I start the 2015 season by enlarging the solar collector’s area from 2m² to 4m². Roof slopes of my house are situated to the East and to the West. The initial plan was to raise the solar collector in such a way that it would be situated to the South.

One section of the collector (2m²) has been heating water for 3 seasons. The collector was situated at 120 centimeters distance from the wall. In order to situate it at 45° angle I would have had to move it at 160 cm distance from the wall. And if I wanted the 30 cm. of protruding roof not to cast a shade upon the collector too early, I would need to move the collector even at 190 cm. distance from the wall… This would mean complex holding construction. Having evaluated future troubles with servicing, I chose the simplest way and put the collector on the ground. There is a 22 meter pipe distance from the collector to the boiler. A solar panel charges 12V 7Ah battery. The system has a 12V pump, which has worked fine for 3 seasons. The collector now looks as follows:

The frame holding the collector is quadrangular, as I will have to remake it when I have a chance. After 3 seasons polycarbonate covering turned a bit yellow, even though the collector itself is holding well. Aluminum pipe connections are watertight. On a sunny day, when I blocked the end of lower pipe and filled the heat exchanger piping with water, all the water in the heat exchange reached the boiling point and evaporated.