Installation manual
MonoSolar & Solar Panels Installation Manual Page 5 of 29
The Controller
The electronic control unit is neatly housed within the top of the tank, complete with a
cover plate, which can only be removed with a screwdriver. It includes the sensor
circuits for the tank and the solar panel.
On the front face of the housing there is a light panel to tell the customer the
temperature of the tank water and ‘Warming Up indication. When the sensors indicate
that heat is available in the solar panel, the pump is switched on, and circulation
begins, and ‘Warming Up’ indication is given. This continues until the solar panel
temperature is within 2 degrees of the tank water temperature, when the pump will
stop. It remains stopped until the sensors tell it that there is heat to be collected. If no
hot water is used, the system will continue to collect heat energy until the tank
reaches its maximum temperature. The pump will then remain static until such time
as there is a temperature drop in the tank, which then starts the pump.
1.2 Selecting the location of the Solar Panel and the Tank
1.2.1 Select the most southerly facing and unshaded area of the roof for the solar
panel. Be aware of the movement of shadows across the proposed location
from chimneys, trees, etc and try to minimise this effect. Often the best
position technically and visually, is in the centre of the roof.
1.2.2 The minimum angle of the roof, and therefore the solar panel, must be 30
degrees in order for the drain back to work effectively.
The maximum height of the solar panel should be 20 metres (or between 20
and 70 metres with a limitation on geographical location). This ensures that
the glass thickness meets regulations associated with resistance/ tolerance to
wind.
1.2.3 Ensure that there will be enough space to fit the solar panel. Because of the
flashing, in the case of roof-integrated panels, it is best to have at least one
column of tiles between the panel and a vertical edge and at least 2 rows of
tiles between the panel and the top of the roof.
Ensure there will be sufficient access to the back of the panel from inside the
roof space for connecting the water pipes and the sensor.
1.2.4 It is possible to install solar panels on vertical walls using a frame as used in
Section 4.1, giving a sloping panel at 60 degrees to the horizontal. This will
result in a small loss of performance, which can be more than compensated
for by adding an additional panel.
1.2.5 To obtain the greatest efficiency, the pipe runs to the MonoSolar tank should
be the shortest possible and also the tank should be as close to the boiler as
possible. The pipes from the back of the solar panel to the tank must have a
continuous fall and at no point must the fall be less than 40 mm per metre.
The reason for the above is to ensure the removal of any water from the pipes
when draining back, thus preventing any risk of freezing.
1.2.6 The MonoSolar tank must be installed in a frost-free room on a flat horizontal
floor. There is a minimum draining level of the solar panel above the tank floor
of 850 mm (alternatively 500 mm above the tank bracket for installations using
a drain back header tank). There is a maximum vertical distance between the
tank floor and the top of the solar panel (due to the pump) of 6.0 metres
(alternatively 4.5 metres max above the tank bracket for installations using a
drain back header tank). See also Figures 5.3 and 5.4.