I see most of the people in my area are going to flat plate collector geysers. I know that Evacuated Tubes are more efficient and works better in cloudy connections but it works to well in summer apparently.
I've seen examples on YouTube of evacuated tube solar geysers which have systems to cool down the water before it reaches the taps. Not sure if it's available locally.
Personally I'd prefer an Evacuated Tube Geyser because it's more efficient, I'm on the East Coast and my area is prone to the odd 8 to 16 hours blackout. So I'd like something that's most likely still going to give me the best chance of hot water even during a blackout in winter.
Or should I go with the crowd and just a a flat panel geyser?
BTW do dishwashers sold locally have a water water intake pipe like most washing machines have?
Good day all,
My geyser packed up over the weekend and I have been thinking before of options, but I haven't yet come to a conclusion on the best way forward and hope somebody on the forum can assist. I also know technology change weekly and what used to work best a year ago might not be best option today.
I do have a small gas geyser in a second bathroom, but I find the gas geyser (bosch) to be a bit temperamental. I have finally sorted it out and it has been running ok for the past 5 months. Have a 19kg bottle which have to be replaced every 4 months(R506). So I don't want to have another gas geyser.
My plan is to move my geyser out of the ceiling. I don't particularly want to put it on the roof so am thinking of putting it on the ouside wall under the overhang. No I know flat panel or evac tube systems would need a pump to get hot water to cylinder, which with eskom is problematic unless you install a solar pump.
So I am leaning towards solar panels that provide power for an element in the geyser. This way I dont have to do lots of plumbing, don't sit with potential of overheating geyser in summer, I don't have to replace or service tubes of flush flat panels and I believe solar panels to be very reliant and nowadays quite cost effective. So the simplicity and reliability of the system does appeal to me. I know the solar panels will take up a bit more space on the roof than the other two options, but that is no big concern to me. PV system perhaps might be slightly less effective(maybe) but I am willing to sacrifice a bit of efficiency to achieve reliability and simplicity.
So is there any sense in my way of thinking? I know many flat panels and tubes has been installed over the past few years with great success probably also due the PV system being a bit more costly due cost of panels in the past, but that have changed over the past few years. I have no idea what the element for the PV system would cost and if that would be a deal breaker.
I live in Durbanville Cape Town so I have plenty sun in summer and fair amount in winter.
Anybody with knowledge on the subject please share your opinion. And if anybody at this point can advice on a reliable person that perhaps can assist with installing PV system in my area please send his details. So for now I am biased towards PV system unless members can convince me otherwise.
Many thanks for always sharing your knowledge in this ever evolving field. Stef
