gledhill BMA 200 SP-SOL Installation & Servicing Instructions Manual Download Page 16

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Filling/Commissioning The Solar System Using A Solar Filling Tank/Pump

• Make sure all solar connections are fully tightened and all electrical connections

are sound.

• Make sure the BoilerMate A-Class SP SOL appliance has been commissioned and

is working correctly.

• Check the air side of the solar expansion vessel is set to the correct pressure

(normally 1bar) and top up if necessary.

• Ensure controller display on the BoilerMate A-Class SP SOL is illuminated and that

no error messages are present.

• Close the regulating valve between the fill and drain connections on the fill and

flush valve using a flat blade screwdriver.

• Connect the hoses to the connections provided on the fill and flush valve on

the top of the appliance ensuring the flow pipe from the pump is connected to
the filling connection (nearest the temperature gauge) and the return pipe is
connected to the flush/drain connection.

• Close the quarter turn regulating valve, sited below the filling tank on the return

to the pump.

• Fill the pumping station tank with at least 30 litres of the antifreeze solution

• Ensure the switch on the pump is in the OFF position.
• Connect the pump to an available electrical supply. Make sure you use an RCD

safety device. (IF THE FILLING PUMP IS IN A POSITION AWAY FROM THE FILL AND
FLUSH VALVE, IT MUST BE CONTROLLED VIA AN EXTENSION LEAD AND RCD
CIRCUIT BREAKER. THIS IS SO THE POWER TO THE FILLING PUMP CAN BE ISOLATED
SAFELY LOCAL TO THE FILLING POINT).

•  Open both the quarter turn valve handles on the fill and flush valve fully.
•  Fully open the quarter turn isolation valve on the return pipe on the top of the fill tank.
•  Slightly open the quarter turn isolation valve on the feed to the pump.
•  Slightly loosen the connection on the expansion vessel.
•  Turn on the filling pump - checking all the connections you have made.
•  Now wait for the antifreeze solution to slowly vent from the loosened expansion

vessel connection, closing the connection when venting is complete.

• Visually inspect all connections you have made for leakage.
• You should see bubbles appearing from the return pipe into the filling tank from

the flush/drain connection point.

• Occasionally you will have to vent air from the system until the antifreeze solution

is evident.

• As the bubbles lessen you will need to open the quarter turn valve on the feed to

the pump more, but only slightly. This is a continuous process that needs to be
done as the bubbling decreases.

• When all bubbles have stopped, (WHICH WILL NORMALLY TAKE OVER AN HOUR)

you need to turn off the return isolation tap on the filling pump and pressure the
system to 4 bar (WATCHING THE LEVEL OF FLUID IN YOUR BOTTLE) and adding
more antifreeze solution if required.

• When a pressure of 4 bar is achieved close the filling point on the fill and flush

valve at the SAME time switch off the power at the RCD safety device.

• Now leave the system under this pressure for at least 30 minutes. Check the

system for leaks, including the roof connections.

• If after 30 minutes the pressure has not dropped and there are no leaks evident,

slowly drop the pressure in the system to 1 bar.

• Repeat the above operations identified by the grey background.
• You will now see bubbles in your bottle again (this is because you left the system

at rest and the air has settled).

• Continue until the bubbles stop. Stop the pump on the filling tank and open the

regulating point on the fill and flush valve with a screw driver. Set the solar pump
on the Gledhill Sol appliance running.

•  Leave this running for approximately 10 minutes (venting any air as required).
•  Re-set the system pressure to the expansion vessel calculation.
•  The system is now commissioned and will operate automatically under control of

the solar controller fitted to the BoilerMate A-Class SP SOL appliance.

NB: THE MINIMUM SYSTEM PRESSURE SHOULD BE SET AT NO LESS THAN 1.3 BAR THE
EXPANSION VESSEL PRESET PRESSURE SHOULD BE SET AT NO LESS THAN 1.0 BAR.

Note: You should only fill the collector

when there is no direct irradiation from the
sun (or cover the collectors).  You must only
use  the  correct  antifreeze  for  the  type  of
panel/collector  being  installed  (Premixed
FS10  for  the  ORET  evacuated  tube
collectors  and  FS10  antifreeze  mixed  40%
antifreeze/60%  water  (-24°c)  for  the  IRCP
and  ORCP  flat  plate  collectors.    As  it  may
not be possible to fully empty the panels/
collectors  once  they  have  been  filled.   We
would recommend that any collector arrays
likely to be exposed to frost should only be
filled with the correct antifreeze at the right
strength even for pressure/function tests.

The method of filling/commissioning the solar
system is relevant to the Gledhill Solar Package
and is based on the use of filling tank/pump
which is available as an optional extra.

Although  the  previously  described  method
of filling is recommended, other methods can
be used if required. A connection is provided
on  the  fill  and  flush  valve  (opposite  the  fill
connection),  to  allow  a  temporary  filling
loop  to  be  fitted  to  allow  the  system  to  be
repressurised back to system pressure without
the  need  for  the  filling  tank/pump  during
subsequent maintenance visits.

Figure 1.12

Figure 1.13

Flush/drain

connection

Fill

connection

Return to tank

Flow from pump

Quarter turn

regulating/

isolating valve

Flush/drain