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Old 06-13-20, 11:16 PM   #8
jeff5may
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Ok so there are a few ways you can go about refurbishing the panels. Your ultimate decision will be determined by the purpose and ease of maintenance of the system.

Choice number one: never service again, system will run perfect like magic, permanently. This entails using the window weld butyl glue and soldering copper pipe between everything. Either run a drain back setup or use glycol and a steam catcher. Goes together once, maybe top off or change glycol mixture not often.

Choice number two: serviceable in case things happen. This entails using rubber heater hose and hose clamps to connect with your sawed off ends and barb fittings to whatever pipe suits your needs. If you're running the panels in parallel, I would use rigid pipe for headers. If you're not making steam, you shouldn't need to worry about high pressure or temperature. Use weatherstrip tape for the window seals: single sticky side if the windows hold together with fasteners and strips, double sticky if the tape holds them together.

Somewhere in between: shark bite couplers are magical, until they're not. Easy peasy put together, not cheap but worth it in time savings. If it doesn't leak when you put it together, it won't leak for a long time. Things have to be clean and smooth and round and such.
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