Creating Excellence, Building Reputation
Solar Thermal Solutions From The Experts
Solar Thermal Product Brochure
Issue 1 - Jan 2014
For more information go to
www.rmcylinders.com - www.rmsolar.com
Introducing RM Solar Thermal...
MEET OUR RANGE OF SOLAR THERMAL PRODUCTS
As we plan and prepare this, the
exceeded our forecasts. Our new
new edition of our corporate sales
unvented cylinder, the Prostel, launched
catalogue I realise five years have
with this edition of the product
now passed since we produced our
catalogue will fill a much needed gap in
first cylinder under the RM Cylinders
market indicated by our customer
banner. The last five years have
research.
passed so quickly in an absolute
whirlwind of activity, it seeming
only yesterday we proudly shipped
our first cylinder to the customer.
Another important growth area within
our business portfolio is the continued
expansion of our valued OEM customer
base and it is of immense pride for us
Our initial product offering of open
when such a customer trusts RM to
vented copper cylinders has quickly
produce products to their exacting
been complimented by the readily
design and specification.
accepted addition of the Aquastel
stainless steel open vented cylinder
bringing traditional storage systems
right up to date with 21st century
materials.
In conjunction with an ever growing
product and customer portfolio the
company
investment
has
made
into
both
significant
staff
and
equipment ensuring that in all areas of
In the unvented storage sector our
our business we provide professional,
popular Stelflow range of cylinders has
efficient and effective products and
grown to include storage up to 600
service. This our 5th anniversary year will
litres
celebrate the opening of a 5000 sq. ft.
providing
an
enhanced
compatibility in water storage not only
extension
to
our
stainless
steel
with gas, oil and electricity but also with
production facility which will provide
the growing market of solar renewables.
both increased levels of production and
Specified demand of the Homeflow, an
further improvements in our service.
unvented storage cylinder specifically
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designed to meet the exacting needs of
Richard Marsden
the new build sector has gratifyingly
Managing Director
Harnessing The Suns Energy...
TA K I N G A D VA N TA G E O F N A T U R E S G I F T
Our systems will enable you to enjoy litres of free hotwater almost
We believe that solar thermal offers the best alternative in
everyday and will give you many years of service. It is probably the
renewable energy with real pay back oppertunities and with our
most environmentally friendly product available for the home and
panels a long lasting low maintenance product which will save
can be installed in order to provide you with free hot water
you money for many years to come.
without endangering our precious environment or contributing to
global warming.
There are two major things to look out for when buying solar
panels, as there are many inferior products out there.
The panels are mounted on or in the roof and are made from fully
recyclable materials. The casing is rust proof and the collector is
The first is the guarantee. This must be at least 10 years, this will
covered with safety glass that is hailstone resistant. Inside the
assure the homeowner of real payback prospects, and will ensure
panel is a corrosion resistant absorber plate and a copper heat
a problem free solution for years to come. RM Solar supply a
transfer tube.
range of panels with 10 year guarantees as well as market leading
20 year guarantees.
The panels contain a special forumulated harmless glycol solution
that is within a sealed heat transfer system. The pipework for this
The second is to ensure that the panels have the relevent
system is covered with very tough temperature resistant insulation
certification, this comes in the form of MCS accreditation or Solar
to prevent heat loss. The heat is carried through this pipework
Keymark accreditation. RM Solar’s products are always Solar
and then pumped through your hot water cylinder to heat up the
Keymark accredited, this means they will always be acceptible
stored water.
under any current and future government incentives such as RHI.
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The System Principals...
HOW SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEMS WORK
RM Solar panels are powered by light. It does not have to be
We also estimate that in December, when the days are short, they
direct sunshine - there is sufficient energy in a cloudy day for the
will only make a small contribution to your hot water needs.
panels to collect energy for your hot water. When day light strikes
However in summer, when the days are longer they will produce
the panel the light is absorbed into the panel and converted into
up to 93% or more of your hot water, all free and all produced
heat. This heats up the heat transfer fluid in the copper heat
in an environmentally friendly way.
transfer pipe. When the temperature in the panel is higher than
the temperature in yout hot water cylinder a digital controller
At times when there is insufficient light to power the system (for
activates the pump. The heat transfer fluid in the heat pipe pumps
example at night or on a rainy or foggy day in late December) the
heat into your cylinder that heats up the water. When you have
water is heated by your gas boiler or electrical immersion heater,
sufficient hot water in the cylinder the pump stops. If you draw
in the traditional way. These will be the only times that you will
water off (for example by running the bath) as the cold water
be burning fossil fuel when heating water.
enters the system the drop in cylinder temperature is sensed by
the controller and it starts up the pump to bring the cylinder
Households on average spend between 27% to 35% of their
water temperature to the desired level.
total energy costs on heating water. Panels, which act as a
supplement to existing water heating arrangements, significantly
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We estimate that our collectors will produce around 50 - 70% of
reduce bills, and at the same time substantially reduce carbon
your hot water per annum. They will produce more in the summer
dioxide emissions. This all contributes to helping you reduce your
when the days are long, and less in the winter - the 70% is an
home, and families carbon footprint (the amount of carbon being
approximate overall figure based on average hot water usage.
used on a yearly basis).
