The use of rigid polyethylene pipe insulation is
prohibited. The temperatures generated by your
collector in the summer months or under stagna-
tion conditions can melt this type of material.
Any above ground exterior pipe insulation is sub-
ject to UV degradation and must be wrapped
with foil tape or painted with two coats of high
quality water-based acrylic resin coating as sup-
plied by the insulation manufacturer. Rubatex
UV Protective Coating or equal is the required
coating material.
4.5 Collector Plumbing
SunEarth requires the use of all copper and brass
fittings in the collector loop plumbing.
Couplings rather than unions should be used to
join the collectors to avoid leaks and fluid loss.
Use only lead-free solder. Engelhard Silvabrite
100 or equal is required. Use of 50/50 lead sol-
der is expressly prohibited. Use of galvanized
steel, CPVC, PVC, or any other type of plastic
pipe is prohibited.
Piping in new solar installations can be covered
with dirt, grease, solder flux or other impurities
that over time affect the quality of the glycol HTF.
A thorough cleaning is required before charging
the system with glycol. Carefully review the
cleaning procedures in "Charging The System"
outlined below.
All vertical piping between the storage tank and
the collector shall be supported at each story or
at maximum intervals of ten feet (10'). Copper
plumbers tape or tube strap is required. The pipe
insulation may not be compressed or crimped by
the strapping material.
The installation of all horizontal and vertical pip-
ing may not reduce the performance or rating of
any structural member or fire rated assembly.
Adhere to all applicable local codes and ordi-
nances.
4.6 SunEarth recommends the use of a March
Manufacturing 809 or Ivan Labs E
L
-SID 10, 12
volt DC circulating pump or equal. The pipe size
and distance calculations in Table 2 are based
upon SunEarth’s recommended flow rate for the
collector options shown. The correct wire size to
interconnect the photovoltaic module and circu-
lating pump is discussed below. In 12 volt DC
pump systems
we cannot overemphasize the
importance of selecting the proper pipe and
electrical wire size.
The pipe distances shown
are for the total round trip between the collector
and storage tank using either Type M or Type L
hard copper tubing.
4.7 Installing the Solar Storage Tank and
Expansion Tank
In plumbing the solar storage tank and expansion
P.7
fig.13
fig.14
COLLECTOR PLUMBING - VERTICAL MOUNT
COLLECTOR PLUMBING - HORIZONTAL MOUNT
Table 2
1 ea. 4 X 10
2 ea. 4 X 8’s
2 ea. 4 X 10’s
1/2” M
3/4” M
3/4”M
1” M
3/4” M
1” M
100’
500’
50’
150’
40’
150’
