Nature's Comfort SM-H60 Installation Manual - page 2
If you should ever have a problem or question refer to this manual or call your dealer. If your dealer does not have the information
you need, request they contact Nature’s Comfort and we will further educate them to provide the best possible customer service. If
you are unable to get service from or reach your dealer you may contact Nature’s Comfort via email:
techsuport@naturescomfortllc.com
. If you do not have email you may call 877-251-7740. Please keep in mind that Nature’s Comfort
has no control over the installation, weather conditions, the efficiency of a building’s insulation or what is burned in a boiler.
How It Works
•
The SM-H60 is a solar water heater that uses the sun’s radiant energy to heat water through the use of 60 double
wall vacuum insulated glass tubes. Each tri-element glass tube has a coating on the outside of the inner layer of glass
made up of nitrogen aluminum to absorb heat on top of a copper coating to transfer and hold in the heat. As water
is heated through the glass it rises and flows into the boiler it is connected to, drawing in cooler water from the
bottom of the boiler to circulate by thermo-siphoning. The double wall vacuum insulated glass tubes provide the
best insulation and won’t freeze the water inside during winter nights. Heat production can reach up to 72,000 btu’s
per day.
Safety Notes
• Always wear gloves and safety glasses whenever installing or working on or around the system.
• Tubes without water in them can reach over 400 degrees inside. DO NOT LOOK INTO OR PLACE YOUR FINGERS IN A
TUBE OR MANIFOLD.
• CAUTION! Water temperatures can exceed 200F! See additional notes on page 4
Placement of the Solar Heater
• Ensure frame is placed level in all directions. The top of the solar manifold must be within 2-4 feet of the side of
boiler and must be lower than where it enters the water jacket on the solar return port so the heated water can rise.
Use a 1” pex line from the top of the manifold to run on a straight upward angle to the solar return port on the
boiler so the heated water will rise (thermo-siphoning) and so air cannot get trapped. It is designed to work most
efficiently at that distance and is not guaranteed to work in any other way.
• The silicon ring gaskets for sealing the tubes to the manifold are not designed for pressures greater than 14 psi.
Placing the bottom of the solar heater lower than 32 feet below the top of the boiler water jacket will damage the
system.
• The SM-H60 is designed solely for installation and operation on the ground in conjunction with an outdoor boiler or
insulated storage tank. Installing per this manual requires no pumps or controllers to work all on its own which
provides many benefits.
Assembly -
Wear gloves and safety glasses!
• Assemble the frame and mount the manifold. See drawings on pages 6, 7 & 8.
• ONLY INSTALL THE GLASS TUBES AND FILL WITH WATER BEFORE OR AFTER DAYLIGHT. Doing so at any other time
will cause the glass tubes to shatter due the extreme temperature difference of the glass tubes reaching over 400
degrees being hit with unheated water. Heat is still produced on cloudy days! The other option is to have water
continually running in from the bottom of the manifold and install the tubes from the bottom up so they will fill with
water immediately upon insertion into the manifold.Keep the glass tubes inside the shipping boxes completely
covered from daylight until ready to immediately install.
• Before inserting a glass tube into the manifold, coat the end with soapy water before and after putting the black
rubber trim ring on and also coat the manifold gasket for ease of installation. Carefully install each tube into the