Regulus KPC1-BP User manual

Installation and Operation Manual
for a Solar System
with KPC1-BP Collectors
EN
v. 1.3

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CONTENTS
General Installation and Operation Instructions ............................................................................... 3
Collector Technical Data .......………………………………….………….............................................… 4
1 Delivery of Mounting System ..……………………..…………………..………................................... 5
2 Sloping Roof Mount ...………………………………...........………………...……................................ 6
2.1 Overview ...…………………....……………………………………………................................. 6
2.2 Roof anchor installation for sloping roofs ......…………………………................................... 7
2.2.1 Installation with roof anchors and auxiliary boards ..…………….......................... 7
2.2.2 Installation with roof anchors and rafters ………………………............................. 8
2.2.3 Installation with roof anchors for slate, shingle or metal roofs ….......................... 9
2.2.4 Installation with bolts for fixing rails onto a roof ................................................... 10
2.3 Installing rails onto roof anchors .......……………………………………................................. 10
2.4 Collector mounting .……………………………………………………….................................. 11
3 Connection Pipe Passage through a Roof ………………………………….…................................. 12
4 Flat Roof Mount .................……………………………………………………..…................................. 13
4.1 Overview ……………………………………….……………………………............................... 13
4.2 Flat roof support mounting ...............…………………………………….................................. 14
5 Hydraulic Connection ...……………………………………………………...……................................ 18
5.1 Collector connecting .......……………….....….…………………………………....................... 18
5.2 Collector interconnecting …………………......…………………………….............................. 18
6 Temperature Probe Positioning …………………………………………….……................................ 19
7 Pump Station ...........…………………………………………………………...……............................... 20
8 Expansion Vessel Sizing and Working Pressure Calculation ...........………............................... 21
8.1 Expansion vessel sizing .......……………………………………………...............................… 21
8.2 Calculation of a system working pressure .…………………………...................................… 21
8.3 Calculation of an expansion vessel preset pressure .....……………................................…. 21
8.4 Examples of calculating working pressure and expansion vessel pressure ....................…. 21
8.4.1 Example of calculating system working pressure ...................................……. 21
8.4.2 Example of calculating expansion vessel pressure .............................………. 21
9 Installation of Air Release Valves ..……………………………………………...............................…. 22
10 System Filling, Flushing, Leak Test and Air Bleeding ..........................….................................... 23
10.1 Filling ……………………………………………...............………...............................………. 23
10.2 Flushing ………………………………….......………………………...........................………. 23
10.3 Air bleeding ……………………….................…………………….....................................…. 24
10.4 Leak test .............................…………………………………………..............................……. 24
11 Commissioning …………………………..........……………………………......................................…. 24
12 Operation, Checks and Maintenance ...........……………………............…………......................…. 24

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GENERAL INSTALLATION AND OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
Collector description
REGULUS Flat Plate Solar Collectors are designed for solar domestic hot water heating, backup and pool
heating. Solar radiation penetrates the glass and is intercepted by an efficient absorption layer applied on
a serpentine-shaped copper absorber. The heat is then transferred into heat carrier fluid. The absorber is sealed
in a compact frame with high quality thermal insulation. The collectors are designed for all year round operation,
that’s why they work in a separate primary circuit filled with antifreeze heat carrier. The collectors are not
intended for direct water heating.
Transport and handling
Collectors shall be transported in their original packing, in upright position (standing on their shorter side) or lying
horizontal with glass upwards, stack of max. 10 pieces of KPC1-BP.
Installation
The installation must be done by a skilled worker or a specialized company. During installation and before
commissioning, it is necessary to cover collectors in order to avoid overheating and possible burns caused by
the hot surfaces. If the collector shall be set on a roof, appropriate safety rules must be observed.
Collector placing
The glass absorption surface should be orientated to South, with deviations not over 45° (Southwest or
Southeast). For all year round operation the right inclination angle is 40° - 50°, for summer operation smaller
inclination is better (30°). The collector can be positioned also vertically (inclination angle of 90°, e.g. onto an
outer wall), that is the best for winter operation. The inclination angle must not be less than 20°.
It is recommended to install solar collectors close to the roof ridge due to a snow load in the winter.
Lightning protection
Lightning protection is obligatory for solar systems. When installed on a roof, collectors must be wired to lightning
protection equipment. Local standards shall be observed.

