I Am A Water Waster

[winkle]

You need a plumber Darren, my last quarter water usage went through the roof - bloody toilet overflow cut-off seal!!

 

[barry2]

Darren
I'd turn off every tap on the property and then check to see at what rate the water meter is ticking over.I discovered a slow dribble from the toilet cistern that way.

 

[Doogiechap]

Hmmmm,
We used 109Kl over the past 6 months. Interesting, we are under our suburbs average use of 135Kl with a bore and 214Kl without a bore . (we have a bore).
2 Kids no pool.... Hmmm my plate chiller is still an intregal part of my brewery and process but I'll look at some alterantive water storage for chilling/ garden use.

Cheers
Damp Doug

 

[Darren]

Hey,

I have looked at the meter and it is not running all the time. My pool is filled by the roof (so its like a big rainwater tank).

Apart from Bonj, no-one has addressed my question about the solar got water system. On hot days my system drips constantly. On very hot days it dumps the whole storage tank (yes, I have seen it more than once, 15 minutes of full-on boiling water).

So is this normal? Am i being fooled into thinking that solar the be all and end all or is it a trade-off for cheap power and increased water consumption?

Bonj, happy to take a photo of it if you wish. Looks like a water heater on its side with a couple of glass panels in front of it. It gets massive sun exposure.

cheers

Darren

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

A mate of mine has a solar hw heater with instantaneous gas boost. I saw his water usage a while ago and it was really very little.

Now, I just *know* that if his hw system dumped its payload when the weather got too hot, I would have heard about it - he is just that sort of guy. He cracked a spaz having to rinse out a couple of fermenters and a hop sock during a recent project and I ended up bringing them home to clean them.

 

[oldbugman]

103 kilolitres (average 572 litres/day). I don't know if this is good or bad? Seems like alot!

You prompted me to check my last bill, having bought a house ~6months ago. I have two quarters to compare.

first quarter was 32kl 333lpd
2nd quarter was 48kl 527lpd

Now during the first quarter we had a freddy freeloader come stay with us, so I'd base that on having 2.5 adults in the house for that period.
2nd quarter we filled a ~7,000L pool.. and then refilled half of it when it got a leak.

Based on that(without pool or freeloader) me and my partner would be pretty close to the QLD cut off of useage per day.

 

[Darren]

A mate of mine has a solar hw heater with instantaneous gas boost. I saw his water usage a while ago and it was really very little.

Now, I just *know* that if his hw system dumped its payload when the weather got too hot, I would have heard about it - he is just that sort of guy. He cracked a spaz having to rinse out a couple of fermenters and a hop sock during a recent project and I ended up bringing them home to clean them.

Spills,

I am like that too. I am shocked by my water usage. I cannot see where 500 litres a day comes from. I wondered about the solar system as it really dumps the whole lot if the temp is over 40C. It drips constantly on hot days. It is one year old.

Would really like a solar plumber comment on this and how i can avoid it

cheers

Darren

 

[MVZOOM]

Spills,

I am like that too. I am shocked by my water usage. I cannot see where 500 litres a day comes from. I wondered about the solar system as it really dumps the whole lot if the temp is over 40C. It drips constantly on hot days. It is one year old.

Would really like a solar plumber comment on this and how i can avoid it

cheers

Darren

Darren, if it's that bad, it's worth spending the $$ and getting someone to come out and check things through. 500L per day is a lot of water, ROI on having it checked out won't be long.

Cheers - Mike

 

[bonj]

Hey Darren,

From your description, I know what type of solar system you're talking about. Unfortunately, what I know about hot water systems you could carve on a grain of rice with a shovel. My system basically looks like a standard electric system, with 2 extra insulated water pipes going into it. They are the recirculate pipes to the solar bank on the roof. The tank ( and I believe most tanks) has a pressure relief valve that will dump hot water if the pressure gets too high. Maybe that's your problem? I agree that a solar plumber might be a good investment. It doesn't sound right that it dumps so often. My usage is just under the "target 140" at around 135, so mine can't be dumping much if at all, although I'd say the Qld sun isn't very comparable direct heat wise to SA. We don't get the string of 35+ days that you seem to get down there (last time I lived there anyway (15 years ago)).

