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Posted

Hi,

I need advise on the best way to operate my Solar geyser with AC. 

I have 2 Kwiksol Geysers (200ltr) connected in Series.

My main water supply feeds Geyser 1 and this Geyser 1 feeds into Geyser 2.

Geyser 2 supplies hot water to the house.

Each Geyser is connected to its own Geyser timer.

In cold days and to save electricity, I override Geyser 2 Timer to switch on in the mornings.

After 2,5 hours the water is only luke warm.

What if I only override Geyser 1 to switch on as I was told that Geyser 1 works harder than Geyser 2.

I want to avoid switching both Geysers on simultaneously.

 

 

Posted

I have a similar set up.

150L Geyser 2 is electrical, no timer just thermostat.

150L Geyser 1 is purely thermal no electrics. Thermal tubes are rated for a 200L Geyser.

Everything is fed from Geyser 2.

No saying this is the best way, but its what I do. The idea is the electrical geyser is fed with hot water.

Posted
On 2020/08/28 at 3:51 PM, Mahomed said:

In cold days and to save electricity, I override Geyser 2 Timer to switch on in the mornings.

After 2,5 hours the water is only luke warm.

The water is luke warm after 2.5hrs, what size element do you have in geyser nr 2?

It almost sound to me you are using more water than can be heated during that 2.5hrs heating time or there is another problem somewhere you are not aware of because i would think 2.5hrs should at least reach a decent temperature not only luke. Try setting geyser 2 much longer just for a test to ensure geyser 2 element does indeed come on.

On 2020/08/28 at 3:51 PM, Mahomed said:

What if I only override Geyser 1 to switch on as I was told that Geyser 1 works harder than Geyser 2.

When overriding 1, and there is a problem with geyser 2 element, you will still loose heat in geyser 2 because it will start cooling the standing water if it’s not used. On the other hand geyser 1 will be struggling to supply hot water through geyser 2 to your taps. I would rather think geyser 2 must do the top up because that is the usable heated water, than if it’s still not enough hot water you can increase heating on geyser 1.

Posted

HI everyone

 

My first post here. Google keeps sending me here for answers so I might as well join in

 

I have 2x 150l with flat panels. Facing north, at 45 degrees on a flat roof in Cape Town. Installed about 7 years back.

Firstly to OP, your geyser 2 element is underperforming, or dead, or you have a water leak that's causing a constant flow through the system. The regulation 2kw element on 150l should get you to around 60 degrees easily in under 2 hours. I personally find 47 degrees to be a pleasant shower.

In my system, geyser 1 is dumb. No electrical insulation or temperature sensing. Just a preheater to help geyser 2 not go ice cold when I draw water from it. I see no reason to electrically heat this water. Just a waste of money. Geyser 2 can do the job perfectly on its own with no assistance (assuming no defects)

Geyser 2 as installed was set at 58 degrees on the geyserwise for 2 hours before shower hour and was always good enough. But the system predates water restrictions and led me to question whether having 300l of hot or warmish water on the roof was the best way to have 5l of hot water for my shower. So pre lockdown when everyone was rushing the bottle stores I went panic buying at the hardware store instead.

I've installed a gas geyser downstream of geyser 2 and killed all the timers. So geyser 2 element never comes on and my solar system is now best effort. Because I'm not as clever as Vassen I didn't think of a Sonoff, but I'll be stealing this idea. Currently I just go look at the temperature of the geyserwise and if below 47 degrees I open the gas bottle. I've got a tiny 5l/min camping gas geyser and it runs on minimum setting. 

For about 6 weeks I ran it maybe 2 to 3 days per week, for a month mid winter just left it on as it was always needed and then back to a few times per week. Family of 3, have not used up the 9kg bottle installed in April yet, but this may be skewed by working from home allowing daytime showers rather than the 5:30AM one. 

 

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