Is check valve for solar panel plumbing installed correctly?

[Blue Horse]

Photo attached is plumbing connecting solar panels on the roof.

The pipe to the right (closer to the while box of IC60 chlorinator) leads water upward to the roof, and the pipe to the right (where the check valve is located) is water coming down from the roof.

The check valve is installed at the upper side to the clear viewing cover. It opens downward.

Should this check valve have been installed to the pipe on the right side instead, and sits the the lower side of the clear viewing cover?? That way, it will open upward with pump pressure, and when pump stops it will close and stop water to come back down?

Thanks.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Howdy, neighbor. That seems right to me. The check valve prevents water from going up to the panels in winter when the panels are drained and the panel valves are open to the air.

 

[Blue Horse]

I see. Good to know.

I run the pool pump daily throughout the year. During fall/winter, I do turn off solar heating from my iphone hookup, but I don't close the two shut off valves along these two pipes. Being in California with mild winter, should I have shut off both valves? And where exactly are the "panel valves" I need to open to the air? What is the benefit of draining the solar panels and keep it air filed during California winter?

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Where we live, freeze danger is slight, but with our climate becoming more extreme & unpredictable with each passing year, who knows? My solar company has always urged me to open the valves and drain the panels for winter. My collectors are on a pergola, not my roof, so both sides of my panels are exposed to potentially freezing air.

My panels have 2 ordinary hose bibbs attached to them, one high to let air in and one low to let water out. For me, it's a 5 minute ladder climb to open them for winter and close them for summer. Difficulty of the job will depend on your setup.

With the EasyTouch, you may prefer to just include the solar in the freeze protection settings instead of draining.