Nuetech Solar Systems Pvt. Ltd.

FAQ

1. Where can one install solar water heater?

In order to catch and absorb maximum amount of sun rays, the solar water has to be kept on the roof of the house
The roof should be flat and strong enough to support a weight of about 200 kgs for a system of 100 LPD capacity. There should be 8 Ft x 8 Ft of area, which should be shadow free for a minimum duration of 5 hours (preferably between 9 a.m to 4 p.m. daily)
The solar water heater should preferably be installed, as near to the point of use as possible, so as to avoid hot water heat loss in pipe line and minimize hot water piping cost
Adequate cold water supply should be available to solar hot water tank and for this purpose a cold water head should be arranged atleast 7' above roof level

2. How to get the best out of your solar water heater?

Do not place the collectors in niches or next to projecting wings which will cast shadows on the collectors during prime sun shine hours
Ensure that the supporting structure of the collector and tank are securely grouted to the terrace of the building, to prevent the system from getting dislodged during storms
Do not connect any other pipes in which cold water flows to the solar tank or hot water pipe from the solar water heater to use point.
Use hot water at any one time (morning or evening) with the minimum of time duration of 2 to 3 hours
Keep both cold water in tank and the collector glass always clean.
Drain out water through drainage valve from tank and collector periodically, say at least once in 30 days
Draw hot water at a slow rate, this will avoid mixing of hot and cold water in the storage tank

3. What are the don'ts in solar water heaters?

Do not close or block the air vent pipe. It is essential to keep this vent pipe opened to atmosphere and higher than the cold water storage tank
Do not cover the collector or do not place any obstacles or erect new structure, which will cast shadow on the collector
Ensure that the cold water tank is always full and never runs dry
Do not leave the electrical backup switched on when not necessary. If the switch is on, the sun will not have a chance to warm and water and the electrical bill runs too high

4. Which are the cautions for using solar water heaters?

Do not use the hot water for direct drinking application
Do not draw hot water when the electrical back up heater is "ON "
Do not use direct hot water with out mixing cold water
Draining and cleaning should be done only in the morning after the hot water usage
Cover plate made up of 4 M.M. toughened glass, it is breakable product, take Care
Do not attempt to install solar systems during strong winds
Ensure the external electrical wiring is routed through the conduit. Avoid direct exposure to rain and sun
If Hardness of water is above 250 PPM you must install a heat exchanger model or softener to prevent scaling and galvanic corrosion in the system

5. What are the general Maintenance in solar water heaters?

Clean the glass once in a week
Once in 3 months drain the tank and collector by opening the drain plug provided at the bottom header of the collector. Before draining, close the cold water gate valve and after draining open the gate valve. Draining should be done only in the morning, after the hot water usage. Keep the electrical heater normally "OFF "
During continuous rainy day/cloudy day/monsoon or cyclone hit day, the system may not produce sufficient hot water. Only during these days the electrical back up should be used
Once in 3 months, check condition of the heater
Once in 6 months, check for erosion of sacrificial anode. Replace it if found eroded or 70% of the material has been sacrificed
Once a year clear the complete system to remove floating and settled objects / dust out in the system. If the water is hard, use water softener to prevent the collector from scaling
Once a year inspect the cladding of the storage tank, the collector and the pipelines between tank and collector. See if there are any openings in the cladding and have this repaired if necessary. This will ensure rain water not entering the insulation of collector tank and pipes. There will be longer life time and better functioning of your system with these small caring acts

6. What to do if the water is not flowing from the hot water taps
Check the cold water supply. Is the valve on the cold water tank open, the cold water storage tank filled?

7. What to do if the system is only delivering cold water.

No hot water because of any sun shine. This is normal on a day with heavy overcast. A solar water heater can heat water only when the sun is shining or with light overcast. For immediate hot water supply, switch on the electric backup. If you have used full capacity of system or more that day, the solar water heater needs time to warm up the water again. For immediate hot water supply turn on the electric backup
Air Block: If the above is not the case, see if there are obstructions in the collector circuit. As the thermosyphon force which circulates the water in a rather weak force, it can be stopped by small air bubbles in a collector or by bends in the pipelines between tank and collector. Check the circulation by feeling the inlet and outlet temperature of the pipes close to the collector, during bright sunshine the outlet temperature should be much higher than the inlet temperature. Take care - the outlet may be very hot. If failure thermosyphon circulation is detected (and no bends are visible) drain and refill the collector there by removing possible air locks. If this does not help, contact a skilled plumber

8. What to do if the System delivers only partially warmed water.

See if the collector cover glass is dirty. The dirt on the collector will decrease the efficiency of the solar water heater. If necessary clean the glass
See if there are any obstacles shadowing your collector. If possible remove them
Mixing tap problem. Check if a non-return value is installed. If this is not the case, and there may be mixing taps (shower), cold water can flow into the storage tank because the pressure in the cold water line is always higher than the pressure in the hot water line. If no non - return value is installed cold water can mix with hot water, thereby lowering the temperature in the storage tank. The solution is to install a non - return value or have separate lines and taps for hot and cold water. Contact a skilled plumber. In mixing points like showers, if the cold water Valve is left open, the cold water may force its way to solar hot water line/tank. Please close cold water taps properly
Check the insulation of the tank, collector and pipes. Especially if the insulation of the tank is damaged or wet a lot of heat can be lost. Repair small holes in the cladding of the insulation or contact your nearest dealer

back..