Does nayone here know about soloar water heater?

[rnln]

Recently, I notice that the back up tank (gas) is burning every time hot water is used. Usually, the back up tank never burn in summer (these couple weeks we are between 90 to 100 degrees). I looked at the solar controller and see that only the power light is on. The output light is not. Usually, the output light is on when there is sun (noon).

Touching the piping, this is how I see.
1- Input pipe is not hot.
2- pipe goes up to the solar panel on the roof is extremely hot.
3- Pipe coming down from solar panel to the tank is extremely hot.
4- Out put pipe from tank is not hot at all.

Anyone know if the controller is definitely bad, or the sensors, or it's something else in the tank? After some searching/reading, I know there is are 2 sensors somewhere and the tank also has the pump somewhere but I don't know anything else.

This is a of the same controller I found on the internet

[slodave]

My parents have the opposite setup, same controller. I have no clue.

[rnln]

Alright dave, I'll wait until the day we have a PC control the water heat, then I will ask you
out of curiosity, what do you mean by opposite setup?

[slodave]

Primary tank is gas, secondary is solar.

[rnln]

are you sure? That way, isn't the gas tank will get cold water all the time. meaning, it will burn all the time hot water in used?

[slodave]

I'll ask, but that's the way I remember it. The solar tank was put in while I was still living there years ago. Only three of us, but we'd run out of hot water with the gas tank. In fact, when they are on vacation and all is shut down, when I go to do laundry, I only kick on the gas tank.

I'll ask...

[rnln]

It's ok Dave, about the back up. I was just curious. But if you can ask on the output light. I appreciate it. Hopefully, you parents experienced it.

[john70t]

(your pic shows up at C30 differential heating controller » Renewable Rochester )
It looks like only two sensors affect the controller: storage and collector.

Hot water is not flowing from the solar tank to the water heater tank. Right?
If the sensors are the same type but voltages are different, I'd suspect the controller thinks the tank water is still cold, or the flow control valve is not opening for some reason.

There's a million brands of C-30 out there.
I'd get the mftr and model and search the internet for "manuals/troubleshooting".

[tadink]

Hey all -

actually - I do know a fair amount about solar hot water systems....in layman's terms:

The controller is looking at a pair of temps to determine when to run - the first is the temp sensor in the panel itself on the roof, the second is in the tank. Assuming normal conditions - the controller turns on the pump when the tank needs heat, turns it off when the need is satisfied.

Now, any number of things could be going wrong here - in no particular order they are:

1. glycol has boiled out of the system and the pump can run all day without anything to pump (but the hot pipes might indicate this is not the case)
2. the temp sensor on the roof (in the panel) has failed
3. the temp sensor in the tank has failed
4. the pump has failed
5. the controller has failed
6. a valve has failed

If you can find the manual for that model of controller on line - you should be able to take some readings to determine if the thing is getting signals or not. Can you take a pic of what the installation looks like and send it to me? On many systems, the cold from the street provides the pressure to push the water thru the solar tank into the gas tank (pre-heating the gas heater)- but yours must not be set up that way or you would not have any hot water! IF there is a pump between the tanks, that may be kapoot.

Best bet - I can put you in touch with an installer in your area and he can come check out the system. The controllers are pretty straightforward, but after a few years (like 30?) they might poop out. Probably a good idea to have someone check your system regardless.

If you want to PM me I can find a good installer for you.

as an aside - we make a monitoring system that is non-invasive and senses when the pump is on, what the supply and return temps are from the roof, and the tank temp. It feeds data to our servers and we push out web-views for you to evaluate. A number of installers are using our system on their installs to tune the system for optimum perf, and many rebates require a system like ours. you can see more at www.sunreports.com

let me know if I can be of any more help -

best

td

[rnln]

Actually the solar is installed as a pre-heat. Water source comes in to the soloar tank first then output from solar tank to gas tank. When it's working, at noon, the gas tank doesn't have to burn at all. At night, or cold, gas tank turn on.

