Solarark S20 User manual

Solar Hot

Water

Systems

Owner’s Manual

Providing Insight into hot water, solar systems and various components used

within a SolarArk Solar Hot Water System This is a confidential document for

SolarArk representative use only This document is to be taken as a basic

introduction into solar heating

July 2012

Table of Contents

Introduction to Solar Water Heating 4

Key Features 5

Tempering Your Water Supply 6

Boosting Options 6

Gas Boosting 7

Water Flow 7

Electric Boosting 8

Important Information 8

Local Standards 8

SolarArk Accreditations 8

Authorised Installers 9

Safety Precautions and Legionella 9

Pressure and Temperature Control and Relief 10

Water Quality 10

Corrosion 11

Freeze protection and Snow Loading 11

Hail Resistance 11

Wind Stress 11

Collector Dimensions & Weights 12

Roof Structural Integrity 12

Stagnation and Excess Heat 12

Storage Tanks 13

Tanks – Stainless Steel 14

Tanks – Vitreous Enamel (Glass Lined) 14

Solar Collector Installation 15

System Design-Electric Boosted Solar Water Heater 15

System Design-Gas Boosted Solar Water Heater 16

Mounting Frame 17

SolarArk Maintenance 18

PTRV 18

Glass Breakage 18

Replacement of Broken Tubes 18

Unpacking New Tubes 18

Evacuated Tube Installation 19

Insulation 19

Other System Components 19

TROUBLESHOOTING 20

Precautions and Warnings 21

Warranty 22

Warranty Conditions 22

Warranty Exclusions 23

Component Warranty 26

SolarArk Warranty Claim Procedure 28

Disclaimer 29

SolarArk’s Frequently Asked Questions 30

Thank you for your decision to purchase a SolarArk Evacuated Tube

Hot Water System

The content of this manual provides detailed information on

maintenance, troubleshooting, safety precautions and warranty that

should be thoroughly read and adhered to following installation

Should you have any questions regarding the information contained,

please contact SolarArk on Ph: 1300 760 966 for support

Introduction to Solar Water Heating

The design of the cylindrical evacuated tubes allows maximum absorption of the suns energy to

convert it to heat

The cold water from the bottom of the storage tank is pumped up to the insulated manifold of the

solar collector, which passes through the heat exchanger It absorbs the heat and is returned back

to the storage tank

The controller measures the differential temperature between the water supply from the bottom

of the tank and the water return from the collector to maintain the set temperature within the

storage tank

The circulating pump operates intermittently throughout the day to maintain maximum hot water

output and minimise energy consumption

Key Features

SolarArk utilizes copper, aluminium and titanium as part of a three target film technology

This provides excellent heat retention that exceeds other standard tubes by more than 12%

The diameter of the heat exchanger has been

specifically designed to maintain low pressure drop

High density Rockwool insulation is used to ensure

maximum solar heat gain by minimising the amount of

heat loss even in cold temperatures

The solar controller will maintain the temperature at the bottom of the tank to a pre-set

temperature of 65°C to 70°C The on/off differential settings of the controller are designed

to ensure optimum pump cycling as the water in the manifold heats If the collector reaches

8°C hotter than the tank the controller turns the solar pump on, and off again once the

temperature decreases to 2°C

SolarArk solar collector tubes and heat exchanger are individually tested for vacuum and

pressure to guarantee the highest quality

The tubes are designed to withstand hail and high winds, have long lasting performance and

are cheap and easy to replace if damaged

The complete system is lightweight for easy installation and the stainless steel frame is

resilient to corrosion

SolarArk are proud to provide a 15 year warranty on their complete solar collector

Tempering Your Water Supply

Tempering valves are mandatory throughout Australia They are to comply with local regulations as

a safety device to reduce hot water supply to a maximum of 50°C

The function of the tempering valve is to reduce the 65-75 degree water leaving your hot water

storage tank and blending it with cold water to achieve 50°C and reduce the possibility of scalding

All adjustments of a tempering valve should only be carried out by a licensed plumber

Boosting Options

For further procedures please follow gas booster model instructions.

Gas boosted

Electric Boosted

During periods to low solar contribution, gas or electric boosting is required to maintain 60°

temperature

Gas Boosting

The instantaneous gas booster is activated if the water passing through is <60°C The gas booster

will automatically turn off when boosting is not required, therefore increases energy efficiency

Points to Note:

The gas booster operates when there is a minimum of flow rate of 2 4

lpm of hot water flowing through the booster The use of water saving

devices that have less than 9lpm flow rate or that have restrictors may

interfere with the operation To ensure operation, open the hot tap

fully to check if the gas booster comes on

The S20 gas booster requires a minimum of 120 kPa water pressure

and the S26 requires a minimum of 160 KPa water pressure to achieve

the maximum flow rate and optimal function If the pressure is less

than the required pressure, a water pressure pump should be installed

Electronic temperature controllers will not work with SolarArk systems and are not to be

used

Water Flow

S21 or S26 hot water gas boosters have limited hot water flow due to the flow rate of the gas

booster (21 or 26 litres per minute)

