Browse Forums Eco Living 1 Apr 03, 2009 2:49 pm Hey guys, My builder has asked us what type of Solar Hot Water System do we want, brand mainly? I said I would consult my wife and get back to him, since she knows nothing about them and I know nothing about them...help please??? We are planning on having panels, not tubes. Thanks, Bailey. Energy efficient custom built house - Moving In 3 Weeks Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 2Apr 03, 2009 9:23 pm here in WA there are 2 main ones. we were told it depends on the type of water where you build as to which one was the best. Ours came through the builder but we had already spoken to the supplier who actually sells both sorts. They explained which one suited the water for our area. if we'd replaced our gas hws in our last home we'd have gone the competitors one as it suited the water supply in the area we lived in better. Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 3Apr 03, 2009 10:33 pm We have a Rinnai Sunmaster Solar hot water system which is gas boosted. We've been in for three months, five of us living here 42 sq double storey house and never run out of hot water. Our tank is 175L and we have one panel. I'm more than happy with what we have Happy at Home Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 4Apr 12, 2009 4:34 pm House-To-Be We have a Rinnai Sunmaster Solar hot water system which is gas boosted. We've been in for three months, five of us living here 42 sq double storey house and never run out of hot water. Our tank is 175L and we have one panel. I'm more than happy with what we have Hi, Does Rinnai Sunmaster run similar to Rinnai Infinity in terms of running out of hot water? Do you know the advantages of SunMaster vs Inifinity? Thanks Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 5Apr 12, 2009 4:41 pm Sorry I answered my own question. SunMaster is more efficient Rinnai Sunmaster Gas Boosted Split System * Split System - Storage Cylinder installed ground level with Collectors mounted on the roof * High quality Vitreous Enamel lined steel cylinders * Continuous flow gas booster powered with the same technology as the Rinnai INFINITY Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 6Apr 13, 2009 8:50 am We have a Dux Sunpro Gas 305, and in the first 18 months had both panels replaced. They were leaking inside the panel under the glass. Lucky they were under warranty! Now just over two years old and something else on the panel is leaking. Its like a little valve on the top, but it does not leak all the time. Generally I hear it dripping when I am ****** in bed. The state government wonders why there is no water in the dams in victoria! Encouraging people to use solar hot water panels that leak all the time. We live in a new estate and we I go for a walk around it I cant help but look at everyones solar hot water panels. And guess what? I would say around 80% of them are leaking, and the owners are totally oblivious to this. Our system needs a tap to turn the water off to the panels so we dont waste water everytime the panels start leaking. If the panel leaks again I will be getting a plumber to install a bypass pipe because I wont be replacing them outside of the warranty period. I hope other manufactures panels are better than these. Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 7Apr 16, 2009 3:18 pm followup question regarding Rinnai Sunmaster Gas Boosted Split System - so if the tank needs to be heated, it will use the sunmaster unit to heat the tank? - how is it different to the ordinary solar gas boosted hot water except for the "instantaneous hot water" of sunmaster? Thanks Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 8Apr 25, 2009 5:11 pm Quote: Now just over two years old and something else on the panel is leaking. Its like a little valve on the top, but it does not leak all the time. Generally I hear it dripping when I am ****** in bed. The state government wonders why there is no water in the dams in victoria! Encouraging people to use solar hot water panels that leak all the time. We live in a new estate and we I go for a walk around it I cant help but look at everyones solar hot water panels. . Its more than likely your TPR valve. All hot storage water units have them. It allows for expansion. If you dont have one, then your hot water unit bursts. Quote: And guess what? I would say around 80% of them are leaking, and the owners are totally oblivious to this No, most owners know what the TPR valve is and how it functions. Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 9Apr 25, 2009 10:29 pm vvs mand Its more than likely your TPR valve. All hot storage water units have them. It allows for expansion. If you dont have one, then your hot water unit bursts. Quote: And guess what? I would say around 80% of them are leaking, and the owners are totally oblivious to this No, most owners know what the TPR valve is and how it functions. Sorry, not correct in my case or the solar panels I see in my estate. Most solar panels I see have either condensation inside the solar panels or you can actually see the scale/rust on the roof tiles below the solar panels. When I got up on my roof to check out the condensation, low and behold there was a constant stream of water squirting into the inside of the glass panel. This was definitely not the TPR valve, and I thought TPR valves were mounted on the side of the hot water unit not the solar panel itself. I had one of the frost protection valves replaced on Tuesday, it was leaking as described in my previous post. This valve is mounted on the side of the solar panel. The TPR valve, which in my case is mounted on the ground storage tank was not the problem. Please don't patronize me, I am simply providing feedback of my experience to the forum. I would also not assume that most owners know what the TPR valve is and how it functions. It may have been more constructive to provide a link or a quick explanation of how it works. In any case here is one I found,http://www.onehourplumbing.com.au/what_makes_it_tick.htm Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 10Apr 15, 2010 9:00 pm I am living currently in Victoria and it sounds like each state may have their own rules about this, but in Victoria, they seem to have to have a minimum efficiency rating to be legally installed.Solar hot water systems must achieve a minimum energy performance of 60% solar gain as measured by the Australian Standard for solar hot water systems AS 4234-1994.Well I will stay tunned with you for further info. Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 11Apr 15, 2010 9:12 pm Actually you're all correct. The Australian standards are pretty strict in terms of how efficient the systems should be. But there is no industry body that inspects the installation of these systems. 