Solar Panel Install w/pcs Part 2 (dial-up beware)

[pj1016]

All 44 panels assembled:



Once I got the panels up onto the roof, they were easy to put together. Put an o-ring on the male end, spread some lithium grease, insert a temporary assembly tool on the female end, push together, remove assembly tool and install permanent clip that holds the two together. Wham-bam.

Each top header is attached to the ridge beam of the roof using galvanized plumbers strapping and stainless steel screws and nuts.

Then all that is left is to run pvc pipe to the inlet end of the bottom headers, connect the outlets from both systems and then drop off of the roof with the two inlets and one combined outlet. Because of where the combined outlet is located, it was necessary to run the inlets pipes across each roof and then connect to the lower manifolds.

South roof set (the pool equipment is behind the fence on the left; the vacuum breaker for the whole system is on the lower left; the inlet for this set of panels is on the lower right and the outlet is on the upper left):



West roof set (the inlet to this set is on the lower left and the outlet on the upper right; you can see the outlet where both panel sets combine by the chimney, which then drops off the roof to the equipment directly below; finally, there is a pressure gauge installed on the lower right):



Here's a view of the outlet and the inlet going up to the west roof:



And where everything comes together. The outlet from the sand filter (lower right on the multi-valve) feeds through a check valve and then immediately tees to that black box which is the three-way valve that controls the flow to the solar panels. It is electronically-controlled; I have yet to hook-up the control panel and sensors. When the solar is on, the valve directs flow through the pipe that goes back towards the house and splits-off into two feeds that go to each panel set. Each feed has a ball valve so I can either isolate the set or meter the flow if necessary.

After the tee for the solar valve is a ball valve that meters the flow to the panels so as not to over-pressure them. So, some flow goes to the panels and some directly to the pool. The pressure gauge on the roof tells me whether or not there is too much flow. The outlet from the panels is the painted pipe on the far upper left; the flow goes through that clear check valve and then on to the pool.



I will wrap this posting up later in Part 3.

[matt4x4]

What are you building??? a Giant HOT TUB??????
That's a LOT of solar panels.....

[sevver]

What is the 6" pvc all over the garage for? Is it a dust collection system for the tools? I have the tools, just no dust collection system, besides a broom and shop vac that is.

[matt4x4]

Looks like a home brew Dust collector to me (nice job on it by the way)
Those wooden boxes look to be the shutoffs/seals on each access point.

[pj1016]

LOL...yeah, it's definitely a lot of panels. But, what the hey, if you are going to install some, might as well install a bunch.

Seriously, though, since some of the system had to be on my west roof, more is necessary in order to achieve the main goal of extending the swim season when the sun isn't as intense.

Yes, the six inch pipe is for my dust collection system with homemade blast gates. The pipe system is connected to a 2 hp collector that collects all dust, small animals and your arm if one is not careful.

pj

[Simmons99]

pj - you are one of those "more power - arg arg arg" guys aren't you

How large is the pool? We are having a relatively small pool installed and we want to install solar but we can only install 360 sq feet on the west/north roof (so you don't see the panels from the street). Our pool is about 13,500 gallons (30X15).

[pj1016]

More power is always good...don't need it all of the time, but it's there when I need it!

The critical measure is the surface area of the pool because that's where the heat is lost. My pool is 560 sq. ft.

You would be installing panels that are 80% of your pool, but putting them on the west roof (not great, but the next best place after the south) and the north (not good) will decrease their effectiveness.

Probably OK if all you are looking for is to heat your pool during the summer when the sun is high.

pj

[cajunfla]

Maybe I missed it, but how did you secure the panels to the roof?

[pj1016]

No, you didn't miss it...I forgot to mention all of it.

The headers, as I said before, are tied to the ridge beam.

However, I neglected to mention how the rest of it is strapped down to the roof...which is what I assume you are asking.

I have a cement tile roof, so screwing any anchors through the tiles to the sheathing (as would be done on a composite roof) is out of the question . So, Hot Sun Industries (Ken Wright's company) supplied anchors that are glued to the tiles.

The anchor is a piece of sheet metal to which a ring is riveted. Squirt some flashing adhesive out of a caulking gun on the back and place it on a roof tile in the desired location. When placing the anchor, for extra holding power I slipped the top edge of the sheet metal under the lip of the tile that overlapped the tile to which I was adhering the anchor.

So, you lay down an anchor every four feet in a line across the roof one foot above the bottom headers and another about in the middle of the panels. Then polymer-covered steel strapping in run through the rings and the ends clamped at the edges of the panels.

For a detailed assembly of the system with pics, you can d/l the Geon Powerstrip manual at www.powermat.com.

HTH,

pj

[MaxxFusion]

What size is your pump? How well do the panels work on the second story of your roof? I have some panels and want to mount them to the roof but only have a second story area.