To ensure that your instantaneous unit functions effectively, it is advisable to use a AAA rated

showerhead with a minimum flow of 9 lpm It is also recommended to periodically check

showerhead for any debris or deposit built-ups as this may affect water flow and temperature

Model Name

Model Numbe

S20

S26

Facto y Default Temp

°C

60

Colou

Dune

Wate P essu e (kPa)

Min

120

160

Max

1000

Gas Rate LPG (Mj/h )

Min

11 3

14 7

Max

125

188

Gas Rate NG (Mj/h )

Min

10 9

13 8

Max

125

188

Flow Rate 25°C Rise (lpm)

Min

16

24

Flow Rate Max (lpm)

Max

20

26

Connection Sizes Gas/Hot/Cold

(mm)

20/20/20

Electric Boosting

An electric boosted water cylinder is supplied with a 3 6kW

electric boosting element as standard The thermostat is set

to 60°C If solar radiation is low, the electric boosting

element will activate to compensate for heat loss

Generally, the required heating time would occur overnight

during the off-peak Tariff If off-peak is not available, the

continuous Tariff will require a timer setting to be activated

early evening or overnight when solar radiation is at its

lowest

Important Information

ocal Standards

Installation must be completed in accordance with the requirements of AS/NZS 3500 4

(AS/NZS3500 4 2 “National Plumbing and Drainage Code Hot Water Supply Systems – Acceptable

Solutions”), or in New Zealand, Clause G12 of the New Zealand Building Code, as well as any

relevant local standards and regulations

SolarArk Accreditations

BSI Benchmark Certification is an Australian Company originally established in 1993 to provide

independent certification services to companies wishing to achieve formal recognition of their

management systems ISO 9001, QS-9000 and ISO 14001 and Product Certification

Accreditation by JAS-ANZ also implies that companies approved by BSI Benchmark Certification is

recognised and accepted in each country where JAS-ANZ has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding with other National Accreditation Board

The Institute for Thermodynamics and Thermal Engineering (ITW) has been working in thermal

solar energy since the early 1970s In 1993 the Research and Testing Centre for Thermal Solar

Systems (TZS) was established TZS is the largest testing centre for solar thermal components and

systems in Europe TZS has long standing established experience in testing the full spectrum of solar

thermal experience in testing the full spectrum of solar thermal products as well as in conducting

research and development projects with partners from research organisations and industry

Authorised Installers

All installation of SolarArk solar hot water systems must be installed and checked by an authorised

licensed plumber who holds all relevant qualifications

Any inspections, repairs or maintenance that is required should only be carried out by a person

authorised by SolarArk Pty Ltd

Safety Precautions and egionella

In order to kill Legionella bacteria it is an Australian standards requirement (AS3498-2009) that the

hot water in the storage tank be heated up to at least 70°C on a regular basis, either while in the

storage tank (solar electric) or by a post boost (gas continuous flow)

Bottom element electric: The hot water storage tank must reach 60°C at least once a week The

element should be activated at least once weekly during winter months and overcast weather The

element is located at the bottom of the tank

Mid element electric: The hot water storage tank must reach 60°C at least once daily The element

should be activated daily during winter months and overcast weather The element is located in the

middle of the tank, lowering boosting costs by boosting half of the tank until the solar unit kicks in

again

Gas boosted systems: Gas booster must be left on at all times It will only boost the water if it is less

than 60°C

Pressure and Temperature Control and Relief

The pressure & temperature Relief Valve is supplied with the water heater

from the manufacturer The valve must be installed into the socket marked

“RELIEF VALVE” No hot water storage tank should be operated without the

PTRV fitted and functional The PTRV should be checked for correct

operation or replaced at intervals not exceeding 5 years

The lever on the relief valve must be lifted and lowered very slowly to

operate the valve at least once every 6 months Failure to operate the relief

valve at least once every six (6) months may result in the water heater

exploding

The relief valve and its drain outlet pipe must not be sealed or blocked

Water Quality

All hot water storage tanks have been manufactured to suit water conditions of most Australian

metropolitan supplies Water supplies outside of the specifications specified can have a damaging

effect on the water heater and its longevity Information can be obtain from your local water supply

