"I am tired of wiping glycol of the wall."
Ha ha! Just wait until you get old. They make you drink a gallon of glycol almost every year after you turn 60..
(I just finished my 4th gallon last month).
Anyways, when I had my solar hot water system (back in the 70s & 80s),
I never had any problems with the glycol loop.
But the domestic water loop in the exchanger and the 84 gallon tank started leaking after about 10 years.
The water in my town does not like copper!
I was using it to pre-heat the (cold) water input to my (oil)heating boiler,
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...HSTARMOT35.jpg
which also has a hotwater coil inside (hatch in the top).
So, I never hooked up the upper heating element that came installed on the unit.
I ended up removing it when it started to leak. Eventually, I took out the whole leaky system.
Now, I'm thinking of using PV and a resistance heater on the old boiler.
Which should help save a little fuel oil, provided I can find PV for $2 USDs a watt..