Solar Panel Installation Cost Texas Solar Powered Plant Spinner Solar Panel Installation Cost Texas Residential Solar Panels San Antonio Buy Or Lease Solar Panels. The solar geyser provides a simple and effective solution for instant hot water on tap especially in rural areas or for low cost housing. Solar Geyser Installation Diagram' title='Solar Geyser Installation Diagram' />Converting Your Geyser to Solar Heating Off Grid DIYA Brief Discussion on The Basics of Converting Your Geyser to Solar Water Heating. Heating water is often the single biggest consumer of electricity in your home. When considering going off grid, heating water is thus a major consideration. It would be best to find some way of reducing the amount of electrical energy used to heat water before you consider installing expensive alternative power systems such as solar PV panels, because that will significantly reduce your daily electrical energy consumption requirements and thus significantly reduce the size and cost of the alternative power system needed. To estimate how much energy your electric geyser uses per day, try using our calculator. One relatively cost effective way of heating water is to convert your existing geyser to a direct solar water heating system. A direct solar water heating system will typically reduce the amount of electrical energy spent heating water by about 5. This article provides a brief overview of of how to go about that. How an Electric Geyser Works. Its probably helpful to first understand how your normal geyser works. Its a relatively simple device but its operation is often misunderstood. A geyser is nothing more than a well insulated pressure vessel that holds a specific amount of water. It can withstand the high pressure about 4 bar of the council water system. Water is heated using an electrical heating element usually rated at about 3 4k. W.   The heating element is controlled by a simple thermostat that is inserted at about one third of the height of the vessel. The thermostat switches the electric heating element on or off, based on the water temperature it detects at that height. So lets run through some typical operational scenarios If the geyser is completely emptied of hot water and is only filled with cold water. This situation doesnt happen that often in practice maybe, because most people do not use this much hot water at a time, and thus completely empty the geyser. But when it does happen, the thermostat will detect that the water temperature at one third of the height of the vessel is cold and thus switch on the heating element. Amazon S3 File Upload Api C#. When the water temperature reaches the set point temperature which you can adjust typically set at 5. C, it will then switch off the heating element, so that the geyser will not consume any more electricity until the thermostat detects cold water again. It typically takes about two hours continual heating for the electric element to heat all the water in the geyser from cold, to the set point temperature. The next scenario is when water in the geyser is all hot and no hot water is used for a long time. The geysers insulation is usually very good, so it will take a long time before the water cools enough for the thermostat to switch the heating element back on again about 4 or so hours. When it does switch the electric element on again in these circumstances, it will only be for a short time about 1. As you can see, the electric element in your geyser thus spends most of its time switched off, contrary to popular opinion. The next scenario is when you open a hot tap and use the hot water stored in the geyser. In this situation, as hot water flows out of the top of the geyser, cold water flows into the bottom of the geyser. Now you have cold water and hot water in the same container, at the same time. This is not a problem due to the fact that hot water will float on cold water, without mixing with the cold water, provided that the cold water flows into the bottom of the geyser very gently SABS certified geysers are specifically tested for this. This allows you to withdraw at least 1. L of hot water out of a 2. L geyser, even though towards the end, most of the geyser is filled with cold water  When hot water is flowing out of the geyser, the thermostat will only switch the electric element on when it detects cold water at one third of the height of the geyser. So if you only withdraw a small amount of hot water, the electric element will not be switched on. That about covers how your geyser works. As can be seen, while its a very simple device, some of the things going on can be quite complex. Understanding this can be helpful when converting your geyser to solar water heating. Direct Solar Water Heating. In South Africa we are blessed with very high solar insolation. It thus makes a lot of sense to use the sun to heat water because in most places, we get so much sun during the year. In addition, solar water heating panels are very simple devices which collect the heat from the sun quite effectively. Typical efficiencies of even simple flat plate