Solar SH1500 Version 1.7 User manual

The SolarSheat
Installation Manual
By
Your Solar Home, Inc.
Version 1.9
April 17, 2006
All building, plumbing, electrical, and safety codes supersede the instructions in this manual. Use this
manual at your own risk.

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
2
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing the SolarSheat. We hope you will get many years of solar
heating from the SolarSheat 1500, 1500S, 1500G, and 1500GS. The instructions below
are for a Do-it-yourself system with a second person assisting. You may choose to hire a
contractor or SolarSheat installer as well. We have provided diagrams for wall, roof
mounting the SolarSheat, connecting the duct kit, and a electrical diagrams for all
necessary electrical connections.
Tools Required for Installation
1. Safety glasses
2. Steel toe work boots or safety shoes
3. Ear protection (not essential)
4. Power drill with extension cord or cordless drill
5. 3/8” socket for driving the tek screws
6. 5” Hole Saw or reciprocating saw – for duct holes
7. Drill bit - for pilot holes for wall/roof and aluminum mount
8. Measuring Tape – for locating SolarSheat and finding the length of the duct
(when applicable)
9. Level – for leveling the lower mount
10. Screws – for fastening the mount to the wall
11. Caulking gun and sealant (UV/outdoor grade polyurethane or silicon) – for
sealing the control wire, duct hole(s), collar(s), foam, and (if applicable) roof
penetrations.
12. Screwdriver or driver bits for drill – for screwing the grill & wall mount screws
13. Tin snips or duct cutting shear – for cutting the duct (when applicable)
14. Marker or industrial pencil - for marking the duct (when applicable)
15. Step ladder – for accessing upper most portion of the collector & upper mount
(when applicable)
16. roof jacks, at least ~6” wide planks for the jacks, & approved fall protection
equipment, – for working on a sloped roof
17. Partner – for lifting the SolarSheat onto the mount and holding it
18. Wire strippers – for stripping ends of control wire
19. Utility knife – for cutting control wire sheathing and shingles (when applicable)
20. Drywall screws – for digital temperature control
21. Stud finder – for locating obstructions in the wall (usually not useful on a shingled
roof)
22. Insulated 5” Duct (R12 rated (from Canadian Building Code)) and 18” long zip
ties - for running through attics (when applicable)

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
3
How It Works
All of our SolarSheat products are designed for maximum performance. The ideal
orientation should be due South on a wall for optimal performance. If you do not have a
southern exposed wall, you can roof mount the SolarSheat as well. You can mount the
SolarSheat in east or west orientation but it will reduce the exposure time compared to a
south facing exposure. The SolarSheat 1500 and 1500G should not be mounted upside
down. The SolarSheat can, however can be mounted horizontally if you don’t have the
available vertical height on the wall or roof.
SH1500
The SolarSheat 1500 is made to provide fresh air during the heating
season without increasing the building’s heating bill. It heats the
cold outdoor air and blows warm fresh air into a space, at a little
over room temperature. The unit is self-powered. It has a built-in
fan which is powered by an electricity producing Photo Voltaic (PV)
panel. The SolarSheat 1500 connects to a digital temperature control
(DC thermostat), which enables the user to set a maximum room
temperature. The SolarSheat 1500 is designed so that it will not
allow the internal fan to come on if the air is below roughly 68 degF
(20 degC) inside the collector.

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
4
SH1500S
The SolarSheat 1500S is made to provide fresh air during the
heating season without increasing your building’s heating bill. It
pre-heats incoming outdoor (make-up) air. It requires an external
fan to pull air through it. It is used to increase the heating power
of the SH1500 unit, the Solar HRV, and the Solar Furnace (as
shown below). It is also used in commercial applications which
can be assembled into large SolarSheat walls.

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
5
SH1500G
The SolarSheat 1500G is made to provide space heating and to
decrease your building’s heating bill. It pulls room temperature
air from inside the building, heats it with the power of the sun,
and pushes the hot air back in. The unit is self-powered. It has a
built-in fan which is powered by an electricity producing Photo
Voltaic (PV) panel. The SolarSheat 1500G connects to a digital
temperature control (DC thermostat), which enables the user to
set a maximum room temperature. The SolarSheat 1500G is
designed so that it will not allow the internal fan to come on if the
air is below roughly 68 degF (20 degC) inside the collector. It
can be mounted on a wall (as shown below) or a roof.

