Following a successful tender, Dave Dodd of Southern Piped Services Ltd recommended a solar installation. “We use Vaillant products a lot and have completed several solar installations using their system. It seemed appropriate to make this recommendation to the MoD, and they were keen to pursue it.”
Southern Pipeworks installed four auroTHERM VFK 900 flat plate solar panels, two per building. An old gas water heater needed replacing and in this building they also installed an ecoTEC plus 637 system boiler, together with a 300-litre twin coil auroSTOR unvented solar hot water cylinder. The auroSTOR’s twin coil allows the water to be heated primarily from the solar panels while the second coil, connected to the boiler, acts as an auxiliary heat source.
Commenting on the specification, Bob Kneale of Debut Services (South West) said, “Following Dave Dodd’s suggestion to replace the old gas water heater with a new boiler and solar panels, we performed quite a thorough payback analysis on the solar option versus a standard installation. I realised it was actually much more cost-effective than I had expected and we took his recommendations to select the Vaillant solar domestic hot water system in both shower houses.”
The auroTHERM VFK 900 flat plate collector, with ultrasonically-welded copper absorbers and 60mm insulation on the rear and sides for enhanced efficiency, has a solar glass transmission of 91%. With extra tough (4mm) glass for increased robustness and an overall size of 1160 x 1930 x 110 mm (absorber surface area of 2.02m2), the collectors are remarkably low in weight for their type, at just 43kg. The flat plate collectors also carry a 10-year warranty.
Vaillant’s solar DHW system can provide around 50-60% of annual domestic hot water requirements. It uses indirect solar radiation, not just direct sunlight, meaning that it will work as efficiently in the UK as it does in other countries with similar climates. Typically, the solar control system has a built-in intelligence allowing it to automatically switch from solar to conventional power when needed. Vaillant’s solar domestic hot water system ensures hot water comfort, helps reduce fuel bills, adds value to a property and is a positive benefit to the environment because it reduces CO2 emissions.
To find out more about our Total Solar System Solution please click here