Pump power w/ different impellers, 2-speed vs VS w/ solar

[mas985]

Re: Pump power w/ different impellers, 2-speed vs VS w/ sola

Assuming there is a vacuum release valve installed, you should here air getting purged out of the panels when the panels are priming. If you do not see large bubbles come out of your returns, then the flow is not high enough to the panels.

Also, the SWG should have an alarm of some sort to tell you if the flow rate is too low.

Now you mentioned previously that the current piping should return the solar flow past the manual valve on the fork after the pump (to the right in the pic) opposite the flow to solar? Maybe where the water flow after solar goes now is to the gas heater, so we wouldn't want to reduce that flow? Or should I ask them to redirect some of the piping?

I only said that because that is what I thought the plumbing did. Looking at the pictures, it is hard to tell. But the return pluming still goes straight out the return which is still ok. The only issue is the SWG. If they had plumbed it differently, all the water would go through the SWG with solar on or off.

 

[haz]

Re: Pump power w/ different impellers, 2-speed vs VS w/ sola

Thanks.

Assuming there is a vacuum release valve installed, you should here air getting purged out of the panels when the panels are priming. If you do not see large bubbles come out of your returns, then the flow is not high enough to the panels.

I don't know if there is one installed, but I will look for the air bubbles.

The only issue is the SWG. If they had plumbed it differently, all the water would go through the SWG with solar on or off.

Should I have them put an automated valve to fully open the valve to the SWG when solar is off?

Also, should the FloVis meter be installed before (above at/next to the red manual valve in the pic) or after (below) the short connector pipe on the return (on the left in my pics)? I was thinking it should be before (above) the connector if you're saying it also serves as a check valve, to prevent back flow into the solar system.

Is there a use for this red manual valve on the solar outflow?

 

[mas985]

Re: Pump power w/ different impellers, 2-speed vs VS w/ sola

Should I have them put an automated valve to fully open the valve to the SWG when solar is off?

No because if the SWG works with solar on, it should work fine with it off too even though the valve is partially closed.

Also, should the FloVis meter be installed before (above at/next to the red manual valve in the pic) or after (below) the short connector pipe on the return (on the left in my pics)? I was thinking it should be before (above) the connector if you're saying it also serves as a check valve, to prevent back flow into the solar system.

It should be installed above the red manual valve in the picture.

Is there a use for this red manual valve on the solar outflow?

It doesn't hurt to have the valve should the check valve ever fail and you need to shut off the return.

 

[haz]

Re: Pump power w/ different impellers, 2-speed vs VS w/ sola

Mark, thanks so much for all the help. I kept closing the manual valve until the filter pressure was up maybe 7-8 PSI, and finally air began to be purged from the return. Once the pump was primed, the pressure ended up around 5 PSI above baseline. It seems to be working now. Yesterday it went up from 82 when turned on to 88, and today from 85 to 88. Thanks again.

 

[mas985]

Re: Pump power w/ different impellers, 2-speed vs VS w/ sola