Don Johnson's Website

My Personal 'Stuff'
Some pictures of a Solartwin solar panel installed on our Kitchen roof
SOLAR LIFELINE
I recently had problems with my little pump  which was going to cost a lot to replace.  Luckily I found Solarproject.co.uk, run by solar enthusiast Peter Crayfourd who offers a far cheaper repair service.   His website is packed with useful info', particularly on the Solar Twin Help page.   Well worth a visit!

Connections in the airing cupboard - the insulated pipes are from the panel. Red wire to top cylinder sensor is also visible

The little pump in the loft - mounted to reduce vibrations.  Also the black PV, and yellow panel sensor, cables

Installation nearly finished
No! there is no reflected heat
from the panel!


The panel, supported on a wooden 'A' frame.  A cross batten attached by the white bracket has held it down even in high winds

The Photo Voltaic (PV) cell that provides power for the motor is mounted at the top right hand corner

A view of the rear of the house showing the discreet appearance of the panel.
Most panels are usually mounted on the most appropriate sloping roof of a house, making installation much simpler and neater than ours.   I chose the flat roof so that I could do the complete installation myself, without having to go up tall ladders.




The sun has gone down, but the temperature at the top of the cylinder - displayed on the Controller - shows that the solar panel kept the water very hot even when the central heating boiler was off (in August).


The Solartwin system I installed is now marketed under the name ThermaTwin by DiscreteHeat.   If you want to visit their site, it is here.  It contains wide-ranging information on their innovative system, presented in an extremely straightforward and honest manner.

I purchased their DIY kit, which comes with very detailed and comprehensive instructions, and the materials supplied are of high quality.

One point worth noting is that the pipes feeding the panel are far less visible, or totally unseen, when the panel is fitted on a sloping roof - which is the usual place for solar panels.

When sourcing some extra insulation - needed because my panel is not directly on a roof - I mentioned the simplicity of the system, and was told by someone
'with 30 years experience in the plumbing trade'
that 'it would never work!'

Well, he was wrong! -  It works a treat!



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