collectors are about 9. To convert your existing geyser to solar water heating, you need to install a solar water heating panel, which requires some plumbing changes, as well as adding an electronic control unit. We will deal with the plumbing and electronics separately. Plumbing Changes Required. The diagram below defines the various major plumbing components required, as well as shows how they should be plumbed together. In the diagram above, you can see the existing system in your roof, which is basically an existing cold water pipe feeding the bottom of the geyser, the geyser itself, and the existing hot water pipe coming out of the top of the geyser. There are a few other pipes and components included in a proper normal geyser installation, but for the purposes of this article, you only need to focus on the cold water pipe feeding the bottom of the geyser, as well as the the hot water pipe coming out of the top. To install a solar heating panel, you need to cut into the cold water pipe feeding the bottom of the geyser, as well as the hot water pipe coming out of the top of the geyser. You will need to shut off the water and drain the geyser before you make the cuts. There is a special drain valve at the bottom of the geyser use your hose pipe and clamp it to that valve to get all the water out. You should make the cuts as close to the geyser as practical this is especially important on the hot side. Once you cut the pipes, you should install T piece connections at those two points. Gom Media Player For Windows 7 32Bit more. Standard compression fittings, available from most hardware stores, are the easiest way to do this all you need is a copper pipe cutter and two shifting spanners. Those two T piece connections then provide you with the connection points to plumb the solar heating panel into the existing system. In the diagram above, they are represented by the points at which the red and blue lines meet the black lines of the existing pipework. Then starting from the cold water T piece you should add a short length of pipe, and then a ball or gate valve shown in the diagram. Try get valves that use compression fittings to make your life easier. The purpose of these valves is to allow you to shut off the circuit in the event you need to do maintenance on the solar water heating system. After that, you should direct the pipework down to a point below, or near the bottom of the geyser. At that low point, you should install the pump. You want the pump to be at the lowest point in the circuit. This helps avoid problems when the system fills with water again. It ensures that the pump should be full of water after the system re fills. Most pumps should be installed horizontally, but check the specs of your particular pump. Plumbing Courses PCD College. SA PLUMBING TRADE SCHOOLOur plumbing courses cover the accepted SABS standards on plumbing and theoretical introductions to plumbing, covering sanitary ware, cold water systems, hot water systems, geysers, heat pumps, drainage systems and a complete understanding of the plumbing field and surrounding specialities. We also offer an advanced practical plumbing course that in addition to the basic plumbing course also covers sheet metal, copper bending as well as all the latest changes and newest products to hit the market. We have recently added two exciting curriculums to our training selection, namely a Solar Water Heating Course and a Heat Pump Course. Ensuring that our students can access all the latest and greatest, relevant industry information, keeping up to date with external trends. The Solar Water Heating Course includes Low Pressure and High Pressure Systems, Flatbed, EVT tubes as well as Photo Volcanic systems. The Heat Pump training includes the installation of systems as well as the actual implementation and installation of the heat pump, and the operation of the heat pump itself. The current regulations of section 2. Plumbing Courses. PCD also has a pre trade preparation course within which we prepare the candidates, providing the necessary plumbing experience and skill to pass their upcoming trade test. Areas we focus in on when preparing are, sheet metal, copper bending and the times available to finish tasks given. On top of all previously mentioned plumbing courses, we also offer International Plumbing Training to our student base. Being accredited by City Guilds we are the first and only college in South Africa with accreditation to offer these international qualifications in plumbing and construction. These include level 2, level 3, and a 2 year full time Diploma in Plumbing, accepted in 8. Get yourself involved in a career before its too late, based in solid education and skill development. Basic Plumbing Course TheoryThe Basic Plumbing Course is an 8 day theoretical course with some basic practical elements. This course introduces you to plumbing and teaches all the systems, tools and fittings needed in day to day operations. This course needs to be completed before the Solar Water Heating course can be done, as the latter is a more advanced section