The OSO Solarcyl is a purpose designed solar ready mains pressure unvented hot water cylinder. Based on the popular and successful OSO 20 series stainless steel cylinder, the Solarcyl is linked with roof mounted solar thermal collectors to provide free energy throughout the year and save substantially on fuel bills.
 
Solar energy: In the UK, up to 60% of annual domestic hot water requirements can be supplied by solar heating. Solar thermal collectors placed on the roof of a property can provide nearly all the water heating required in the summer and provide a useful and energy saving preheat to the cylinder in the winter.
 
Solar thermal power is widely used across continental Europe, with many northern European countries with climates similar to the UK leading the way.
 
The UK government is actively encouraging the use of solar energy through direct grants and alterations to building regulations. The OSO Solarcyl is designed to meet and exceed all relevant regulations and standards for the UK and Europe.
 
Solar thermal system design: The system comprises three principal components, roof collectors (sometimes known as panels), the water storage cylinder, and a differential solar controller. The controller has temperature probes fitted in the collector and the cylinder.
 
Solar energy is captured by metal plates in the collector and the heat is conducted into glycol fluid that circulates between the collector and the cylinder. Heat is therefore transferred from the collector into the hot water cylinder.
 
The differential controller operates by comparing the temperature of fluid in the collector to the domestic hot water temperature in the cylinder. If the temperature is higher in the collector, the pump in the controller circulates the fluid and transfers the solar energy to the water in the cylinder, thus generating free hot water. When the domestic hot water has reached the desired temperature, or if there is insufficient solar energy to heat the cylinder adequately, the pump automatically switches and the system remains on standby.
 
Solarcyl design: All OSO Solarcyl products have a dedicated solar coil in the base of the cylinder which for much of the year will be able to provide all the domestic hot water requirements for a family. A very large surface area of the solar heating coil means that the maximum heating advantage can be achieved from the solar system.
 
Should winter solar gain be insufficient to heat the water fully, either a second coil (twin coil) heated by a boiler or a second electric immersion element (solar direct) is fitted to raise the water temperature to the desired level.
 
Solarcyls are provided with two sensor pockets to house the temperature sensors essential to the operation of the solar controller.
 
Bubble top or Fully flooded: The Solarcyl is supplied as standard as a bubble top (BT* with internal air gap expansion) unvented cylinder, meaning that no separate expansion vessel is required and space savings can be made. However in most installations, Oso recommend that Solarcyls are fitted as fully flooded cylinders (FF** separate expansion vessel required).
 
Fully flooded units offer a superior hot water performance when solar gain is low. As a general rule, OSO would recommend that Solarcyls are fitted using the fully flooded option as a greater amount of usable hot water from the upper heating coil is available.