Solar Panel Heat Plumbing

[River View]

I am starting to plan some spring renovations which will include pump replacement, conversion to SWCG w/ Automation & installing Solar Heating. I will have some question on the automation, but starting to work on my plumbing plan currently and have a question about best practices for plumbing Solar Panels.

The plumbing to the solar panels will require a 50' horizontal run, and then a 15' vertical run.

I currently have a Hayward H400 Propane heater located about 5 feet from the pump. The current plumbing flows through the propane heater at all times. I would like to relocate the this heater to the corner of the house where the plumbing will rise to the solar panels.

My questions are:

- Would it be best to place the diverter valve at the equipment pad so when solar heat is not needed, it is not necessary to pump through the extra 100' (50' each way) of plumbing? If it is very inefficient to pump through that extra pipe, and it is important to keep water flowing through the propane heater, I could leave it where it is, but would prefer to move it.
- My other thought would be to use 2" PVC instead of 1 1/2" for the horizontal run to increase efficiency.


Any input is much appreciated !!! Thanks !

 

[mas985]

- Would it be best to place the diverter valve at the equipment pad so when solar heat is not needed, it is not necessary to pump through the extra 100' (50' each way) of plumbing?

Yes, it would be best to avoid that but with your current pump, it might not matter so much. But why would you prefer to move it? Generally you want to put the valve right after the check valve which is right after the filter.

- My other thought would be to use 2" PVC instead of 1 1/2" for the horizontal run to increase efficiency.

That depends on what you consider efficient. While larger pipe increases flow rate, it also increase energy use so while the gallons/watt-hr increases, so does the energy use unless you reduce run time. However, with a VS pump, at the same flow rate, the pump will use less energy with the larger pipe.

 

[River View]

Thanks for the response. The new pump will be VS. Sounds like running the water the extra 100' will not require significantly more energy.