Solar Water Heating: An installers viewpoint

Pieter @ 4 Seasons Solar said:
Ag.................... Why would you need 65'C water if you reduce the temp to a bath temp of 43-45'C, with cold water anyway....
Click to expand...

A big family? ...

Cashbuild sell a small vacuum tube system well priced? Why install a big expensive system.

PS: I am asking for advise not stating facts
 
Cashbuild

The rule of thumb is 50L per person in the house. That is a very rough estimate as everyone has diffferent showerheads and takes different depth baths and length showers.

They are probably low pressure systems, fine for running baths, but forget about about showering. Self installing is actually illegal, a qualified plumber MUST install a geyser full stop, so consider that. Is there a rebate on the system? Is it on the Eskom programme, is it SABS approved, etc??????
 
I had a solar geyser fitted (vacuum tube) with a 150l tank. Cost me in the region of R16 000 and received my rebate 4 weeks later. My saving is +/- R250 a month (before the latest Eskom increase).
 
kaybeach007 said:
The rule of thumb is 50L per person in the house. That is a very rough estimate as everyone has diffferent showerheads and takes different depth baths and length showers.

They are probably low pressure systems, fine for running baths, but forget about about showering. Self installing is actually illegal, a qualified plumber MUST install a geyser full stop, so consider that. Is there a rebate on the system? Is it on the Eskom programme, is it SABS approved, etc??????
Click to expand...

So 3 geysers for the 2 of us is too much?
 
Size

2 people should go for a 150L system, I always recommend flat plate collector systems for our climate. Get a reputable installation company to do the installation and you should get a rebate in the region of R4500-R5000.
PM me and I will send you the contact details of our nearest office, we have 40 around the country, we know what we are doing.
 
kaybeach007 said:
Self installing is actually illegal, a qualified plumber MUST install a geyser full stop, so consider that. Is there a rebate on the system? Is it on the Eskom programme, is it SABS approved, etc??????
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly SANS 10254 only applies to electrical hot water heaters - which needs a certified installer. SANS 10106 only needs to be applied if the SWH is installed in the roof ? Although for insurance purposes it would be wise to seek professional installation and a SABS certified product.
 
Legislation

Always make sure that you read legislation correctly.

Legislation follows a heirachy starting with the Constitution, but don't let me go there. If it has something to do with any building it falls under the NATIONAL BUILDING REGULATIONS AND
BUILDING STANDARDS ACT NO. 103 OF 1977 (with a few amendments since 1977). SANS0400 The Application of the National Building Regulations is the next one to watch out for. A18 reads as follows:
A18. CONTROL OF PLUMBERS AND PLUMBING WORK
(1) No person shall perform the trade of plumbing as contemplated in Government Notice R1875 of 31 August 1979 unless he is a trained plumber or works under the adequate control of a trained plumber or approved competent person.
(2) Where any person who is not a trained plumber has been practising the trade of plumbing and was required in terms of any local authority by-law to register with it before so practising in its area of jurisdiction, he may, if he is so registered, continue to practise in such area or the area of any other local authority if such registration is acceptable to such other local authority.
(3) No local authority shall, for the purposes of these regulations, register any person to practise the trade of plumbing after the coming into operation of the Act.
(4) Any person not being a trained plumber or not being a person contemplated in sub regulation (2), who practises the trade of plumbing shall be guilty of an offence.
(5) Any trained plumber who causes or permits any person who is not a trained plumber or is not a person contemplated in sub regulation (2), to practise the trade of plumbing without adequately controlling the work done by such person, shall be guilty of an offence.

So next time you change a washer in the bathroom tap, prepare to be arrested (jokes! read Government Notice R1875 of 31 August 1979). That piece of legislation pretty much outlaws DIY geyser installations, fullstop, you cannot argue it. But let's continue.

SANS0254 The installation, maintenance, replacement and repair of fixed electric storage water heating systems, is next on the heirarchy. Read the title again. 99% of solar water heaters have an electrical backup element, therefore it applies. The scope specifically states: 1.3 It covers water heaters that fall within the scope of SANS 151 but excludes solar water heaters and the solar part of dual purpose heaters. So SANS0254 covers everything except the piping to and from the collector panel and the collector panel itself. All solar water heaters must be installed as per SANS0254.

The last piece of legislation in the heirachy, after you have applied all the others, is SANS10106 The installation, maintenance, repair and replacement of domestic solar water heating systems. Again if you read the scope it applies to ALL domestic solar water heaters, whether it's inside, outside, over, under, ontop, below, doesn't matter. All solar water heaters must be installed as per SANS10106.