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
6
SH1500GS
The SolarSheat 1500GS is made to provide space heating and to
decrease your building’s heating bill. Multiple 1500GS collectors
can be attached to each other or to other SolarSheat models to
increase the power output for spaces which require more heat. It
works the same as a 1500G, but requires a fan. This collector
heats air that is pulled through it at room temperature air from
inside the building, and pushes the hot air back in. External fans
and controls are available for the 1500GS collectors. A system
made of (2) 1500GS collectors connected to each other is called a
1520GS system.
Unpacking the SolarSheat Mount
Cut the end corner of the container and gently pull out the SolarSheat mount out of the
box. There may be different sizes of mounts in the containers depending on how many
SolarSheats you have purchased. There is usually more than one mount facing each other
inside the container. Be careful of the sharp corners at the ends of the mounts.
Installing the Lower Mount

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
7
Next, determine where the mount is going to be installed on the wall or roof. The
SolarSheat should be installed on a south facing wall or roof surface for optimal
performance (see the attached drawings of mount and exploded cross sectional views).
The mount should be installed high enough from the ground to prevent snow load in the
winter time. This should be based on prior winter observation of snow load. If this is the
first winter you have been in the property then the mount should be at least 24” above the
ground. You may have to clear snow from the collector in the winter time if you cannot
place the mount at this height.
Find the Mounting diagram for your collector. The collectors are shown mounted in the
vertical or “upright” position. Do not install them upside down. If it will be installed
horizontally, then make sure that the control wire coming out of the back will be located
above the fan, not below it. For wall mounting, the clearances required between the roof
overhang and the top of the collector and the ground and bottom of the collector need to
be considered during installation. The lower mount and upper mounts would still be
located below and above the collector, respectively.
Locate the studs (if applicable) in an area of the wall where there is no electrical,
plumbing, gas piping, ducting, in the wall. If you have building drawings this can help
with this process. Heating registers, plumbing and electrical fixtures indicate the
presence of these obstructions. For roof mounting, finding the rafters has proven difficult
on conventional roofs, so drilling into the roof decking has worked well in previous
installations.
Have someone hold the mount with you in the position where it is going to be fastened.
Next, drill a pilot hole through the wall or roof. Make sure you use the right type of bit
for the material that you are drilling through. Please also make sure you are not drilling
into any wires, water or gas piping, ductwork etc. that may be behind the wall or roofing.
Place the lower mount with the new hole over the building hole and fasten with an
appropriate screw. Level the lower mount. Drill the rest of the holes in the lower mount,
according to the attached air collector mounting diagram and the matching pilot holes in
the roof or wall. For a roof mounted collector, inject outdoor polyurethane into and
around each pilot hole for screws (not included). Fasten the lower mount to the wall or
roof. For a roof mounted collector, apply additional outdoor grade polyurethane over and
around the head of the screw to help prevent water from getting in.
Cutting Side Holes (for multiple SolarSheat installations only)
If you are installing more than one SolarSheat, side-by-side, holes in the sides of the
collectors will have to be made so air can pass directly between up to 3 collectors. The
side holes should be sealed from one another and from the outside air. Cut out the
included side hole template, place it on the side of the collector frame where the side
holes will be located, the image below and the appropriate air flow layout diagram. The

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
8
side holes can be cut with a 1-5/8” diameter hole saw. Don’t use a hole saw larger than
1-3/4” diameter. Drill other sets of holes in other locations as appropriate in the air flow
layout diagrams.
Next cut, and apply the 1”x1” pieces of foam to fit snug on either side of the holes, so air
doesn’t leak out or into either sets of side holes. Each set of side holes should not leak air
into the other set, or air will bypass the interior of the collector and won’t pick up heat.
Please see the appropriate Air Flow Diagrams for foam placement. Silicon can also be
applied
(optional) to
seal the
collector frames
together.
Installing Duct Kit
If you are installing more than one SolarSheat, side-by-side, check where the duct holes
they should be located, according to the appropriate air flow drawing. Find the air
collector Mounting Template and Mounting Template Guide. The Mounting Template (a
large piece of cardboard with two holes and arrows pointing up, on it) will be used to
locate the hole(s) to be drilled in the wall or roof for the duct kit that will match the
corresponding duct hole(s) already in the back of your SolarSheat. The Mounting
Template Guide will help you use the Mounting Template.
Place the template on the lower mount, with the appropriate edge on the lower mount, as
*indicated* in the Mounting Template Guide. If you are mounting it horizontally, make
sure that the control wire coming out of the collector will end up above the collector fan.
The arrows on the template point “up”, or for the SH1500 and SH1500G, towards the PV
panel. Center the template on the lower mount.
If you have a single SH1500 or a SH1500S with only one hole in the back, it will only be
necessary to drill one 5” diameter hole all of the way through the wall or roof, as shown
on the Template Guide and Wall or Roof Mounting Diagrams. A single SH1500G or
SH1500GS requires two holes (one supply, one return). For multiple collector
installations, refer to the appropriate mounting schematic for quantities and duct hole
locations. A 5” hole-saw or a 5.0” by 5.0” square hole using a reciprocating saw can be
used. If using a reciprocating saw, make sure the hole is cut within a ¼” of a true 5” by
5” square hole to avoid misaligning the ducting and the SolarSheat hole. Misalignment
restricts and reduces the air flow rate. For roof mounting, you should use a utility knife

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
9
to cut a hole in the shingles before using the hole saw. For a wall mounted collector,
make sure you drill all of the way through the wall into the room. A long drill bit that is
drilled all the way through the wall can act as a guide if the duct holes cannot be drilled
all the way through.
For a side-by-side 1500GS collector system (i.e.
a 1520GS), when using the cardboard mounting
template to find where to put the duct holes, you
will have to put the template into 2 positions.
The 1st Mounting template position will be to
locate the lower hole on the 1st collector, the 2nd
position for the upper hole on other collector.
For a (2) 1500GS system, the 1st template
position should be spaced 7/8” away from the
2nd position as seen in the adjacent figure.
After the hole(s) is/are drilled for the duct kit, remove the template from the lower mount.
If you have a SH1500 or SH1500G with a digital temperature control, a ¼” hole must be
drilled for control wiring. For other collectors, the control wire will not be run through
the wall or roof. Drill a ¼” hole in the wall, all the way through, at a level where the
digital control is convenient to operate from within the house and where the collector
would cover and therefore protect from direct rain and snow. For a roof installation, drill
a ¼” hole through the roof, where it will be protected from rain by the collector for the
control wire (for 1500 & 1500G models only). Apply sealant into the holes.
Find the appropriate Duct Kit & Mounting diagrams. Cut and apply the included foam
tape to the collar(s) as shown in the Duct Kit diagram. For roof mounting, assemble the
duct, backdraft damper, and collar, as shown in the Roof Mounting Diagram. Apply
outdoor water sealant evenly on the collar assembly(ies) as shown. Push it/them into the
duct kit hole(s). In order to help keep rain from entering the duct kit collar, the foam on
the collar(s) should be in same position as it appears in the mounting diagrams. Apply an
additional bead of outdoor water sealant on the upper edge of the collar(s). Additional
flashing, may be necessary depending on your situation.
Installing the Upper Mount
Two people are necessary for this step. Lift the air collector into position on to the
bottom mount, as shown in the Mounting Diagram, and have one assistant hold it there.
For the SH1500 or SH1500G, push the control wire through the ¼” hole that was drilled.
Apply outdoor water sealant around the control wire. Make sure to match the hole

