Solar Panels

Solar Water Panels

Solar water heating systems use the sun’s free energy to heat fluid in panels on your roof. This can then be used to supply heat to your general hot water system or something more specific such as a swimming pool. Intelligent energy solutions provide solar water heating that will heat water even on a cloudy day.

When water heating is required, but sufficient energy from the sun is not available, it is usual for domestic systems to have a hot water back up system. A conventional boiler, combi boiler, geothermal or air heat pump heating system can then be used to add the extra heat the water requires.

Depending on specific usage, we would expect a properly specified solar water system to provide between 30 and 70% of your hot water needs over a year.

Types of Solar Heating Panels

There are a number of different types of solar panels. Solar panels can also be described as solar collectors. Ireland typically utilises two types of solar collector.

Flat plate Solar Collectors / Panels
Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors

These types of panels are now described in more detail.

Flat Plate Solar Collectors / Panels

This type of collector is made up of an absorber plate which is linked to pipes filled with a heat transfer fluid. As the sun's radiation hits the absorber plate the energy is converted to heat which transfers into the fluid. This fluid carries the heat to your hot water tank. If the panel is expected to function all year round, it will be glazed to retain the heat. The whole assembly will be contained in an insulated weather proof housing. Unglazed panels are typically used for solar swimming pool heating.

Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors

This type of collector has a narrow strip of absorber coated copper that is joined to a heat pipe. The heat pipe is filled with a liquid that is designed to transfer a large amount of heat. This absorber assembly is contained within an evacuated, weather proof, glass tube.
The vacuum ensures that heat does not escape through convection and conduction.
A number of these tubes are then assembled onto a manifold. This manifold carries the fluid that heats your hot water cylinder.

Flat Plate Panels vs Evacuated tube Collectors
- Which is right for me?

Jame Donnelly Eco Heating Ltd supply and install both types of panel and each has advantages and disadvantages. The system you choose will depend on your personal circumstances and we would recommend that you talk to an installer who can offer you both products. This will allow you to openly discuss the benefits and make an informed decision as to which is most appropriate for you.

Joule solar panels

The Joule Acapella evacuated tube collector is one of the most efficient collectors available. The Acapella tubes patented design means that the system delivers increased return on your capital by reducing your systems payback term while delivering outstanding levels of free hot water most of the year round. The return on capital is the relationship between how much a system costs you against how much it will save you over time. Ideally you are looking for a system that offers low capital cost, robust design and outstanding performance all of which is done by the Joule Acapella evacuated tube solar system. The robustly engineered, sleekly designed matt black finished collector will not only deliver superb levels of hot water but will also add value to your property while improving your buildings energy rating.

Solar thermal technology transforms direct and diffuse solar radiation into useful heat using a solar collector. The Acapella collector consists of a highly insulated (dense PU foam) manifold and an array of tubes connected to it by means of a heat exchanger. By using the heat exchanger it allows for individual tubes to be removed without the need to drain down the system. The insulated manifold protects the system from outside influences such as rain, wind, humidity and cold. The vacuum insulation around each of the tubes ensures that the suns energy is efficiently transferred into useable heat with minimal losses.

So it’s no surprise to know that the Joule Acapella is the most efficient solar tube on the market with unsurpassed return on capital to any of its competitors.

Acapella Tube Glass Construction:
The high efficiency Acapella tube is manufactured from superior borosilicate glass which is the glass of choice for the manufacture of scientific instruments. Borosilicate glass can handle both extreme heat and cold; it has a low rate of thermal expansion and is very resistant to chemical corrosion. Sodium based glass is generally cheaper to produce and performs worse in relation to handling extremes of hot and cold and also with regard to thermal expansion. Both of these properties are very important when choosing an appropriate glass for you evacuated tube collector.

Collector Tests
The Joule Acapella solar collector has been tested to,

Thermal and mechanical tests to EN12975 1-2,
Impact resistance tested to DIN EN12975-2:2006 using ice ball method,
NSAI Agrement Certified

The Joule Navitas on-roof solar panel is a superior manufactured on-roof solar collector. The on-roof panel is manufactured using a patented design which improves ventilation through the collector thus reducing stagnated heat in the collector and in turn increasing the collector’s efficiency. Unlike most collectors today the Joule Navitas collector is made up of a selective coated copper absorber and copper pipe array. The advantage of using a copper absorber instead of aluminium absorber along with a copper pipe array is the weld between the two materials has a longer life span when the materials are identical. While aluminium is a cheaper metal to purchase the ultrasonic weld between aluminium and copper is not as robust as it is between copper and copper. Also when considering thermal expansion identical materials expand and contract at equal rates ensuring even forces being put on the welds helping to increase the lifespan of the collector.

