Re: More on Solar
 

Hi wellinever,

Just checking that I have the correlation to UK equivalent correct, an esquentador looks like a tankless water heater, much like a "combi boiler" in the UK. The water is heated only on demand. Do I have that right?

Edited to add: Perhaps not "combi" boiler per se, as that does the hot water for the radiators as well. I should have just said an "on-demand" water heater.

Cheers,
AJ

Re: More on Solar
 

hi
yes an esquentador is a simple gas water heater. Look like a standard boiler in the UK. But not a combi as it will not be running central heating system.
Cheapest is about €180 from leroy merlin, but in all honesty not very good Chinese. Best to buy Vulcano/Vallliant/Junkers. Normally these will give hot water at 11ltrs/minute from a shower head.
That is enough for one person showering at a time. If you want enough for 2 people than go for 15ltr/min or even 18litre minute. But bear in mind they will use more gas.
example here : https://www.leroymerlin.pt/Produtos/...R_REF_16923893
Important to note the type of exhaust you need......atmosferic means exhaust gas goes out of the boiler without a fan.
Ventilado means there is a built in fan to expel the fumes (better if you have kitchen and lounge together and for any letting of a property for regulations)

Its a pity that people are not fitting instant electric showers as in UK. EDP and archaic Portuguese electricity system is to blame. Most UK instant electric showers run at 9kwH. In Uk thats not a problem as every house/flat has almost unlimited supply of electricity, but in portugal of course you pay for electric depending on the total supply you contract for. Most people go for 10.5 kwH, and so if you put a shower on at 9kwh there is only 1.5kwh left to use anything else......so then you need to go to 20kwh at a horrendous €1.25 a day for the meter....rip off.

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Thanks for the input. I just went back over our villa bills for last season (Nov 2017 - Oct 2018). Sleeps 6, occupied about 4 months out of the year, bottled gas (hot water plus hob, oven is electric), came to 190€. I got a 'back of napkin' estimate of 2500€ to buy and install a sufficient solar water heater. If I assume all of the gas used was for hot water, that means it would have taken me 13+ years to break even; even longer when you apportion some of that use to the hob. As you said, it didn't add up. If the house was occupied most of the year (say 10 months) that would have brought the break-even time to 5+ years. That puts is on the border of consideration, but if you add in the electric immersion heater for back-up, I might as well stay with the gas boiler.

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if Portugal gov would put their money where their mouth is they would be offering tax advantages to install solar water heating, but they dont, still even charge 23% IVA on equipment and labour.
They have also made a clever move, for the past 5 years, if you build a new house or apartment you HAVE to intsall solar water heating or you cannot get a habitation license!!!!
Cost for my house is over 2000€, and this will save me 1500kwH/annum (1kwh = €0,23= €340/annum), so pay back period is over 6 years and that assumes it doesnt need changing in that time (which it possibly will), but HAD to install it......robbers.

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I'm not entirely sure what your point is. I'm totally happy with the system I have, have no intention of changing it and really don't have any issue with the way Portugal does things.

I don't actually come onto this forum often, as you can see from how infrequently I've posted. I'm more than happy to be of help if I can regarding São Brás.

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Apologies ... seems we took your thread onto a bit of a tangent.

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sorry cherry
didn`t realise your first post on this subject was in march 2018