An Education In Solar Thermal...
GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEM
Understanding how to get the most out of your Solar Thermal
hot water in a hurry. Under these circumstances, where possible,
System is as important as the choice you will have to make when
it is best to try to only heat your water late afternoon before you
going ahead and having it fitted. There are many ways that you
come home when the solar panels have had their best chance to
can optimise the use of our systems by learning how and when to
give you maximum solar gain. When the system works in this
heat your hot water to maximize your savings.
way, during the summer days of bright sunshine, the chances are
your boiler will not even have to be used to heat your water at all.
With conventional hot water systems most families programme
the hot water to come on twice a day, usually once in the
During the winter, when solar gain is not as prominent, the boiler
morning and again early evening. This practise when linked with
will boost the water temperature, from where the solar gain left
solar can be most uneconomical as the majority of families are out
off, to take it to the desired level.
at work or school, and much of the hot water they require later
Winter gain is still very important, as even a 10 or 15 degree raise
on could have been heated by solar whilst they were out.
on cold water will mean less work and your boiler will need to use
less energy – therefore saving money.
This is all about the re-education of our hot water use, after all,
you would not leave a room light on in your house on the off
Of course if you are not out at work all day Solar Thermal can still
chance you may go back in at some point, so why would we heat
give you significant savings but it is essential that you learn to
a full tank of water and then leave the house? With modern High
manage your hot water requirements much more responsibly by
Recovery cylinders we can boost the water temperature very
trying only to heat water when required and leave as much of the
quickly using manual override on our programmer if ever we need
work as possible to solar gain, which is free.
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Why Flat Plate Is Right...
A C O M PA R I S O N O F F L A T P L A T E C O L L E C T O R S O V E R T U B E S
Quality flat plate collectors such as those used by RM Solar have
flat plate collectors however this has been proved independently
long guarantees compared to those of tubes. Where a guarantee
time and time again to be untrue under UK conditions. Tubes
for a tube may appear long it most often only covers the vaccuum
become more efficient when there is a large differential between
seal of the tube and not the actually build guarantee like that
the ambient air temperature and the temperature at the core of
offered by RM Solar.
the panel.
Flat plates have the benefit of looking more aesthetically pleasing
Through independant testing it can be shown that up to a 40oC
on the roof, and with various mounting options including the
differential flat plate technology is more efficient. These sort of
In-Roof mounting they can be more invisible to the eye than glass
differentials are easily achieved in extrmeley cold climates or
tubes when mounted on the roof. When a panel is going to be
industrial applications, but here in the UK for domestic water
seen on the roof for many years to come the aesthetics are a key
heating flat plate are the premier choice.
point when considering which technology to use.
Flat plate collectors have always been more durable than their
tube counterparts, by offering thick hailstone resistant glass Flat
Plates are better equipped for standing against mother nature
and whatever she can throw.
It has been a long held belief that tubes are more efficient than
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Sizing Solar Thermal Systems...
C H O O S I N G C O R R E C T LY F O R Y O U R P R O P E R T Y
Selecting the correct kit for your property can often include long
payback period. Many people believe oversizing the system will
complex water calculations, however using RM Solar’s system
make it work better, however in reality this is not the case, and
selection guide you can be assured that you are going to get a
can often push the payback period many more years down the
system that suits for your property and performs well for many
line.
years to come.
Sizing the system to the property and not your circumstances will
It is important that you choose the correct system for your
also mean that when you come to sell your home it should add
property, in order to ensure a good investment and a realistic
precious value to the sale.
THIS INFORMATION IS AN APPROXIMATE GUIDE ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE USED IN LIEU OF A PROPER SURVEY.
Number Of Bedrooms
Suggested Cylinder Size
Suggested Solar Kit
1 Bedroom Property
150L Capacity Cylinder
1 Panel Solar Thermal Kit
2 Bedroom Property
210L Capacity Cylinder
1 - 2 Panel Solar Thermal Kit
3 Bedroom Property
250L Capacity Cylinder
2 Panel Solar Thermal Kit
4 Bedroom Property
300L Capacity Cylinder
2 - 3 Panel Solar Thermal Kit
5 Bedroom Property
350L Capacity Cylinder
3 Panel Solar Thermal Kit
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Solar Thermal Panel Orientation...
C H O O S I N G T H E R I G H T PA N E L O R I E N TA T I O N
When installing solar on a property it is important to consider two
factors.
1. Which direction the panel is facing?
1. You may install solar panels on either side of the roof
surface.
2. You may over compensate by putting more panels on one
side of the roof than you would generally need (in the
2. What is its elevation?
instance of a property needing two panels, three panels
would be fitted instead).
The panel elevation should remain generally unchanged, and
should be set somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees (the
Overcompensating (right)
normal slope of a roof plane).
