Closing the Circuit: Installing The Solar Water Heater

(Page 3 of 3)

January/February 1986
By Mother Earth News Editors 
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Study the circuit carefully and see how it might be adapted to your own site. Then, before you start cutting, consider a few points. First, the roof-mounted collector racks must be set to hold the panels at an "average" angle of incidence . . . one halfway between the sun's June and December extremes. So, for our area's 35° latitude, where the sun is about 50° above the horizon during the equinoxes in March and September, the collectors are fixed at a 40° angle from horizontal . . . or approximately 30° off the slightly pitched roof.

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Second, bear in mind the possible consequences of penetrating the roof shingles and sheathing. If you'd rather not bore access holes for the collectors' supply and return pipes (or purchase special flashing for such installations), it may be just as easy to route the plumbing around the roof overhang and enter through the top of the siding. In any event, you'll want to treat those potential trouble points with silicone sealant.

Also, keep in mind that there's a limit to how high a pump can deliver fluid at an acceptable flow rate. Ours can circulate several gallons per minute at just over 20' of head, so a multistory installation from a basement might tax that particular model. Check the manufacturer's specifications before you buy.

Safety can't be ignored, either. Shut off the power or gas supply to your existing water heater before you turn of the water supply, and don't plug in the controller until you've finished wiring the circuit. Test your closed loop connections by filling the system and topping it off at the air vents before making the heat exchanger reservoir connection to your water heater. When the system's turned on, any leaks in the internal stack tube will eventually become apparent. After you've plumbed the exchanger reservoir in line with vour water heater tank and turned the water supply back on, you can safely reactivate your household water heater.

Finally, take the time to insulate your plumbing properly. Heat loss can be significant inside the structure as well as outside . . . especially at the exchanger reservoir, which has a large surface area.

We'll admit that this may not be the most sophisticated solar hot water system ever devised, but it certainly does represent a comfortable and affordable blend of commercial and home-grown technology . . . and that's part of what doing it yourself is all about!

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