Solar Plumbing Design Review with Pics

[DrC]

We are adding Solar Heating to our ABG Pool this season. In the process of doing this I will be converting all of our plumbing to 1-1/2 inch PVC Schedule 40 at the same time. We have 4 2x20 Sungrabber panels that will be on a garage roof facing south. The roof is adjacent to the pump location. I have started designing the plumbing based on the great advice from other here.

I am including pics of the work so far in case I have missed something or need to make changes before final gluing of the PVC. I used 3" sections of the PVC in several places just to get the idea, the actual pipe lengths are not all correct.

The Goldline GL-235 controller is not shown in the pics as it has neot been installed yet. I also will be adding another Tee in the return line with another 1/4 turn shut off to control feed to a 3/4 inch line for the fountain and/or slide.

Thanks to all.

1. Overview of Plumbing

2. Valve Locations

3. Pool Return Line

4. Skimmer Line

5. Pump Information

6. Filter Information

 

[JasonLion]

To start, I just want to confirm that the fitting after the filter and after the union is a check valve. You want a check valve right there, and that looks like a check valve, but it is hard to be sure in the picture so I am double checking.

It isn't required, but might be good, to put another check valve on the solar return before it joins up with either of the bypass routes. The second check valve will prevent the panels from always being pressurized when the solar is off.

I am not sure that your pump will have enough pressure to get water up to the roof. It looks like a 3/4 HP above ground pump, which will be marginal for lifting water up to a roof. It might work, but it might not.

 

[DrC]

Thanks for the reply Jason.

Sorry about the quality of the pictures but they were taken at the moment using my cellphone. You are correct. there is a Chack Valve after the union coming from the filter. It is a PVC Schedule 40 spring style which is all I could find locally. I did purchase 2 of them a the time so I have the option of adding the second one as you suggest. I have some concern as to the spring style restricting the flow after reading some other post on the subject. Hopefully I get our new skimmer this week as it is currently on backorder from litehouse and can finsh the job.

The pump was sold to us as a 1 HP (maybe rated at) so I will have to check that out a little closer. It was an emergency replacemnt for the original that died at a bad time. Here is a picture of the other label on the pump.

 

[JasonLion]

There are many different ways to rate pumps, so what I call a 3/4 HP some people call a 1 HP. Regardless of that rating, it is listed as drawing 8.8 amps at 115 volts, which simply isn't all that large a pump. I can't find a pump curve for it, so it is difficult to be sure just how high it can raise the water.

 

[DrC]

We kept the original pump/strainer basket combination that died after many years of use. Maybe I should just purchase a replacement motor for it that will work better and keep this one as an emergency back up. I will get the information off the orignal unit and hopefully you or someone can guide me as to the best possible replacement pump motor to purcahse and use. I know that I want to retain the 2 speed function as I run the pump on low a lot of the time overnight.

 

[DrC]

Additional Pump Information

Here are 2 more photos of the Pumps that we have. Do we need to get a larger pump to handle the addition of the solar heating? The peak of the garage roof where the upper most panel will be located is approximately 15 feet above the pump location.

1. Current Installed Waterway Pump HP Label

2. Replaced Pump Motor (seized) ID Label

If a replacement motor would work better, we are open to recommendations as to what one to purchase.

Thanks Again

 

[mas985]

The wet end of the pump determines the maximum head of the pump and without the head curve, you cannot be certain if it will work. However, my best guess is that this pump should be able to pump to 15' and probably a few feet beyond. Even the lowest head pumps can get this high.