Arctica Solar 1500 Series User manual

Copyright 2022, Arctica Solar. All Rights Reserved 1
1500 Series, Gen 3
Solar Air Heater / Solar Furnace Owner’s Manual
V5, Released 03.21.2022 to print
Questions? Issues?
Email: [e-mail] | Website: www.arcticasolar.com |Phone: [phone]

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Thank you for purchasing the Arctica Solar 1500 Series Solar Air Heater / Solar Furnace, Gen 3 design.
This heater is a simple product, and with proper installation and maintenance should bring you years of
free, renewable, supplemental heating to the adoptive space. Under full sunlight it can generate close
to 1,500 W / 5,000 BTU / hr of space heating.
This manual will guide you through the following Sections with regards to your new solar air heater.
We recommend you read the entire owner’s manual and install guidance before attempting to install
your new heater. Careful installation is the number one factor in ensuring a long, successful heater
lifetime!
Sections:
1. Items included and not included with the heater purchase –Pg 3
2. Tools required for heater prep and installation –Pg 7
3. Preparation of the heater for installation –Pg 8
4. South Facing Vertical Wall Installation (recommended) –Pg 15
5. Mounting and connection of the 10W Solar Panel –Pg 23
6. Interior vent covers and intake air filtration –Pg 26
7. Connection to the Heat-Only Thermostat –Pg 26
8. Heater Lifetime Care Guide –Pg 27
8.1 Washing intake filter
8.2 Cleaning heater front glass
8.3 Preparing for off season (summer)
8.4 Cleaning ducting
8.5 Replacing fan
8.6 Removal, cleaning and replacement of front glass and / or absorber

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Section 1.0 - Items Included and not Included with the Heater
The following items are included with your heater shipment.
•1x 1500 SERIES SOLAR AIR HEATER, GEN 3
•4X WALL MOUNTING BRACKETS, 4x 2.5” STAINLESS LAG BOLTS & WASHERS, 4x HEX, STAINLESS, #8 x
½” SELF DRILLING SCREWS –For wall attach of mounting brackets supporting the heater, and
securing mounting brackets to heater side wall
•1X HEAT ONLY THERMOSTAT –for optional use.

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•1X INTAKE COLLAR WITH FAN ASSEMBLY + THERMAL SWITCH + THERMOSTAT WIRE LEADS –draws
COOL air in
•1X EXHAUST COLLAR WITH GRAVITY DAMPER –allows HOT air out
•8X SELF PIERCING LATH SCREWS, #8 x 3/4” –4x per intake and 4x per exhaust collar attachment to
the heater metal backsheet.
•1X 10W SOLAR PANEL WITH MALE DC OUT–for plugging into intake collar assembly power

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•1X SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING BRACKET & 4X PHILPS, STAINLESS, #8 X 3/8” SCREWS AND WASHERS &
2X HEX, STAINLESS, #8 X 3/8” SELF DRILLING SCREWS – to hold and secure solar panel to bottom or
side of heater, attach solar panel to the solar panel mounting bracket and attach bracket to the
heater side wall.
•1X WASHABLE FOAM INTAKE COLLAR FILTER –to filter the intake air stream before it enters the
heater
•1X 6’ PCS OF METALIZED DUCT TAPE – for securing wiring harness to back of the heater prior to
install and covering up unused intake and exhaust duct hole options on heater metal backsheet

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•1X TEMPLATE PATTERN ON BACK OF THE HEATER BOX–for installer to cut out and use as template
for location of chosen intake and exhaust holes in your specific install
•THIS OWNERS’ MANUAL –also available digitally from our website www.arcticasolar.com
Items Not Included:
These items are likely needed to complete your installation but are not provided with the heater itself.
They are typically in stock inventory at nearly all big box hardware stores (Lowes, Home Depot, ect)
•4” ducting / flexible insulated ducting (available from all big box hardware stores)

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•2x (one for intake, one for exhaust) indoor duct cover / air duffers, more styles available online.
Bath drain covers can also make for stylish intake and exhaust duct covers (right most picture).
•Metalized duct tape & weather stripping –for sealing heater back against the wall and other air gaps
•Silicone adhesive (GE Silicone #1) or sealant for airtight intake and exhaust collar attach or other
sealing of air gaps post installation.
Section 2.0 –Tools required for heater preparation and installation
These are the tools likely required for preparation and installation of your heater in your application.
Tools:
-For clothes dryer style non-insulated duct routing –Cordless drill, a 4” hole drill bit –available at
most hardware stores.
-For insulated / insulated flexible ducting –Cordless drill, a 6 3/8” hole drill bit –available at most
hardware stores in electrical section, common tool for recessed lighting installation.
-For prepping the heater –Snip pilers, box knife with 1” blade, impact driver with Philips bit OR
Philips head screwdriver.

