15/05/2026
20+ Year Old Solar Thermal System Recommissioned & Restored
Projects like this are a reminder of how well some early European solar thermal systems were designed, engineered, and installed.
It is also fascinating to see how the technology, controls, efficiency, hydraulics, insulation, and engineering principles have continued evolving over the years, into the modern high-performance solar thermal systems we install today.
This impressive early-generation European solar thermal combi-system was exceptionally well engineered, intelligently designed, and built using very high-quality components.
Our two-day intervention had the goal to restore operation, circulation, and hydraulic integrity without turning the project into a complete rebuild, or undertaking large immediate replacement costs.
Systems like this were way ahead of their time, this one built with very high-quality equipment and solid engineering principles.
The system consists of 8 solar thermal panels being the primary source of heat for the large thermal energy store (water tank), with the fireplace in the house as the back-up heat source.
The system produces and provides hot water for the house, underfloor heating throughout the house, as well as swimming pool heating… all via multiple hydraulic circuits, multiple circulation pumps, multiple heat exchangers, with various interconnected sensors and controllers.
With proper servicing and maintenance, these intelligently engineered systems can continue operating efficiently for many years.
Over the two day service we drained, flushed and cleaned out all the hydraulic circuits and heat exchangers, drained and flushed the tank and underfloor heating circuits, the fireplace heating circuit, replaced automatic air vents, replaced seized circulation pumps, checked expansion vessels, filled the solar circuit with the correct mix of glycol and demineralised water, filled the thermal energy store and underfloor heating circuits with demineralised water and corrosion inhibitor, pressurised all the circuits and bled air out systematically,
The Result - A stable and operational multi-source solar thermal heating system once again producing, storing, transferring, and distributing heat directly from sunshine. And, another very happy client!
Amazing how, with the right tools, knowhow, a little bit of love and attention, and some replacement parts, a more than 20-year-old system can be brought back to life.
www.HelloSunshine.pt
Solar Pool Heating & Hot Solar Water Specialists