The energy from the sun is absorbed through a selective coated copper absorber. This energy is transferred by conduction to the copper pipe array inside the collector and the heat is then transferred to your hot water cylinder by means of a circulating pump. The sleek look of the Joule Navitas on-roof panel ensures that the panel adds not just value to your property, but increases your energy rating and saves you money by producing hot water most of the year round.

Navitas On-Roof Collector Glass Construction:
The Joule Navitas On-Roof solar collector is manufactured using Pilkington Solar E Low-E coated glass which is designed to transmit the maximum possible amount of visible light, absorb and reject the maximum amount of solar infra-red energy, and reflect the maximum amount of long wave (room temperature) infra-red energy (far I.R.), all with a hard, durable pyrolitic coating.

Pilkington Solar E Low-E coated glass works, year round, to save energy in 2 ways:

During a summer day, the coating absorbs nearly half of the sun’s energy shining onto it. This absorbed energy, which then heats the glass, is restricted from passing on into the building by the low emissivity property of the Solar E coating which only radiates long wave infra-red heat with 15 % efficiency, as compared to non-coated glass which radiates with 84% efficiency. For this effect to take place the coating needs to be on the #2 surface of the glass, whether it is single glazed or in a sealed double glazed insulating glass (IG) unit. (Note: Glass surfaces are conventionally numbered, starting at the outside, with surface #1. Rain falls on the #1 surface.)

F radiates energy in the°During the winter heating season, a room at 70 far IR (maximum radiation occurs at around 10 micrometer wavelength). A non-coated glass surface facing a warm room readily absorbs 84% of the radiant heat that is directed towards it. The glass becomes warm and then re-radiates this absorbed heat on out towards the cold exterior. A Pilkington Solar E low emissivity coating, on the #2 surface of single glazing or of an IG unit, only absorbs 15 % of this valuable room heat. The balance of 85% of the radiant heat is reflected back towards the room and so significantly reduces overall the heat loss.

The Joule VisSolis in-roof solar collector is manufactured from superior materials to complement your roof structure. The frame of the underside of the collector is made from responsibly sourced Austrian timber. The outer flashing kit is manufactured from anodised aluminium. The black anodised flashing kit allows the collector to blend seamlessly into your roof structure. The unique designs of the flashing kits specified for either slate or tile roofs. The Joule Navitas in-roof solar collector is one of the only fire rated in-roof collectors available.

Under current building regulations as described in Technical Guidance Document B, no items may form part of the roofs structure without undergoing fire testing to EN 13501-5 standards. The Joule VisSolis In-Roof slate and tile panel has been fire tested separately. Two tests were conducted on each sample. The first was “Spread of Flame” test to determine whether or not the panel itself would facilitate flame spreading across your roof. The second was “Fire Penetration” test which determines the panel and flashing kits ability to stop fire penetrating. The panel must pass and have a minimum of a one hour fire rating.

VisSolis In-Roof Collector Glass Construction

The Joule Navitas On-Roof solar collector is manufactured using Pilkington Solar E Low-E coated glass which is designed to transmit the maximum possible amount of visible light, absorb and reject the maximum amount of solar infra-red energy, and reflect the maximum amount of long wave (room temperature) infra-red energy (far I.R.), all with a hard, durable pyrolitic coating.

Pilkington Solar E Low-E coated glass works, year round, to save energy in 2 ways:

F radiates energy in the far°During the winter heating season, a room at 70 IR (maximum radiation occurs at around 10 micrometer wavelength). A non-coated glass surface facing a warm room readily absorbs 84% of the radiant heat that is directed towards it. The glass becomes warm and then re-radiates this absorbed heat on out towards the cold exterior. A Pilkington Solar E low emissivity coating, on the #2 surface of single glazing or of an IG unit, only absorbs 15 % of this valuable room heat. The balance of 85% of the radiant heat is reflected back towards the room and so significantly reduces overall the heat loss.

VisSolis In-Roof Collector Frame Construction

The Joule VisSolis solar collector is manufactured using responsibly sourced Austrian timber from managed forests. The underside of the collector is manufactured from timber designed to age and grown with your roof structure. This ensures that no unwanted stresses occur as your roof weathers and ages. Different flashing kits available allow for precision integration into your roof’s structure. The flashing kits are secured above the collector after it has been fixed fast to your roof structure.

Collector Tests
The Joule Navitas collector is one of the most tested and certified collectors available. The collector has been tested to,