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-For mounting –Cordless drill, common drill bits (including 5/32” pilot bit), caulking gun, impact
driver with hex (including long ¼” hex socket and a 7/16” hex socket) & Philips bits OR Philips head
screwdriver.
Section 3.0 –Preparation of the heater for installation
Let us review some overall details and physical dimensions of the heater. Figure 1 shows the heater
physical size dimensions which may be useful in sizing its permanent location or deciding how many
heaters are needed in your application. Figure 2 shows the intake and exhaust punch locations and
details (Figure 2a). Figure 3 shows how the 4x mounting brackets interface with the heater to provide
mounting support. Figure 3 shows detailed views of the mount bracket and solar panel bracket install.
Figure 1: 1500, Gen 3 Heater Physical Dimensions

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Figure 3: Exploded and collapsed views of the heater mounting brackets and solar panel bracket
attached to the heater walls
3.1. Determine where to mount your heater
3.1.1. Using the provided mounting template as a guide, find the location of the wall studs in the area
you want to mount the heater. The template is printed onto the back side of the heater cardboard box.
Cut out the desired exhaust and intake holes OUTSIDE the dashed lines of the template. BE SURE TO
CHECK YOUR TEMPLATE ALIGNMENT TO YOUR SPECIFIC HEATER by overlaying the template with holes
cut onto the back of the heater to make sure the TEMPLATE holes properly align with the desired
INTAKE and EXHAUST holes on the heater.

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Figure 3.1.1 –Cut the desired intake and exhaust locations from the template outside of the template
dotted line. Verify your template aligns well with your heater by placing over the back of the heater
before you use the template to make you wall duct penetrations.
3.1.2. With mounting area and location of the wall studs identified, determine which 1x of the 3x
exhaust punchout options you will use, and which 1x of the 3x intake punchout options you will use in
your installation. The heater needs to undergo preparation before being ready for permanent
installation, namely install of the exhaust collar and intake collar + fan assembly.
3.1.3. We are now going to install the intake and exhaust collars onto the rear of the heater. We
recommend placing the heater glass face down on a table with a soft surface as to not damage or
scratch the glass. You can use the heater cardboard box as such a surface. Using hand snips OR a box
knife, remove the aluminum punchouts for the exhaust and intake locations you wish to use. Exhaust
and intake need to be located on opposing ends of the heater. Heater can be mounted portrait or
landscape, as guided in Section 4.0.

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3.2. Install heater exhaust and intake collars, thermal switch and wire harness
3.2.1. Using a box knife or razor with a 1.0-1.5” blade, remove the insulation from behind the selected
exhaust and intake punchouts. With a shop vac, vacuum out any loose insulation from the hole and
interior of the heater in both locations. Do this step for both the intake and exhaust collar holes.
3.2.2. Remove the intake fan assembly from its bag and untwist the wires. Insert into the thermal
switch into the exhaust hole 2-3”. Use duct tape to secure switch wiring to the heater wall and backing
as shown. The thermal switch is OPEN when the heater is below 30 C and CLOSED when the interior of
the heater is above 30 C and ready to deliver useful heating.

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3.2.3. For install of the exhaust collar, place a bead of GE1 silicone sealant (or equivalent) on the back
of the heater around the perimeter of the exhaust hole OR on the heater flange of the exhaust collar.
Then with the gravity damper in the proper orientation for your install, insert the exhaust collar and
secure in place with the 4x provided self-tapping lath screws to the back plane of the heater. Do not
over torque the screw as it will strip the heater back material!

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3.2.4. Using the provided duct tape, tape into place the thermal switch wires to the back of the heater
and route the wires down to the determined intake collar location. Repeat Step 3.2.3 with the intake
collar assembly (BE SURE to orient the collar such THAT THE STICKER ON THE FAN POINTS INTO THE
INTERIOR OF THE HEATER!). Be sure to route FAN power wires back out of the underside of the collar
for connection to the 10W SOLAR PANEL. Use duct tape to guard wires from fraying against the sharp
edge of the heater box intake collar hole, as we did with the thermal switch wires in the exhaust hole –
bottom right picture of Step 3.2.2.
Tape thermal switch wires to the back of the heater using provided 6’ of metalized all weather duct tape

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Apply silicone to intake collar or the outer diameter of the intake hole on the heater backsheet.
Intake collar after installation with its proper orientation and with proper routing of the fan power lead
and thermostat leads to the exterior of the heater. Let the fan power lead dangle near the bottom OR
side of the heater, depending on your install orientation. Secure the intake collar with a silicone bead
and 4x self-tapping lath sheet metal screws, same process as with the exhaust collar, Step 3.2.3.

