Solar Panels for water heaters

Would like advice and a contact for good reliable company to fit solar panels for heating our water for our house in Melegis (small village between Motril and Granada), also what approximately should I expect to pay?

Hi,

I have always been working the man who now has  a company named " Elexa" in El Campello

and so have all my neighbours & friends.

He is reliable, helpful and always had the best prices.

The cost ? this will depend from the system that you need. I installed a solarhart in 2004, panel with 180l tank. in summer I even use it to heat my swimmingpool with as I always have too much hot water. In 2004 it costed me 1800 € but they have become a lot cheaper now.

Hi Dave,

Bruce Jardine from Castril (652677282) installed my solar system & a lot around these parts. OK, Melegis is a bit of a hike for him (but he works in France, UK, ...) and mine cost well over €1800 but is linked into an olive pip boiler, etc. Bruce is the nicest guy you'll ever meet and has time for everybody so in your place, I'd call him for professional advice even if he doesn't fit your system. There are factors I wouldn't even have considered e.g. at what time do you generally shower (panel alignment)  which doesn't matter much here in summer but in winter.... And, by-the-way, if you use Astra 28.2E he's also the only guy I know here able to align dishes with nothing more than a Sky box & TV.

John

Hi

Can i just ask how big the panels need to be for a water heater.

Thanks Paul

 hi there 

I fitted my solar water heating last year it has 16 Tubes at 1500 long and  55mm in diamiter it faces due south at angle of about 70 deg. The angle is so steep as to gather maximum energy during the winter months. You will need some form of back up heating during the winter unless you can put up with only warm water on really cloudy days. If you get three or four days of total thick cloud then solar alone will prob only get a 120 L tank 25 deg ish which is not really hot enough, It takes about 3/4 hours of winter sun to heat 120 L tank t0 45/50 deg. My system cost me about 2,500 euros I fitted it all myself so prob saved abour 800/1000 in labour. Solar water heating is the way forward, just be careful to check out what make the system is, a lot of the cheap Chinese systems have massive problems.

Hi,

Well if I can just throw my few "cents" worth into this now, you may find current thinking quite interesting.

Traditionally, it has always been thought that the "vac tube" system is more efficient. Generally, this is quite true, again beware Chinese crap. In the UK, nothing else is viable, but this IS NOT the UK, and the downside to these is that in summer you are using a huge amount of water lost as steam, BECAUSE of their efficiency.

My partners uncle has been fitting systems on the S. Costa Blanca for nearly 10 years, and until he fitted ours, had done things quite this way, incuding using 300ltr Stainless tanks brought in from UK.

When I showed him the Specs for the Ariston system, using TWO flat panels and a 200ltr tank. (Ariston Kairos Thermo 200/2) he was extremely impressed by the technical specs and fitted to both ours and my neighbours last April. The only difference was that he also fitted a small pump and controller to make it more efficient in winter. The net result, after 13 months of use is beyond extraordinary, I think the inbuilt immersion was used 5 times this winter, and only needed an hour at a time to boost the water to an acceptable temperature. The main advantage being that now it is "scorchio", we are not wasting water due to excessive evaporation. The total cost was around 2000€, but well worth it. The 2 panels offer 4m2 of solar collection and are not visibly intrusive from the exterior. Mine is roof mounted at aprx. 45º.

I would seriously recommend this type of system here on the costas, as flat panel efficiency has come a long way in the last few years.

Hope this helps

Phil H

Can you recommend installers for Estepona.

What are the rules/regulations for a Community of 70 dwellings.  Can 1 duplex have fitted, is premission required from the community.

cheers

anne

08 May 2012 14:46

Sorry I don't know any installers in Estepona area.

With regard to permission, of course I don't know the finer details of your particular community. However, on a general note regarding solar panels, the law is reasonably clear. All new approved PROJECTS (this is distinct from the actual construction date) from I think 2006 MUST have solar water provision. There is NO PLANNING permission involved.

Unless your community has it prohibited in the STATUTES (distinct from community rules), then you do NOT normally need permission as refusal would contravene legislation. If, by any chance someone were to say "its in the community rules" and NOT in the statutes, then I would consider that any such rule was probably NOT passed with the 100% participation required to ban such, AND is most likely illegal anyway. Where you have a community, the only point that would be valid is that any panels MUST be located on yours, NOT community property, unless agreed as such.

Phil

On the main road into Estepona from the A7 there is a supplier / installer of solar panels on the left hand side opposite Mc Donalds. Just noticed the place yesterday. 

Hi

We winter in Spain. We heat our water using gas which is reasonably priced so can't see much in the way of savings using solar power for this.

However the electricity bill can be horrendous if the weather is cold (as it has been the past two years). We do not like gas heaters due to the condensation.

Would there be any percentage in considering panels and radiators?

We have a S. facing roof.

Tteedd

we are having problems with our panels, company gone bust, so can anyone recommend someone in the Elche/Alicante area that  could come and have a look.

thanks