Solar heat install, placement questions

[Cracker Red]

Hello all!

I'm looking to install solar heat for our pool this year. I've come across some guardian panels in 4x12' size for a decent price. I have 7 of them, but I'm unsure if I have the roof space.

Pic of the house, straight up is North



The front of the house gets shade from the trees (and faces south), the west side of the house will have shade in the afternoon in 4-5 years from bamboo that has been planted. The white roof is a very slight grade, maybe 10%. It gets sun nearly all day year round (Pic is winter mid/day....2nd story shade is pictured).

Pool equipment is depicted on the first picture.

Here is a picture of the patio roof with a panel laid out on it. Obviously I would need to pull it onto the roof slightly higher.






Questions:

Is the slight angle enough for drainback when the system isn't circulating?
Is the angle in the panels going to cause issues with longevity?

What else could I do that I'm not thinking of. I don't have a ton tied up in the panels I have now ($450) but I'd like to use what I have.

[CarlD]

OK, above my pay grade. Sorry.

[nefretrameses]

Check out www.bestbuypoolsupply.com/solar-heating.htm. Click on one of the panels and scroll down to the link for installation instructions. You may find some useful info there. I think in general you want a slope equal to your latitude, give or take. I have a neighbor who did what you are suggesting and doesn't seem to have issues. I suppose there aren't any warrantee issues. So it looks like you will be facing north-east. It probably wont extend you season as much as would be possible. What about placement on the detached garage? I think drainback is really a concern with freezing - which can happen.

[Cracker Red]

I'll check out that website, thanks!

Detached garage would add about 250' total to the plumbing (about as much as putting the panels on the west side) with the additional pain of tearing up concrete to get plumbing routed.

I can fit 6 panels on the NE roof and have no issues with drainback or rubbing.

Or I can fit 7 panels on the flat roof but have potential issues with both.

I guess some panels facing a non-optimum way is better than none at all?

[nefretrameses]

Yeah, better than none at all I suppose. I'm just inland of you, so the months you need the panels to be most efficient is like mid-Nov. to mid-Mar. Non-optimal placement, especially with respect to direction will give you some extension to your season, but not as much as possible. I'd go with the shed roof location. If they don't make enough heat for you, they can always be relocated. In summer you probably don't need them.

I still say that the side facing the pool on that detached garage would be the bomb. You would have to add pipe to and from in addition to what you have to add anyway. 250' sound longer than what the aerial view shows. I'm thinking 60 feet from the pump to the closest corner of the garage? That's 120 more. Then, I'm not there and pictures can be deceiving. Busting up concrete is no fun either. Any way to bore under it?

[Cracker Red]

Was JUST about to update this thread.

I broke down today and decided that it's worth the effort to put them where they belong. Save for something REALLY good or death, we are going to be in this house for the next 20+ years.

So I dug the trench today and buried the piping. It's 70' from the pool equipment slab to the base of the garage, and then another 10' up. I overestimated the run on looks by quite a bunch.

I was kinda miffed as I just finished landscaping that area, getting rid of the broadcast sprinklers, mulching it, adding drip irrigation and planting a bunch of stuff. I KNEW I was going to break a few pieces of PVC and poly, the question was how many.





Tomorrow I'm going to rent a concrete saw and hack into the slab, remove the propane pool heater, and then connect the piping with some 2" flex tubing for a spa.

My Jandy 3 way valve and check valve will be here wed, along with the roof clamps and tie downs for the panels (Technosolis).

I'll have around $800 total in the 8 panel system, with the ability to add 2 more panels facing south on that roof if need be. Overall I'm tired but the weekend worth of effort should be worth the extended season.