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3.2.5. Use remaining duct tape to cover the un-used intake and exhaust cut out locations as to prevent
unwanted air flow loss (see picture below). The heater is now ready for installation. We recommend
installing on a south or southwest facing vertical wall that receives plenty of winter season sunlight, as
seen in Section 4.0.
Section 4.0 –South facing vertical wall installation (recommended)
4.1. Making intake and exhaust holes and routing of ducting into the space
An exhaust (hot air) hole and intake (cool air) hole must be added to the adoptive structure. The
cardboard template included with your heater and can be used to locate the selected intake and
exhaust ducting holes per Section 3.1.1. Be sure to avoid placing planned intake and exhaust locations
overtop wall studs.
If routing through a wall with no vapor barrier and no need for insulation of ducting:
The process can be done in two ways. First is like the installation of a 4” dryer duct, as seen in videos
referenced below. Locate wall studs prior to drilling to ensure that they will not interfere with the path
of the heater ducting. It is best to mount the heater closest to the point of use as possible to cut down
on heat loss through the transport of air to the use space, and fan pressure head loss due to long duct
runs.

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These videos can serve as reference to this part of the installation process:
YouTube: How to install fume hood –link: https://youtu.be/9egwOazPJis
YouTube: How to install dryer duct –link: https://youtu.be/HjK2ybx8-14
If routing through a wall where sealing the vapor barrier is required:
The use of insulated ducting is recommended. We recommend using a 6” ABS riser pipe / tube installed
as a conduit for the flexible insulated ducting as seen in the process below.

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Use a 6 3/8” hole bit to place a through hole on the exterior wall and opposite interior wall. Create
holes such that there is a slight downward angle from interior to exterior to discourage moisture from
entering the exterior hole and flowing inwards. Feed a 6” ABS tube and cut leaving ¼” proud of the
interior wall and exterior wall. Seal to interior wall and exterior wall (or vapor barrier) with a vapor
barrier membrane or silicone sealant. Secure the conduit physically to the wall as needed. This tube
will act as the conduit for the flexible ducting.
Route 4” insulated ducting into the conduit. Secure the inner membrane of the interior side ducting to
the end of a 6” air diffuser with duct tape as shown.

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A 6” interior air diffuser can now fit snugly into the 6” PVC conduit. Cut the exterior insulated ducting to
the wall thickness (red arrow) but allow for extra interior ducting (which will compress back into the
wall) to make connecting to the heater intake and exhaust collars easier.
4.2. Connecting the ducting to the heater exhaust and intake collars
Heater exhaust and intake collars interface with 4” ducting. Secure the duct to the collar using a screw
clamp or duct tape. Once connected slide insulation and vapor barrier back over the clamp and wrap
with duct tape or an additional screw clamp to secure in place.

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4.3. Mounting the heater to the wall
Before securing the wall, we recommend placing a strip of appropriately thick weather stripping along
the perimeter of the back surface of the heater. This will discourage dust, debris, moisture, ect from
accumulating between the heater and the install wall during its lifetime. Select the thickness of weather
stripping appropriate for your mounting wall texture or type. Not required but recommended.

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When deciding where to place the heater on the install wall, the selected heater intake and exhaust
locations should fit between the structure exterior wall studs, as seen below in a caddy-corner exhaust
and intake selection design.
With the heater install location determined, heater prepared for installation, the exhaust and intake
holes prepared, and duct routed and connected, we are ready to mount the heater. We recommend
using a minimum of 2x people to HOLD IN PLACE the heater level against the installation wall with intake
and exhaust collars properly connected to ducting and routed into the use space.
Then using a 3rd person, install one at a time the bottom mounting brackets into the appropriate wall
stud. Use a 5/32” bit to the proper depth to establish a pilot hole into the stud for the ¼” stainless lag
bolt with ¼” washer with a 7/16” hex bit impact driver.
Alternatively, the bottom mounting brackets can be installed prior to heater placement provided the
intake duct hole is large enough to accept the intake collar as it is tilted into place against the wall. The
heater can then be inserted into the bottom bracket and tilted back vertical against the wall and held in
place by the installer until the top brackets are also installed.