Here's a scary scenario. Mr Joe DIY installs a geyser in his house. He makes a small mistake in the installation. He lives there for 10 years and then decides to sell the house. The new owner moves in and lives there for a year when suddenly one day his wife and 2 year old daughter come home, go to the basin in the bathroom to wash their hands for lunchtime and BANG the water heater explodes, killing the 2 year old and permanently disabling the wife. The new owner is distort and starts a witch hunt. Forensic experts determine that the geyser was installed incorrectly approx 12 years ago. They find Mr Joe DIY and determine that he did the installation himself, they charge him with manslaughter (jail time) and the new owner opens a civil suit against him for damages to the house, emotional torment for the loss of their daughter and disablement of his wife and all current and future medical expenses of his disabled wife. Win or lose - fact or fiction, it's up to you to decide.

Have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmJoyuUJj2Q
 
I'm not sure I can swallow this DIY thing, I'll have to talk to a few knowledgeable people around here to make sure. So far I have done all my plumbing since I fist had my own house myself, and reading the gazette it refers to the TRADE (selling your skills as a professional), not DIY.

Again, I'll have to go and have a chat with the locals to see what is the truth behind this.

pietb, you have a PM.
 
question about geyser blankets. When I had roof insulation installed a few years ago they used off cuts to create a geyser blanket, but then turned the geyser temp down to 55°C. when I asked why, they said if the geyser got to hot it could burst?

so how true is this?
 
No geyser blanket fitted.

Not to sure of the cause but it is clearly visible in one of the pictures that the safety valve was plugged.
 
Hi Spiff,

Didn't see your 1st query about the geyser becoming to hot. The only reason a geyser could explode is because of a pressure increase, normally from the thermostat not switching of the element and the water starts boiling. As long as the geyser's safety valve is functioning it will open and relieve the pressure, preventing the geyser from exploding. The problem is nobody does maintenance on there geysers and valves, and therefore the valves fail. Not even to mention the idiots that plugs the safety valve becuase "..it was leaking.."
 
4sure a plugged or faulty valve can be catastrophic. My geyser drips when on temperature, so I know the safety valve is working.

ok so I can install a geyser blanket and leave the geyser temp at 60°c then? as long as the valve continues to work!
 
The valve you see dripping is most likely the pressure control valve and not the safety valve. The safety valve will only leak when required to protect the geyser. If it drips when the geyser heats it is most likely faulty.
 
plumber said:
The valve you see dripping is most likely the pressure control valve and not the safety valve. The safety valve will only leak when required to protect the geyser. If it drips when the geyser heats it is most likely faulty.
Click to expand...

Mk so there is another valve lurking somewhere. what brand of valves would u recommend if I wanted to replace the old ones? don't want to put in cheap crap. these ones have survived 17yrs already!
 
It is situated directly on the geyser, should find it on the back side of the geyser.
Any brand you buy over the counter will be do. Must just make sure that the pressure rating of the safety valve(TP valve) is equal or less than the geyser's rating (your existing valve would most likely be the correct rating)

The TP must also be pipe to the outside of the building in a 22mm copper pipe.

Please remember to find a qualified plumber to do the work!

Search www.pirb.co.za for a qualified plumber.
 
plumber said:
It is situated directly on the geyser, should find it on the back side of the geyser.
Any brand you buy over the counter will be do. Must just make sure that the pressure rating of the safety valve(TP valve) is equal or less than the geyser's rating (your existing valve would most likely be the correct rating)

The TP must also be pipe to the outside of the building in a 22mm copper pipe.

Please remember to find a qualified plumber to do the work!

Search www.pirb.co.za for a qualified plumber.
Click to expand...

as far as I know there is only 1 pipe coming out of the roof and it's not copper. I had the geyser wise controller installed this month and the install removed the original thermostat which had a date on it "JULY1986" Guess I should get a plumber to have a look at it, although the geysers never giving me trouble in the 17yr I've been living there.
 
plumber said:
No geyser blanket fitted.

Not to sure of the cause but it is clearly visible in one of the pictures that the safety valve was plugged.
Click to expand...
Yeah I dunno why people fiddle with things they dont know about, look there is water dripping, lets plug it....KABOOOM!!!. Look I do a lot of DIY things myself too, but seriously, know when you dont know what you are doing!!!
 
spiff said:
as far as I know there is only 1 pipe coming out of the roof and it's not copper. I had the geyser wise controller installed this month and the install removed the original thermostat which had a date on it "JULY1986" Guess I should get a plumber to have a look at it, although the geysers never giving me trouble in the 17yr I've been living there.
Click to expand...
Almost every safety geyser I get to has a Polycop pipe on the safety valve, a lot of plumbers out there are giving the good ones a bad name, But consumers dont know the rules so who cares, right.... WRONG!! Old geyser last for decades, new ones can also last if they get serviced.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X