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Post by orange on Nov 29, 2013 18:20:13 GMT -5
Cye I glued some bolts in after taking the pic (dome head with the dome in the keg) they are way too long making it easier to align,, then once I run the nuts down so far I can use a mole grips on the excess thread to tighten and trim them off when tight ... sounds simple here and now. it wont be though.. the bottom is curved and my patch is flat so I wanted something thicker than hylomar,, I will check the temperature range if the sikaflex .
you must be sick of me by now. sorry
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Post by cye again on Nov 30, 2013 4:32:15 GMT -5
That bolt trick is clever. I had imagined you might tack the keg skin to the underside of bolt head with the mig to make it captive, just like a small spot weld, then grind it flat , or something similar. But that would risk messing up your smooth flat mating surface for the gasket and the rest of your work. Your way is a perfect zen solution though!
(That's fascinating stuff you're doing and I know it is also of interest to others, so keep it up!)
Rgds
Cye
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Post by cye on Nov 30, 2013 4:48:08 GMT -5
You should use a differential temperature controller for your solar hot water panel to control the pump. You can use the same velleman kit you've already purchased, and, instead of soldering in R4 (the 10k resistor), solder in its place jump leads to a connector block (terminal block). This is where the extra NTC10k thermister is connected. You can use two-core bell wire or two core lighting flex to fit your two sensors/thermisters remotely, one in the panel and one in the lower section of your hot water tank. Pot/weatherproof the thermisters and ends of the sensor cable with epoxy resin. Be careful of that velleman kit as I recall that it has no reverse polarity protection, i.e., you'll blow the board if you wire the 12v power in the wrong way round. You've probably seen this already, but if not, for a guide to making solar panels from rads see the guide here: solarco-op.net/Downloads/Morgan_DIY_Panel_Guide(word6).zipWhilst you won't need glazing in summer, it will a significant difference in bright but cooler weather. hope this helps cye
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Post by orange on Dec 1, 2013 4:52:14 GMT -5
morning Cye
I gave you a break yesterday (I feel like a needy child pestering you)
I have not fitted my patch yet (I had to do the father thing all day yesterday, soccer etc) but you were right sikaflex has too narrow a temp range I wont be using it..
I just had a look at that page for diy water panels. it was very helpful I realise now that I was being a bit (very) optimistic thinking that a simple radiator on the roof would heat enough water to give me a shower.
Whilst all and sundry were sitting down watching celebrities dancing in the jungle last night, I sat down to play with my thermostat kit... what a mess, My Lidl soldering iron takes so long to heat up the component that I could read a book, by the time the solder runs its softened the copper ring in the board.. I need to buy a new kit and a new soldering iron and some thinner solder... Or better still take caveman up on his very kind offer ;D Hint Hint
I have been weeks looking for old rads and double glazed units,, and a week Monday I have a job starting with loads of rads coming out and 40+ windows (some quite new) sadly when it starts I will no longer have time to "play at making things for Spain" and worse still probably wont be around when the windows come out to salvage anything??? .
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Post by caveman on Dec 1, 2013 6:58:14 GMT -5
Don't be shy. I'll send you my address in a PM. Don't bother buying a new kit, I will fix the track on the board. c
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Post by orange on Dec 1, 2013 17:16:43 GMT -5
Back on track l. Pipes dry fitted before I finish the boxing and fill with expanding foam. You can see the valve that I will use to guide the direction of water. . Hopefully
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Post by orange on Dec 1, 2013 17:24:08 GMT -5
Hmm thought I was clever using my phone to post and ad a picture. . Picture didn't come through. .file too big I guess
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Post by cye on Dec 1, 2013 18:38:42 GMT -5
here's the pic emailed in from orange. i can see what looks like a 12v solenoid valve, is there another one somewhere to enable switching of heat source from flue/stack coil to solar? is the top left port the top of the coil? and what are the other ports? Attachments:
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Post by orange on Dec 2, 2013 15:04:21 GMT -5
Evening Guys
Writing isn't my thing ,, So its probably best If I take a picture and label up the box when its finished it will probably be more informative than anything I write,, But in summary its a twin coil cylinder, One for solar one wood heated (the "flow" of my heating), It has a cold feed to the bottom which is also my drain down point. and a domestic water out from the top.. The wood heated coil has a valve (like I said a few posts ago should have been 3 port) with this valve closed I can insist water flows through the cylinder, and with it open I imagine/hope it will take the path of least resistance and bypass it (so not robbing my radiators of too much heat.
