Differential Controller

[Shawn Brown]

The vacation mode in my differential controller (Sonja SR-5/2D) allows the panel to get very hot before the pumps kick in. The default setting is 120c. At night it allows the tank to get cooled down to 35c if the collector is colder than the tank.

My concern is that the glycol just sits there and stagnates at 120c and never really transfers much heat to the tank. Wouldn't it make more sense to set the controller to a lower temperature and thus allow the transfer of more heat so the panel doesn't get so hot?

[Ralph Day]

My vacation mode is a 4x8 piece of cardboard tied over the collector panel. Works great.

Ralph

[Penny Walters]

My vacation mode is a 4x8 piece of cardboard tied over the collector panel. Works great.

Ralph

This made me laugh!! sounds hi-tech :cheesy:

[Rob Beckers]

My vacation mode is a 4x8 piece of cardboard tied over the collector panel. Works great.

Ralph

You're lucky we don't have any rain this year... :laugh:

-RoB-

[Ralph Day]

The cardboard is covered with a layer of plastic.:laugh: keeps the "rain" off the cardboard. I remember rain, it falls from the sky, doesn't it?

Ral;ph

[Paul Bailey]

Now that is Hot, kinda like our summer here now. Shawn .. I think I'd possibly increase your storage size( do the math on this), or integrate a heat Dump load / Zone that can me manual or automatically set for Vacation mode or other overtemps and divert some of that heat . The buffer in such the system adds Alot of peace of mind and reduced stress while vacationing or as Ralph added you may have to Tarp it up.. Paul

What are the rest of your system Specs..???

[Penny Walters]

:laugh: you're lucky it's not raining or your cover might be in trouble!

I can't believe you guys are making me jealous of the sun again ha! still raining in England... :(

[Mike Holm]

The vacation mode in my differential controller (Sonja SR-5/2D) allows the panel to get very hot before the pumps kick in. The default setting is 120c. At night it allows the tank to get cooled down to 35c if the collector is colder than the tank.

My concern is that the glycol just sits there and stagnates at 120c and never really transfers much heat to the tank. Wouldn't it make more sense to set the controller to a lower temperature and thus allow the transfer of more heat so the panel doesn't get so hot?

If you are in vacation mode, it is typically only for a week or two at a time and at 120C, Tyfocor (probably the glycol you are using) will not degrade much over that time. i would not worry about it too much but don't forget to get the glycol tested for Ph every couple of years. I may even have provided the control to you or to the previous owner of the house. I used to import the Sonja controllers.