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Collector Technical Data
Model KPC1-BP
Dimensions W x L x H [mm] 1000 x 2000 x 96
Collector surface [m2]2
Connection dimensions 4 × Ø 22 mm Cu
Absorber nickel-plated copper / tube-grid type
Absorber surface black chrome
Insulation thickness [mm] 40
Max. working pressure [bar] 6
Fluid volume [l] 2
Weight [kg] 37
Glass [mm] 4 - solar prismatic
Recommended flow rate [l/h] 60 - 120
Pressure drop [Pa]
flow rate [l/h]
Pressure drop [Pa]

5 │
Mounting kits for fixing and connecting KPC1-BP solar collectors Code
Connection kit for a KPC collector array
(3/4“ M inlet and 3/4“ M outlet with a pocket for solar temperature sensor)
7710
Roof fixing kit for one KPC 1 collector
*for 4 anchors or 2 struts+1 wind brace
7720
Roof fixing and interconnecting kit for two KPC 1 collectors
*for 4 anchors or 2 struts+1 wind brace
7712
Roof fixing and interconnecting kit for three KPC 1 collectors
*for 6 anchors or 3 struts+1 wind brace
7714
Roof fixing and interconnecting kit for four KPC 1 collectors
*for 8 anchors or 4 struts+1 wind brace
7716
Roof fixing and interconnecting kit for five KPC 1 collectors
*for 10 anchors or 5 struts+1 wind brace
7718
* Roof fixing and interconnecting kits are necessary to create a hydraulically connected collector array fixed to
2 mounting rails. The kits contain interconnecting fittings with insulation, two mounting rails, fastening material
for mounting collectors onto the rails. They do not involve any roof anchors, struts, wind braces. These shall
be selected from the following chart by the roof type and roofing material.
Roof anchors for different types of roofing Code
Aluminum anchor for slate or shingle roofs 6920
Aluminum anchor for pantiles - adjustable height 7013
Anchor for pantiles - hot-dip galvanized steel 7929
Aluminum anchor for pantiles - rafter mounted 6932
Stainless-steel anchor for pantiles 6857
Bolt for fixing rails onto a roof 7320
1 Delivery of Mounting System
Handle with care, transport damage should be claimed immediately.
Struts and braces for flat roof installations Code
Triangular strut for support structures - flat roof 6859
Wind brace 6860

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2 Sloping Roof Mount
2.1 Overview
Pic. 1: Collector array and roof anchors
01
14 13
08
09
05
04
10
03-B
Pos. Item Code
01 Flat plate collector 7610
03-B
10 Roof anchor with M8 bolt/special head for rails
6857 or other,
depending on
roofing type
Interconnecting pipes
Fixing and interconnecting sets
No. of collectors (kit code)
Item code
1
(7720)
2
(7712)
3
(7714)
4
(7716)
5
(7718)
04 H profile base rail, aluminum, 2 pieces 1.08m 2.14 m 3.205 m 4.28 m 5.35m 6949
05 M8 nut for the base rail 4 pcs 8 pcs 12 pcs 16 pcs 20 pcs 6925
08 M8x18 stainless-steel bolt (allen head) 4 pcs 8 pcs 12 pcs 16 pcs 20 pcs 7259
09 Retaining side bracket 4 pcs 8 pcs 12 pcs 16 pcs 20 pcs 7725
14 Retaining bracket for collector bottom 2 pcs 4 pcs 6 pcs 8 pcs 10 pcs 7709
13 Threaded fittings - 2 pcs 4 pcs 6 pcs 8 pcs 7629
Insulation 35 mm diam., 19 mm thick 0.5 m 0.75 m 1 m 1.5 m 2 m 7188
Insulation tape 0.8 m 1 m 1.5 m 2 m 2.5 m 7227

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2.2 Roof anchor installation for sloping roofs
Pay attention to situations when battens are thicker than the auxiliary board (30 mm). Then the auxiliary board
shall be mounted on an underlay so that its total thickness equals to that of the battens (see pic.).
When installing anchors on a rafter, use an underlay as well depending on how thick the battens and counter
battens are, so that the installed anchors do not hinder proper seating of tiles.
40
30
10
30
30
auxiliary board
battens
counter batten
rafter
waterproofing membrane
underlay
Pic. 2: Underlay to match thick battens
Pic. 3: Stainless-steel roof anchor Hot-dipped steel roof anchor Aluminum roof anchor
140−160
290
99
40
79−99
65.5
Ø 6
125
80
65
40
300
100
35
Ø 6
120
80
90
35
300
45
40
Ø 6
2.2.1 Installation with roof anchors and auxiliary boards
• for tile roofs, 3 cm thick additional auxiliary boards shall be mounted to the bottom side of the roof. Then hook
the anchors onto the board and fix with a bolt.

