FAQ

How does it work?

The Thermodynamic Solar System works in the same way as the common fridge, only in reverse! The technology of refrigeration is well proven and the system has the same need for regular maintenance as your fridge, which it practically none.

The system is powered by a small compressor with an energy consumption of 400 watts. The compressor sends a refrigeration gas (R134a) with a boiling point of -26.3°C through the panel, where the gas comes in contact with the ambient air temperature, causing the gas to heat up and expand.

The panel is equally comfortable in wet and windy, or dry and warm conditions and even snow.

The system will collect heat from the air by one or more of three methods:

1. Conduction - when the panel is wet from rain,
2. Convection - when the air passes both under and over the panel,
3. Radiation - when the sun shines on it.

The gas is then returned to the compressor where it becomes compressed. During compression, as the gas is forced back into a liquid state, its temperature is raised to in excess of 90° C and is then used to heat the water contained in the hot water cylinder to 55° C.

The liquid is then allowed to return to a gaseous state and then sent back to the panel to start the process all over again until the hot water tank reaches the required temperature. Once the required temperature is reached the system shuts off with no energy being consumed.

On average, for every 400 watts of electricity that is consumed by the compressor, approximately 1,600 watts of thermal energy is delivered to the hot water cylinder. Therefore of the total energy transferred to the hot water, 25% comes from electricity and the other 75% is gathered from the atmosphere.

Will it give me hot water all year round?

Yes. The system works in practically all weather conditions, summer and winter.

Does it depend on light like the tube solar panels?

No. It is helped by exposure to the heat from the sun, but the main source of heat is from the air, so windy, even wet & windy days are good for collecting heat from the atmosphere.

I have heard it works at night, is this true?

Yes, it is not dependant on daylight. It works all hours, even during the night. The System works whenever the ambient temperature is more than 15° warmer than the boil point of the gas, which is -26.3°C

Do I need to put the panels on a South facing roof?

Preferably, because it will enjoy the greatest difference between the ambient temperature surrounding the panel and the boil temperature of the refrigerant if you can put it on a South facing roof, BUT, it is not absolutely necessary.

You can happily put it on an East or West facing roof. In fact, you don’t need to put the panel on a roof at all; you can also put it on a wall if that is more convenient.

Can I disconnect my boiler from my hot water cylinder?

Yes. You will have 100% of your hot water needs and you will never need your boiler to heat the water in your domestic hot water cylinder again.

What about my Immersion Heater? Will I use it?

We keep the immersion heater in place for two reasons; you have it as backup in case you have an unusually high usage of hot water and the system is not able to recover in time for your needs. And secondly, from time to time, you will use the immersion heater to raise the temperature from 55° to 70° to kill any bacteria that might be able to survive the 55°

How long does the system need to recover and provide me with a full cylinder of hot water?

If your cylinder is 300 litres capacity or less, the system will recover in 6-7 hours max.

Definitely, overnight. If you have a concern about the recovery time, we can address that concern by offering you a system with 2 panels rather than the single panel unit. This will significantly improve the recovery time.

Will it save me money?

Yes. You get 3- 4 units of heat for every unit of electricity you use. This means that your bill for heating your water will be 25-30% of your previous bills. A saving of around 70%! The system has a useful life of about 20 – 25years. So, you will be saving money for a long time! The system collects the heat from the atmosphere around the panel. That heat, now trapped in the refrigerant gas, is returned to the compressor where it is concentrated. This has the effect of raising the temperature and the hot liquid is used to heat your domestic hot water That energy is free but you will pay for the electricity to run the compressor.

You save money every time you use this system and the more use you have for it, the more money you will save.

How long does it take to install?

Installation will normally be completed in one day.