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1: Site Selection and Planning
It’s important to choose the best roof loca-
tion to install the solar collectors, based on the
considerations below:
Roof Direction
For homes in the northern hemisphere, the best
installation site is a roof facing true south. (See Figure 4.)
If a south-facing roof isn’t available, then choose a site
based on the following:
• Second choice, a roof facing between southeast and
southwest
• Third choice, a roof facing West or East
Distance From Water Heater
The solar collectors should be as close as possible to
the water heater. The closer the collectors are to the
water heater, the shorter the tubing run will be. The
maximum allowable vertical height of the collectors
from the ICM is 50’. The maximum required tubing
length each way to the solar collectors is 100’. The
Solar Water Heating System comes with 80’ of tubing.
Additional tubing may be ordered from your dealer.
Mounting Methods by Roof Type
The following are recommendations for mounting to vari-
ous roof types. Consult a roofing professional regarding
the correct method for installing solar panels on a roof.
Inspect the condition of the roof. Contact a roofing pro-
fessional to determine the remaining life of the roof be-
fore recommended replacement.
Important: The solar collectors are flexible and must be installed
on a smooth, flat surface. Any uneven or very rough roof surface
will require a flat support surface underneath the solar collectors.
Composition asphalt
This is a common roof type, and solar collectors can be
mounted directly to the roof. Refer to the instructions on
the following pages detailing mounting on composition
asphalt. (See Figure 5.)
Shake
A substrate must be used on shake roofs.
Mount solar collec-
tors directly on top of the substrate. Lay substrate on roof
and proceed with the standard mounting procedures on
the following pages. UV resistant, dark color, 2’ wide by
8’ or 12’ long, corrugated (wavy) sheet with ribs no more
than 2˝ apart and 1˝ high, fiberglass or polycarbonate
Figure 4 - Roof Direction
Shading from trees or other buildings should be
avoided between 10am to 3pm. Keep in mind that as
the seasons change, the sun changes its trajectory in
the sky. The sun appears higher during the summer
months and lower in the southern sky during winter
months. Areas that are clear in the summer may be
shaded by tree and shrub growth in the winter.
Roof Size
Collectors must be mounted vertically, perpendicular
to the shingle rows, as shown in Figure 5.
• One set of (3) 2’ x 8’ solar collectors will need a clear
roof area measuring at least 7.5’ wide x 9’ tall.
• One set of (2) 2’ x 12’ solar collectors will need a
clear roof area measuring at least 5.5’ wide x 13’ tall.
Figure 5 - Composition Asphalt Roof
Summary of Contents for 500 Series
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