authority regarding water quality details

Wate Acceptability Composition Range fo Stainless Steel Tanks

Water Quality

Total Dissolved Solids <600 mg/litre or ppm

Total Hardness <200 mg/litre or ppm

Chloride <250 mg/litre or ppm

Sodium <150 mg/litre or ppm

Magnesium <10 mg/litre or ppm

PH Levels 6 5 – 8 5

Electrical Conductivity 850 µS/cm

Wate Acceptability Composition Range fo Vit eous Enamel Tanks

Water Quality

Total Dissolved Solids <600 mg/litre or ppm

Total Hardness <200 mg/litre or ppm

Chloride <300 mg/litre or ppm

Sodium <150 mg/litre or ppm

Magnesium <10 mg/litre or ppm

PH Levels 6 5 – 9 5

Electrical Conductivity 850 µS/cm

Iron 1 mg/litre

The water heater is designed for use in areas where the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) content of the

water supply is less than 2500 mg/L In areas where the TDS exceeds 600mg/L it is possible that the

magnesium alloy anode (supplied in glass lined heaters only) may become over reactive

To alleviate this, the magnesium alloy anode should be replaced with an aluminium alloy anode,

available from your local plumbing supplier Water can also be very corrosive, the measure of this

is the saturation index, if the water saturation index is greater than 0 40 an expansion control valve

should be fitted and where the index is greater than 0 80 the water heater installed should be a

Hard Water Model Please consult SolarArk for advice if required In regions with “hard” water

(<200mg/L or ppm), it is advisable to install a water softening device This will ensure the long term

efficient operation of the solar collector

Corrosion

When high concentrations of chloride are present, both copper and stainless steel are susceptible

to corrosion Therefore, the use of this system to heat chlorinated pool or spa water will void any

warranty SolarArk will not warrant any equipment failure due to corrosion related damage

Chloride levels present in most reticulated public potable water supplies are safe for use in the

solar collector provided there is no use of bore waters in the reticulated supply

Freeze protection and Snow oading

The solar collector is protected by a frost protection controller Evacuated tubes are impenetrable

against damage due to cold weather A low manifold temperature pump circulation feature turns

the pump on if the manifold temperature drops to 4°C and turns off again when the temperature

rises to 6°C In areas prone to heavy snow fall, the solar collectors should be installed at an angle of

50° or greater to promote snow sliding off the tubes Each tube is tested to withstand >50kg of

loading

Hail Resistance

The SolarArk evacuated tubes are able to handle significant impact from hail of up to 25mm/1” in

diameter The ability of the evacuated tubes to withstand impact from hail is greatly influenced by

the angle of impact and so installing collectors at low angles will reduce their impact resistance

Wind Stress

When installing the SolarArk collector please consider the following points: wind resistance caused

by high strength winds and the stress applied upon attachment points due to these winds The

pitched roof frame and angle frame are designed to withstand high wind speeds without damage

However the roof attachment points may not be as strong For areas with the possibility of high

winds, additional arrangements for reinforcing attachment points should be considered

Collector Dimensions & Weights

Collecto Size:

Gross Weight (Empty):

Absorber Area:

Aperture Area:

Gross Area:

Fluid Capacity:

Overall Width:

Overall Height:

Overall Length:

10 tubes

45 Kg

0 8m²

0 94m²

1 57m²

754ML

810mm

155mm

2000mm

20 tubes

78Kg

1 6m²

1 88m²

2 96m²

1546ML

1560mm

155mm

2000mm

30 tubes

115 Kg

2 4m²

2 82m²

4 35m²

2338ML

2310mm

155mm

2000mm

Roof Structural Integrity

Collector weight is minimal and will not cause excessive weight stress on the roof structure No

reinforcement of the roof structure is required for flush mounted collectors

If installing at a raised angle (adjustable frame) in a high wind region, high winds will cause vertical

and horizontal loads on the frame Please ensure that the roof structure is able to withstand such

forces

Stagnation and Excess Heat

Evacuated tube solar systems have the ability to heat water well above 100°C during periods of high

solar radiation and minimal hot water usage The controller has an inbuilt guard against hot water

entering the storage tank Once the bottom sensor has reached the pre determined setting of 65°C,

(known as TOPOUT) power is no longer sent to the pump This is needed as it is a requirement that

heat in storage tanks does not exceed 80°C During these periods of high solar contribution and

minimum hot water usage, the collector can generate more heat than is required At these times,

the controller will turn off the pump to prevent the tank from overheating and the hot water tank

temperature will not increase further In some cases a crackling noise may be heard in the pipes

when the hot water tap is opened as steam forms in the solar collector This noise may be occur

recurrently if the cold water supply pressure is low <400 kPa Installation of a pressure pump may

help reduce the occurrence of this noise

Not having the pump cycling will cause stagnation in the manifold This could potentially occur

during periods of high radiation and little to no water usage in the home Throughout these

conditions the manifold will reach around 160°C At this temperature the water does not boil as the

pressure relief valve on the tank is set to 850kPa This means that the water would have to reach

roughly 180°C before any steam could form

If the pump stops running due to power blackout or pump failure, a Pressure Temperature Relief