On the subject of radiators I have had a good day, At my first job this morning they had just removed two So one is going to be the basis of my solar collector thingy and the other (modern type) will take residence in the bedroom, Shame no valves or brackets.. To add to my luck there was a full coil of "John Guest" pipe laying in the middle of the road at a roundabout Causing a tailback... So I did what any self respecting "skip diver" would do ,, took it into custody for safe keeping,, Then I stopped in a layby to let the dog do his thing and found £10 I rushed to the nearest shop to check my lottery,,, No joy, I will still be spending Christmas on an airbed at a building site Spain.. But I cant wait.
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Post by orange on Dec 7, 2013 13:44:03 GMT -5
good evening Cye
all things being equal I plan to make the boxes for my solar collectors tomorrow,, I haven't had time to buy the insulation but I am going to use foil backed foam @30mm.. and hopefully depending on what wood I have make them greenhouse glass size,, (cheap and easy to transport) I am going to use both radiators I salvaged and link them together (separate boxes for ease of transport) do you think 10mm pipe (which I have) will be sufficient for the flow/return) or am I best using 15mm..
many thanks
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Post by cye again on Dec 8, 2013 14:02:21 GMT -5
if it's two rads, say no more than a square metre of collector in total, then this will have a max heat output of say 1000w. for this, 20m round trip of 10mm pipe is ok for a 2m head pump, and more than adequate for a 3m head pump.
hope this helps.
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Post by orange on Dec 8, 2013 17:02:22 GMT -5
thanks Cye ,, I didn't even get started on the collector .. but I think I will buy 15mm pipe as I think I will have more than a square meter... if I get a chance to make them .. as for the pump...well I had ordered one from China before I ordered one with you,,, but you were so informative I ordered one from you too,, quality wise they are chalk and cheese but the Chinese one will have to do for the solar collector for the short term at least mind you it looks more like a screen wash pump cheers
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Post by cye on Dec 9, 2013 14:58:18 GMT -5
devil's advocate here...or you could hedge your bets and do half in 15mm and half in 10mm, say, using the 10mm for the flow from the panels to the tank. i can think of worse compromises.
in my own case i used some 15mm at both the tank and the panel ends, and all the slow bends were in 15mm rather than 10, with 10mm used for the long straight runs. this way i endeavoured to minimise both resistance to flow (to give the pump an easier time) and the volume of water/fluid in the solar loop (so that more of the collected heat would end up in the tank)
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Post by orange on Dec 9, 2013 19:01:14 GMT -5
hello Cye the way time is rushing by I will decide "in the field" see what suits the situation.. and what I can lay my hands on.. As much as I detest plastic pipe I plan to do some of the(heating) pipe runs in it for speed and its less of a target for thieves,, So I will have 15mm pipe.at hand. I have just made the boxes for my collectors, insulated the inside and welded mounting lugs on the rads.. I ended up having to buy timber and the boxes are too big for greenhouse glass... 750x1200 and 750x1850. Depending on time I might make a frame for the glazing so I can remove the glass and bring the collectors in when I leave (the house is remote and has been a target for looters) but it would be faster just to silicone the glass on the box but too heavy to carry as a total unit.. nothings easy! Did you paint the insulation black or leave it reflective? to me black would make more sense but we have already established science is not my strength! I have been toying with the idea of fitting a solenoid valve to the solar loop to stop it thermo syphoning at night.. I have one in my box of bits . cheers Cye you are always a guiding light
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Post by cye again on Dec 10, 2013 3:49:12 GMT -5
as much matt black in the box as you can get, or at least where the light is going to get at, so no need to paint behind the rads. this way, even though the black-painted radiator will be absorbing most of the heat directly from the sun, the other areas under the glass exposed to light will be able to capture some energy and heat the air around the rad. it all helps.
if you are painting directly to the foam insulation, test a little of the paint first. some of those foam boards have small perforations in the foil backing, and i am not sure what your paint would do to the foam. if in doubt, first glue some aluminium foil to the board with pva, and paint it instead.
Glass issue : As a temporary measure, even clear plastic/polythene sheet would be better than no glass at all.
plastic pipe is not recommended on a solar loop, but if you are forced to use it, then avoid using it within a few metres of the collector, and if possible, limit to the cold side of the loop. this might reduce your chances of melting the pipe. Silicone pipe is however fine if you can get it in large enough bore.
hope this helps
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