I really like your channel mate. It's some how more genuine and down to earth then most of the other ones out there. Your general laid back and positive attitude makes it very easy to watch. I've seen all the videos and I always look forward to your updates. Anyways, just chipped in for a couple of cold ones. Cheers mate :)
Hi, I’m a heating engineer, Great concept you have thought off for the solar and it works great however a way we made this work better at a customers house; because the amount of energy you get from solar is so much more than you can store. What you do is use a buffer tank, use the solar panels to heat the stored water in a new cylinder and then use the stored water in the buffer tank to heat where you want it. Make sure you keep it tanked filled and vented. Then you can use the coil to transfer the heat from the coil of the new cylinder into either your underfloor heating or into the cylinder. You can easily select which you want with either 2 port valves or if you can’t afford electronic valve just use quarter turn lever valves will sort you out. The alternative is to use a plate heat exchanger but that is extremely costly. Love your content keep it up 👍🏻 and if you want any advice on plumbing or heating be sure to give me a message :)
I have 2x- 4x8 panels that I believe are set up like you said. I haven't used the system yet. But there are 2x water tanks one is propane heated and I believe the other one is a preheater coming from the panels and there is a pump. I'm in Canada and the copper line(closed loop) are all filled with antifreeze. I haven't used the system yet as I have to replace most of the solar system to run the pump...
Wow you reminded me of an young Einstein in self support and its a joy to see someone getting on and making a life without restriction,, I take my hat off to you,brilliantly done......
Fantastic idea. I have to say you are much more calm than I would be discovering a leak after all that work. But a nice repair anyway. I really enjoy your channel. I first came for your Land Rover Videos but now I look forward to everything you post.
Ive made some of these years ago when i was in wales. I just put steel radiators inside a wooden box with a glass front and painted them matt black. I stuck them on a mates roof way back in the days before solar ‘anything’. It was purely an experiment but oh man did it heat up the water! I got the rads from a scrappy and welded patches on so cheap and cheerful! A tip i used when on the road during the winter, my outside water drums used to freeze. So i built a box sat the water drums in it and poured in a few sacks of expanded polystyrene. Its handy as it finds it way into tiny gaps and is super insulating. My water never froze again. and one year it was down to - 10 or something silly! This may help with your outside bulk storage tanks? That is a masterful bit of pipe bending!
After you're sure the system's working, it's a good idea to cover the entire solar gain array with plexi-glass sheeting. That way, the wind doesn't get to them, and the array housings will benefit from a greenhouse effect.
New here , what a good channel . Typical traveler laid back no ego no pretentiousness... That was a big word for me 😅 I've binged loads of your vids in 24 hrs , so much useful info .
Just a suggestion, instead of replacing the glass with acrylic, which goes yellow in sunlight, use twin wall polycarbonate sheets. the 4mm ones intended to replace glass in greenhouses is pretty cheap [£30 for pack of 10 sheets IIRC] it's UV stable and insulates pretty well. I used it to do the entire south front of my workshop.
6:26 I only see one issue with your idea: You have to close the feeding lines if there's no sun heating up the panels outside and you run the pump. If you don't do this the pump will suck the cold water from the panels outside and the water from the hot water heat exchanger. This will cause some return water from the floor heating rushing thru the panels outside and basically heating the environment with them. To avoid this you can put a thermostat inside the pipe running up from the collectors, or next to it inside the isolation and a valve before the junction which will be closed if the water is colder than what you expect as the inlet temperature for your floor heating. A second valve needs to be operated exactly opposite of the first one, and close the outlet from your tank before the T junction. If you don't do this, and you got a hot water exchange somewhere to the panels you would suck out all heat thru them. If you want to be extra safe, add two additional valves at the bottom of your drawing, changing also between loop one and two exactly as the valves on top. You can use an Arduino for operation very cheaply available motorized valves and read the temperature. Just keep in mind to very very slowly turn the valves - to avoid any waterhammer effect due to differential pressure or fast movements of water by temperature or the pump. If the pump is off you need to open all 2 or 4 valves to let the temperature based exchange take place. Keep in mind that you probably still want to close then right loop if you don't expect any heating by the sun, since there might be a slow movement in this loop induced by the fast moving water in the first loop.
I had this same thought, what stops it running in reverse. I think because the hot water tank is almost always going to be hotter than the solar can get it (assuming you always have hot water on tap) you might be better using it as a preheat for incoming cold water. Perhaps a mini tank connected to the underfloor heating that has a basic heat exchanger for incoming potable water. A comparator checks if the tank is cooler than the panel then valve opens.
Thumper! Messed about with all this stuff whilst living afloat 30 plus years. Great to see you achieving. I once made a very successful bun oven by welding a box to the wood burner flue! And winding copper pipe around the same flue enabled me to run a radiator in the wheelhouse by thermal pump. More power to your elbow mate.
