Unlike many systems, Alpha SolarSmart works with a combination boiler and has been simplified to make specification and installation as straightforward as possible, whilst maximising energy savings.

The solar panel collects energy from the sun and transfers it to water that is pumped in to the drainback unit. This water heats a copper coil (or heat exchanger) through which water is fed into the cylinder.

The volume of stored water, if hot enough, can be fed direct to the tap (i.e. 60°C plus). When the water is pre-heated but not up to 60°C the solar valve diverts it via the combination boiler where it is heated up to the required temperature, but at a reduced gas rate.

The system doesn't require any complicated control or accessories, so installation is straightforward and the end user can get maximum benefit from the system, without having to adjust any settings or programme a timer.

The system offers three fundamental ways of saving energy and reducing heating bills:

The stored volume of hot water is only heated using energy collected from the solar panel - so there is never any gas used in maintaining the cylinder temperature.
If the boiler does fire, then the water being fed to it will usually be pre-heated, so it will only need to operate at part load, using less gas.
Because the system works with a combination boiler, hot water isn't stored unnecessarily, but is always available, on demand, even if the cylinder is depleted.

Installing a Grant Solar Thermal system has many advantages for the homeowner. Apart from reducing the amount of fossil fuels used, and the resultant savings in annual fuel bills, the reduction in harmful emissions will help reduce the long-term effects on the Earths climate. For the installer, the Grant system has some unique installation features. The Solar pump station incorporates an air eliminator system that allows the system to be both filled and purged of air in a single operation. Unlike other arrangements there is no need to install an air vent outside on the roof and also no need for regular maintenance. The Grant Solar collectors are the ‘Flat Plate’ type using 4mm thick ‘low Iron’ glass and a copper collector panel which has a special selective coating. This construction maximises solar absorption whilst minimising reflection by up to 95%. Grant Solar collectors can be installed on sloping roofs using either an on-roof or in-roof mounting system and also on flat roofs if required. For ease the Grant Solar Thermal System can be ordered as a complete kit comprising of the collectors, roof-mounting system, pump station, expansion vessel, solar controller, pipe connections and solar fluid. Grant Solar systems integrate easily with conventional water heating systems and will typically only take a couple of days to install.

Renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly more important, as fossil fuel prices rise, along with the
effects of global warming. Viessmann has always been at the forefront of renewable heating technology and has been supplying solar panels and heat pumps worldwide since the 1970’s.
Viessmann manufactures the most comprehensive range of proven renewable heating products, including
solar thermal systems, photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, wood burning boilers and heat recovery units,
enabling domestic and commercial buildings to benefit from the natural energy, efficiency and cost-savings offered by the environment.

The Vaillant solar domestic hot water system is the most advanced complete solar heating system available and is totally consistent with our commitment to providing maximum efficiency, high performance and total reliability.
Vaillant's auroTHERM exclusive evacuated tube collectors are manufactured using specially toughened glass for durability and a special high selective absorber coating for efficiency. auroSTOR is a twin coiled unvented solar cylinder manufactured from stainless steel. It has a 25 year warranty on the shell and is available in 200, 250 and 300 litre volumes and is delivered with a 3kW back up immersion heater as standard.

The auroMATIC 560 is an intelligent solar differential control with an easy to read LCD display and simple push button operation, auroMATIC offers three time periods for auxiliary cylinder heating giving the end user total control over the availability of hot water and maximum dhw comfort.

Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar Panels harness the power in both direct and diffuse sunlight and convert the energy to heat for the production of hot water for the home.

The solar panels have been designed as a complement to existing heating systems which use a store of hot water in a cylinder. The existing cylinder is exchanged for a cylinder with two heat exchanger coils; one from the boiler in the property and a second from the solar panels.

The Worcester Greenskies FK240 Solar Panels are an ideal partner to the new range of condensing Greenstar regular and system boilers, with different models available in both oil and gas, which require a separate cylinder for the storage of hot water. When used together a Greenstar boiler with solar system provides a highly efficient system to give heating and hot water comfort.

A typical well sized solar system should provide around 50% of the domestic hot water requirements of a home, representing a very worthwhile saving on hot water heating costs. The remaining hot water requirement is provided by the boiler.