Now, I think water is still comming through the solar tank to the gas tank since the gas tank keep burning everytime we use hot water, and we do have hot water.
Therefore, I think water is still going through the solar tank, just nothot. But, the 2 pipes from/to the solar panel are extremely hot.

If water doesn't go through the solar tank, I wouldn't have hot water in the shower. Am I right?

tadink, pm you my location.

[rnln]

update....
I just went down to look at it, and plugged it back in (it's unplugged). Soon I plugged it in, everything back to normal, both power and output lights are on). Pump is running. So it fixed itself after a a day unplugged?

I feel like the solar tank is getting cold water from source by pressure as any normal devices. The pump function is to pump water up to the solar panel (on the roof).

How water get from solar tank to gas tank? My pressure in the solar tank? Meaning if the pump is turned off, no water get to the roof, then no water get down from the roof to the solar tank, meaning no water is going to the gas tank? And if I keep using hot water (without the pump running), I will dry burn the gas tank? Am I correct? or the solar system has a way to supply water to the gas tank without going through the pump? Then there must a valve somewhere to detect if the pump is working properly or not?

[lane912]

air gap-

step 1 - is it plugged in?

LOL

[rnln]

1- yes, plugged in.
You want me to release air, from the little copper pipe on the side? ahh, I afraid to do so. Several years ago I did. After that, water keep dripping out for days no matter what I did after. The tech came and touched it, yes, he just touched it and it stopped :lol: He left without charge and laughed all the way to his car.

step 2 please.

[rnln]

Hi everyone,
This link is from DaLink. Thanks DaLink.
The image on the lower right with 2 orange color tanks. Does anyone know if T3 ever get hot to touch? Please give me your experience, not logical thinking.
Thanks again
http://sunreports.com/resources/Apollo2SpecSheet20100727.pdf

[tadink]

HI guys -

Yes, T3 should be hot - that is the water from the solar that preheats the water heater, it is likely to be really hot on a hot day.

thx

td

[rnln]

Anyone has/experience water from solar tank as preheat, and electric tank as secondary before going into the house? I wonder if the electric tank has sensor so that it's won't turn on when water is already hot from solar tank.

[tadink]

The solar collector feeding either a storage tank or your water heater will provide enough heat - most of the time - that your elec element won't need to turn on.

you can monitor the system to ensure that your settings are right -

Solar Hot Water Monitoring | Solar Thermal Monitoring | Solar PV Monitoring

works for both gas and elec water heaters....

cheers

td

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by rnln

Anyone has/experience water from solar tank as preheat, and electric tank as secondary before going into the house? I wonder if the electric tank has sensor so that it's won't turn on when water is already hot from solar tank.

Yes. It is called a thermostat.

[plumb4u2]

Originally Posted by rnln

Anyone has/experience water from solar tank as preheat, and electric tank as secondary before going into the house? I wonder if the electric tank has sensor so that it's won't turn on when water is already hot from solar tank.

it's a very simple setup

the electric heater is controlled by a normal thermostat which reads temperature so for example:

let's say eh (electric heater) therm set at 120d, water coming in from solar is at 90d this would mean that eh would only have to raise temp 30d to satisfy the therm

obviously water temp is going to vary at different times a day depending on solar temp so your system will be most efficient during sun light times

[rnln]

Thanks you. You guys answered my question. As for the reason of the question. Currently I have solar tank as primary, feeding warm water to the gas tank. In summer, the gas tank rarely turn on. Now, I hear the gas tank makes a lot of noise when it's boiled, loud and a lot. I drain it twice, still doesn't help. Look like I will need a new tank soon. So, I am thinking of going gas tank again, or electric device as a secondary (and still keep the solar tank as primary). Now, knowing the electric has the sensor (thermostat), I am ensure on the electric system.
Thanks.