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• screw the auxiliary boards so high that the roof anchor does not hinder placing the roof tile with the right
overlap
• hang the roof anchor onto the auxiliary board in a place where it will not hinder the right tile positioning, and
screw the roof anchor with stainless-steel bolts
• for two or more collectors place the anchors about the presumed middle of the collector (distance a)
2.2.2 Installation with roof anchors and rafters
For tiled roofs, rafter anchors can be used. The anchor with a board is made of aluminum and enables horizontal
shift of the anchor along the fixing board.
a
Pic. 5: Fixing an auxiliary board and roof anchors
150
120
136−156
65.5
40
Ø 9
54
56
180
Pic. 6: Roof anchors for rafters
• remove tiles in a line about as long as the auxiliary board. Usually it is sufficient to shift the tiles upwards.
Pic. 4: Remove roof tiles to fix the board
room for an auxiliary board
counter batten
rafter
roof battens

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• remove roof tiles where the anchors shall be mounted
Pic. 7: Opening the room for anchor installation
• screw a roof anchor to a rafter and shift it
in the groove horizontally so that it does not
hinder the right tile positioning
• for 2 or more collectors place the anchors
always about their presumed middles
2.2.3 Installation with roof anchors for slate, shingle or metal roofs
• Simply lay the anchor onto the roof tiles in a place
where the roof is supported with a strong roofing element
(a beam or another support) and fix it with stainless-steel
bolts. Cover the anchors with sheet metal to prevent water
leakage or use another suitable method recommended by
the roofing manufacturer.
Ø 6
6
228 78−98
Pic. 9: A roof anchor for slate, shingle or metal roof
• cut the counter batten used for fixing the waterproofing membrane and if necessary, use an underlay depending
on the desired anchor height
Pic. 8: A place for mounting a roof anchor on a rafter - detail
counter batten
rafter
roof battens
room for anchor mount
counter batten
rafter
roof
battens
waterproofing membrane

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2.3 Mounting rails on roof anchors
• have ready two rails in the length required for the number and type of collectors to be installed. Align the
travelling screw head (10) with the horizontal rail and shift the rail onto it, or shift the screws into the rail and fix
to the anchors. Use serrated lock washers to fix the nuts.
Pic. 10: Fixing the rail onto the roof anchors
2.2.4 Installation with bolts for fixing rails onto a roof
This method of installation
is preferably used for roofs
of bitumen corrugated
sheets like Gutta or Ondu-
line etc., or for corrugated
eternit or metal sheets. The
bolt shall be screwed into
a rafter or another massive
wooden roof element using
spanner No. 8. Pre-drilling 6 mm diam. holes is recommended. Holes should be always drilled in the crest of
the roofing wave, not in its valley to avoid leakage. After screwing the bolt in, put on the rubber seal and using
a washer and nut, seal the drilled hole. Then mount the U-shaped bracket on the bolt, between two nuts with
a serrated washer. Then M8 bolt with floating head (for rails) shall be mounted into the other end of the bracket.
First insert the floating head into the groove of the rail, and then tighten the bolt together with the rail to the
U-shaped bracket using a nut and a serrated washer.
100
ø 9
80
140
40
40
roof anchor
top / bottom rail
M8 bolt with
travelling head

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2.4 Collector mounting
• collectors must be covered during mounting
• insert safety retaining brackets into the bottom rail, 2 brackets per collector
• insert the retaining brackets into the bottom rail about 100 mm from the collector edge
• lay the first collector on the rails and align it. The distance between the bottom edge of the collector and of the
base rail depends on the design and size of the retaining brackets. The collector bottom edge is by 75 mm
lower. The distance between the collector edge and the end of the bottom rail is B = 35 mm.
• Align the rails so that they lie in parallel to roof tiles. The diagonal between the rails must be of the same
length:
D1 = D2
Then tighten the nuts on fixing screws.
04 – Aluminum rail
14 – Safety retaining bracket
Pic. 12: Inserting safety retaining brackets
14
04
14
Pic. 11: Alignment of base rails
parallel
D1
D2

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• insert nuts into both the rails. Put the retaining side brackets on the rails and fix the collector using M8x18
bolts.
• lay the following collector next to the first one, maintaining a sufficient gap. Then put on the threaded fittings
and push the collector to the already mounted one until stop. Hold the fitting with a spanner to prevent turning
and tighten the nuts. More on this in chapter 5 Hydraulic Connection (see page 18).
• continue mounting further collectors in the same way.
3 Connection Pipe Passage through a Roof
For passing the connection pipes through a roof e.g. ventilation tiles can be used, where the hole is modified
according to the diameter of the pipe with insulation. However, any preferred method must comply with the
standards of the roofing manufacturer.
Pic. 13: Distance between the safety retaining brackets
05 – M8 nut for rails
08 – M8x18 allen head bolt
09 – Retaining bracket
Pic. 14: Fixing the retaining brackets
~100 mm
B
14
~100 mm
~800 mm

