Solar pool heating installation instructions

The solar panels must be installed above the water level of the pool to allow the pool water to drain back to the pool. The panels must be tilted and the lower header and pipe lines must be installed with a slop to allow a complete drainage when the pump is not running.

Chlorinated pool water should not be allowed to remain in the copper panels without circulation. It is not recommended to install the panels below the water level of the pool. Install two parallel 2x3 redwood or treated lumber runners see item 1. For a longer panel, install a third runner in the center to keep the panels from bowing.

The wood runners must be installed with a slop to allow a complete drainage the inlet point must be the lowest. The bolts should penetrate the roof rafters at 4' to 6' apart.

Clean the header with emery cloth as preparation for soldering. Use wood blocks same height as runners to lift the assembled panel headers off the runners while soldering.

Use a metal shield, wet rag and water squirt bottle while soldering to protect the roof from the torch flame and solder droppings. Run the 2" PVC pipe to and from the panel with a slope to allow complete drainage. First you need to determine the direction of the flow.

Look at the pump first; the pump is sucking the water from the pool through the skimmer and to the filter. Out from the filter to the heater and back into the pool. The solar system is added on to the section of the pipe after the filter and before the heater so filtered water will be flowing through the solar panels.

Please follow the installation instructions that are provided with the automatic controller. At this point the system is completely installed. All copper and PVC joints are connected and the vacuum breaker is installed. If automatic, the controller is mounted and energized.

The sensors are installed and the Flo-Verter valve is set to flow through the collectors. Sun-Ray Solar pool heating systems require relatively little attention. But, as with any mechanical system, some basic maintenance is essential to keep the system functioning smoothly.

The panels and piping should be checked for leaks. The system should be checked at least twice per year for proper operation of the controller and sensors. The panels can be rinsed periodically to remove dust collected or bird droppings. The panels can be repaired by soldering if required. The panels can be repainted for a fresh look if required. In order to protect the panels from freeze damage, pool water must drain back into the pool when the pump is not running.

Pool water should not be allowed to set in the panels for a long duration without circulation. See item 1 about slope See item 6 about vacuum breaker.

See item 10 about drainage tube. Pool Panel Installation and Operation Instructions Sun-Ray Solar would like to extend our congratulations on your decision to purchase a solar pool heating system and join the millions who use this cost-effective and reliable choice for heating your pool.

System description The Sun-Ray pool heating system is adapted to your existing circulation and pool filtration system. Manual control A manual 3-way bypass valve is installed to divert the pool water to the panels or bypass the panels. Automatic control Optional The controller is a differential temperature thermostat designed specifically to regulate solar system operation. Solar Panel Tilt and Orientation The panels can be installed on a roof or ground rack.

Freeze and corrosion protection The solar panels must be installed above the water level of the pool to allow the pool water to drain back to the pool.

Typical roof Installation Install two parallel 2x3 redwood or treated lumber runners see item 1. Tying to the pool equipment manual operation First you need to determine the direction of the flow.

We recommend you use a cloth and. Coastal region boundaries are smooth lines set in from a smoothed coastline by 50km, km or km lines.

If you. Split strip into. Note: Strips installed near or within a roof edge exclusion zone require 2 X the fixing strength. Strips installations within a roof corner exclusion zone require 3 X the fixing. In the appropriate place create the looped roof. Collectors laid on a flat surface can be walked on without damage.

Do not step on a hot. Take extreme care to use non-slip shoes. Notes: Solar pump can run independently of the filter pump. A and B are the recommended temperature sensor. When constructing pipe work consider the thermal expansion of long lengths of pipe work. Note: the minimum spacing for PVC 40 pipe supports.

Use the perforated band to create saddles. If you need to retro fit these you must contact a pool. Notes: For pool with only 1 return port, the filter pump must be set on a timer to run outside of solar hours to. If the pool has more than one return port and the filter pump and solar pump run together,.

When the filter pump starts it will create negative pressure in the suction line which. Please be aware, this is a special valve with a polished ball and rubber seat, contact us at info ecoonline. A standard flap non-return will not suffice. Also note, such a system will need regular careful. Any failures or even the smallest leaks in these non-returns, due.

Solar suction tee. Notes: Manual or motorized three-way valve 9. Note: automatic controls are omitted for clarity. For manual pool heating systems running off a main pool filter pump, please check that the. Generally, this configuration is not recommended for two. Solar pump. A and B are the recommended temperature sensor installation zones. This configuration is not recommended for single story installs for pools with only a single.

However for two story or greater installs, even with a single return port, this. Install the Tuffman strainer canister as shown in the plumbing diagram above. If the strainer is installed below the waterline you. Depending on the level of pool use and debris in the pool the strainer may. Use a jet of water. Please refer to the controller manual as different controllers have specific installation instructions.

Here we only add. Note: controller manuals are. If your controller comes with a long 20m cord hot roof sensor it should be adhered using silicon to a sun exposed. It should NOT be installed, on top off, inserted into, or under the. The cold sensor should be fitted inside a section of PVC suction line before the solar pump and sealed using the. For this you will need to drill a hole in the suction line, please check the controller manual for the.

