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

[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.

[pj1016]

I took the opportunity to throw-out my 20 year old 2 hp pump and installed a 3/4 hp Hayward Northstar. I probably could have gotten away with a 1/2 hp Northstar and saved even more $$ on monthly operating costs.

I'm not sure what you mean by your second question - the panels get full exposure being on the second story, so it is an optimal installation.

pj

[MaxxFusion]

I thought mounting the panel on the second story roof was too high.

[pj1016]

Too high? Closer to the sun!

The only problem with height (aside from having to work on the second story whilst being affected with acrophobia) is the pump head issue. Is that your concern?

If so, you are certainly correct - it is very important that this issue is addressed. More broadly, the pressures throughout the system must be calculated during the design phase - *not* later.

As far as the roof height is concerned, your pump needs to be able to lift water to the very top of the panels (i.e., the highest point which is the outlet). My outlet is at 25', which is about 11 psi...easily handled by my pump (this is exactly why I say I probably could have downsized the pump even further to 1/2 hp).

The next crucial issue to address is this: you need to tie-in the solar panel outlet into a spot in your return system that is at a *lower* pressure than the pressure generated by the head of your solar panel outlet. The larger your pump, the harder it will be to find this spot. Unless, of course, you have a completely separate return pipe that you can dedicate to the solar.

This is the reason that I strongly encourage anyone who is contemplating this project to examine the webpage on www.powermat.com that addresses mechanical and plumbing design. It clearly explains the issues (with diagrams) that I have only touched upon.

HTH,

pj