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Left This cutaway view shows the batch heater's water tank as it actually appears when installed,
including the four major subassemblies: A vacuum breaker allows air to enter the tank
during maintenance or freezeproofing drain downs; a pressure/temperature relief
valve protects the plumbing against extreme operating conditions; a cold
inlet tube delivers the incoming water to the base of the tank; and a hot
outlet tube draws the sun-warmed water from the top of the tank. The five
exploded views show where every part of every subassembly goes. (Note that the hot outlet tube is actually a
copper pipe within a loose-fitting CPVC jacket. The CPVC provides in- the-tank insulation to help keep the
hot water hot. The tank itself should be "extra heavy galvanized" to minimize
corrosion. In areas with acidic or otherwise unusually corrosive water, we
recommend installation of a "sacrificial anode" in one of the tank's unused threaded openings.
The anode is made of a material that corrodes more easily than the tank's
steel, and thus "sacrifices" itself to protect the tank.
(Illustration A shows the approximate locations of these holes. Use your own plumbing for the exact locations.) Remove the tank and support assembly from the reflector frame, and drill the holes whose locations you just marked: The hot outlet hole should be 2 1/2 inches in diameter, the cold inlet hole should be 2 inches in diameter, and the temperature/pressure valve drain hole should be 3/4 inch in diameter. Finally, remove the tank support brackets. Installing The Reflective Mylar In one of the first steps you performed, you altered the cusp from its sharply pointed shape to a square 90 degree angle. Now it's time to restore the cusp's original shape, in preparation for adding reflective Mylar to the cusp assembly. Illustration D shows how: Two strips of slightly curved aluminum flashing are mounted back-to-back where the two sheets of hardboard meet. A strip of aluminum duct tape seals the "point" of the cusp and keeps the flashing together. Mounting the flashing is easy. First, cut two strips of flashing to length. Then, using a length of pipe or a rolling pin as a template, form the flashing so |
