Solar Panels Excess Heat

roker

Registered User
Messages
2,038
I have moved into a house with solar panels. What happens to the excess heat if I go away for a couple of weeks? If I turn the system off, the heat will accumulate in the panels, If I leave the system on, the pump will transfer all the heat to the hot water tank which will overheat.
 
Your panels may overheat to the point where damage occurs. I've read the anti-freeze used can in some cases break down and turn acidic if over heated too much, that would be bad news.

At least with the pump running, there will be losses within the system that will take some heat out.
 
leave pump on and make sure that there is also a 'heat dump pump' installed. That ensures that the excess heat is diverted into the radiators in the house. So the system cannot overheat. However, anyone checking the house might be shocked that the rads are warm!!
 
I had a solar system installed and my installer never installed a heat dump for scenarios like you are asking about. As a result the panels overheated and the glycol evaporated through the escape valve. As I discovered your installer should fix a heat dump of some sort either diverting the heat to rads or draining off some hot water.

I usually let one of the hot taps dripping if I go away for a few weeks otherwise I have to pay my installer to refill and pressurize my system.
 
Same position as you RugbyBoy, installers did not install properly. It was four years till I could find a person who could fix! Since fixed, system is great.
 
So Grant is incorrect. Is it possible to obtain pipe diagrams for a heat dump system
 
Back
Top