Butler Sun Solutions SOLAR PV WAND User manual

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Pictorial Installation Guide: PV Wand™ Hybrid Water Heating System
SOLAR PV WAND™
WATER HEATING SYSTEM
PICTORIAL INSTALLATION GUIDE
Butler Sun Solutions Inc.
525 Stevens Avenue West
Solana Beach CA 92075
The Butler Sun Solutions, Inc. Solar PV and™ water heating system is a state-of-the-
art solar water heating system that augments your existing water heater. This system can save
over 2,400 pounds of CO
2
production per year compared to a conventional water heater, making
hot water from clean sunlight. It is like having an oil well on your roof producing 2.5 barrels of
oil per year (but without the pollution from burning the oil!).
The Solar PV and™ system has been designed for easy installation by either a
professional contractor or a do-it-yourselfer. This guide is designed to lead you through the
installation of the system in a simplified manner. It includes a pictorial summary of the
installation steps, followed by explanations of each step. e hope you enjoy bathing and
washing with hot water provided by the sun!
Dr. Barry Butler, CEO of Butler Sun Solutions, Inc.

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Contents
PICTORIAL SUMMARY OF INSTALLATION STEPS ............................................................. 3
STEP 1. FAMILIARIZE AND PLAN ...................................................................................... 5
STEP 2. SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING ................................................................................... 7
STEP 3. PO ER IRE ROUTING, CONDUIT, & ROOF PENETRATION ....................... 8
STEP 4. CONNECT CONDUIT FROM PV ARRAY BOX TO OVER–TEMPERATURE
BOX ............................................................................................................................. 8
STEP 5. INSTALL PV AND™ INTO HOT ATER TANK .............................................. 9
STEP 6. INSTALL MIXING VALVE (IF REQUIRED BY LOCAL CODE) ....................... 13
STEP 7. CONNECT PO ER CABLE & TANK-TOP OVER- SENSOR ............................ 15
STEP 8. CONNECT PO ER, VERIFY OPERATION & CLEAN UP ................................ 16
APPENDIX 1. TOOLS OF THE TRADE ............................................................................... 17

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PICTORIAL SUMMARY OF INSTALLATION STEPS

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STEP 1. FAMILIARIZE AND PLAN
Step 1A: Open the boxes, lay out all of the parts, and be sure that you can identify them all.
Look over the packing list to verify everything is included. The actual appearance of the parts
may be different from the diagram below, but will have the same functionality.
-
Step 1B: Determine where you intend to put the solar collectors on the roof. The ideal
orientation of the solar panels for maximum annual energy delivery is tilted at your latitude angle
towards true South, with no shading of the collectors. Also, plan how you will route the power
wires from the collectors to the top of the existing hot water tank. The power wires (in conduit)
end near the PV panels at the PV array NEMA Disconnect Box. This NEMA box has
connections to the PV panels and should be placed near the array where the pigtail wires will
reach all of the panels. It should also be located where the cover can be raised and the
disconnect pullout can be reached to shut off the PV array. The polarized connectors provided
should be used to connect each panel. The roof cables should be protected from direct sunlight.
Plan for the components needed for this conduit at this time. Finally, plan where the over-
temperature protection NEMA Disconnect Box will be mounted near the water heater tank,
allowing for ease of access to the disconnect pullout, which disconnects the and from the PV
array.
The electrical schematic showing all of the parts is shown below. The yellow shaded area is the
PV panel array which we provide or has been purchased separately. The green shaded area is
what is normally provided with the kit. The 2-#6 THHN and 1#18 THHN wire and conduit to
house the wire are not provided with the standard kit and must be purchased at a local hardware
store.
The parts list is as follows:

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Part Number Part Name Number
Supplied
Description
6 X PV-250 PV Panels ith Mounting
Hardware
6 PV Panels 250 with Pigtail
Connectors
#278 PV Array Disconnect Box
ith 15 PV Panel
1 NEMA 3R Enclosure: Rainproof,
60A, 220V, Disconnect Panel Box
& Electrical Pigtails
#279 Over-Temperature Protection
Box for PV and
™
1 NEMA 3R Enclosure: Rainproof,
60A, 220V, Disconnect Panel Box,
ith Temperature Sensor, Pigtail
to and Connector & Controls
#277 PV and
™
1 1,500 (50A and 30VDC)
Immersion Resistance heater with
50A Connector

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STEP 2. SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING
Step 2A: Determine how the panels will be mounted, based on the type of roof you have: flat or
pitched, composition shingle, wood shakes, concrete tile, or clay tile. For flat roofs you need a
tilt kit. You should follow local codes for attaching the solar panels to the roof.
Step 2B: If you did not get a complete kit with PV mounting rails, you can get them from a
number of manufacturers. Typical mounting systems for flat roof tilt mount and flush roof
mounting are shown below. If you are including the PV panels for this solar hot water system
with a grid-tied PV power system, you can just extend the existing racks to include the PV panels
for this system.
Unirac System The IronRidge PV mounting rail
The racking system must support the solar panels to meet Housing and Urban Development
Guidelines, which include:

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• Gravity Loads of 4 psf
• Wind Loads of 25 psf from 125mph wind
• Snow Loads of 4 psf from deep snow
• Structural ies to roof to prevent wind lifting up the panels, with corrosion-resistant
bolts and screws
• Lightning Grounding for both the rack and panels
Step 2C: As you install each PV panel, connect it to the power cable connectors. The
connectors are polarized so they cannot be connected backwards. Ideally, cables and connectors
should be tie-wrapped to the mounting frames to secure them and keep them out of the sun and
off the roof surface. The circuit diagram for the system is shown below.
STEP 3. POWER WIRE ROUTING, CONDUIT, & ROOF PENETRATION
Step 2A: The power wire conduit is often routed through an attic or crawl space. Typically, the
conduit penetrates through the roof below the solar panels. In some cases it is possible to avoid a
roof penetration by routing it around the eaves. If you must make a roof penetration, doing it
properly will save costs in repairs later. Flashing found at your local building supply store will
most likely meet local roofing codes. Commercial “Roof Jack” flashing is designed to prevent
rain water from entering the house and vermin from using the penetration as a pathway. Make
sure that the flashing is fitted and sealed to the roof properly with roof tar or other proper sealant.
STEP . CONNECT CONDUIT FROM PV ARRAY BOX TO OVER –
TEMPERATURE BOX

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Before any wiring is done, be sure that the disconnect pullouts are removed from both NEMA
boxes. That way all wire connections will be isolated from the power source. Route the power
wires 2-#6 THHN and 1-#18 THHN in conduit from the PV array disconnect box to the over-
temperature protection box near the top of the water tank, installing the THHN wires in conduit
to meet the NEC (National Electric Code). At the water tank, leave the 50A 30VDC connector
disconnected at this time.
STEP 5. INSTALL PV WAND™ INTO HOT WATER TANK
Step 5A: The ideal way to install the PV and™ is into an unused port on the top of the hot
water tank. On tanks with such an extra port, simply remove the existing plug and install the PV

