Controller maintenance is the same for many types of AC-based solar thermal system. Some of the tests require a multimeter.
Almost all controllers have two lights on the front: one that indicates the power is on and the other indicating that the pump is on. If the system isn't working, check the lights and follow these steps:
Almost all residential solar installations mount the collector on the roof or a ground frame. Once you've done your research and figured out where the best location for your solar collectors is, you'll need to work out the optimum tilt angle – the angle the collector array surface makes with the horizon.
Back when modern radiant floor systems were first installed, copper or steel pipes were used. They were embedded in concrete under the floor and hot water ran through them to heat the building. It doesn't take a genius to see where the problems came from:
If you live in a location where your ICS system runs all year – in other words, where there are no freezes – you don't need to do any special maintenance. The standard two-minute monthly system check will suffice.
Before you get down to the nitty-gritty of actually mounting your solar collectors, take a few minutes to understand some basic essentials. Collectors are expensive, so you need to consider the basics of mounting them safely.
There is an upper limit on how much Pex tubing you can use in a radiant heating installation. If the circuit is too long, the solar fluid will cool off before it reaches the end and you will get uneven heating. For standard-sized Pex tubes (half-inch or 5/8-inch internal diameter), the circuit length should not exceed 300 feet – which is conveniently the size of the coil supplied by many manufacturers.
On top of the standard two-minute monthly maintenance checks, drainback systems need extra care. There are four main problems that could occur in a drainback system:
If you are going to install solar collectors on your home's roof, take a trip up there to inspect the mounting location before you try to lift the collectors into place. You need to check a variety of important factors and you don't want to find yourself in a situation where you have the collector ready to be bolted into place, but the site is inappropriate!
Before you begin laying Pex tubes into your heating area, you must prepare the ground. The area should be flat and level, with the insulation in place and a vapor barrier under the insulation. If you are going to enclose the Pex tubes in a slab, you can cover the insulation with reinforcing wire or rebar.
A pressurized solar thermal installation is one of the most robust options available. Your standard two-minute monthly maintenance checks should suffice to keep the system in perfect working order for at least 10 years, though you should add a pressure check to the monthly routine just to keep an eye on things.
After the first 10 years have passed, you will need to check for three possible problems:
