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duraleigh
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Postby duraleigh » Wed 25 Aug, 2010 19:23

.I can assure you I'd have ZERO leaks.
Then you should give it a go. I think you'll need to make it a little larger to make it effective but there's no technical reason why what you have in mind wouldn't work.


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jjboods
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Postby jjboods » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 07:54

Do you/does anyone have any input on the setup. Individual lines vs coils? The size of the poly I'm using? I'm actually thinking I'd use 1" instead of 1.5" due to cost.
duraleigh
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Postby duraleigh » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 10:17

With a 1.5 hp pump, you would probably be happier staying with the 1.5" pipes. 1" pipes restrict the flow and will result in a noticeably higher pressure in the system. With just about any solar heater, a large flow volume is helpful.

I'm not sure what you mean about "individual lines vs coils".
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jjboods
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Postby jjboods » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 10:26

I figured the 1.5" is a better option for pressure and circulating more water through the heater. I wonder if black PVC is cheaper than poly. Then I can glue the fittings and have less of a chance of leaks and better vacuum creation to help flow.

Running individual 8' sections from top to bottom instead of mounting one continuous coil of poly.
duraleigh
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Postby duraleigh » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 10:33

PVC won't be cheaper but it is probably the best. Multiple 8' runs will be far better than trying to run a single coil.
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jjboods
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Postby jjboods » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 10:44

I did some research. Fafco uses 1/4 pipes in their collectors. Isn't that a large strain on a pump and not as efficient for heating than larger diameter? I know the water is in the pipe longer, but you get lower turnover.
duraleigh
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Postby duraleigh » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 11:39

The 1/4 inch "pipes" they use are spaced about every 1/2" so a 4' wide section will contain somewhere around 96 or so "pipes". The water from the manifold does not go up and down through one pipe at a time but, rather is fed simultaneously into all the "pipes" from the bottom manifold or larger pipe.

As 4' sections are added, the water still flows simultaneously through all the "pipes".
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Postby jjboods » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 13:38

The site I saw claims they have 200 1/4 pipes. If I do the math....a 4' section can fit 192 snuggly. So the site was probably rounding up.

That is the same setup I am considering. Indivudually plumbed/connected 8' lengths...water going through them all simultaneously.

Would I still need 1.5" pipe or would my pump not be able to produce the volume for the system?

And would that setup eliminate the significant increase in PSI at the filter?
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Postby duraleigh » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 14:29

Would I still need 1.5" pipe or would my pump not be able to produce the volume for the system?

And would that setup eliminate the significant increase in PSI at the filter?
Both questions are related to resistence. The 1.5" pipe has far less resistance than the 1" and will allow for more flow and less psi.

The more the water comes in contact with any pipe, the greater the resistance. You will have a lot of water in contact with all those tiny pipes so that increases resistance and reduces flow.

The pump has plenty of power to produce adequate volume through the system. Nevertheless, you will have an increase in psi because of the resistance from all the extra pipe surface.
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Postby jjboods » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 14:39

Either way, I have to think I'd get better flow and less impact on PSI than the Fafco setup.

Correct?
duraleigh
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Postby duraleigh » Thu 26 Aug, 2010 23:06

Correct?
I don't know. I do suspect it will be very difficult to produce something as efficient as Fafco or other solar providers make......just a guess.
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Postby jjboods » Fri 27 Aug, 2010 07:39

I'm not necessarily comparing heating efficiency. But based on pure physics/flow dynamics, shouldn't a similarly sized panel with large tubes/pipes increase flow and reduce PSI?
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Postby jjboods » Thu 09 Sep, 2010 09:17

I have been looking at Fafco's Sungrabber. Is there any reason to pay $25 for their add on kit when I can buy 2 fernco couplers at home depot for $8?
duraleigh
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Postby duraleigh » Thu 09 Sep, 2010 09:55

I have no idea but perhaps Fafco could provide some reasons why theirs is better. When I was persuing this a year ago, I found them to be quite helpful.
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lbridges
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Postby lbridges » Thu 09 Sep, 2010 13:50

jjboods wrote:I'm not necessarily comparing heating efficiency. But based on pure physics/flow dynamics, shouldn't a similarly sized panel with large tubes/pipes increase flow and reduce PSI?


As a physicist, I respond yes, but...

For heating you should be more concerned about heat transfer efficiency than flow. Pushing 10gpm through the typical 4X12 foot, in-ground pool style FAFCO panel is less heat efficient than pushing 5GPM through the same panel.

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