Sidearm vs Flat Plate

[Robby]

I am hoping someone has experience with both. I have a 75 gallon, dual coil remote water storage. Top coil from boiler and bottom coil 60 tube solar collector. 60 tube is going to be too large come summer and I have a second tank, no coil. I also have a flat plate 20,000 BTU exchanger.

1. Will the flat plate, mounted as low as possible cause the water to thermo siphon like a sidearm?
2. If I need to make a sidearm has anyone wrapped 1" copper with two 1/2 soft copper lines instead of pipe inside
a pipe. Then insulate the whole she-bang.

The idea is for solar to supply my DHW in non boiler season. Heat main tank first then switch with 3 way to second tank.

Thanks,

Robby

 

[Nofossil]

I think a flat plate would work if you set it up counterflow. You'll want to make sure the tank side connections have no low points and connect to the bottom and top of the tank for the cleanest flow path with the greatest possible vertical distance.

 

[Robby]

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I'm just plumbing up the system now. Hoping to get some data and a sense of how much heat the solar panels will produce. I know what I'm told the will produce, but real world may differ consierably.

Robby :-S

 

[deerefanatic]

I know the flat plate on my storage tank will thermosiphon when the boiler is running, but it's verrrryyyyyy slow.......