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4 Flat Roof Mount
4.1 Overview
Pic. 15: Triangular support and wind brace Pic. 16: Collector array
24
03-C
01
14 13
08
09
05
04
10
Pos. Item Code
01 Flat plate collector 7610
03-C Triangular support 6859
24 Wind brace 6860
Interconnection pipes
Fixing and interconnecting kits
Number of collectors (kit code)
Item code
1
(7720)
2
(7712)
3
(7714)
4
(7716)
5
(7718)
04 Aluminum base rail, 2 pieces 1.08 m 2.14 m 3.205 m 4.28 m 5.35 m 6949
05 M8 nut for the base rail 4 pcs 8 pcs 12 pcs 16 pcs 20 pcs 6925
08 M8x18 stainless-steel bolt (allen head) 4 pcs 8 pcs 12 pcs 16 pcs 20 pcs 7259
09 Retaining side bracket for 4 pcs 8 pcs 12 pcs 16 pcs 20 pcs 7725
14 Retaining bracket for collector bottom 2 pcs 4 pcs 6 pcs 8 pcs 10 pcs 7709
13 Threaded fittings - 2 pcs 4 pcs 6 pcs 8 pcs 7629
Insulation 35 mm diam., 19 mm thick 0.5 m 0.75 m 1 m 1.5 m 2 m 7188
Insulation tape 0.8 m 1 m 1.5 m 2 m 2.5 m 7227

│14
4.2 Flat roof support mounting
A flat roof support consist of two rails, triangular supports and one wind brace. The number of triangular supports
depends on the number of collectors. Use one support for each collector. One wind brace is sufficient up to the
rail length of 6.15 m.
• lay two rails on the mounting surface and insert the nuts into their grooves
Distance between the rails = 1720 mm
The diagonals between the base rails must be of the same length: D1 = D2
03-C – Triangular support
04 – Aluminum rail
• the triangular supports come screwed together with two bolts. Fix the loose support ends with a bolt. The
distance of the first triangular support from the end of the rail is a ≈500 mm.
• fix the triangular support to the rail with travelling screws with a special head, serrated lock washers and nuts.
Secure the travelling screws inside the rail by 90° turn (see pic. 18).
Pic. 17: Aligning the rails and mounting the first triangular support
a
D1
D2
03-C
04
04
1720 mm

15 │
• fix further triangular supports to the rails in the same manner. Always adjust the distance between them in
such a way that the triangular support is positioned approximately under the middle of a collector. If you install
also the wind brace between the supports, tighten only one support. The wind brace will set the right distance
between the supports.
• fix the wind brace to a triangular support and to the rail (see pic. 19). One wind brace is sufficient for one
support structure (up to the rail length of 6.15 m).
Pic. 18: Assembly by means of the travelling screws with a special head
Pic. 19: Fixing the wind brace
24
A
B
13 mm spanner
abc

│16
• insert M8 nuts (23) into the rail (04). For fixing the wind brace to the rail, use special bolts with a stop. The bolt
stop will bore itself into the rail when tightened, thus the precise bolt position is fixed and prevents possible
coming loose of the wind brace. That‘s why a click can be heard during tightening. This means that the bolt
position is already fixed towards the rail. After this click, tighten the bolt completely.
• go on assembling the remaining triangular supports so that the individual supports lie at the presumed collector
middle, i.e. c ≈1000 mm.
0815
15
03-C
04
24
03-C
c
03-C – Triangular support
04 – Aluminum rail
08 – M8x16 bolt with allen head
15 – M8 bolt with a stop
24 – Wind brace
Pic. 20: Wind brace and rail assembly
Pic. 21: Mounting further supports

17 │
• tip over the support structure into its working position (Pic. 22 - the windbrace vertically). Secure the support
structure either by screwing it into the roof, or applying a burden. If secured with a burden, for a wind load up
to the building height of 8m and snow load up to 0.75 kN/m2, the burden must be distributed according to the
following table:
In no event the permissible roof load shall be exceeded; consulting a static expert in advance is recommended.
A damaged roof must be re-insulated by a specialist.
Place the collectors on the support structures and fix to the rails in the same manner as if installing on an inclined
roof (see point 2.4).
Minimum distance between collector fields see pic. 23.
Pic. 22: Static safety (burden)
Pic. 23: Minimum distance between collector fields
3x height
height
collector
collector
Flat roof mount up to 8 m
1 collector 290 kg
2 collectors 580 kg
3 collectors 870 kg
4 collectors 1160 kg
5 collectors 1450 kg

