Solar Heating System New PV Powered Differential Controller Boosts Performance
Posted on Aug 30th, 2010 in Heating | 7 comments
The best solar water heating systems can now dump their Achilles’ Heel: the CO2 waste coming from using mains electric powered pumps for their solar panels. Here’s how: this invention, a PV powered zero carbon solar differential controller to turn a brushless DC pump on and off when the water in the panel is hot enough to collect.
Why was it not done before? Save energy with this amazing invention – it boosts carbon savings in solar water heating systems by 20%. Solar water heaters can now go green and ditch its wasteful carbon clawback worldwide.
Hi – if you are interested in a deeper discussion of the 20% carbon clawback problem which mains powered solar water heating systems tends to suffer from and the bizarre fact that a leading UK solar trade association claims that all solar is “truly zero carbon” and the ever odder fact that UK’s false claims “watchdog” will not bring them to heel, please take a look at my new “solar cowboys” video.
Sorry but no it is low voltage DC not high voltage AC.
Thanks. Low voltage DC powers the controller, and what the pump must run on. One can run most conventional solar heating systems with this, by getting rid of its 110-240V AC system. Change the power supply to a 30W photovoltaic (PV). Put it on the roof, close to and facing the same way as the thermal panel. Replace the pump with one with a brushless DC motor designed specifically to run on PV power, such as a Laing Ecocirc pump. We can supply the lot including controller (3 items) if needed.
can you sell this unit to control a mains driven pump without the pvp.
scary
Yes – how we controlled Solartwin successfully for 7 yrs. But you must start the pump at over 10% sunlight, increase speed linearly with light levels and run it very slow, even in full sun, to minimise risk of heat export when the panel is cooler than the water feeding it. A controller removes these (OK) marginal constraints, allowing faster, nonlinear pumps starting at lower light levels only when the controller allows. Using the controller on Solartwin may give 1-10% more energy a year.
That is a very nice control and you have done an excellent job illustrating its installation. But it occurs to me you could eliminate the controller entirely.
Since you are using photovoltaic to drive the pump, there is no need to sense temperature because unless the PV is producing, the pump will be off. Likewise, when the sun is out, the motor will be operating. What could be simpler?