Compared to pv , solar thermal is not seen as hip any more . Electricity is just so useful. Having made panels a few years ago I can a test of there usefulness.
Interesting experiment with rescued materials, That was a very difficult bend around that door....I've see plumbers left with a pile of scrap after attempting similar. Great job.
The barn looks great now. I cannot pretend to know anything about plumbing, but I have watched most of your videos and you explain things so clearly that I feel that I am definitely learning something and really enjoying them! Can he fix it? Yes he can! :)
When using 2 or morre heat sourses to aid flow and reduce noise gurgle gurgle expecialy with gravity it can be of benifit to use injection tees which sound fancy but are in fact easy to make up out of standard soilder ring fittings.
Very interesting topic and well put across as always in your video's can't wait for part 2 Max. i would love to see you build a wind turbine for these gray days we always have but seems to be plenty of power available from the wind when the solar panels can't operate. by the way the barn looks a treat now great video Max thanks.
You might perhaps consider the use of the plastic pipe to withstand boiling water from the solar panels which could be a real possibility on a sunny day, I would recommend you replace it with copper for safety. Good luck with the project.
Thanks. The pipe is polybutylene pipe rated to 95 degrees constant, up to 114 degrees for short periods so I hope it will cope, but I shall keep a close eye on it!
I know nothing of thermal stores, in fact this is the first I've ever heard of them, but the first alternative I think of is loads of storage heater bricks in a big insulated box. Presumably warmed and cooled by a coil connected to the hot water tank(?)
Another interesting video. Ah those endless, uninspiring, grey English days - they were the main thing that prompted me to retire here to Fuerteventura. Keep the great videos coming.
Having just found your videos online, one - they are brilliant, two - it should inspire a lot of viewers to do somethings similar, three - I should have done the same thing ten years ago. You are living my dream, not always a comfortable straight forward life but it is what we were designed to do, use your imagination and make things happen. 👍🏻
found your channel. and i gotta say im loving the videos of your home. sometimes if im feeling stressed its nice to watch videos like this. if i ever get the chance id love to try and live off grid for some years.
if the tank in the summer does not get above 50c you could have legionella in your tank. legionella grows in any water from 20c to 50c the best temp would be 37c . so if you dont light the range in the summer because the water in the tank is warm from the panels you could be in trouble love the videos
Hi Max! I really like your vids. From the Land Rover vids till making spoons out of wood, all of them. You have a great personality and it's really enjoyable when you finish a job or you create something new and see you ethausiasm and smile afterwards. Cheeriooo from The Netherlands.
Hi Max .Always enjoy your videos. I've had quite a bit of experience of gravity or thermosiphon systems years ago on domestic properties. The circulating pressure is created by the density difference between hot (flow) and cooler (return water) on vertical pipework. The old rule of thumb was a maximum of a 4:1 ratio of height to horizontal distance between boiler/cylinder. Thats why historically airing cupboards were usually almost directly above the boiler. The circulating pressure is very small and frictional losses in the pipework reduce it-this is why you keep the horizontal runs to no more than 25% of the verticalrise . The other important thing to remember is that the pipework needs to be large so that you have a high volume and consequently a large difference in mass between the flow and return .This is why the pipes were a minimum of 1"/28mm (and often 1 1/4"/35mm) in domestic properties in order to generate enough circulating pressure to overcome frictional losses in the pipework. I have worked on 4 bed properties with 1950's gravity heating systems where the pipework has been 2" iron. I would suggest you upgrade the size of your flow and return pipework,keep bends to an absolute minimum, horizontal runs to a minimum and need a very slight rise,to the cylinder, dont use plastic pipe-its too difficult to create a reliable rise with and move the cylinder as close to the panels as possible to get your maximum 4:1 ratio. it may be more cost effective to have a solar powered circulating pump. Kind regards Simon
Thanks for the info, I am quite well acquainted with the issues of gravity systems. I have a pure thermosiphon radiator system installed already which has been running perfectly for many years now (I describe it in detail in the heat and hot water video if you're interested). That system was very carefully laid out and uses 28mm pipe throughout. The difference with the solar is that I am not so concerned about efficiency of the panels (I'd pump them if I were!) and I have to work around the already installed systems. I have been careful to use bends rather than elbows where possible. It is an experiment - if it works at all I'll be happy! We had a glimpse of sun yesterday and the loop did get hot...
This has to be the best channel I've stumbled across in a while. So much great information from someone who can explain it clearly. Will be keeping a close eye on this series.
