Vocal Voices

Hottest, sunniest spell of the year, solar energy generation theoretically at it's best ….

…. and one of the feed connectors on our solar thermal system (provides endless hot water if the sun's out), up on the roof, has blown out (excess pressure?), and dumped all the glycol heat exchange fluid into the guttering!

A plague on all they newfangled technologicies !!

Oh dear Ossie.

We have solar panels and I had no idea that's how they worked.

Ally wot doesn't do science.

Me neither, but as long as they work

Oh crumbs.... that doesn't sound good. Hopefully the panels are still under some warranty? Esp if they have blown because of the weather; surely that's what they're meant to cope with?

As a matter of interest, Is that fluid toxic - given it'd have gone into the rainwater drain?

In the sort of mix found in solar panels (40-60% with water) ethylene and propylene glycol (antifreeze to you and me) can be lethal with just one glass if ingested. However, once mixed with more water it becomes lesss toxic and is biodegradable in less than a day, or 4 to 5 days in a closed environment.

We used loads (neat) in the RAF and a face shield and rubber gloves were acceptable personal protective gear.

So long as the Ostrich refrains from drinking out the drain he should be OK.

Oh what a PITA, Ossie Rotten timing!

Oh blimey Ossie, what a nuisance

Thanks folks, and that's interesting, WM; I wasn't sure about the toxicity rating for the stuff (there seems to be many variants of glycol).

Well, we haven't had any rain down here for weeks, and nothing is forecast until (possibly) Sunday, so we've got time for a clear up.

I had done a quick gutter clearance recently, but there was still some fine, organic debris left in it (moss), and the glycol soaked into that, mainly. Still, quite a quantity of it, so one of the first things I did was disconnect the water butt. I'll have to empty it in case any glycol did find its way in there.

A neighbour with decent ladders is coming round tomorrow afternoon and we'll clear the guttering of contaminated gloop - I'm hoping it might have baked reasonably solid in the sun, so I've laid in some rubble sacks. And we'll see where we go from there.

The company who installed it are calling tomorrow to try to evaluate what went wrong, and sort out a repair. It should be under a 10 year guarantee …..

And another thing!

We've just finished painting our back fence. It's taken for ever, because it's probably 30 years old and might never have been done before - the wood has absolutely soaked up the paint.

Still, the finished article is very attractive. And it's turned out in a nice stripy effect, mahogany and white.

The paint's mahogany. Our resident flock of 99 sparrows have already happily provided the white …..

Not your day, Ossie!