FreeHotWater FHWFC 5000 Series Installation Manual

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Manual

Installation Manual

FHWFC 5000 Series

Version 2010.09

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Free Hot Water 2146 Bering Dr. San Jose, CA 95131 Tel: [phone] Fax [phone] www.FreeHotWater.net

Content
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Safety information.........................................................................................3

Transport note ..............................................................................................4

Assembly instructions - Collector .................................................................5

Overview of tools ..........................................................................................6

Overview of materials ...................................................................................7

Attachment points..........................................................................................8

Mounting parallel roof bracket attachment system .......................................9

Technical data - Collector.............................................................................12

Operating tips - Solar power system ........................................................... 13

General Information......................................................................................15

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Attention
Do not lift the collectors by the connections and or the screw threads

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General Assembly instructions

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General and transport instructions

The mounting system is suitable for tiled roofs only. Installation must only be carried
out by qualified personnel. The entire information in these instructions is intended
exclusively for such qualified personnel. Only the supplied material should be used for
the installation. Prior to starting installation and operation of the solar collector sy­stem, please inform yourself about the applicable local standards and regulations. The
use of a carrying strap is recommended for transporting the collector. The collector
must not be lifted at the connections or on the threading. Avoid impacts and
mechanical influences on the collector, in particular on the solar glass, the rear panel
and pipe connections.

Statics - flat roof

The collectors may only be mounted on sufficiently load-bearing roof surfaces and
substructures. It is imperative that the static load bearing capacity of the roof or
substructure is checked in terms of local and regional conditions prior to installation of
the collectors by the customer, if necessary through the involvement of a structural
engineer. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the (timber) substructure
in terms of the stability of the screw connections necessary for fastening the collectors.
The checking of the entire collector structure by the customer as per DIN 1055 part 4
and 5 or as per the applicable country-specific regulations is particularly important in
areas with heavy snowfall (note: 1 m3 powder snow ~ 60 kg / 1 m3 wet snow ~ 200
kg) or in areas exposed to high wind speeds. The assessment should also take into
account any particular circumstances at the place of installation (foehn wind, air jets or
eddy formation etc.) which can lead to increased loads. The collector is designed for
wind loads of 150 km/h and snow loads of 1,25kN/m2. As a rule, collector arrays must
be installed such that any possible collection of snow is prevented from reaching the
collectors by snow barriers (or through special forms of installation). The distance to
roof ridges/edges must be at least 1 m.

Note: The installation of a collector array is an intervention into a (existing) roof;
above all, converted and inhabited loft spaces or roofs with less than the minimum
slope (with regards to the covering) require additional measures by the customer, e.g.
sarking membranes, as protection against water penetration caused by wind pressure
and driving snow. With larger collector arrays, we recommend installing the
collectors on a special supporting
structure made of steel channels. Alternatively, it is possible to install the collectors
without perforating the roof membrane by using concrete ballast with guys. The
collectors are mounted on concrete blocks. Rubber mats

should be used if necessary to protect the roof membrane against damage and to
increase the friction between the roof and the concrete blocks. In addition, it is
necessary to secure the collectors with 5mm steel cables (minimum tensile strength
1450 N/mm2) to absorb any peak wind loads.

Lightning protection / Equipotential bonding of the building

In accordance with the lightning protection standard ÖVE/ÖNORM EN 62305 Part 1-4
the collector array cannot be connected to the building's lightning protection. A safety
distance of at least 1 m must be maintained from any possible adjacent conducting
object. For installations on metal substructures at the installation site, generally
qualified electricians must be consulted. To carry out a building potential equalisation,
the metal tubes of the solar circuit and all collector cases or fastenings must be

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connected to the main potential equalisation bus by a qualified electrician in accordance
with ÖVE/ÖNORM E 8001-1 or the country-specific standards.

Connections

Connect the collectors using the cutting ring screw connections. If flexible pipes are not
used as connectors, precautions must be taken to protect the connection pipes against
temperature fluctuations caused by heat expansion, e.g. expansion bends and flexible
piping (see Connecting the collectors to one another/Operational recommendations).
Larger collector arrays must be assembled with expansion bends or flexible members
inserted in the links. (IMPORTANT: check the pump design). When tightening the
union nuts, always balance (counter) the torque with a pipe wrench or another
spanner to prevent damage to the absorber.

Collector angle / General notes

The collector is suitable for angles between 15° (minimum) and 75° (maximum). The
collector connections and the ventilation openings must be protected against the
penetration of water as well as against contamination through dust etc.

Legal guarantee

Legal guarantee claims can only be made if the supplier's own antifreeze has been used
and maintenance has been carried out correctly. Installation by qualified personnel with
absolute adherence to the instructions is a prerequisite for the justification of claims.

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Tools Needed

Brackets, hooks, bolts etc.

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