GE Solartron Solar Collectors

[intc97]

Years ago I was given an old solar system that consisted of several GE Solartron panels and some other hardware. Ithas sat in my barn for several years. I now heat my home and domestic hot water with a CB 6048 outdoor wood furnace. I would like to set up a simple system so I can heat my hot water in the summer with the soalr panels. I would use my wood furnace as the heat storage tank. Does anyone have any experience with this type of panel or have any ideas?
Thanks

 

[SolarAndWood]

I am trying to accomplish the same thing in my plan. As one of my goals is eliminating the propane water heater, I am currently thinking that directly heating a large well insulated electric heater built for the solar exchanger may make the most sense. I'm interested to hear what you conclude and how well it works.

 

[steam man]

Years ago I was given an old solar system that consisted of several GE Solartron panels and some other hardware. Ithas sat in my barn for several years. I now heat my home and domestic hot water with a CB 6048 outdoor wood furnace. I would like to set up a simple system so I can heat my hot water in the summer with the soalr panels. I would use my wood furnace as the heat storage tank. Does anyone have any experience with this type of panel or have any ideas?
Thanks

I am not familiar with the GE panels-I presume they are flat plate and old enough so the efficiency is not the greatest. However, since they are free what the hell. I would pressure test them at the least. I don't think using the wood boiler would be a good idea as it would induce more heat loss in the system and you need more than one pump running. I would consider using a separate preheat tank sized for the hot water you use.

Mike

 

[peakbagger]

I too havent heard of this type of collector but odds are it came out in the great solar hot water rebate rush about 25 years ago. Definitely pressure test them and scrap them if they leak. Also check the glazing, if its plastic, plan on replacing it, even if it looks good, it will break soon after its installed. Usually it is "cooked" from UV and is nearly opaque. If its glass, you can probably remove it and clean out the inevitable film that forms on the glass. Also make sure that various insects didnt make a nest in the main headers, various bees and wasps tend to like those spots. Odds are you may have gotten a heat exchanger bundle usually with the ends of the tubes busted out due to freezing. I know of many well built 25 year old panels that are still running, as long as they get basic maintenance, they have a long life.

Generally the panels didnt fail, usually it was the rest of the system that failed due to poor design, lack of maintenance and lack of anyone to service the unit

The best way use these is to pick up an solar hot water system storage tank with integral heat exchanger and setting up a glycol loop. Your cold water makeup would be routed to the tank and used to preheat the water to whatever you use to heat hot water currently. Trying to tie it into a boiler is real inefficient and there are times when the burner could get real confused.

Here is a link to a tank, but shop around.

http://store.altestore.com/Solar-Wa...lar-Hot-Water-Tank-with-Heat-Exchanger/p7211/