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How long should a Solar Hot Water panel last?
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Comments
Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England.
Hoffman Equipped System (all original except boiler), Weil-Mclain 580, 2.75 gph Carlin, Vapourstat 0.5 -- 6.0 ounces per square inch
By far the main cause of the copper tube failure is lack of fluid maintenance in glycol systems. The system needs to be cleaned before putting in any fluid. With glycol the Ph is critical and should be tested yearly and boosted or replaced. Use only the high temperature, solar specific glycols.
Any collector that spends a lot of time in stagnation conditions, in a closed loop glycol system is probably the most apt to have a shorter life.
I don't like seeing ST on vacation homes for example, not enough use, lots of stagnation time.
Depending on the brand, I have noticed a thinner gauge copper tube being used. Seems the industry started out with type L, then M, not it looks like fin tube grade of tube in some. Cost and weight reduction.
I have a few 30 year old Revere Copper collectors on my property. The copper gauge is more like a type K.
Plain water drainbacks seem to have the longest life expectancy, often outliving the roofing materials they are mounted on.
trainer for Caleffi NA
The magic is in hydronics, and hydronics is in me
What's the life expectancy for Caleffi panels in a closed loop with good maintenance?
You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
trainer for Caleffi NA
The magic is in hydronics, and hydronics is in me
COST:
Replace any broken piping/control/pump/expansion/fluid components using only a very excellent hydronic technician. Don't cheap on parts or glycol or time! It is worth it and not more than maintaining a boiler. However, if for some weird reason, your COLLECTORS are physically broken, you might as well throw in the towel and try to practice better upkeep on your next try with solar thermal!
Maintenance is worth it. Think of it as your car. Or boiler.
Jessica
https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/133064/steamback-system-design
Dave
So the three panels sat in my driveway for 6 months. Nobody wanted them because the rebate didn't cover installed used panels. Finally a carpenter that I was working with, who lived up north came over and took them. He wanted them for his house and they didn't have a rebate. I gave them to him for free.
So Solar Thermal can last 40 years or more!!!
Hydronics Designer
Hydronics is the most comfortable and energy efficient HVAC system.
I see 30 year old collectors still in working condition.
Here is one of a few 1970 vintage Revere collectors I still run.
Unique absorber design and very heavy gauge copper.
trainer for Caleffi NA
The magic is in hydronics, and hydronics is in me