re-orientate my calorifier?

[DanMax&Belle]

Does anyone know how Sure Cal position the coils within the calorifier? Please see the pic, you can see the end of my 2 coil Surecal 40 liter horizontal calorifier, the black heater hose is the Webasto entering and exiting the lower coil and the clear non braided pipe is my new installation of solar hot water which I am currently testing ...

 

 

nb - this pic is not taken quite at the right angle the 2 brass fittings with clear hose and no jubilee clips (solar hot water) are actually level with each other.

 

I am concerned that the solar hot water coil is just coming into contact with the top half of the water in the calorifier causing stratification of the water as opposed to creating convection currents allowing the water in the calorifier to heat more evenly.

 

I am considering rotating the whole calorifier 45 degrees clockwise making the entry for hot coolant (from either the Websto or the solar hot water) go in through the lower entry point and exit through the upper point.

 

Thanks

Edited September 10, 2015 by DanMax&Belle

[alan_fincher]

I am considering rotating the whole calorifier 45 degrees clockwise making the entry for hot coolant (from either the Websto or the solar hot water) go in through the lower entry point and exit through the upper point.

 

Surely this will then mean that the hot water take off is no loger at the highest point of the tank, and you will be drawing off water that is not the hottest, and may indeed never get the benefit of the hottest water that is now above the take off?

 

I guess there could be a trade off between one downside and another here, but I would certainly not be sure your idea will improve things, and may indeed do the opposite, I think?

[DanMax&Belle]

 

Surely this will then mean that the hot water take off is no loger at the highest point of the tank, and you will be drawing off water that is not the hottest, and may indeed never get the benefit of the hottest water that is now above the take off?

 

I guess there could be a trade off between one downside and another here, but I would certainly not be sure your idea will improve things, and may indeed do the opposite, I think?

yes Alan you're right i hadn't considered the hot water take off. I guess I can leave the setup exactly as is, if someone was to confirm that the coils are positioned within the calorifier so as to distribute the heat coming from them to both the top and the bottom of the calorifier.

[Phil Ambrose]

I reckon Surcal will have given considerable thought to the position of the coils within the calorifier, I was under the impression that the coils were just that,coils pure and simple so no matte which way the calorifier was given the take off should ne uppermost.

Phil

Edited September 10, 2015 by Phil Ambrose

[GreyLady]

Would that not open up a risk of Air Locks ?

 

From looking at all those pipe fittings i would imagine it needs to be just as is.

 

not sure.

Edited September 10, 2015 by grumpy146

[DanMax&Belle]

I reckon Surcal will have given considerable thought to the position of the coils within the calorifier, I was under the impression that the coils were just that,coils pure and simple so no matte which way the calorifier was given the take off should ne uppermost.

Phil

thanks Phil, I'm inclined to agree. I wonder if Surecal do a schematic?

[NMEA]

Surejust manufacturing are very helpful people Dan, just fire them off an email with the same question and get the definitive answer.

[David Mack]

I am considering rotating the whole calorifier 45 degrees clockwise making the entry for hot coolant (from either the Websto or the solar hot water) go in through the lower entry point and exit through the upper point.

 

Apart from the points raised by others, the hot water should enter the upper end of the coil and exit from the lower end of the coil i.e. the opposite of what you suggested. That way the hottest water from the solar panel or webasto gets to further heat up the already hot water in the upper part of the calorifier, giving an overall higher domestic water temperature, rather than immediately being chilled by the colder water in the bottom of the calorifier.

[Neil Smith]

As David said, contact surejust for correct info but if you look down the immersion hole with a torch you will see both coils going almost to the bottom of the tank.

 

Neil

Edited September 11, 2015 by Neil Smith

[DanMax&Belle]

Hi all, thanks for the helpful points. I'm awaiting a response from SureJust and will confirm once they've got back to me.

Cheers

[mattcyp]

Hi Dan,

This is a (slightly blurry) photo of the inside of my horizontal surecal calorifier. The coils are just slightly flexible pipe which is slightly finned and makes two "u" shaped looped between the connection points.

Hope it's of some help!

Edited September 14, 2015 by mattcyp

[DanMax&Belle]

 

Hi Dan,

This is a (slightly blurry) photo of the inside of my horizontal surecal calorifier. The coils are just slightly flexible pipe which is slightly finned and makes two "u" shaped looped between the connection points.

Hope it's of some help!

 

Matt - many thanks!!

 

Just so we're clear this is taken through the immersion hole, the light at the end is a reflection of the flash from a flat internal part at the rear of the calorifier and the top of the pic is the top of the calorifier?

 

On the assumption that the answer is yes to all of the above the "coils" seem to be:

 

1. Not so coil shaped

2. Converging towards the bottom

3. Mounted on some kind of support

 

....just some reflections be interesting to hear from others on this.

 

Dan

[mattcyp]

Hi Dan,

 

Yeah, I was replacing the immersion heater, there is a brazed on disc at the other end which the light is shining off, and up in the piture is up in the boat (there is a bit of a pool of water in the bottom, I think).

 

on 1) yep, not what I was expecting when I opened it!

 

on 2) - Yeah, the top one sort of sags and sits on the lower one. I can't remember what the lower one was supported on though, I'm afraid.

 

It'll be interesting to hear how solar hot water comes on.

[DanMax&Belle]

Hi All,

 

Just an update on this. No response from SureJust.

 

David (NMEA), or anyone else - do you know some of the more responsive staff at the company? Would you be able to give them a nudge please?

 

 

Thanks