Solar Heaters

[Gearoil]

You really got a problem today. This is not you. Take the day off.

 

Wah...you are are a genius leh...can detect me got a problem leh!

 

Today, got a little bit of problem...got a bit work up...encounter a bxstard on the road this morning, nearly drive right onto me by entering a no entry, one way road which I was travelling on ...

 

I stop my car and got half way out and shouted at him if he don't reversed back out of the one way road, I'll definitely take his particulars and report to TP!

 

Bay song, after he reversed out and just as I was about to come out of the junction, he come out of the car as though want to challenge me like that...no time for such baxtard...so I just drove off!

 

Bxstard was a 50+ yr old man who looked like a decent sort of fatherly guy with greyish strands of hair!

 

So you see, decent looking guy can also be a bxstard leh...what does that leave rich and decent type?

[Genie47]

Knock it off. Enough.

[Gadgeter]

I understand that there is some heater where the water pressure doesn't drop when someone turn on the tap in the other toilet..

 

Is there any?

[Genie47]

That is only the hot water pressure because it is from the heater tank. The domestic unheated water will fluctuate due to demand. Use it with a mixer which is only right since you want water at the right temperature, pressure will still drop.

 

I've given up on tank heaters long time ago. Opting to use the electric instant ones for the shower.The whole house heated water supply, I'm using the gas-fired heater.

 

Home-Fix DIY is having a offer with this one. Get the gas-fired clothes dryer and the gas-fired water heater together.

 

My main gripe with this new water heater. It has 2 burners in it. Mine is the older model. It has 3 burners.

Edited July 9, 2008 by Genie47

[Gadgeter]

a friend of mine said that gas heater consumes lesser 'power' than electric instant heater.. True?

 

Forgot to indicate, I'm looking for instant type.. Cos I heard tank heater consumes high electricity.

[Comnao]

 

 

Edited July 9, 2008 by Comnao

[Comnao]

How come? Afterall, it is just a simple panel that collects the radiated heat from the sun to heat up pipes and that's it. No moving parts save for some valves.

 

i think my has some electricity generating thing inside or was it the water pump to pump the water up to the roof .. i am not sure

 

anyway... it was installed by the prev owner.

and i certainly not pleased to have it break down only after 2 years of moving in lor

[Comnao]

 

in actual fact, i prefer to meet than to exchange words...

 

nice to know u, let's kopi someday, k?

 

swee!! steady !!

[Genie47]

Yes. The electric tank heater eats a lot of power. It has to keep that water hot. Its like your electric thermo pot.

 

The gas heater is more efficient. You burn gas and you got heat! As simple as that.

[Genie47]

If generate electricity then it will be a solar panel. That is different. It generates the electricity and then the electricity heats the water. Very different because this is made all the more complicated.

 

If it is passive heating using radiated heat from the sun and the heated water kept hot in a tank on standby from passive insulation, it will definitely be simpler and won't break down so easily.

 

The problem is, you get a couple of days with rain, you don't get hot water. So, if I'm guessing right, the standby tank is heated with electricity from the grid. So in an essence, the hotter the weather, the lower the electricity consumed.

 

If it is well designed, the water should be circulated by convection and the heat kept up.

 

Then again, if the weather is very hot, you on A/C. All the savings burned away. LPPL.

Edited July 9, 2008 by Genie47

[Robo]

i just finish work lor...

 

[Steam]

break down only after 2 years of moving in?

 

oh, that's really bad.

do you have any idea how long had the previous owner installed it?

 

wonder how long is the warranty period.

[Comnao]

he said recently installed

so i take it to mean that its between 1 to 3 yrs old

 

I dont think anyone would spend so much on a system to sell the house shortly after that

 

so total estimated 5 yrs old

 

i am not upset about the panel ... what i din expect was the scaffolding cost

[Steam]

ic...no wonder you keep mentioning about the scaffolding cost. Makes more sense if the painting of the walls are also done at the same time, right.

 

just to share some findings:

The most important part of a solar-power system is the collector, which converts sunlight into heat. Collectors can be placed either on the roof or on the ground. Even when the sky is cloudy, the collectors are still able to supply heat. They have, in fact, been built in such a way that they convert light into heat. If the sun shines in abundance, the water will heat up quickly. If it is cloudy, it will take a little longer for the water to reach the required temperature.

[Comnao]

Hmmm ... couple of Qn

 

a. what happens if it had been raining continuous for a few days ... like recently ?

I mean .. this is prob the time when you need hot water most right ?

Who needs to bathe hot water on a sunny day?

 

b. Any info on the rate of heat loss ?

eg. Today is hot and sunny, so i managed to heated a tank of water up to say 50dC

How soon will this tank drop to room temp as the heat is being lost ?

 

c. if you place it on the ground, does that mean you cannot step on it or put anything on it? any safety issue where the glass will crack and hurt people if small children step on it

 

reason why i am asking is most of us landed owners built the structure to the max allow limit, which doesnt leave you with a lot of free land (maybe except buang-gah-loh )

 

actually my mother plc is using those indiv one that you see pple install in hdb... doesnt seem to cost a lot to run also.

except that it is damn leychey for me to go and hack all the toilets walls ... some of the tiles cannot be found liao.

 

meantime ... cold shower for me

[Steam]

Yes. The electric tank heater eats a lot of power. It has to keep that water hot. Its like your electric thermo pot.

 

The gas heater is more efficient. You burn gas and you got heat! As simple as that.

 

Sounds good!

I'll explore this alternative too.

[Genie47]

Check Rinnai's on-demand gas fired water heater systems. I think the series is called Infinity. They can supply the whole house depending on your inlet's flow rate. Higher flow rate, you can have a bigger unit. Very popular in Australia where gas heating is preferred. You have the choice of having town gas (from PUB) or use LPG but you have to monitor the cylinder level.

[Steam]

a. what happens if it had been raining continuous for a few days ... like recently ?

I mean .. this is prob the time when you need hot water most right ?

Who needs to bathe hot water on a sunny day?

 

Ya man, only babies need hot bath on such days.

 

 

b. Any info on the rate of heat loss ?

eg. Today is hot and sunny, so i managed to heated a tank of water up to say 50dC

How soon will this tank drop to room temp as the heat is being lost ?

 

I called to enquire but they always "siam" this topic. don't dare to commit...just avoid by saying insignificant.

 

 

c. if you place it on the ground, does that mean you cannot step on it or put anything on it? any safety issue where the glass will crack and hurt people if small children step on it

reason why i am asking is most of us landed owners built the structure to the max allow limit, which doesnt leave you with a lot of free land (maybe except buang-gah-loh )

 

share the same view. Saftey is the main concern here, esp. the kids & old folks. Not practical...

 

 

actually my mother plc is using those indiv one that you see pple install in hdb... doesnt seem to cost a lot to run also.

except that it is damn leychey for me to go and hack all the toilets walls ... some of the tiles cannot be found liao.

 

meantime ... cold shower for me

 

me too! on cold shower now...back to the good old days!

 

btw, my heater tank lasted about 6.5yrs and finally leaking. flooded my toilet celling...hiaz

wonder if there is any repair for the tank available...