Is it possible to finance the solar water heating installation?
We can facilitate the financing of installations, whereby your repayments are less than your savings! So essentially, it’s free.
How does one prolong the life of a geyser?
The sacrificial anode should be changed every 3 years. This is included in our regular service activities.
How does a solar geyser work?
A solar geyser works in the same way as a conventional geyser, with element and thermostat, but has an additional heating source – the solar panels. It is well insulated to withstand low outdoor temperatures and prevent excessive heat loss.
What is a direct solar water heating system?
Water circulates from the geyser/solar tank through the solar panels (which are absorbing infra-red radiation from the sun), and heats up as it passes through. As heat rises, the colder water flows down, and so a thermosiphon circulation is created. At the end of the day, when the sun goes down, your solar geyser is full of hot water. Previously, we used panels made from galvanized steel pipes for direct systems, as these withstand the expansion caused by water freezing. Nowadays, Evacuated Tube technology has replaced the steel panels. They are just as efficient and have their own built-in freeze protection, so it’s easy to convert your existing geyser into a money-saving solar geyser.
What is an indirect or closed-circuit system?
Anti-freeze circulates between the panels and a heat exchanger located within the solar geyser, where the heat is transferred into the water, indirectly. This method prevents solar panels freezing and bursting on cold winter nights. Copper pipes with a collector plate, housed in an aluminium frame with hail-resistant glass are used in indirect systems.
Can I convert or use an existing geyser in the solar water heating system installation?
Yes, existing geyser can be converted into solar. It can also be utilised as the back-up in a “two-tank system”, being pre-fed by the solar tank, which effectively doubles your hot water capacity. It can be converted to the solar storage tank in a “direct system”. This requires relocating to a platform, higher up in the trusses, to facilitate the convection cycle or “thermosiphon”. Optimum efficiency is achieved through use of a timer to control the electricity supply to the solar geyser. This prevents the element working at the same time as the panels.
What is an EVT domestic solar water heating system?
Evacuated tube collectors are more complex than flat-plate collectors. They are used mainly in low-temperature climates, where there are lower levels of solar radiation. The vacuum provides excellent insulation (no heat- loss through convection or conduction) while facilitating effective heat transfer to the heating medium.
What commercial installations have you done?
Cosmic Solar Systems has completed several commercial/institutional installations. Some of the noteworthy ones include: • 3000 litre pumped system at an old-age home in Heilbron • 6000 litre direct pump system, using Apricus evacuated tube solar collectors at Queens High School Hostel in Kensignton, Johannesburg • 16 x 1350 litre indirect close-coupled systems at Filadelfia school for the disabled in Soshanguve, north of Tswane
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