Apricus Solar Water Heating System Installation and Operation ...

Apricus Solar Collector Installation & Operation Manual - USA5.1.8. Asphalt Shingle Roof Mountinga) Apricus recommends EcoFasten Solar flashings that can easily beslipped under 3 tab composition roofing and secured to the roof framingmember. The frame front tracks can be attached to the flashing bracketwith a U-foot (available from Apricus).For more information visit http://www.ecofastensolar.com5.1.9. Tiled Roof Mountinga) For tiled roofs, use a flashing designed for solar mounting such as theone shown to the right from QuickMount PV. This style can be molded tothe shape of the tiles and forms a strong and watertight flashing.For more information visit http://www.quickmountpv.com5.2. Mounting on Suitable Angle Pitched Roof (Standard Frame)Refer to Appendix 1 for assembly diagram.5.2.1. Installation Planninga) Carefully plan the location of the collector frame and plumbing pipes in order to align with the roof framingmembers and develop the shortest pipe run possible to the storage tank. Any penetrations in the roof orbuilding shell must be sealed with standard roofing materials and/or appropriate sealants to avoid leaks.5.2.2. Positioning Manifolda) Securing to Roof: The manifold and bottom track can slide left and right in relation to the standard framechannels, so there is some flexibility when selecting the location. The standard frame channels should belocated so that they lay flat, are parallel with one another and, if possible, aligned with the roof rafters. If theframe cannot be aligned with the roof rafters, a rafter upgrade may need to be perform by adding additionalwood to the framework. Consult an engineer to ensure roof designs and rafter upgrades meet structuralrequirements.b) Manifold and Bottom Track Alignment: Ultimately, each Evacuated Tube will be installed with the HeatPipe snugly engaged within the Header, the opening of the glass tube inside the Manifold receptacle andthe bottom of the tube, protected by the Rubber Cap, will reside in the low spot between each set of tines onthe Bottom Track, where it will be held in place by the Bottom Track Clip.Each tube receptacle in the Manifold needs to line up with the corresponding “cradle” on the Bottom Track,otherwise the tubes will not engage properly with the Header and/or Bottom Track Clips will not fit snugly.Make sure to line the center point of the receptacle in the Manifold with the center point in the “cradle” onthe Bottom Track and that the Manifold and Bottom Track are square with the standard frame channels.Try to locate standard frame channels under the 2nd or 3rd tube from each end. By locating the standardframe channels directly under the evacuated tubes, the stainless steel frame will be hidden, improving theaesthetics of the installation. For collectors with three standard frame channels (30 tubes), the middlestandard frame channels should be positioned roughly centrally, again ideally behind a tube (it is moreimportant for this piece to be over a roof framing member, than that it is out of sight).The horizontal brace (Part #: FR-HBRACE) provided with the standard frame kit gives an indication of thestandard location of the standard frame channels. Holes are spaced at 8” centers to match 16” or 24”centered rafters. Additional holes may be drilled in the horizontal brace to meet different standard frameCopyright 2011 – Apricus Inc Doc: A7-05.4.1.4-PB-1.9 Page 45 of 126