Apricus Solar Water Heating System Installation and Operation ...

Apricus Solar Collector Installation & Operation Manual - USA11. Maintenance & RepairThe solar collector is virtually maintenance free. Other system components such as the pump, heat transfer fluid(closed loop only) require periodic inspection and may need to be replaced in the future. Please refer to thedocumentation provided by the manufacturer of these other components.WARNINGApart from maintenance specifically outlined as “HOMEOWNER”, any maintenance orrepair MUST ONLY be performed by Authorized Persons. At no time should any inspectionor maintenance be performed by the homeowner, if it involves climbing on the roof or anypotentially unsafe behavior. The solar collector warranty will be void, if non-AuthorizedPersons attempt to maintain or repair the solar collector or associated system components.The solar system operates at high pressure and high temperature and can cause damageto property and severe personal injury, if not correctly operated and maintained.Periodic inspections by an Apricus Authorized Person is recommended to ensure optimum system operation.The following basic maintenance or inspection MAY be completed by the HOMEOWNER11.1. Cleaning (HOMEOWNER)In most cases, periodic rain will keep the evacuated tubes clean. If particularly dirty, they may be washedfrom a safe location with a high-pressure water spray. If the collectors are located where they are easily andsafely accessible, a soft cloth and warm, soapy water or glass cleaning solution may be used.During autumn, leaves may accumulate between or beneath the tubes. Please remove these leavesregularly to ensure optimal performance and to prevent accumulation of ignitable material (if in high fire riskarea). The solar collector will NOT cause the ignition of flammable materials. Such cleaning may only becompleted by the homeowner if the tubes are easily and safely accessible (refer also to 3.1 for safetyconsiderations)11.2. Inspection (HOMEOWNER)If there is any problem with the system, the installer will, generally, ask the homeowner to inspect variousportions of the system before making a service call. The following inspections may be performed by thehomeowner, ONLY if they are easily and safely accessible.a) The pump station foam casing may be removed (pulled toward you and off) to check the following systeminformation:i) Pressure gauge readingii) Temperature gauge reading (both of these are on the different portions of the same gauge)iii) Pump operation (i.e. sound)iv) Flow meter readingb) Visual check for degradation of pipe insulationc) Visual inspection of solar collector tubesCopyright 2011 – Apricus Inc Doc: A7-05.4.1.4-PB-1.9 Page 81 of 126