Why are things never easy... please help!!!

[ellenicol]

Ok LONG story short I bought the sungrabber solar panels b/c everything I read about them sounded wonderful and EASY key word being easy. Well easy it has NOT been. They are on the roof and we have everything installed per instructions but it works like crap. We have water spraying everywhere and the pump keeps losing pressure. This really sucks and I can't even get my pool circulating.

Here's our setup if anyone can help me. Pool to pump, to filter, to plumbing w/diverter kit that comes with panels. Then we have flexible hose frome the diverter to solid hose in the ground to the house about 50 feet, up the roof to the panels. Is this to far for my pump? Its a 1 hp pump. Obviously it goes thru the panels and back through flex hose to the solid hose in the ground and back to the diverter valve which then goes into the pool. At almost every joint we have there is a leak. We are thinking on how to refigure. If no one can help me here then i will call the company.

Thanks so much. Ellen

[ellenicol]

I really could use some help here. We have the sungrabber 2x20 panels. Are they supposed to go on the roof??? I know there are a ton of people here who have panels and can help me. I worked on it all day today and the stupid thing still leaks. They tell you to use flex hose but it won't seal properly around the panels. I have a 1hp pump is this strong enough to get the water 50 ft away and to the single story roof. I don't want to spend the money piping it there and then have it not work still. The company is closed over the weekend but I plan on calling them Monday.

If anyone could share pics of their plumbing that would help also. Someone in a similar situation. 24ft AG with 2 panels plumbed to it.

Thanks so much if I get help. Ellen

[CarlD]

How are you making your joints?

Are you using teflon tape on all the threaded joints? Or Teflon paste? These are a must.

Are you using glued joints elsewhere, and are you using Schedule 40 fittings and flexible PVC glue? If you are using flexible PVC pipe (called TigerFlex) and are using internal fittings with it you will need to replace them all with glue-on Sched 40s or it will NEVER stop leaking.

If you are using internal, barbed fittings (on other types of flexible) are you using teflon paste first?

The BIGGEST problem with leaks and pool plumbing is people use TigerFlex with internal fittings. Professionals do it to. The installers were driving away and the fittings on the pump were leaking for me! I replaced all the internal fittings with glue-ons and was done!

I had installed solar panels for my parents about 4-5 years ago and used T/F with internal fittings on the pool store guy's say-so. Leaked even with 3 hose clamps per fitting. Replaced it with glue-ons--problem solved.

But I have no expertise with roof-mounted solar panels and the pumping requirements for that. Others will have to help you.

[mshumack]

Go to www.powermat.com and read evertrhing on the site.
Good luck