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and™. If no extra port is available, you will have to see if the and will fit in the cold water
outlet port.
To determine if there is a sacrificial anode on the hot water outlet, follow these steps:
If you find the anode under the hot water outlet, you will need to put the PV and™ into the
cold water inlet port. Proceed to Step 5B to verify that the sacrificial anode is good, then to Step
5E for cold water inlet port insertion instructions.
If you do not find any obstructions, clean the threads with a wire brush or a ¾” NPT (National
Pipe Thread) tap. Once the threads are cleaned out you may be ready to put the PV and™ in
place after you complete the Step 5B.
Step 5B: Check the sacrificial anode in the tank. If the tank is only a few years old this may not
be necessary. If the tank is more than five years old, it is a must. Replacing a bad anode will
add another five to seven years to your tank’s life. A good LED flashlight will allow you to see
the anode condition within the tank. If you have one, it is handy to use an inspection scope such
as the one shown in the following figure. The pictures to the left in the picture below show
anodes in various states of usage. The one on the far left is new, the one in the center is well
used but still providing protection to the tank, and the one on the right is down to just the central
wire. If the anode is showing the central wire, it should be replaced. If it is down to just the
wire, you might consider replacing the tank since the anode has stopped providing any protection
and the tank may be compromised.
1. Remove the flexible pipe from the hot water
outlet to the house
2. Look down into the hot water nipple on the
tank (you may have to remove rubber heat trap
parts)
3. Determine if the anode is below the nipple by
probing with a wire or screwdriver as shown in the
photo to the left
4. If you find that an anode is present, do not
remove the nipple, as you may damage it. Just
reconnect it

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Step 5C: If you do not have enough head room over the tank to insert the PV and™, you have
a couple of choices. One is to drain about half the water out of the tank, remove the earthquake
straps and other connections and tilt the tank over to insert the PV and™. If yours is a gas-
fired tank you can sometimes slide the PV and™ up the flue and then slide it down into the
tank. Finally, if the ceiling surface is the only obstacle, you can drill a small hole in the ceiling,
and slide the PV and™ up through the hole and then down into the tank. If the power conduit
will be routed through the ceiling, you can use the same hole for the power conduit; otherwise,
you can just patch the hole after installation of the and.
Step 5D: If there is an obstruction below the hot water outlet fitting, a round file can be used to
remove some material from the bottom thread of the tank fitting. In a few water heaters there is
a plate below the outlet opening that must be drilled out with a 15/16” drill or filed out with a
round file or Dremel tool to accommodate the PV and™. Instructions on how to do this are
provided in the Step 5 Figure. You can use a magnet to catch the filings, but if they fall to the
bottom of the tank they will not hurt anything. hen the PV and™ fits through, screw it in
and tighten it into place.
Step 5E: If a sacrificial anode is attached to the hot water outlet, some additional plumbing may
be needed. The anode is absolutely necessary to protect the steel in the glass lined tank from
corroding. Therefore, first reconnect the hot water outlet nipple and anode (if it is still good) in
the tank to the house hot water or mixing valve. If the tank has no extra top port, you must insert
the PV and
™
into the cold water inlet port. There will be a plate below the fitting to hold the
plastic DIP tube that takes cold water to the bottom of the tank. Remove the DIP tube. Follow
the procedure in the Step 5 Figure to get the PV and™ into the tank. Finally, plumb the cold
water inlet into the bottom of the tank, using a Tee Adapter provided with the PV and™ where
the tank drain valve is installed, as shown in the following figures.

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S EPS:
1. Remove brass tee and adapter from
PV and™
2. Attach a garden hose to the drain
and drain the tank, being careful not
to be scalded by the hot water.
3. Remove drain valve & insert brass
nipple & Tee Adapter removed
from PV and™
4. Reroute cold water inlet from top of
tank to drain valve Tee Adapter
5. Remove cold water inlet down inlet
pipe (DIP) & discard
6. File out the cold water inlet DIP
tube retainer
7. Add Teflon™ tape and screw the
PV and™ into the cold water
outlet port
8. Attach the mixing valve (if required
by local Code) at the hot water
outlet, either below it or with a heat
trapping loop
9. Review diagram at left to be sure
that you have all of the connections
correct.