that required the basic understanding. This is a daily course from 8 0. All plumbing maintenance. Cold water systems are repaired. Hot water systems are repaired. Geysers inspected and maintained. Repair taps and valves. Install a washbasin, Shower, WC Pedestal and bath. Water leaks are detected. Hidden pipe work traced. Inspect, maintain and repair soil and waste water systems. Inspecting and maintaining drainpipes. Install a below ground drainage system. Repairing drainpipes and fittings. Tracing hidden pipe work. Clearing of Blockages. Duration 2 Weeks Basic Plumbing Course Fees  R 6 8. The Game Bubble Shoot Deluxe. Course Fee Course only R 1 9. Deposit Course Only R 2 9. Accommodation 3 meals included R 2 5. Deposit For course including accommodation2. Basic Plumbing. 16 Jan 2. Jan 2. 01. 72. 0 Feb 0. March 2. 01. 72. 7 March 0. April 2. 01. 72. 9 May 7 June 2. Aug 2. 3 Aug 2. Oct 1. Oct 2. Nov 6 Dec 2. Solar Water Heating and Heat Pumps. Jan 3. 1 Jan 2. March 7 March 2. April 1. 1 April 2. June 1. 3 June 2. Aug 2. 9 Aug 2. Oct 1. Oct 2. Dec 1. 2 Dec 2. Basic Electrical Course. Jan 8 Feb 2. 01. March 1. March 2. May 1. 7 May 2. July 1. 2 July 2. Sept 1. 3 Sept 2. Oct 8 Nov 2. 01. Dec 1. Dec 2. Advanced Plumbing and Electrical Courses. Starts the 9th of January 2. Monday throughout the year. City Guilds 2 and a half year Diploma Course Contact us for the Calendar. Requirements No Experience required, previous plumbing experience will be an advantage. Advanced Plumbing Course TheoryThe Advanced Plumbing Course is a 6 weeks practical course. You will perform a series of plumbing works under the supervision of our highly trained and competent Assessors. This course enables you to perform all tasks a plumber need to in general. This course does not make you a qualified plumber. This course can be broken up into sections if you cannot be at the College full time in this case the days you do attend are counted to the value of six weeks. Areas addressed in the course. Interpret basic building drawings. Erect and dismantle scaffolding. Mark out and cut sheet metal. Mark out, rivet and solder sheet metal. Fit GMS gutters and rain water pipes. Fit PVC gutters and rainwater pipes. Fabricate and fit a GMS VP flashing. Fabricate and fit GMS chimney flashing. Fabricate a box gutter with stop end, circular outlet and abutment flashing. Arc weld basic components. Gas weld and braze basic components. Cut, thread and assemble GMS pipe work. Cut, bend and Assemble copper pipe work. Repairs and alterations to existing GMS pipe work. Repairs and alterations to existing copper pipes. Install a push through geyser. Install a high pressure geyser. Install underground CW reticulation. Fire fighting installation. Repair to and maintenance of taps and valves. Repair to HP mains. Recognition and installation of soil and waste systems. Install a sink. Install a washbasin. Install a bath. Install a bidet. Install a shower. Install a WC PedestalInstall a urinal wall HungRecognition of below ground drainage system. Set out and determine levels. Excavation and timbering trenches. Install a below ground drainage system. Build a manhole to benching height brick Build a manhole to benching height concrete ringRemoval of blockages from and repairs to waste, soil and drainpipes. Pre Trade Preparation. Duration 2 Weeks. Plumbing Course Fees R 6 8. Course onlyPlumbing Course Dates Starts Every Monday. This Course is specifically designed to get you ready for you trade test. We will do the following in you pre trade preparation Test on standard. Test on speed. Assist on standard. Assist on speed. You will refresh your knowledge on Sheet Metal. Copper Bending. Drainage. Hot Water. Cold Water. Advanced Plumbing Course. Start every Monday through the year. Duration 6 Weeks. Advanced Plumbing Course Fees R1. Course Fee Course onlyR 5 6. Deposit Course OnlyR 1. Standard Accommodation 3 mealsR 8 3. Deposit For course including accommodationRequirements No Experiance required, previous plumbing experiance will be an advantage. Solar and Heat Pumps. Course Duration. 3 4 days. Fees R3 2. 00 Course OnlyFees R1. Accom 3 MealsInternational City and Guilds Plumbing Diploma. The City and Guilds International Diploma in Plumbing and Heating is a 2 and a Half year practical and theoretical course R 6. Starts the 1. 1th of January 2. Monday throughout the year. This is a 2 and a half year permanent study course. You will perform a series of plumbing works under the supervision of our highly trained and competent Assessors. This course enables you to perform all tasks a plumber need to nationally and internationally. This course is a full Qualification course when finished successfully you are a qualified plumber. This Course is accepted in 8. Countries across the world. Areas addressed in this Course. Level 2 first yearUnderstand and apply domestic central heating system installation and maintenance. Understand and apply domestic rainwater system installation and maintenance techniques. Apply Domestic above ground drainage system installation and maintenance techniques.