Can anyone share their experience with solar thermal hot water systems?

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

I have an opportunity to have a solar thermal system installed, but a neighbour has mentioned that they might not be as good as they're sold to me - may not give the benefits they're supposed to.

Does anyone have them and could share their experience - pros and cons?

Thanks

Sold to be

Hopeful bump...

I was advised against one, we have a hot water tank and it was considered more effective to have an extra solar panel and then a solar element which goes into the tank and any energy not used on electricity then heats the element and keeps the tank warm. If you don't have a tank that's not helpful though I realise!!

Do you have a hot water tank? If so, I would go for solar PV system instead with an iBoost that can convert any excess power that is generated into hot water via the water tank. Solar thermal is less efficient but this way you get the benefits either by electricity or hot water

Ha @PetitePolly great minds...!

We had one,we had piping hot water on a hot summers day and Luke warm throughout the winter so we weren't sad when it broke.
I'm not sure what I expected really with needing sun to heat the water.

@hannahbanana2007
@Muddledupme that's what I'd understood too, it was thought to be the next big thing about 15 years ago but wasn't practical in real life.

I don't currently have a tank. I understand that you get more hot water in the summer and less in the winter but I thought you could use gas as a back up so wouldn't feel the difference - only you'd pay even less gas cost in summer and only a little less gas cost in winter. Hmm. I may have to rethink...

We have solar water - a big boiler in the garage and free showers from May to August. And gas makes up the difference when the solar isn't enough

I had solar hot water, in Australia! It worked really well there for obvious reasons. To seriously consider it you would need to see the calculations for your specific circumstances - where you are and what direction the panels would be facing. My instinct is that it's not worth the investment in the UK but you need the figures to determine that.