This can cause a sprain injury as a hand drill will violently kick and spin. Drill bits. Alternately, a step drill bit or a. A cone shaped rolled up piece of sandpaper. Alternatively, it can be extended see below.

We recommend you practice on a pipe off cut before attempting the hole. The sensor cords can be extended using similar type cord but in a larger gauge wire. Note, the Dontek cold sensor. Please contact. All pool heating systems have a drain down design and MUST drain as fully as possible when the system stops. Your collector strips as well as your solar booster pump will require regular winter flushing, you should make sure. If you do not want to run your system over winter you can winterize your.

The use of a water tight non-return valve on the solar supply will prevent drain down. Any non-return valves installed on the supply line MUST. The main purpose. A 6mm hole allows slow drain down while also. PVC piping should be installed with a slope such that all water drains out of the piping to. There should be no U-bend water. Note: PE lines are not. Solder joins should not be placed in any conduit section running under ground.

A drain tube 18 or a by-pass ball valve 19 with 6mm hole can be used to drain non-self draining sections of PVC. In some cases where there are issues with pump priming and a perfectly sealing non-. Please request this. Insert the. Finally connect the by-pass tube to the double barb side barb ends.

The pressure gauge must be installed on the return line preferably near eye level. Insert the rubber grommet into the hole. Use pink Teflon tape on brass tread, lubricate the brass barb with. Note: PVC plastic should be. Manual type systems need only the adjustable 3-way ball valve. Collector pressures can then be adjusted as follow:. Gauge Pressure. Pressure Adjustment Advice. Install ball valve brake 16 see plumbing diagrams to. About equal to:. Pressure is ideal no action required.

Excessive pressure - install extra pool returns or remove. In this case you will get undesirable constant bubbling in. If this happens you. The following procedure for a manual system need be carried out only once during installation.

For an over-sized solar pump 13, see plumbing diagrams we recommend the following procedure, carried out only. Over-sized pumps and flow rates could potentially limit the lifetime of your collectors due to. Note, the return line to the pool MUST be unconstricted, with an. The vacuum release valve. MUST be mounted as specified to ensure collectors are not pressure worked. At midday with the sun shining on the collectors and the pump operational, run your hand over every part of each.

The collector tube near the supply should be cool to the touch while the tubes near the return. No part of any collector should be hot to the touch. Hot spots indicate. During operation the outlet water flow should be strong with a temperature no greater. Faster flows rates will result in a lower. Maintenance Issue - Service Procedure. Strainer — Depending on pool usage and level of debris you may. Leaks — A leak check should be performed as leaks can corrode.

Any leak should be repaired. Non-Return Valve — The non-return valve 8 see plumbing. It should be checked. Vacuum Release Valve — The vacuum release valve 7 is a. It should be checked that it is not. Plumbing Degradation — Plumbing should be checked for signs. Replace as needed. Debris Accumulation — Check that there is no build up of debris.

Winterizing System — You may need to prepare your system for. Locate the leak, cut a 3mm cross section of tubing, strip webbing, and thread the.

Lubricate barb joiner using silicon spray. Join tubes using the barb. Lubricate and slide on locking collar, using a blunt object, such as the.

After the system is switched ON for the first time, please be aware that it will take up to 1 week for the pool and the. As such systems that. Important: before carrying out any system maintenance you MUST check for any manual. Your installation should have the following elements:. Correctly sized pump or pressure optimization carried out. A third balance pipe must be installed for all collector arrays.

For independent systems not going through the filter, the supplied strainer MUST be installed. The supplied vacuum release valve MUST be installed on the roof on the return line. Smooth flow is achieved; little air bubbling is present in pool after initial purging. A hot spot check was performed.

All tube lengths are cool during full sun exposure, indicating water flow. A non-return valve was installed with a small 6mm hole drilled in the flap. Collectors should run and be adhered to the top of ridges of any roof structure, not the valleys to allow water. Frost proofing was considered. All PVC lines are sloped such that water runs back into the pool at night.

Solar controller roof sensor was mounted on the roof and not on a solar collector. Extra silicon adhesive was used for collectors near roof exclusion zones near roof edges. Pipes and manifold assemblies are mounted above roof valleys to allow clear drainage of water and debris.

The pressure gauge was installed on return line and the pressure optimization procedure was carried out. Users should be made aware that under rare conditions on system start up, very hot water. Users especially children should be advised to keep away from outlet during start up.

Due to the potential for hot water at the outlet on start-up, solar heating outlets must not. Where practicable, solar heating systems shall be designed.

Where a solar heating system cannot be designed to drain. Contact info EcoOnline. Posted: 12th Sep Most people think of upfront install costs only - but would you be surprised to know the cost t Posted: 14th Aug In our series on the effects of solar pool covers we've looked at how much heat a solar pool Posted: 16th May So we've looked at how much heat a solar pool heating system can add to a pool, and we've lo Posted: 13th May Previously, we've looked at how much a solar pool heater can increase the temperature of a s Posted: 7th Mar Sometimes we get asked about swimming pool heating costs, so we thought we might write this Posted: 6th Mar In this article we analyze the savings from using a pool heat pump vs a gas heater to heat y In this article we analyze auxiliary pool heating cost savings from the use of solar pool co Posted: 16th Feb