We just got about 500 sq/ft of Techno-Solis solar panels installed in the backyard with a Hayward Aqua Solar controller and it works well, actually sometimes too well. Pool water early this week was close to 90. Which made me wonder, in the peak of the summer, if the water was to be too warm, can the water circulation in the panel be turned off during the day... but then could the panels get damaged with the overheating? I can't really find information on the subject, I understand though that I can cool the pool with the system (circulate water at night to radiate out through panels) which would be one option if they can't be turned off. Thanks for sharing your experience.
OK to turn off water circulation in solar panels on hot day?
- Thread starter NomDePlume
- Start date
Re: OK to turn off water circulation in solar panels on hot
Your controller shuts off circulation to the panels every time the water temp reaches your set point. I have panels with a manual bypass. In the heat of the summer the water sits in my panels all day when I don't need to run them. When I run water through them, the water is near scalding coming out of the return. I wouldn't worry about them. They're designed to withstand those conditions where water sits in them and heats up without moving. You would have to reach near boiling temps or above to hurt them.NomDePlume said:
- May 3, 2007
- 16,893
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Re: OK to turn off water circulation in solar panels on hot
It isn't the panels that you need to worry about, it is the PVC pipe that can have problems. One installer told me of some issues in the central valley of CA where temperatures can get very hot. After the panels have been sitting in the sun with water in them and the pump shuts off, the vacuum from the draining hot water can sometimes collapse the PVC pipe. But this is usually in extreme conditions and with the VRV installed just above the pad. If the VRV is on the roof, then it should be ok.
It isn't the panels that you need to worry about, it is the PVC pipe that can have problems. One installer told me of some issues in the central valley of CA where temperatures can get very hot. After the panels have been sitting in the sun with water in them and the pump shuts off, the vacuum from the draining hot water can sometimes collapse the PVC pipe. But this is usually in extreme conditions and with the VRV installed just above the pad. If the VRV is on the roof, then it should be ok.