Solar water quality:
Water that contains a high amount of foreign
matter, is of poor quality or contains a low
concentration of chlorine can lead to corrosion,
blockages and premature failure.In these
instances maintenance should be increased.
The warranty will be invalid in such cases.
As a rule of thumb your water quality should be
maintained between 8.0/8.3 on the PH scale.
If you are unsure of your water quality you can
obtain information from your local water authority.
Solar Safety:
Isolate the electricity supply to the controller
electric water heater booster and pump.
Wait for the solar system to cool down.
Turn off the water supply.
Wear protective clothing due to sharp edges and
hot components.
Release the systems water pressure using the
pressure relief valves.
When working on roofs caution should be
exercised when using ladders.
Make sure you have a safety rail between you
and the ground or a harness.
Care should be taken not to loose balance and
fall across the solar tubes.
All the components are reasonably light,items
are to be transported onto the roof one at a
time using recognised lifting methods.
The last parts to install are the solar tubes,
saving this to the end will stop the solar
collector heating up causing damage,when
fitting the tubes, only carry one at a time,
apply heatsink paste before installing.
(Maintenance) Cover the evacuated solar
tubes
tubes with a tarpaulin,
or something similar so
as the sunlight cannot penetrate,let the solar
system cool down first.
Solar collector installation tips:
Try to avoid hot water expansion across roofing
materials,the water will strip the surface of the
roofing material.
Plumbers torch:Dont use any flame to connect the
manifold to any other material.
Use only compression fittings on the ends of the
collector.
Use only PTFE tape to seal all joints.
A low cost way of insulating your solar cylinder
instead of buying a wrap is to use a piece of
carpet,first cut the top piece the exact size of
the cylinder, face the pile toward the cylindar,
then cut a piece for around the outside,make
sure this piece is tall enough to meet up with
the the top of the carpet on the top of the
cylinder,overlap the ends approx 500mm , secure
with plastic ties,cut neatly around pipes and
cables etc.
Install a service tap or ball valve each side of
the pump.
Silicon is a great sealer,but it does deteriorate
under UV-shield all joints from UV.
If your in a coastal zone or just want to extend
the life of your collector and fittings you can
spray on fish oil,this is available from super
cheap auto or bunnings,product penetrates and
dries.
Copyright 2010
