Solar Panels (Roof Mount)

[tphaggerty]

Go to powermat.com. They have lots of diagrams and advice. There are quite a few sites that have similar diagrams as well. The Heliocol website has the installation manual for their brand of panels which outlines this stuff pretty well too.

Installation tips: make sure that you angle your panels across the roof with the return coming from the TOP and the input at the opposite BOTTOM. This will allow the panels to fully fill without any air pockets and to drain completely. For a 2nd floor rooftop system like yours (and mine) you don't want all that water sitting on the roof all the time. You many need to move the vacuum breaker around some in order to prevent constant bubbling, we originally started with ours opposite the input, then moved it up, then finally installed it about 2/3 of the way up the return pipe next to the house. Depending on the valve type you are using, you may have to drill a hole in the valve ball in order to allow the input side of the system to drain back when the valve is opened. Our system called for a 1/4 inch hole.

Usage tips: Our controller just works the bypass valve, so if our filter is not running, the solar isn't either. Our system faces east (unfortunately we had no choice) so we set the filter timer EARLY (7am) and off by about 5pm when the sun is off the panels. On a bright day, the system will turn on 10 minutes after the sun hits the panels. We picked up 4 degrees yesterday (from 72 to 76) on a 20x40 inground with 8 4x14 panels, so you should do well with your south facing panels! The system will bubble a LOT each times it turns on, but all of the air should be cleared within about 3 or 4 minutes, if not you need to make sure all of your fittings are tight (first), then perhaps try moving the vacuum breaker.

Rooftop systems are (should be) OPEN, not closed loop like most onground systems. When operating, they are filled with water and do not need much pump. When first starting, your pump needs to be able to raise the water to rooftop. When off, the system should drain back, allowing air to enter the panels and all of the piping above pool level - this removes all stress from the panels.

Good Luck! (I wanted to install my system, but my better half did not want me playing around on a roof 30ft in the air).