Is exactly the same as a south facing install, where all the panels
are installed on the same side of the roof, however more panels
The direction a panel faces is a little more tricky though. The
are added than as normally required as there are fewer hours of
obvious best direction to have the panels face is south, this means
sunlight available on an east or west roof.
the panels have access to the sun all day long. But what if south
is impossible to achieve on your
East West Split (left)
property?
It is possible for the panels to be split up and put on either side of
the roof to maximise the amount of sunlight harvested. Where 2
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You have two choices, in what is called an east west split (a
panels would be required on a south facing roof upto 2 panels
property with no south facing roof).
would be required on the east and on the west facing roofs.
A Solution For Every Roof Type...
GETTING THE PERFECT FIT FOR YOUR ROOF FIRST TIME
It is important when selecting your RM Solar Kit that you select
(please specify at time of order). RM Solar On-roof kits are
the correct roofing frame for your roof. This guide has been
attached to the roof by way of a metal frame, once installed
designed to help take the guess work out of what type of system
correctly On-roof they should protrude only 180mm from the roof
you will need to select with your kit.
plane, in this instance advice from the council should be taken as
to the planning permission rights.
RM Solar breaks its roofing frames down into two categories,
In-roof, and On-roof. In-roof includes the RM Solar flashing kit
The following is meant as a guide only, you must always consult
that allows the solar to be flashed flush to the roof, allowing for
a roofer or builder to ensure that you are using the correct type
a clean and professional appearance, available in tile and slate
of mounting on your property.
Tile Type:
Tile Type:
Double Roman
Plain Tile
Recommended Frame:
Recommended Frame:
Shark Fin Set
Shark Fin Set
Tile Type:
Tile Type:
Concrete
Slate
Recommended Frame:
Recommended Frame:
Shark Fin Set
Slate Bolt Set
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Our Solar Panel Range...
S U P P LY I N G T H E W H O L E PA C K A G E R E A D Y T O G O
Our product range is able to cover the needs of even the most demanding
markets. The continuously improved and increased product range is
the key-point for successful market penetration.
Material: Aluminium Profile
Colour: Dark Grey
Back Plate: AlZn 0.5mm
Type: Tempered 4mm Safety Glass
Light Transmittance: .89% +/-0.5%
Glass Sealing: Silicone
Insulation: Rockwool with black fleece
Thickness: 40mm (Rear) 20mm (Sides)
Density: 40kgr/m3
Thermal Conductivity: 0.044 W/mK
Panel Model
S Class 10
S Class 10 Horizontal
S Class 20
Overall Area (m2)
2.09
2.09
2.09
Absorber Area (m )
1.92
1.92
1.92
Aperture Area (m2)
1.92
1.92
1.92
Length (mm)
2030
2030
1030
Width (mm)
1030
1030
2030
2
9
Height (mm)
87
87
87
Overall Weight (kg)
48.20
48.20
49.60
Collector Orientation
Vertical
Vertical
Horizontal
Selective
Coating
Selective
Selective
Thickness (mm)
0.50
0.50
0.50
Welding Process
Laser
Laser
Laser
Stagnation Temperature
191
191
191
Certifications
Keymark
Keymark
Keymark
Max Working Pressure (bar)
10
10
10
Glycol
Heat Transfer Medium
Glycol
Glycol
Efficiency (%) (Performance)
74.5
74.5
74.5
a1 (W/m2K)
3.556
3.556
3.556
a2 (W/m2k2)
0.017
0.017
0.042
kW Rating Of Panel
1.42
1.42
1.42
RM Solar Combi Konverter...
R M S O L A R S PA T E N T E D S O L A R C O M B I S O L U T I O N
RM Solar’s new patented combi boiler system offers to do what
The Combi Konverter offers users the following benefits:
many manufacturers have been trying to do for some time now.
Traditionally using solar, with a combi boiler relied on the boiler
accepting pre-heated water, however many of the new and
existing boilers do not make allowances for this.
When using the new RM Solar Combi Konverter system this
•
Fully compatible with new & existing combi boilers
•
Solar compatible combi is not required
•
Unique solar cylinder which offers:
problem no longer becomes an issue, using a unique purpose
1. Improved pressure and flow rates
designed cylinder and advanced controls, solar can be integrated
2. Immersion backup
safely into this type of system allowing the homeowner to benefit
from free hot water. It is also important to note that other
3. Improved system performance
systems can rely on passing preheated water through the boiler
where it does not spend enough time at a sufficient enough
4. Fast Response times
temperature to guarantee the purge of legionella.
5. Versatile locating of cylinder
•
Unique patented design
•
20 Year panel warranty and 25 Year cylinder warranty
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RM Solar Ltd
For cylinder information go to:
www.rmcylinders.com
For solar information go to:
www.rmsolar.com
4 Valencia Park · Gilcar Way
Wakefield Europort · Castleford
West Yorkshire WF10 5QS
Tel: 01924 22 42 82
Fax: 01924 22 42 83
Email: [email protected]
www.rmsolar.com