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5. Operation
MANUAL INSTALLATION
In this installation, a manual bypass valve is installed after the filter pump and is used in conjunction
with a manual power ON/OFF switch. To turn the pool heater ON, requires that the power be turned ON
and that water be routed to the PCS3 at the same time.
To turn the system OFF, you reverse the process turning the power switch off and the bypass valve to
bypass the pool heater. It is a good idea to limit water flow through the PCS3 to only when it is actually
being used. That is the reason for the bypass valve. It enables you to use the pump for filtration or
cleaning when you do not want to use the SolarAttic pool heater.
NOTE: In this type of installation, the owner decides when the attic is warmer than the pool. Use of a
temperature sensor in the attic can help make this an intelligent decision. Wireless digital thermometers
are relatively inexpensive at Radio Shack stores. Turning the pool heater ON when the pool is warmer
than the attic will warm the attic and cool the pool. This is the opposite of what is usually desired.
SEMI-AUTOMATED INSTALLATION
In this installation, an attic temperature switch is used in conjunction with the SolarAttic Pool Heater to
limit its ON time to only when the attic reaches a certain fixed temperature. One or more timers can be
used to control the pump and/or the attic power. However, the bypass valve must be either manually
turned on or otherwise automated. The exact nature of your semi-automated installation will determine
how you turn the PCS3 (system) ON and OFF.
AUTOMATED INSTALLATION
In both of the above installations, maximum heat extraction is limited by human intervention or semi
automated devices like switches or timers. However, heat extraction can be easily maximized and
automated by way of an optional solar controller like the Goldline GL235. Once installed, operation is
simple and straight forward.
SET the thermostat on the GL235 to its full clockwise location or maximum temperature setting. This
will ensure that maximum heat extraction will occur when the GL235 is in AUTO mode. While the dial
is calibrated in degrees F, there is a notorious difference between what the temperature dial reads and
what the typical pool thermometer at 18 inches of depth reads. Therefore, with the setting at maximum,
use the pool thermometer you have to determine when it is too warm. Simply back down the GL235
temperature setting to a position that “feels” comfortable to you in the pool and disregard the dial setting
itself. Your objective is to have an automatically warmed pool that is comfortable. Without a complex
temperature gauge installation throughout the pool and attic, it becomes a complex engineering task to
determine what the “real” temperature actually is. However, determining what is a very comfortable
temperature to you is an easy task.
To turn ON the SolarAttic PCS3, simply place the GL235 mode switch in either the AUTO or TEST
(ON) position. Note: The GL235 “ON mode” is a manual ON setting that is useful for testing or manual
operation of the system. However, this position does not use the pool and attic temperature sensors or
the internal float protection switch. For full automation and maximum heat extraction, ensure that the
GL235 mode switch is set to its AUTO mode position and the thermostat is set to maximum.
To turn OFF the SolarAttic PCS3, simply place the GL235 mode switch in the OFF position.
