Solar Thermal Domestic Hot Water Systems

How can I connect an air compressor to my pump station to pressure test my solar thermal system for leaks?

How can I connect an air compressor to my pump station to pressure test my solar thermal system for leaks? Our pump station’s fill valve has GHT hose threads on the outside. You can easily make an adaptor using the following three fittings, which can be purchased at your local hardware store or plumbing supply.

Schrader valve x ¼” male NPT
Reducing Bushing, ½” NPT Male x ¼” NPT Female
Hose fitting, ½” NPT male x ¾” swivel GHT female

Use Teflon tape on the NPT threads of the Schrader valve and bushing in constructing the adaptor. When attaching the adaptor to the pump station, be sure to use two tools: one to hold the fill valve in place, and one to tighten the adaptor. That way, you won’t create leaks in the pump station itself while testing.

How should I test my solar thermal system for leaks?

How should I test my solar thermal system for leaks? After a solar thermal system has been installed, it should be tested for leaks before it is charged with heat transfer fluid. Leak testing should be done with air pressure. Air pressure can detect even small leaks that would be difficult to detect with liquid, because the liquid would evaporate as it leaked. Even tiny leaks are critical, because loss of fluid over time would change the system operating conditions and decrease performance. For more information, watch our webinar on air pressure testing.

My sensor cable is only 4 feet long. How do I wire it from the controller all the way to the collectors?

My sensor cable is only 4 feet long. How do I wire it from the controller all the way to the collectors? First off, when wiring to the collectors, make sure you use the high temp sensor (usually black or red). One end of the sensor cable has the sensor, which needs to be at the hot end of the collector array, and the other end has crimped wires that fit easily and securely into controller slots. So, the best thing to do is cut the sensor cable in half, and use each half where it is meant to be used. How do you bridge the gap? Well, SunMaxx pre-insulated line set (corrugated stainless steel pipe) has a 2-strand wire cable embedded inside it just for that purpose. Use the wire in the return line from the collectors to connect the two halves of your sensor. Wire connections should be soldered and shrink wrapped. The SunMaxx “Sensor to Wire Connections” installation guide shows the step-by-step process.

Can I connect my pool to my solar hot water heating system?

Yes you sure can. Using the pool as a heat dump in the summer is very easy to do and very beneficial, not only to your wallet but a warm pool makes a happy wife. We have many clients that are doing this very thing with their "extra" energy from the solar loop, especially for solar combi-systems. Here is how you do it: You will need a stainless steel shell and tube heat exchanger, a motorized, three port valve and some extra piping. Ask you sales rep for a schematic to help you. Using the three-port valve on the hot side of the solar loop, pipe the SS HEX in parallel with the tank. Wire the three-port valve to relay two on your SmartMaxx controller and program the controller so that relay two activates the valve when your tank reaches max temp (170 deg F). Be sure and set your pool pump to run during the day. You will re-plumb your pool loop through the SS HEX and it will steal heat from the solar loop warming the pool and cooling the Solar array- saving you money.

How long does it usually take to install a prepackaged DHW kit?

Well, that all depends but usually 2 workers can install a simple DHW kit and have it fully commissioned within 3 days. There are some cases where only 2 days is required and some days more. Our Heliomaxx kits are designed for simplicity and we expect that you shouldn't really need more than 48 total hours for a job and could be as low as 32.

How do I size a solar hot water system for my household?

Typically, an american average consumption of 20 gallons of hot water per day per person can be used to size systems. There are some variations in that however so we need to be careful about just using rules of thumb. For most of the Sunmaxx TitanPower Flat plates and Thermopower Evacuated tubes will yield about 2 gallons of hot water per FT2 of collector. Therefore, we can say that for a family of 3, we would recommend about 30 ft of collector. This estimate will vary depending on the part of the world you are from. If you live in the northern climates, this system example would replace existing fuel by over 50%. In mid-latitudes, you could expect a 60-70 % reduction and in southern climates, as much as 85% reduction