bohintze
New Member
I have a typical solar hot water system with roof mounted panels and an external heat exchanger module plumbed to an 80 gallon glass lined storage tank that preheats water to a hybrid heat pump hot water tank
I will need to replace the storage/preheat tank that has begun to leak after 7 yrs. Should have checked anode...
The current tank has 4 ports, two standard domestic in/out and two ports that recirculate hot water from the external heat exchanger of the panels.
I am looking at a few options for the replacement storage;
1."stone" lined or stainless steel indirect hot water heaters,
2. stainless steel hot water storage tank or
3. seamless blow molded polybutene inner tank with a structural fiberglass shell.
My objective is to store as much preheated water produced by the panels. Best production days in August are in the 150 - 160 degree range. I'm thinking that the replacement storage should be in the 80 - 100+ gal range.
My questions are:
Your opinions on the molded polybutene tanks with a structural fiberglass shell?
Some of the options being considered do not have a "thermistor" that my current design uses to sense differential temps between internal tank water and solar panel fluid temps. Can the thermostat units for the internal electric heating elements be used as a substitute to thermistor?
Thanks for your replies.
I will need to replace the storage/preheat tank that has begun to leak after 7 yrs. Should have checked anode...
The current tank has 4 ports, two standard domestic in/out and two ports that recirculate hot water from the external heat exchanger of the panels.
I am looking at a few options for the replacement storage;
1."stone" lined or stainless steel indirect hot water heaters,
2. stainless steel hot water storage tank or
3. seamless blow molded polybutene inner tank with a structural fiberglass shell.
My objective is to store as much preheated water produced by the panels. Best production days in August are in the 150 - 160 degree range. I'm thinking that the replacement storage should be in the 80 - 100+ gal range.
My questions are:
Your opinions on the molded polybutene tanks with a structural fiberglass shell?
Some of the options being considered do not have a "thermistor" that my current design uses to sense differential temps between internal tank water and solar panel fluid temps. Can the thermostat units for the internal electric heating elements be used as a substitute to thermistor?
Thanks for your replies.