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STEP 6. INSTALL MIXING VALVE (IF REQUIRED BY LOCAL CODE)
Mixing valves are used in solar hot water systems to limit the temperature of the hot water
delivered from the system to the house. ater temperatures in solar storage tanks can reach
180°F (82°C) or more, but temperatures above 120°F (50°C) can cause scalding in sinks,
showers or baths. The mixing valve senses the temperature of hot water being drawn from the
tank and automatically mixes in cold water to reduce the temperature delivered to the house to a
preset value below 120°F (50°C).
Mixing valves are not required in all jurisdictions; check your local building code to see if a
mixing valve is required in your area. Also, be sure that the mixing valve you are using meets
your local code requirements. You may not need mixing valves in newer homes that have
shower valves with built-in scald control features.
The mixing valve is not a part of the standard PV and™ Kit, since mixing valves are not
required in all jurisdictions. The standard kit does include a tank top temperature sensor and
thermostat that turns the heater off if the tank top temperature gets to about 150˚F. This is the
same type of system used on conventional electric water heaters to prevent scalding water from
reaching a faucet in the home.
For customers who need or want a mixing valve, the Butler Sun Solutions, Inc. (BSSI) mixing
valve installation kit contains all the parts you need to install the mixing valve with its
connections to the house and to your solar hot water tank. The kit is designed to simplify the
installation and to minimize problems of heat losses, maintenance, and leakage from the mixing
valve.
Mixing Valve Installation Kit
The mixing valve installation kit consists of the following parts (see figure to right):

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• Mixing valve assembly, with the mixing valve
and pre-attached soldered fittings
• One male ¾” pipe adapter in case the cold
water supply plumbing to the hot water tank
does not have a male pipe fitting coming out of
the wall
• Three flex lines, two short and one long
Mixing Valve Installation Instructions
Refer to the Step 6 Figure above to see how the various parts fit together in both single-tank
installations and two-tank installations. Note the isolation valves that are added in the two-tank
installation that allow the solar tank to be bypassed if necessary without disconnecting any
plumbing.
The mixing valve attaches to the cold and hot water lines leading to the house, and to the cold
and hot water ports of the hot water tank. Step-by-step installation instructions follow:
1. Turn off the cold water supply to the hot water tank. If there is no valve at the tank for this
purpose, you will need to turn off the house cold water supply, and this would be a good time
to install a cold water valve at the tank. If the cold water supply does not have a ¾” male
pipe fitting, solder the supplied fitting onto the end of the pipe.
2. Disconnect the existing hot water pipe between the tank and the wall.
3. Remove the open half of the ¾” copper union from the mixing valve, and solder it to the hot
water pipe going to the house.
4. Attach the mixing valve assembly to the union and tighten by hand. Adjust the position so
the mixing valve adjustment knob is easily reached and the dial can be seen.
5. Attach one of the flex lines from the cold water supply fitting (Step 1) to the mixing valve
assembly Tee. Note that the flex lines have rubber seals and therefore do not use Teflon™
tape on their threads.
6. Attach the other flex line from the mixing valve assembly Tee to the cold water inlet of the
hot water tank.
7. Apply Teflon™ tape to the bottom threads and install the PV and™ into the hot water
outlet of the hot water tank, if it is not already in place.
8. Attach the hot water outlet flex from the hot water tank outlet to mixing valve. This line
must arch upwards from the tank to a point 4-6” above the mixing valve before coming back
down to the mixing valve. This upward arch provides a heat trap loop that prevents hot water
from the tank from rising up to the valve, cooling and leaving deposits inside the mixing

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valve. This action, if not prevented, will fill the valve with scale, dramatically decreasing the
valve’s useful life.
9. Make a final adjustment of the flex hoses to ensure they have smooth curves and are not
pinched, and a final adjustment of the mixing valve to orient it for easy access, then tighten
all fittings. Don’t forget to tighten the union on the back of the mixing valve!
10. Turn on the cold water and verify all the joints are leak-free. Tighten the flex lines and other
joints as needed to eliminate any leaks.
11. hen done with the rest of the system installation, verify again that all joints remain leak-
free. Then, insulate the hot water line coming from the tank. In California, you are required
to insulate the last 1.5 m (5 feet) of the cold water line to the tank to limit heat losses by
conduction from that line as well.
12. Adjust the knob on top of the mixing valve to obtain the desired hot water temperature in the
house. Note that the adjustment at the mixing valve will take precedence over the set point
of the tank, so if you increase the tank set point temperature, the water going to the house
may not get hotter unless you also increase the setting of the mixing valve. NOTE: Many
homeowners have never had mixing valves and are used to having their water much hotter.
Most mixing valves will not deliver water over 120˚F. If showers and faucets are a long way
from the tank, the customer might blame the solar without realizing that it is really the
mixing valve set too low.
STEP 7. CONNECT POWER CABLE & TANK-TOP OVER- SENSOR
Step 7A: Select a location on the wall near the hot water tank for the over-temperature
protection NEMA disconnect box and mount it securely with self-tapping screws.

