I am now committed to installing a Solar Domestic Hot Water system on our house. I ordered the equipment last night and it is on its way. This is going to be a drain back system, so when the temperature is too cold outside, the water will drain out of the panels into a reservoir next to the hot water storage tank to prevent damage from freezing. These are the easiest type of systems to install in cold climates, you don’t have to worry about stagnating antifreeze, which can become corrosive if allowed to deteriorate under high temperatures.
The first thing I need to to is install the mounting structure. I do not plan on attaching these to the roof of my house for two primary reasons; the house is oriented in the wrong direction and the roof does not have the right pitch. Rather, I am going to build a rack next to the drive way to elevate the panels to get them out of the morning shade and to keep them from blocking the kitchen and dining room windows. For the platform, I will install 6 inch by 5 feet deep concrete piers made from “sono tube.” Then using black locust, build a structure to mount the solar collectors on. I will do a detailed post on the installation, orientation, and construction of the support structure.
Here are the parts that I ordered:
| Quantity | Nomenclature | Model number | Source | Cost (USD) |
| 2 | AET Solar collectors, 4 x 10 feet | AE-40 | King Solar | 1842.00 |
| 2 | AET Collector mounts | AE-MH | King Solar | 75.98 |
| 4 | Aluminum tubing, 1X1″ x 8 feet | Metal fabrication | 80 | |
| 1 | TACO circulator pump | 009F5 | Local plumbing supply | 151.25 |
| 1 | TACO circulator pump | 003B | Local plumbing supply | 119.95 |
| 1 | Goldline Differential Controller w sensors | GL-30 | King Solar | 132.02 |
| 1 | RADCO Drainback tank w/heat exchanger, 12 Gallon | RDX-4005 | King Solar | 572.99 |
| 1 | Letro flow gauge 2-16 GPM | LDF359N | King Solar | 78.60 |
| 3 | Letro Temperature Gauge 50-220 deg F | SL-2W3 | King Solar | 96.69 |
| 1 | Watts Tempering Valve | 70A | Local plumbing supply | 54.00 |
| 5 | 10 foot 3/4 inch copper L pipe | Local plumbing supply | 82.00 | |
| 12 | 6 foot R-5 pipe insulation | TC-86 | Local plumbing supply | 67.60 |
| 1 | Rheem 80 gallon hot water heater | 23184 | 480.00 |
Total $4360.40
Sources:
King Solar: www.kingsolar.com
I will be posting more information about the design considerations, sighting, installation, and so on once the equipment starts showing up.
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Hi. We are installing a similar system and want to utilize a ground mounting system for our collectors. We are using four 4×8′ collectors. I would be interested in your layout for the sono tube piers and locust frame. Thanks, Thomas. Ithaca NY
Thomas, I did not go with the ground mounted option, but put them on the roof instead. Since it is a drain back system, the ground mounting was not going to work right.