Valve (PTRV) is incorporated into the hot water storage tank as a safety precaution which releases

high temperature water and steam from the tank should it reach 95°C The PTRV must have a

downward facing copper pipe connected, running expelled water to an appropriate drainage point

It is important to ensure the relief valve or drain tube not be sealed or blocked A regular

maintenance check at six month intervals is recommended

During stagnation conditions or for households with a cold water delivery <400kPa, large amounts

of steam may be formed in the collector when the hot water tap is opened causing a “banging”

sound within the copper pipes Installing a pressure booster pump will eliminate this problem This

is applicable for installations with main water supply, tank or bore water A check valve must also

be installed on the cold main line before the tank

Storage Tanks

The storage tank is typically an insulated metal tank with an electric heating element in the bottom

or middle of the tank Gas boosting is also available as an alternative option to electric boosting

The storage tanks promote thermal stratification that prevents incoming cold water from mixing

with the hot water at the top of the tank Gas boosted systems provides optimum energy

conservation, as it is only required when the temperature in the tank falls below 60°C

A thermostatically controlled electric element in the bottom of the cylinder can be connected to

normal or "off Peak" power supply The heated water rises up the cylinder by natural convection to

the top where it is ready for use As hot water leaves the storage cylinder, it is replaced by cold

water, which enters at the bottom of the cylinder

SolarArk recommends flushing the water heater at regular intervals as advised by your licensed

plumber, and to assist this operation, the cold water inlet has a large opening for flushing any build

up solids that have escaped the line strainer The tank may be used either indoors or outdoors and

should be installed by and located in accordance with your licensed plumber’s recommendation,

but usually close to the outlet where there is the greatest usage of hot water Installation must

comply with Australian Standard AS 3500 4 and any local authority regulations

Tanks – Stainless Steel

Stainless steel storage tank can be heated using “full” or "off-peak" Tariff

electricity The latest aspects of design and material selection include:

Hi-grade stainless steel cylinder

Control of thermal stratification

Dual Positive Domed Cylinder resulting in optimum location of element(s)

water supply and delivery and flushing-through of suspended solids

Highest level of insulation due to the use of a polymeric external casing

combined with thick polyurethane insulation

Tanks – Vitreous Enamel (Glass ined)

The Vitreous Enamel (glass lined) tanks are an efficient option for water

heaters Some features include:

Glass lined tanks have a magnesium sacrificial anode that ensures

potable water quality Suitable to poor water quality areas as an

aluminium anode can be installed to extend the life of the tank

The release of hydrogen can sometimes occur if the water is not used for

long periods of time To combat hydrogen built up, all water heaters

have a pressure and temperature release (PTR) valve fitted to Australian

Standards

If the water has been stagnant for two or more weeks, pull the lever on

the PTR valve to “purge” the system for 30 seconds This will expel any

hydrogen built up Caution need to be taken when purging as the water

will be HOT

Solar Collector Installation

System Design-Electric Boosted Solar Water Heater

Pa ts Schematic – Not all components a e P ovided by Sola A k

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l

m

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Component Name

Non-Return Isolating Valve

Line Strainer

Pressure Limiting Valve (500kPa)

Expansion Control Valve

Cold Water Inlet

Solar Flow

Lower Sensor Port

Solar Return

Upper Sensor Port

PTR Valve

Hot Water Supply

Electric Element

Solar Rated Tempering Valve

Pump and Controller

Flow Control Valve

Brass Swing Check Valve

SolarArk Solar Collector

Qty

1

Supplie : Pa t Code

Australian Standards Approved

SolarArk SA-M-20, SA-M-30

Notes

1 Optional Inclusion, compulsory in some states

2 Allow 30cm of straight pipe before either side of pump

3 Allow 50cm of straight pipe before brass swing check valve

4 For runs longer than 20m use DN18 copper pipe

5 Temper valve MUST be installed

6 Only brass flip swing check valve can be used, no synthetic seats

System diagrams have been approved in line with S/NZS2712 requirements The

installer must not change the design of the major system components It is the

responsibility of the installer/contractor to ensure that the system design meets

all relevant standards, regulations and guidelines, and is safe and operating

correctly The installation of SolarArk products must be in accordance with the

guidelines outlined in the latest version of the SolarArk installation manual Any

installer/contractor must be legally certified to install solar water heating systems

and have attended an accredited SolarArk training session before completing the

installation of any SolarArk products

System Design-Gas Boosted Solar Water Heater

Pa ts Schematic – Not all components a e P ovided by Sola A k

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

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k

l

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Component Name

Non-Return Isolating Valve

Line Strainer

Pressure Limiting Valve (500kPa)

Expansion Control Valve

Cold Water Inlet

Solar Flow

Lower Sensor Port

Solar Return

Upper Sensor Port

PTR Valve

Hot Water Supply

Gas Booster