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components.

b) Inside: Extra care must be taken to any piping leaks inside the building. Avoid joints in attic or overhead

spaces that could cause significant property damage if they were to leak.

c) Outside: Ideally, run insulated pipe within PVC conduit or similar material, which will protect the

insulation from UV degradation and also provide a clean, unobtrusive appearance.

d) Underground: Burying pipes underground may be required, if the collectors are mounted at ground level

or on a pole mount, etc.

i) When running pipes underground, ALWAYS call in the appropriate “locates” before digging,

according to local requirements.

ii) When running pipes underground, always run in PVC or similar conduit to protect against water

ingress that would compromise insulation properties.

iii) Always bury piping to the appropriate depth, as required by code. Usually this is at least 24” below

grade. Consult your local code before digging for the exact depth in your area. Bury pipes may require

a municipal inspection prior to “cover.” Also, consider potential for the pipes to be crushed, if vehicles

drove over the area. Reinforce as required.

iv) Put markers along the path of the piping to warn anybody who may dig up the ground in that area.

v) Consider the frost depth of the soil in cold regions. Burying below the frost depth will provide better

insulation.

3.4.4. Noisy Pipes

a) Water Hammer: When water is traveling through a pipe and suddenly a tap is turned off it stops with

considerable force, which can lead to a loud noise commonly referred to as “water hammer”. Not only is

this noise annoying, the resulting vibrations can cause damage to the pipes and attachment points.

Hammer arresters are commercially available to eliminate this issue.

b) Steam Noise: In direct flow system that is stagnating under pressure, the water can be very hot without

forming steam (above 212

F or 100

C). When a hot water tap is opened, the pressure in the system drops,

which allows steam to rapidly form and then condense repeatedly in the solar collector causing a popping or

banging sound similar to water hammer. This problem is most common when the cold water inlet pressure

is less than 50 psi (350 kPa).

Refer also to 3.6.2 for more information about pressure and water boiling.

3.5. Pump Selection

a) Pump Size: For most domestic installations, using a 3-speed pump is advisable in order to chose a

speed to suit the pressure drop of the piping. Speed 1 is generally suitable for a short pipe run, such as on a

single story house. Speed 3 (~90-100 Watts) can normally service a 3 story, 60 tubes, pressurized system

(not necessarily a drain-back). If the pipe run is very long, a larger pump may be needed. The Apricus

Closed Loop Pump Station uses a 3-speed Grundfos UPS 15-58 FC cast iron body pump and the Apricus

Direct Flow Pump Station has a single-speed Grundfos UP 15-29 SFC stainless steel body pump.

b) Pump Body Material: Cast iron pumps may ONLY be used for closed loop systems; they will rust and

fail if used with potable water. Brass/bronze or stainless steel body pumps are suitable for direct flow

systems because the material has good corrosion resistance and is suitable for potable water use.

c) Pressure Drop Curve: The Apricus 30 tube solar collector pressure drop curve can be found on the

following page.

d) Use a Flow Meter: Always install a flow meter after the pump to ensure that flow rates are at suitable

levels and can be monitored. Most flow meters will incorporate a restrictor valve allowing the flow to be set.

If significant restriction is required, a slower speed or smaller pump can be used, which will save electricity.

e) Variable Speed vs ON/OFF: The most efficient option is to use a controller with a variable speed pump

function that can regulate the pump speed to achieve the desired temperature rise (delta-t). With a normal

ON/OFF delta-t setting, “shunting” of water can occur. Shunting is when the pump shuts down before all of

Apricus Solar Collector Installation & Operation Manual - USA