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
10
locations on the back of the SolarSheat with the duct hole(s) in the wall or roof, or it will
restrict the air flow to and from the collector. To help with duct hole alignment, either
match them up visibly, behind the collector, or mark the center of the lower mount and
the center of the collector, and then aligning those marks.
Place the second mount (the top mount) on top of the SolarSheat as shown in the
Mounting Diagram, so it mirrors the bottom mount. Drill the holes on the top mount as
shown in the Mounting diagram. Remove the top mount temporarily and drill matching
holes in the building wall. For a roof mounted collector, inject outdoor grade
polyurethane into and around the holes in the roof. Position the upper mount back in
place on the building and fasten the upper mount. For roof mounting, apply additional
outdoor sealant onto and around the lag bolt heads.
Find the black self-drilling (tek) screws. Drill them through the collector frame and into
the upper and lower mounts as shown in the diagram. If two or more collectors are being
mounted, then additional SolarSheats will be slid in place next to SolarSheat with the
hole in the back, so that the side holes match. Then screw the collector frames together as
shown in the Mounting diagram. Additional flashing, may be necessary depending on
your situation.
The work on the outside of the building is finished. If you ever need to remove the
collector, you can slide the collector off without removing the mounts from the wall or
roof.
Installing the Rest of the Duct Kit (Wall Mounted Collectors)
For wall installations, from inside the building, measure the distance from the collar face
to the outside of the wall, and cut the piece(s) of duct as shown in the Mounting diagram.
There is 1 backdraft damper included with each system. Install it in the lower duct
(1500G or GS) or upper duct (1500 or 1500s), only if there is significant air coming
through the bottom duct at night. Installing the damper will reduce performance. To
improve performance when using the wall grills, cut the plastic grid out from behind the
louvers.
If the customer finds there is significant air coming through the collector at night, install
the backdraft damper, as follows. For the SH1500, place the backdraft damper into the
supply (exhaust) duct so that it will open towards the inside of the home. For the
SH1500G or SH1500GS the backdraft damper should be installed in the return (intake)
side, so it opens towards the collector. The damper(s) should be located as close to the
collector in the duct as possible to avoid condensation problems. The shaft of the
backdraft damper should be installed so they run vertically. You will need to compress
the foam around the perimeter/circumference of the backdraft damper with your hands to
fit it into the duct.

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
11
Push the grill and duct assembly through the inside of the wall and onto the collar.
Fasten the grill to the wall with the included screws.
Installing the Duct Kit & Fan Kit (Roof Mounted Collectors)
For single collectors, find the DC inline fan kit electrical diagram. Attach the wires,
AC/DC adapter, and connectors to the sensor from the Inline-fan kit, as shown in the in
the DC Inline-fan electrical diagram. For multiple collectors and an AC fan, find the AC
inline fan kit electrical diagram. Attach the wires (AC wire not included), fan centre, fan,
thermostat temperature control, and sensor as described in the AC Inline-fan electrical
diagram.
From below the roof, for the DC inline fan kit, insert the inline fan into the short piece of
5” duct on the return side of the collector (intake) for 1500G and 1500GS, or the supply
(exhaust) side of the 1500. Screw the inline fan to the duct with a couple screws.
For the AC inline fan kit, hang the fan from a rafter or structural member, or mount it to a
ceiling joist. Connect the short piece of 5” duct from the return side of the collector
(intake) to the fan.
Next zip-tie or clamp the 5” round insulated duct (R12) to the collars on either end of the
inline fan. Run the duct to the locations above the ceiling of the room to be heated. Drill
5” round holes in the ceiling, at least 5’ apart, where the return (intake) and supply
(exhaust) diffusers will go (don’t hit the joists/truss member). From the room below,
insert the ceiling diffusers into the holes. From the attic, attach the R12 flexible insulated
duct to the ceiling diffusers and zip tie them.
Next, drill a ¼” hole into the collar/duct/backdraft damper assembly. The hole should be
located as close as possible to the collector (between the backdraft damper and the
collector) as shown on the Roof Mounting Diagram. Apply sealant (silicon for example)
to the electrical contacts on the sensor (to protect against corrosion and shorting the
circuit). Insert the sensor just into the new ¼” hole. The sensor should not be pushed in
far enough to interfere with either the fan (if working on a 1500 or 1500G). Apply
sealant to hold the sensor.
Run the wires from the inline fan and the SolarSheat control wires that were pushed
through the ¼” hole previously drilled in the roof (SH1500 & SH1500G) to the desired
location for the Digital Temperature Control (included with the SH1500 & SH1500G),
and attach according to the inline fan kit and the appropriate electrical diagrams.
Installing the Digital Temperature Control
For the Solar Sheat 1500 & 1500G, find the control wire that was pushed through the
wall/roof earlier from the collector. Trim the control wire and/or push the excess wire

