Solar Thermal Install

[Onoff]

What are the internal & external diameters of the pipe and glass tube as the physical dimension of any stoppers you have ? There's many on here who might have the time to play on the internet & locate them.

They look like heat resistant soft silicone sleeves rather than plastic plugs

Just reread this. I can't find the corks. These have really shrunk:

8mm dia copper:

This is the ID of the tubes:

The corks have shrunk:

Would the appropriate hole saw through some thick cork mat like @gaz1 suggested work?

 

[Gareth J]

Just reread this. I can't find the corks. These have really shrunk:

View attachment 352013

8mm dia copper:

View attachment 352009

This is the ID of the tubes:

View attachment 352014

The corks have shrunk:

View attachment 352011

Would the appropriate hole saw through some thick cork mat like @gaz1 suggested work?


View attachment 352010

Try boiling a cork in water. It'll expand a lot. Do it with old dried up ewarts taps. Seems to be a temporary fix though, unless you can keep the moister in somehow

 

[knighty]

where have all the heat pipes from the other tubes gone?

 

[gaz1]

you find them as tapered home brew corks from homebrew makers sites

Natural tapered cork 35/30 mm , agglomerate 652700​

 

[rtcosic]

Would 'rubber' bungs from lab supplies be better than cork?

 

[Onoff]

where have all the heat pipes from the other tubes gone?

No ideas. It was only the glass tubes I needed. A kindly soul off another forum gave me 17, some with heat pipes, some without.

 

[Onoff]

This is going to sound really stupid but what is the purpose of the cork, just to act as a spacer, to keep the copper away from the glass or to keep heat in the tube etc?

 

[gaz1]

Would 'rubber' bungs from lab supplies be better than cork?

stick rubber in an oven subject it to hot and cold and see what happens noting that the heat is going to be around 250f+

This is going to sound really stupid but what is the purpose of the cork, just to act as a spacer, to keep the copper away from the glass or to keep heat in the tube etc?

its a substance that can expand enough due to damp or water within the unit but act as a spacer/sealer
whilst cork is also an insulator as well

 

[Onoff]

Picked up 14 stainless brackets earlier. At a fiver each, new old stock I had to.

I'll need to cut and shut to get them to sit down on the bottom tile:

18mm at the top, 16mm at the bottom:

Rough plan is something like this and lop off the top L bit:

 

[sparkysy]

If you un-bolt the bottom fixing part and the rail clamp from the U shaped bit and swap them over would that give you enough clearance at the bottom as it can slide?

I think I would cut the end off the top part so that it is just a few mm longer than the unistrut and bolt it on the top, it would be a better fixing and the load will still be above the bracket, not relying on a bolt from the side of the strut. If you see what I mean?!

Also using 41x21 strut, sometimes the rail fixing and panel fixings will clash, and not always perfectly aligned to fit a bolt through the whole lot in one go so may need some fine adjustments
Sy

 

[Onoff]

I'll be using 41x41. Just a pity I can't afford it in stainless.

 

[Onoff]

If you see what I mean?

Erm...no...

 

[Edward Teach]

The tile that has been removed, will not sit flush when it is replaced, with the bracket in that position.

 

[sparkysy]

@Onoff ah 41x41 will be fine.
It's ok I see the issue now that @Edward Teach pointed out the bit I hadn't quite understood,I see that now, that's not going to work as it will foul on the rafter below the fixing plate!

 

[angellonewolf]

I'll be using 41x41. Just a pity I can't afford it in stainless.

surely that will mean a rusty stain down the roof if not rust restiant

 

[Onoff]

The tile that has been removed, will not sit flush when it is replaced, with the bracket in that position.

Not with the bracket as is, I know.

The vertical leg of the bracket will be shortened to do away with where the 16/18mm of packing is. I'll weld the cut down leg to the angle that screws to the joist. The removed tile gets it's underside grooved so it then sits down properly.

 

[Onoff]

surely that will mean a rusty stain down the roof if not rust restiant

Lots of folk I know have used galvanised Unistrut for this purpose. If some lengths of stainless 41x41 come up then I'll change it. 2x3m lengths would do me.

 

[Onoff]

@sparkysy , @Edward Teach :

 

[Onoff]

I'll soon be cutting and shutting these stainless brackets. I'll be doing away with the bolted joint where my thumb is:

MIG or stick is the question? I've a part roll of 0.8mm st/st wire, came I think from Machine Mart years back. No idea on the grade, the roll label is long gone Then a few 2.5mm 316 rods. So it's cut, clamp square and have at it. Probably 8 to do.

I've no idea what grade the bracket stainless is.

 

[angellonewolf]

is it stainless or just glavanised metal id guess its glavanised get down to screwfix for a can of spray after you have welded it

and for welding we dont know what mig welder you have and what power
but i most go for 0-3mm mig much above that stick