Legislation affecting solar thermal

[Ric2013]

Given that solar thermal is an uncontrolled heat source, does one have to have any specific qualification to flush and refill a thermal system if the system is heating an open-vented (gravity) hot water system?

For clarification, the primary solar water is a sealed system, but the secondary hot water is open-vented.

Reason I ask is I have a customer wants the sludgy rubbishy water replaced by fresh water and solar transfer fluid. Flushing solar out seems relatively straightforward from a plumbing perspective, but I just wondered if there is are any legislative issues I need to consider?

Thanks gents!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

BPEC Solar Thermal Hot Water course

i would say yes you need to know what your doing

 

[Ric2013]

Seems to be a good course, but not sure it's relevant to a flush and refill situation as there's nothing about maintenance that I can see on the content, and I don't necessarily need to know how to design a system to service one. I suppose I'm strictly asking about the law rather than what would be ideal.

Have you any link that discusses the law specifically?

It has occurred to me that this is a sealed system, but then so are most heating systems and you don't need any qualification to flush and refill those.

Obviously I'd need to know what I'm doing, but my feeling is flush as per chemical manufacturer's instructions, add R100 or S1 to manufacturer's instructions, circulate with a pump to get all the air out and I don't think I'd be far wrong.

If I knew a good local solar installer, this is something I'd hand over to them, but customer says only person they can find is from Anglesey, and the company that originally installed this system wasn't interested in solar, just in it for the money and jumping on the bandwagon, (later fined for misselling IIRC), and now gone.

Obviously the course would be a long-term goal anyway and would help me suggest improvements to the existing design which, as an unqualified person as far as regards solar, I would not be able to do. But I can't do the course without the prerequisites anyway.

 

[townfanjon]

Yes you are supposed to be qualified, I was , but wont renew it . The main problem you have is getting hold of a filling machine .

 

[Sharp Point]

As far as I’m aware, there is no official qualification you need to fit thermal solar... there is no legal requirement. It’s more a training excercise with a fancy bit of paper at the end. I’ll stand corrected if anyone shows me a bit of real legislation that requires a qualification.

 

[Ric2013]

Yes you are supposed to be qualified, I was , but wont renew it . The main problem you have is getting hold of a filling machine .

I'm trying to work out whether a power flushing machine is much different. Obviously you'd have to pressurise separately if you use the 'wrong' machine and perhaps a powerflush pump is more powerful. Will have to check the specs to see if this is even remotely feasible.

 

[quality]

Yes you are supposed to be qualified, I was , but wont renew it . The main problem you have is getting hold of a filling machine .

Ive done a bit of solar but made my own machine for that exact reason

 

[Ric2013]

Yes you are supposed to be qualified, I was , but wont renew it . The main problem you have is getting hold of a filling machine .

Why won't you renew the qualification? So what qualification should the customer be looking for in someone who wants to service the system?

 

[Sharp Point]

I had a filling station, but sold it on after installs dropped off after the renewable explosion 10 years ago. If I go to service a thermal solar install, I just use a modified garden sprayer pump. Easily get up to 2 bar with that

 

[Brambles]

I am not aware of any legislation that prevents anyone working on the primary system of wet solar systems - other than any part that may be covered by G3 legislation.

However, they (wet solar) can be difficult systems to reestablish a balanced PH after flushing. PH should be 7 Sometimes the original system has been filled with deionised water to achieve this

As Towfanjon as indicated you really need to have the correct pump set up, to achieve the above

 

[townfanjon]

I had a filling station, but sold it on after installs dropped off after the renewable explosion 10 years ago. If I go to service a thermal solar install, I just use a modified garden sprayer pump. Easily get up to 2 bar with that

Cheers for the heads up on that pal , my fluid wants changing.

 

[Ric2013]

However, they (wet solar) can be difficult systems to reestablish a balanced PH after flushing. PH should be zero. Sometimes the original system has been filled with deionised water to achieve this

As Towfanjon as indicated you really need to have the correct pump set up, to achieve the above

PH should be 0. Do you mean 7? I assume you mean you need the pump to make getting the correct quantity of solar fluid to water ratio easy?

 

[Sharp Point]

Cheers for the heads up on that pal , my fluid wants changing.

Piece of 10mm copper shoved into the sprayer hose and jubilee clipped on, then the world is your oyster regards how you final terminate it.

 

[townfanjon]

Why won't you renew the qualification? So what qualification should the customer be looking for in someone who wants to service the system?

No real demand Ric , mine was the bpec one , I am still pretty sure you have to have the qual , can you imagine fitting a system without being qualified and it goes **** up .

 

[Sharp Point]

PH should be 0. Do you mean 7? I assume you mean you need the pump to make getting the correct quantity of solar fluid to water ratio easy?

Why, premix it or buy ready to use fluid.

 

[Ric2013]

I mean to change the fluid. I suppose my thinking is that I could change the oil in my van without understanding the engine at all, provided I used the right oil and the right quantity.

 

[Sharp Point]

No real demand Ric , mine was the bpec one , I am still pretty sure you have to have the qual , can you imagine fitting a system without being qualified and it goes **** up .

But who polices it?

 

[Ric2013]

Why, premix it or buy ready to use fluid.

That was my thought. Ignore the filling loop (!) that the installer 'kindly' fitted and fill with the pump and then final pressure with a garden spray of the correct mix.

 

[Ric2013]

But who polices it?

That's what I want to know. Because it isn't a modification, so nothing to do with Building Control, so there might be a regulatory body involved?

 

[townfanjon]

But who polices it?

Yer I know, its one of them “ what ifs “ lol

 

[quality]

Only if there claiming a FIT

 

[Brambles]

PH should be 0. Do you mean 7? I assume you mean you need the pump to make getting the correct quantity of solar fluid to water ratio easy?

You are correct - PH 7. - apologies!!

The difficulty I have experienced is that any residual left in after flushing makes getting the correct PH time consuming - often needing further flushing. This is a bigger problem in hard water areas

 

[Ric2013]

You are correct - PH 7. - apologies!!

The difficulty I have experienced is that any residual left in after flushing makes getting the correct PH time consuming - often needing further flushing. This is a bigger problem in hard water areas

This is really interesting.

Because Sentinel seems to imply that so long as the cleaner has been flushed out correctly, you just need to add R100 (pure) and you will have a PH 0f between 7.8 and 8.5 and are good to rock and roll.

I guess though, that if there is water left in the system then you would have a slight dilution. Don't think this is likely in this system as it is an evacuated tube system. Famous last words.

 

[Ric2013]

Only if there claiming a FIT

They aren't.

 

[Rob Foster]

Its no wonder no one is interested in Solar Thermal
(except me in the long term)
there is NO money in it
see these figures from April 2019...its a graveyard
2000 only fittings in 2o19 and down by a massive %
on the previous year ..oh dear
Rob Foster aka centralheatking