you would still get some scale - albiet very little.

You do need freeze protection and even if you added gycol it would likely break down in your climate. And when glycol breaks down it becomes acidic which is hard on your colector system.

They also make referance to being able to used preasurized water with the closed loop system. This makes me think they did not desing the system for very high preasure. I would check its rating before plumbing in-line. You may indeed have to keep it as a closed loop system.

[Todd M. Soper]

Paul, thanks for taking the time to visit the manufacturer's web site. I take it from your remarks that a system stated to be "closed loop" should not be disturbed by connecting other devices to it -- is this correct?

I wish there was an A-B valve (much like those used to switch a single monitor-keyboard-mouse b/w two PC's) which I could use to select my source of hot water.

Todd