 

[drsmurto]

Darren

I have a solar hot water system too and it also leaks. Never seen it dump the entire contents but there is always dripping. Replaced seals in outdoor dunny as i thought it was the culprit for my water usage excesses but maybe the hot water system is leaking all day?

Environmentally friendly they told me ......grrrrr.....

Cheers
DrSmurto

 

[PostModern]

Environmentally friendly they told me ......grrrrr.....

Improperly set up, I would say. It should only circulate water thru the collectors when storage temp is below set temp. Dumping the entire storage to prevent overheating is a joke. There are these things, been around a lot longer than solar hot water... ummm, yes, they're called valves.

I am not a hot water expert...

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

There are these things ... [snip] ... called valves.

Sounds intriguing. Where would I get one of these things? Could I use it in my brewery?

 

[PostModern]

Sounds intriguing. Where would I get one of these things? Could I use it in my brewery?

Sounds like Darren might have some malfunctioning ones on the market soon.

 

[drsmurto]

Improperly set up, I would say. It should only circulate water thru the collectors when storage temp is below set temp. Dumping the entire storage to prevent overheating is a joke. There are these things, been around a lot longer than solar hot water... ummm, yes, they're called valves.

I am not a hot water expert...

Pomo, yep, i know it shouldnt do this but i am the most useless DIY bloke on the planet. SO until i can find a plumber who isnt scared off driving up into the hills - its leaking. The runoff is at least keeping a small portion of my lawn alive......

Would be scary to measure just how much water is being wasted on a daily basis.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Pomo, yep, i know it shouldnt do this but i am the most useless DIY bloke on the planet.

I can see another competition here - who is the most useless DIY bloke on the planet. :blink: Send pictures !!!

At least you're a scientist !!! :unsure:

 

[drsmurto]

I could post pics of the 'hole' i drilled/cut/chiselled in the bar for my font and the hole in the side of the keg fridge. I think if you gave a 3 year old the same equipment they could have done a better job!

And when i said 'replaced seals in the dunny' that should have read - 'my partner replaced the seals' as she is the one who has the tool kit, i didnt own a hammer when we met


FGZ, my skills are in the lab, not in the shed..... h34r:

 

[Darren]

Sounds like Darren might have some malfunctioning ones on the market soon.

PM,

I dont think the valve is faulty. I tell you how it happens. The tank fills and heats on a really hot day. Water sits there getting hotter in the "lines" that are on top of the silver coated backing. Someone in the house uses some hot water allowing the super-hot water into the tank to replace what was just used, then the valve opens up and dumps hot water until the temp is below the maximum allowable temperature. The installer told me it was a safety valve that blows off if the water inside gets over 65? When I asked him how to stop it he said....Simple, just use more water in the morning :angry:

On warm to hot days (30+) the line drips constantly. It doesnt do that if the weather is not so hot (less than 30).

Dr Smurto,

I put a bucket under the drip a coulpe of weeks ago. Filled it to the brim in a day

cheers

Darren

 

[Fents]

how much did you pay and how old is the system? surley they have a 12 or 24 month warranty.

 

[PostModern]

PM,

I dont think the valve is faulty. I tell you how it happens. The tank fills and heats on a really hot day. Water sits there getting hotter in the "lines" that are on top of the silver coated backing. Someone in the house uses some hot water allowing the super-hot water into the tank to replace what was just used, then the valve opens up and dumps hot water until the temp is below the maximum allowable temperature. The installer told me it was a safety valve that blows off if the water inside gets over 65? When I asked him how to stop it he said....Simple, just use more water in the morning :angry:

On warm to hot days (30+) the line drips constantly. It doesnt do that if the weather is not so hot (less than 30).

Dr Smurto,

I put a bucket under the drip a coulpe of weeks ago. Filled it to the brim in a day

cheers

Darren

That can't be the designed behaviour. Surely it would just vent water from the collector when the temp or pressure was over and only run more thru to the tank when needed. Dumping your entire tank (or near enough) is absurd. Surely not all Solar hot water systems are so poorly designed?

 

[bonj]

It's a pity it's not higher than 65. That's almost strike temperature