95% of any problems with leaking valves are often installation problems, because volume builders use standard plumbers to install these complicated systems. Some plumbers are fantastic and have put themselves through the training courses offered by green plumbing and the manufactures. But most haven't. There are similar issues with the Solar Elec industry in Qld & NSW. Both states are currently looking at a system like Victoria where the wiring installations are inspected before meters are changed over. Hopefully the government will learn LOTS for the foil insulation debacle and introduce government inspects for all rebated products. And to answer the questions - We'll be getting a DUX Continuous Flow 250 Lt Gas boosted system. ~W~ Building our forever home - Lilium Estate Clyde - Land due May 2019 Built our first home - Pakenham - 2011 Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 12Apr 16, 2010 11:54 am Any time you add another check to a process then it will end up costing money that will be passed on to the consumer. It may gives additional peace of mind but you wonder why the industry can't self regulate. The second question is whether the process has any difference in rigor if it run in the public or private sector. It all depends on the professional ethics of the installer and the inspector. How much would we pay for other services if we always needed a second opinion from professionals such as doctors. lawyers and accountants. Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 14Aug 09, 2010 4:26 pm Adrian, What did Dux have to say? Mine did exactly the same as yours! We moved in in 2007, then the first leak was 1 yr after that (just before the warranty runs out!) - and now, 2 yrs later, just noticed it leaking again 2 days ago!! Not happy!! Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 15Nov 23, 2011 4:04 pm Hi, just wanted to bump up this post, in case anyone out there is contemplating which brand of Solar hot water service to use.
I am livid that my 3 year old house has a leaking panel and Dxx wont even come out to look at the problem until I pay $120 call out fee. Then, if the problem is a manufacturing fault, I "only have to pay for parts and labour, but I will get the call out fee reimbursed!" A lady a few doors up from me, who's house is even newer than mine, has had the same experience and got stung with parts and labour. If there is an epidemic of faulty panels why is nobody looking into this? As a footnote, when my house was being built I sent an email to Dxx saying the panels had condensation and didnt look right, but I got no reply! Beware! Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 16Dec 02, 2011 2:22 pm It is good to see *** have decided to investigate the problems which have plagued their solar hot water systems for a couple of years now. If only it was investigated 2 1/2 years ago when I had my last panel replaced, these posts would not have popped up on the net. Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 17Dec 04, 2011 1:50 pm Thank you for your interest, but I have already contacted your office, and been told I can have a "free" panel if I pay $450 for instalation. Since I have already paid $120 for a call-out fee, I am not willing to spend any more money on a product which is supposedly under 'part warranty', being 3 years old. Homeone members, please ask your builder what brand of solar hot water system they use, and do your research. Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 18Jan 22, 2012 10:57 am Hi all, Was told by a serviceman this week, that certain solar panels (ie those used by Dux) manufactured around 2007-2008 had design flaws, and with regular heating up and cooling down due to the weather they quickly cracked and began leaking. He said that he knows of people who only found out when they received water bills of $2000. I only found out about mine when a repairman working on another house with a leaking panel up the street noticed my panel (being double storey and at the side of the house it is difficult to see) and put a note in my letterbox. Since then I have received my water bill and yes, it was double what it had ever been before. I add this post for all those who have panels installed that are 3 - 5 years old, to please check your panels and your water bill, because like me you may have a leaking solar panel and not even know. Regards, NN Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 19Jun 13, 2013 3:47 am kexkez here in WA there are 2 main ones. we were told it depends on the type of water where you build as to which one was the best. Ours came through the builder but we had already spoken to the supplier who actually sells both sorts. They explained which one suited the water for our area. Hi Interested to know what the two main one are. I thought we had more than that here in WA. What did they suggest for the South West? Building in Myalup with Redink PCQ : Nov 2012 Prestart: 17 th March 2013 Builders Permit: Sept 2013 Completed build Aug 2014 viewtopic.php?f=31&t=67559 Re: Which Solar Hot Water System do you have? 20Jun 13, 2013 7:22 am its not so much for the" sw "as it depends on your water. hard or soft. also there are different solanoids so once u pick your system u need to ask/pay for them to install it with the more expensive solenoid. ( think it was solenoids. as the cheaper ones dont last. would ask hubby but he is fast asleep) solaheart or rheam though it maybe that they are now one and the same. and maybe rinnai. there were 2 choices only with the builders. guess thrre could be more but you would pay more if its not a preferred brand. what ever the part was that needed upgrading, it wasnt suggested at install. our first one needed replacing at about 14 mont hs and as the repairer had none of the more exxy part in stock and those he rang didnt have it and it was winter we opted for the same replacement part. sure enough later the following years early spring it died. this time we were able to source the better replavement part. fingers crossed as this is winter 2 since the part was replaced. the sun master is the solar heating to "warm" the water in the tank the S26 is your hot water system which will heat the water (25 degrees?) so with both turned on you… 2 13643 I want to build a decking to the drawn shape outlined in black. The problem is how close can I build to the gas hot water unit? Will I be able to build around it and be… 0 20224 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair Hi, I've got a brand new (2nd hand) Bosch Hydropower 16H tankless hot water heater. Since it was installed I have noticed it leaks a lot. I took the cover off and it looks… 0 24147 |