New 16K gallon solar/gas system with Pentair Solar Touch controller

[helleman]

A schematic view of what I hope to do with the pool. I want to be able to bypass both solar and heater during poor water condition events (high chlorine, ph, whatever) and will have the solar controller turn on and off my solar/heater choice via the included 3 way valve and also have it turn on and off my heater and pump when required. I believe the Pentair Solar touch can do all these things.
Any thoughts with this setup?
CV are check valves, '3' is the controlled 3 way value, the circled X are shutoffs and CL is my chlorinator.
Thanks!
helleman

 

[Jimrahbe]

Helleman,

Sorry, I see that you have yet to receive an answer to your question.

I'd be glad to help, but to be honest I can't follow your diagram.

If you can re-draw the diagram or better yet, walk me through how you think the system will work, path by path it might make much more sense to me.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[helleman]

Thanks Jim.
Skimmer to union (for winter disconnect) to shutoff (for maintenance) to pump to filter. Sand filter waste to underground pipes to waste. Filter output to T which facilitates a bypass (bypassing solar and gas heater during startup/problem events where I just want to go straight through and out) Output is via a Chloronator which is followed by a shutoff and a union (again, for maintenance).
In normal operation the bypass shutoff is closed and the normal operation shutoff is open. From there water goes to a 3 way valve controlled via solar controller. This controller can direct water to the solar OR to the heater. If set to heater, then it goes to heater and through a check valve which blocks backflow from the choloronator, protecting the heater from backwashed chlorine when the pump is off.
If solar is selected from the 3 way valve then water goes to the solar panels and out, with a check valve preventing backflow from the choloronator (same deal as heater)
Questions by me : 1) is it ok that the solar will remain full of water when the 3 way changes to the heater path? 2) do I need a some sort of vacuum break or drain ? 3) I am ordering a SunTouch controller which has a solar 3 way valve - does it have some kind of drain function incorporated into it? I'm just not sure from the documentation, nor do I understand why it would need to drain or how it would drain.
Thanks Jim for your ideas.
helleman

 

[pooldv]

Hi, not sure how I missed this thread. Weird! I don't miss many. I have a Solartouch, solar panels and a heat pump. I installed the solar panels about 4 years ago and the heat pump last fall. I plumbed mine to solar first and heater else conditions so that if solar is heating the water enough the heater won't come on. Yes, the 3way solar valve has a small pinhole in it that along with the VRV, vacuum relief valve, allows the water to drain from the solar panels when solar shuts off. It is important that the panels drain when not in use so the water doesn't overheat in the panels and create problems. I have a bypass on my heater.

There are pics of everything in my pool thread, link in sig. Also some discussion about heating the pool, solar overs, etc.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Thanks pooldv...

The SunTouch does not have a drain "function" it just tells the valve to turn when it wants to run the water thought the solar panels based upon the water temperature. It can also tell the pump to increase speed if you have the right pump.

Jim R.

 

[pooldv]

Yes, the Suntouch and Solartouch read solar heat by a temp sensor on the roof and read water temp,by a temp sensor I the plumbing. When heat is available it opens the solar valve and ramps the Intelliflo pump to speed 2. When heat is no longer available it closes the valve and returns the pump to whatever speed it was when solar turned on. The solar panels then drain through the pinhole valve in the solar valve to drain the panels. There is no drain function.

 

[helleman]

Thanks gents! Any recommendations on where to find an appropriate VRV? And one more question - where does the solar panel water go when draining? Is the pinhole a one-way-valve and gravity forces it back into the other line (heater path?)
Thanks!
helleman

 

[pooldv]

I got my VRV from Solar Direct along with my panels.

Here is my solar valve and bypass. Yes, it has a flapper that is closed by water pressure when the solar valve is closed. Also yes, the water drains down by gravity through the valve, to the right through the bypass and on to the return lines back to the pool.