Hi Max me old mucker I’ve been a thinking about heating my log cabin at the top of the garden. Although it has power, I’m loathed to waste money on a building that’s not occupied most of the time. I think you’ve just given me a potential answer, Need to await your pt2 and if no doubt it’s a good result, then I know what’s the next project 👍 It’s that time again to throw the dogs in the old Landie and do our beach patrol. In anticipation, Johnny the hoveller
It's a great setup. I was thinking though that it is difficult to say how hot those panels can get if you get really hot weather. I am not sure how the hot water going through the plastic flow pipe from the panels will get. If the water starts steaming the plastic pipe will not take the heat and fail. In my opinion it would be safer to use copper on the flow pipe. Just a thought
Well it's polybutylene pipe rated to 95 degrees constant, up to 114 degrees for short periods and I don't expect it to get that high, but yes will be watching carefully and will go copper if needed.
Love the length of this video. Even thought you've had to come back for results I don't feel like there was to much unanswered. Sunny weather next week a bit more south than you, so here's hoping you get good test weather 😀
I know you will get it going going by all your other videos and yes i've watched them all and enjoyed them all. Keep up the great work looking forward to part 2
Another great video teaching me something new, and it's really good to hear from you again :) Looking forward to part 2 very much, if only because it'll mean you've had more inspiring weather!
Brilliant, as has already been said by others, one of the best channels on youtuibe, unpretentious, down to earth, sleeves rolled up 'lets have a go' style. It's a style I find inspirational in so many ways. I'm looking forward to the results of this as I'm always being discouraged by 'clever folk' telling me that we don't get enough sunshine in the UK to make solar a viable option. :o/ ... I nod and smile and make 'oh I see' noises at them, then turn away, wave two cheery fingers in their general direction and come and watch channels like this one where people are actually doing it. Hope it works fantastically well :o)
Greetings from Nevada , USA . Found your channel by accident , very interesting topic , Liked & Subscribed . Anxiously awaiting Part 2 , in the meantime I'll be watching your other videos . -- PS: Love listening to the British accent and terminology . Brother-in-law ( Precision Machinist ) is from the UK ( London area ) . Best of Luck to you neighbor .
😁 Dude, when everything goes south, you’re gonna be the most eligible bachelor in the country! Fantastic stuff, love all you’re doing, invaluable for my own preparations for the leap!
Good job on changing the flu for a better draft, makes a huge difference! I try to only put flu pipes straight up from the heater, no bends at all! Many off-grid 'cabins' around this area, your thoughts on the thermal siphon loops seem like they should work....best of luck!
Good progress, better draw on the burner, fresh paint on the barn & a project under test; which could further improve the off-grid lifestyle you are creating. Well I hear that England is due for a bit of a mini-heat wave next week. Bristol is forecast to be Sunny & 20+ degC from Wednesday on, for five consecutive days. So that ought to give you the opportunity to get some heat into the system. Always a pleasure to watch your channel.
I love these videos and I really wished I'd have been inspired at an earlier age but instead I live in a chalet on a caravan site. what you've achieved and continue to go on doing is amazing. all the best with the solar system , look forward to next video
Theoretically I think the best way would be to have water running behind PV solar panels. Especially if you have limited roof space, but cooling the solar panels would be good too. Theoretically the energy that isn't converted into electricity is converted into heat. Not sure if that works well, haven't seen any examples of this yet. There is also a company in switzerland that produces large vertical hot water tanks that lets you keep heat all throughout the winter. The hot and cold water in the tank stays separated. Besides the hot water from solar collectors you could also convert excess electricity not going into batteries into heat (resistance wire heating is very cheap). Solar panels are cheap, it's the batteries that are the problem. I wish there was more information about this. Or maybe I should look more. But this all seems to be very doable and fairly low tech if you know how to do it. Thanks for the video! PS: You might also have been able to repair that panel using fiberglass / epoxy.
Nice thinking every bit can help? Would it be better to attach the panels to a frame where they are under the windows with the panels set at 45 degrees to maximise the solar heating effects? Plus that would also stop the snow covering the panels in heavy winters and stop any mud splashing onto and covering the panels then the rains hitting them from above will clean the panels too? and the be some space under the frame to store stuff. :)
Another great project. With soldering techniques like that you are a master. For a heat store how about 2 old HW tanks, cut them in half, turn one upside down and fix to the other (rivet them together and then solder heavily). Hey presto a lower heat exchanger for heat in and a higher one for heat out? It know it sounds bonkers but I am sure you would certainly make it great fun to watch! All the best from cloudy London.
I took a class on solar water heating in college oh so many years ago. I recently have been bitten by the bug again of course living in the desert SW would make it much easier. Now if I could just remember where those books are!
Well, there was a day of sunshine yesterday... was that enough for a test? Thanks for this... this one of the most entertaining and useful channels on RU-vid.
