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Holocene Technologies HotoTech Installation Manual

Summary of HotoTech

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    Holotech tm solar hot water system installation manual ben gravely, phd holocene technologies 1241 wicker drive raleigh, nc 27604 (c) 2012.

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    Table of contents 1. Planning the installation 1.1 site analysis 1.2 collector tilt 1.3 materials 2. Tank installation 3. Collector installation and controls 3.1 frame and collector mounting 3.2 collector piping 3.3 pipe insulation 3.4 solar controls and wiring 3.5 collector system startup 4. Domest...

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    1. Planning the installation this manual was written to provide straight forward procedures for the installation of holotech tm solar hot water systems manufactured by holocene technologies. As with any project, a few minutes of planning will save hours of fixing. The installer is responsible for kn...

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    1.3 materials in addition to standard tools and plumbing parts, make sure to include hole saws, silicone sealant, and roof flashing boots. Collector piping should be 3/4" or greater for proper draining. Use only metal piping in the collector loop. Space heating and dhw circuits can use any code appr...

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    It is very important to leak test and flush the collector lines before final connection to the tank. The tank is easily filled and maintained with the boiler drain valve at the bottom of the tank. A union can be installed in the collector return line as another fill point. An autofill system is offe...

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    3. Collectors 3.1 frame and collector mounting typical flat plate collector mounting hardware is shown in fig. 3.1. Different collector brands have different hardware, but the essentials are the same. There are three angles that must be considered when installing an array of solar collectors. The fi...

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    There is insufficient drain slope, water standing in the supply header can freeze in the winter and burst the pipe. If the drain slope is too much, water can be trapped in the stub end of the return header and cause freezing problems in the winter. The drain slope should be 1 inch in 20 feet (approx...

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    After laying out the sloped chalk line, mark the position of the feet along the line. Drill a 1/4" pilot hole through the roof to locate the position of the purlin underneath. Secure the purlin underneath, then redrill through the hole for a 3/8 in. Bolt. Figure 3.5 shows different options for the r...

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    Holotech tm solar installation manual 9 hi sensor location horizontal line drain slope line supply return low sensor location figure 3.2 collector piping circuit ! Figure 3.6. Collector to tank piping layout..

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    3.2 collector piping the recommended flow rate for each collector is 0.025+/-.005 gpm/ft2. Consult the chart below to determine the proper pipe size for different collector areas. Use only metal pipe in the collector loop. Either type l or m copper is satisfactory, since the piping is operated only ...

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    Figure 3.8 shows piping routines for different numbers of collectors placed on a sloped roof. Because excessive expansion and contraction of the headers with temperature swings can cause failure in the piping, it is recommended that no more than five four foot wide collectors be joined together in o...

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    Holotech tm solar installation manual 12 (b) (c) figure 3.3 collector piping diagrams (a) drain slope (d) ! Figure 3.8 collector piping for arrays in the same plane..

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    Holotech tm solar installation manual 13 supply return supply return figure 3.4 dual bank piping diagrams (a) (b) flow setter valves ! Figure 3.9 collector piping for arrays on a flat roof..

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    Avoid running square corners in unfinished areas, go straight across. Most traps are created by using many elbows and right angle turns. Soft copper may be used in situations requiring many turns. Be careful that soft copper doesn't sag and cause traps. When all the collector piping is finished, cap...

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    3.4 solar controls and wiring differential controllers (called "delta-t" controllers) are used to operate the collectors, recirculator dhw option, and pools/spas. The temperature sensors are wired with two- conductor 18-24 ga. Bell wire. If the length of the wire is over 50 ft. Use 18 ga. Be careful...

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    Surrounding temperature. Errors in temperature readings can cause improper operation of the controller and poor performance of the equipment. The low/ovt sensor for the collector circuit is installed on the solar tank at the factory. Mount the high sensor on the return header of the last collector i...

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    3.5 system startup the startup of the solar system is done only after everything is completely installed and the tank filled with water. The electrical power may then be connected. Turn the collector controller on with the manual switch. Allow water to flow until it begins to return into the tank. S...

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    4. Domestic hot water 4.1 single pass piping there are several options for hooking up domestic hot water circuits. The standard option, shown in fig. 4.1 is called a "single pass" system. The cold water line goes through the solar heat exchanger and then to the inlet on the standard water heater. So...

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    The added expense of a recirc system is not usually warranted unless the solar tank and the conventional water heater are far apart. 4.3 dhw system startup single pass startup: testing the dhw system requires the tank installation and wiring be complete, the tank full of water, and the pressurized l...

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    Automatic operation of the controller can be determined only if the solar tank is 15°f warmer than the bottom of the standard water heater. For a cold system test, refer to the trouble shooting section in the appendix for testing delta-t controllers. Appendix 1. Troubleshooting before troubleshootin...

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    A1.2 differential (delta-t) controllers differential controllers, or delta-t controllers, are used in the collector, pool/spa, dhw recirculator, and boiler options. They all have a high temperature sensor, and a low temperature sensor. The over temperature (ovt) or high limit function comes from the...

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    Table a1.2 sensor temperature vs resistance holotech tm solar controls use 10k thermistor temperature sensors. These devices change resistance with temperature. They are defined by having 10kΩ resistance at 25ºc (77ºf). Holotech tm solar installation manual 22.

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    A1.3 pumps taco brand pumps are used extensively on holotech systems. On the smaller pumps, the bodies can be disassembled and the rotor cartridge replaced without removing the pump from the line. For detailed drawings of the components, check the pump literature. Replacement parts are available fro...

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    About the author in 1977, dr. Ben gravely established gravely research corporation (grc) to pursue various optical and thermal inventions for solar energy systems, for which two patents were granted. Other inventions include a range of thermal energy products including thermal storage systems, heat ...