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5 Hydraulic Connection
5.1 Collector connecting
For collector mounting follow the instructions in chapter 2.4. Fasten the first collector and lay the following one
next to the first one, maintaining a sufficient gap. Then put on the threaded fittings and push the collector to the
already mounted one until stop. Hold the fitting with a spanner to prevent turning and tighten the nuts.
Continue in the same way with further collectors. Put the insulation on the threaded fittings only after
a successful leak test.
5.2 Collector interconnecting
Pic. 25: The best method of collector interconnecting
Pic. 24: The picture shows how to connect the upper threaded fittings. Use the same method also for the lower
fittings.
INLET
OUTLET
Based on the tests done, also the below shown one-sided connection can be recommended but only if no
more than 3 collectors are connected with max. flowrate of 1 l/min./coll.
Pic. 26: One-sided connection
The inlet of colder fluid
(blue) is the lower one, the
outlet of warm fluid (red) is
on the same side, the upper
one. Both the connections
shall be plugged at the other
collector end.
OUTLET
INLET
PLUG
COMPENSATOR
PLUG

19 │
Maximum of 5 collectors may be connected with threaded fittings in a row. The next collector shall be connected
via a compensator. Further max. 3 collectors may follow, connected with threaded fittings. It is advisable to
keep the connection piping from collectors as short as possible. The recommended pipe diameters and flow
rates through collectors in different connection schemes are shown in Tab. 1.
All solar components must be carefully and safely sealed and must be made of material resistant to glycol and
temperatures up to 160 °C.
For connection piping we recommend using KOMBIFLEX stainless-steel flexible pipes, or copper pipes
connected by soldering. In no event plastic tubes can be used for inlet/outlet piping as they do not meet
the requirements for solar systems.
Pipes for collectors can be lead through disused chimneys, ventilation shafts or grooves in a wall. In order to
prevent high thermal losses through convection, open shafts shall be properly sealed. Also thermal dilatation
shall be remembered and pipes fitted with compensators or other compensation elements. Piping shall be
connected to the house earthing.
Pipes of the solar system must be fitted with thermal insulation e.g. of AEROFLEX type, so that thermal
dissipation from the pipes does not deteriorate a total efficiency of the solar system. The thermal insulation
must be resistant to temperatures up to 160 °C, for outdoor piping also a UV protection is essential as well as
non-deliquescence of the material. For indoor piping, the thermal insulation should be at least 13 mm thick, for
outdoor piping at least 19 mm.
6 Temperature Probe Positioning
• place the thermal probe into the pocket of the T- or X-piece at the outlet from the last collector, see pic. 27
• use a twisted wire 2x1 mm2, non-shielded, separated from power cables.
Its maximum length is 100 m. Minimize the number of electrical boxes a terminal blocks
connection length: up to 25 m cross section: 0.25 mm2
connection length: up to 50 m cross section: 0.5 mm2
connection length: up to 100 m cross section: 1.0 mm2
• the thermal and mechanical resistance of the wire used must correspond to the environs the wire passes
through
Pic. 27: Position of a temperature probe
Tab. 1: Recommended pipe diameters
Number of collectors Connection scheme Flow rate Connecting pipes Max. pipe length
1 1 x 1 2 l/min Cu 18 x 1 Max. 30m of the inlet
and outlet piping
together
5 1 x 5 in series 10 l/min Cu 18 x 1
6 2 x 3 in parallel 12 l/min Cu 18 x 1
8 2 x 4 in parallel 16 l/min Cu 22 x 1
9 3 x 3 in parallel 18 l/min Cu 22 x 1
10 5 x 2 in parallel 20 l/min Cu 28 x 1.5
12 4 x 3 in parallel 24 l/min Cu 28 x 1.5

│20
Safety valves are always included in pump stations. If no pump station is used in the installation, the solar
system shall be equipped with a 6 bar safety valve, resistant to high temperatures (usually up to 160 °C).
7 Pump Station
The pump station shall be installed in accordance with the respective manual.
Regulus pump stations contain these principal components:
• circulation pump
• thermometer for return line, or also feed line if two-pipe station is used
• return line with a ball valve and a check valve
• integrated flowmeter
• safety valve, pressure gauge and expansion vessel connection
• fill and drain valve
• thermal insulation
An example of a pump station is shown in Pic. 28.
1 - Assembly holes
2 - Pressure gauge
3 - Ball valve with a check valve and thermometer
4 - Ball valve and flowmeter
5 - Fill valve
6 - Drain valve
7 - Air separator with manual discharge
(not included in FlowConB package)
Pic. 28: FlowConB pump station