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Step 7B: Route the tank-top temperature sensor wire from the over-temperature protection
NEMA disconnect box to the hot water tank. The sensor should be placed on bare metal close to
the top of the tank, but not on the PV and™. The temperature/pressure relief valve is one easy
location to put it. It can also be placed against the tank between the tank and insulation. A
screwdriver can be used to create a space between the insulation and the tank wall to place the
sensor in, as shown below. After installation, the sensor must be covered with insulation so the
sensor does not get cooled by air passing over it.
STEP 8. CONNECT POWER, VERIFY OPERATION & CLEAN UP
Step 8A: Connect the power cable from the PV and™ to over-temperature protection NEMA
disconnect box. Next go to the PV array NEMA disconnect box and place the disconnect pullout
into place in the ON position. Now go to the over-temperature protection NEMA disconnect box
and place its disconnect pullout into place in the ON position.
Step 7B: If the sun is out, the panel meter on the over-temperature protection NEMA disconnect
box will show the voltage being applied to heat the PV and™. If the wiring is correct, the
voltage should be between 20 and 30 Volts. The connector is engraved with the correct polarity,

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and the voltage should be 30-40VDC when disconnected from the over-temperature protection
NEMA disconnect box. If the panel meter does not read properly, the wires may have been
mixed up. If any wiring needs to be changed, it is safest to remove both pullout disconnects
before changing any wires in the system, and the wires should only be disconnected one at a time
and their ends taped or capped when they are loose. Although the voltage level of the system is
intentionally below voltages where electrocution is a problem, shorting of the power conductors
can cause large sparks.
Step 7C: Set the tank high limit temperature. This is an important step. Turn the knob to “Set
Tank Limit” you should see the value of 180°F (82°C), the factory preset temperature. You can
use a screwdriver to adjust this valve between 120°F (40°C) and 180°F (82°C). Turning the dial
to “Tank Temperature” you can read the tank top temperature and watch it rise when the sun is
out. If you are away and your tank reaches the set point, the “over limit” light will come on, de-
energizing the PV and™ heating element until you use some hot water and cool off the tank.
Step 7D: Clean up the roof and the area around the water heater tank, making sure all wires are
adequately protected from damage and well supported, and assuring that all water lines around
the water heater are free of leaks and insulated as necessary.
APPENDIX 1. TOOLS OF THE TRADE
The following tools will allow you to collect information on your system operation and will be
real time savers if you are installing multiple systems. A digital multimeter (inexpensive ones
are available from hardware stores) with a thermocouple readout to measure temperatures will
allow you to check system voltages and currents to determine if the PV panel is providing the
proper power. The tools on the right in the following photo are the only specialty tools one
should need in addition to simple drills and carpentry tools:

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SAFE Y OOLS: In addition to the above tools you should have the following safety items:
• Safety Glasses
• Leather work gloves
o Prevent hand cuts
o Prevent scalding by hot water
• A safety harness and climbing ropes if you are on a pitched roof
• Closed-toe shoes with slip-resistant soles
• Rated ladder for access to roofs. Ladders slipping and related falls are all too common,
and can be avoided with proper safety procedures such as anchoring ladders to roof and
ground.
Of course, use of the above tools is not a replacement for Common Sense! Working on
roofs is inherently dangerous. So, pay attention, be careful, and trust your gut – If it
feels dangerous, it probably is!