View Single Post
Old 12-30-20, 01:57 PM   #27
osolemio
Hong Kong
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 108
Thanks: 20
Thanked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by solarhotairpanels View Post
Ok, sounds good and good luck with your new business.

Try to stick with 3/4 pipe because the water will drain back much faster with the larger diameter.

Haven't had any air issues corroding my pipes. System has been functioning now since 2010. System can be flushed with vinegar using a sump pump submerged in 5 gal bucket.

Similar to tankless water heaters your system should be flushed at least once per year to remove rusty water and contaminants. Red hot water passing thru copper creates rusty water.

When building your piping install flush kits. All a flush hit is is a water valve with a shut off allowing you to connect a garden hose to the flush valve. You want to install 2 flush valves total. One on the outbound pipe leading TO collector, one on the return pipe FROM collector.

How to flush solar hot water drainback collector system:
Drain system
Dump 3 gallons of vinegar into 5 gallon bucket
Put sump pump into bucket
Connect a garden type hose from sump pump to pipe (flush valve) that goes out to collector
Connect another hose from collector (flush valve) return pipe back to 5 gal bucket
Turn on sump pump and pump vinegar thru system for 30 minutes
Dump bucket and replenish with fresh water
Run the pump again with the fresh water in bucket to flush out remaining rusty contaminated water

All done!

Take care and don't forget to post pictures back in here of your system especially whatever your plans are for the parabolic setup. Like to see that.
3/4" is my favorite for most work, so I agree. The trick is some times valves, flow meters and such.

There won't be any "rusty water" here, and that is because my systems will be closed. With no oxygen added, no corrosion is going on. Having an open vent is easier, but I just don't want the air to be added. Your system has lasted 10 years so far, but then you flush it with vinegar, and replace the water I presume. I won't need to.

And yes, there will be plenty of valves. Not just a few, but I need a lot of valves and places to connect, mainly as I am experimenting. I need to be able to shut off parts of the system. I will also be using conical connections, so I can change the design as needed, without throwing out a lot of pipe and other parts. As much as I love press, it doesn't have an "edit" or "undo" function.
__________________
Space heating/cooling and water heating by solar, Annual Geo Solar, drainwater heat recovery, Solar PV (to grid), rainwater recovery and more ...
Installing all this in a house from 1980, Copenhagen, Denmark. Living in Hong Kong. Main goal: Developing "Diffuse Light Concentration" technology for solar thermal.
osolemio is offline   Reply With Quote