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
12
into the wall cavity, so that enough wire hang out of the wall/roof to attach to the digital
control. Cut and remove enough wire shielding on the control wiring cable to access the
red and white wires within the cable. Use wire strippers to strip the insulation ½” (~1cm)
from the ends of the red and white wires. The wires may have up to 24 volts DC, so
don’t touch the bare ends of the wires at the same time.
For the SolarSheat 1500GS with the inline fan, follow the AC inline fan electrical
diagram for the electrical connections to the Digital Temperature Control.
For all SolarSheats (except the 1500s) find the digital temperature control and remove the
rear panel. Use a flat-headed screwdriver to loosen the screws on the “RH” and “W”
terminals on the back of the face of the control. Pull the wires through the center hole in
the back of the controller. Attach the red wire to the “RH” terminal, and the white wire
to the “W” terminal (as shown in the electrical diagram). Screw the back of the control to
the wall. Insert the included batteries to power the digital control. Push the face of the
control onto the back.
Using the SolarSheat
For the SH1500, SH1500G, SH1500GS with an inline fan kit, the collector will only
blow in warm air, when the temperature control is set to “heat”, the temperature is set
higher than the current temperature, when the sun is out, and when the temperature on the
inside reaches 68 degF (20 degC). When the sun is shining on the entire collector, it
should only take 4-15 minutes for the fan to operate. The output temperatures depends
on the outdoor temperature, incoming air temperature, and sunlight intensity. The
SolarSheat works well under sunny conditions, but will not work well (if at all) when it is
overcast.
To use the SolarSheat 1500 and 1500G panels, simply set the digital control to as high of
a temperature as comfortable, during heating season. All of this heat is free. During the
summer switch the digital temperature control “Off”.
The SolarSheat 1500S panels will provide solar pre-heated ventilation/make-up air on-
demand when the sun is out and when air is being pulled through it by a fan (either in a
SH1500, a SolarHRV, or the SolarFurnace).
Maintenance
The SolarSheat is designed for long life. The coating on the collector is a very high
quality Kynar coating. It should last for many years. The PV (Photovoltaic Panel) is also
rated for many years of use. You only need to clean the collector should it become dirty
with a soap and water combination. Never use heavy chemical compounds,
solvents and sprays. Using these types of products could damage the collector.

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
13
Replace the two “AAA” batteries in the digital control if there is a problem with the
control after a few years of operation. The digital control relies completely on these
batteries to turn on and off the SolarSheat 1500 & 1500G.
The silicon that holds the PV panel in place should last many years. Should the PV
Panel become loose or the silicone breaks away use an industrial grade silicone to caulk
You should not have to do this because there is a large amount of high quality silicone
applied to the product during the time of manufacturing. If the air flow seems poor, you
can try and remove one of the two backdraft dampers. The stainless steel backdraft
dampers are very high quality and are used to prevent thermosyphoning at night, which
can cool the building.
We hope you enjoy using your SolarSheat!
Please send us a picture of your newly installed SolarSheat via email to
[email protected]. We would like to have your testimonials and install to show
others how you are using your SolarSheat.
Todd Kirkpatrick
President

Version 1.9, 4/17/2006
14
Appendixes
Wall Mounting Diagram (SH1500, SH1500G, SH1500S : Solar Furnace & Solar HRV)
Roof Mounting Diagram (SH1500 & SH1500G & 1500GS & SH1520GS)
Frame and Mount Close Up Diagram
Duct Kit Diagram (SH1500, SH1500S, SH1500G & SH1500GS)
Electrical Diagram (SH1500 & SH1500G)
DC Inline Fan Electrical Diagram
AC Inline Fan Electrical Diagram
Air Flow Diagram (PAK 1500, 1520GS)
Mounting Template Guide
Mounting Template (can be found in the SolarSheat box)
Side Hole Template (Side-by-Side)