Is Your Solar Thermal Working Repair Guide

Difficulty

Very easy

Steps

3

Time Required

                          1 minute            

Sections

1

• Is your Solar Thermal working?
• 3 steps

Flags

2

In Progress

This guide is a work in progress. Reload periodically to see the latest changes!

Member-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

• BackSolar Thermal

• Full Screen

• Options

• History

• Save to Favorites

• Download PDF

• Edit

• Translate

• Get Shareable Link

• Embed This Guide

• Notify Me of Changes

• Stop Notifications

Introduction

Unfortunately few people realise systems need maintenance. When not maintained they often simply stop working. At that point they can start to cost you money instead of saving it.

These quick checks (that anyone can do) allow you to identify if yours has a problem so you can get it fixed and get back to saving money and emissions. NO technical expertise whatsoever is required to do these checks.

Step 1

              Is your Solar Thermal working?               

• The first thing to check is the pressure gauge. See the image.
• Often it has a marker (the red needle) which tells you the pressure your system should normally sit at.
• If, like the one in the picture, yours reads zero (see the black needle), then it’s time to call someone to get it fixed.

The first thing to check is the pressure gauge. See the image.

Often it has a marker (the red needle) which tells you the pressure your system should normally sit at.

If, like the one in the picture, yours reads zero (see the black needle), then it’s time to call someone to get it fixed.

1024

Step 2

• The second thing to check is the temperature of the system. When the system is working properly, its temperature can sit anywhere between 40 & 120 (degrees Centigrade). If you have TWO gauges, one should always read higher than the other.
• When the temperature shown on the gauge (or gauges) is the ambient temperature (i.e. the temperature of the space in which it’s located) then it needs attention. Time to call someone to fix it.

The second thing to check is the temperature of the system. When the system is working properly, its temperature can sit anywhere between 40 & 120 (degrees Centigrade). If you have TWO gauges, one should always read higher than the other.

When the temperature shown on the gauge (or gauges) is the ambient temperature (i.e. the temperature of the space in which it’s located) then it needs attention. Time to call someone to fix it.

Step 3

• The third thing to check is the flow gauge. It normally sits below a temperature gauge. You can see here at the top of the glass section L/MIN. That stands for ’litres per minute’ i.e. how fast the fluid is flowing around your system when the pump is working.
• When the pump is running, you should see in the window a small plastic float gently bobbing around (often a white or off white colour). When working correctly, i.e. when teh fluid is flowing as it should, the bottom of the float generally sits between 3 & 5.
• If the pump is running and, like here, NO float is visible then there is no flow in your system. Time to call someone to get it fixed.

The third thing to check is the flow gauge. It normally sits below a temperature gauge. You can see here at the top of the glass section L/MIN. That stands for ’litres per minute’ i.e. how fast the fluid is flowing around your system when the pump is working.

When the pump is running, you should see in the window a small plastic float gently bobbing around (often a white or off white colour). When working correctly, i.e. when teh fluid is flowing as it should, the bottom of the float generally sits between 3 & 5.

If the pump is running and, like here, NO float is visible then there is no flow in your system. Time to call someone to get it fixed.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      One other person completed this guide.                                             

Author

                                      with 1 other contributor 

                    David Newton                     

Member since: 03/21/2020

254 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       2