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Solar panel dumping field manifold

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Dan E
Dan E Member Posts: 4
in THE MAIN WALL
I am presently involved with a project that includes the "dumping" of excess heat created by a solar vacuum tube panel. The dumping field medium is saturated soil. The temperature of the fluid delivered to the dumping field may be as high as 190 degrees F. It is my intention to use type "L" copper for the distribution manifold, silver solder for the fittings, REHAU street to EVERLOC connections to the distribution tubing loops. The loops will be 3/4" x 500 ft/each. Is there any reason to think that this ("L" copper) is not the proper product to use? Is there a reason to consider some other material in this constantly wet environment? Thanks in advance.

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  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
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    Test the soil

    in certain rare conditions "hot" soil conditions can attack copper. Damp soil could make the condition even worse. Take a soil sample to an Ag extension office or soil scientist for an analysis. Brass may be a safer choice.

    Any possibility the temperatures could go higher than 190? Pex starts to get weird above that temperature sometimes.

    Here is a piece of pex I foolishly used to connect my solar panel with. Worked great until the pump quite one day :) Sounded like a gun shot when it let loose!

    hot rod

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  • Boilerpro
    Boilerpro Member Posts: 410
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    Say HR

    > in certain rare conditions "hot" soil conditions

    > can attack copper. Damp soil could make the

    > condition even worse. Take a soil sample to an Ag

    > extension office or soil scientist for an

    > analysis. Brass may be a safer choice.

    >

    > Any

    > possibility the temperatures could go higher than

    > 190? Pex starts to get weird above that

    > temperature sometimes.

    >

    > Here is a piece of pex

    > I foolishly used to connect my solar panel with.

    > Worked great until the pump quite one day :)

    > Sounded like a gun shot when it let loose!

    > hot rod

    >

    > _A

    > HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=

    > 144&Step=30"_To Learn More About This Contractor,

    > Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A

    > Contractor"_/A_



  • Boilerpro
    Boilerpro Member Posts: 410
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    Say HR why not twin your pumps....

    1/2 flow capcity for each. One goes down you still get flow, often times up to 80% of total as the pump winds out on the curve. Just make sure to use non-overloading pump motors...like most package pumps are.

    Boilerpro
  • Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating
    Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating Member Posts: 1,361
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    solar panels

    do you get a lot more heat out of the vacuume tube collectors, than you do out of other solar collectors. do you have a web address for the vacuume tube co. ? thanks, bob
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  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
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    Good thought

    it's the power outages in my rual area that "throw the wrench in the works" I have a few 12 volt DC pumps around here that can be wired via a N.C. relay to a deep cell battery. This would fire up when the 120 V goes out.

    hot rod

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