Solar Roofs Fireball 20014, Installation Manual

7.0. 

DETERMINE THE BEST PIPE RUN FIRST 

COORDINATE THE PIPE RUN WITH THE BEST SOUTH FACING COLLECTOR LOCATION 
FOR THE SHORTEST RUN. 
 
IMPORTANT: SLOPE all lines to DRAIN!  As one 
form of freeze protection of your SRCC OG300 
rated system is draining the collectors, it is 
important that all pipes between the collectors 
maintain a 1/4" per foot drop to prevent water 
traps and assure that all water drains when the 
drain valves are opened on the "Quick Connect". 
 
COMMON RUNS 

In many one-story homes, the run is a simple matter of 
going up into the garage rafter area and to the roof or 
going through a wall or ceiling into the attic. 

Common pipe runs to the basement include runs 
adjacent to air return chases, plumbing and vent lines 
and through closets.

  In a two story house runs can 

be challenging; however often a good solution is at 
hand.

  Consult with an experienced solar installer if 

challenged with the installation. 

CHASES:

  Look for pipe, fireplace and duct chases 

with room around them.  The pipes can often be 
dropped down next to a duct, especially in a one-story 
house, in just a few minutes.   

CLOSETS:

  Sometimes the easiest way to run the 

pipes is through closets (look for "stacked" closets in a 
two-story house). Since 1/2” copper pipes are fairly 
flexible, drilling through even many shelves with an 
angle drill is easy as alignment does not have to be  
precise.   

NOTE: Copper pipes get harder, even brittle with 
multiple bending, bend your pipe as little as 
possible for the easiest installation!  Unroll the soft 
copper in smooth even strokes and be sure the 
connections for the collector are above the roofline 
so no water could get into the house if the 
connection leaks. 

DRYWALL:

  It is sometimes necessary to cut 

drywall at the floor or ceiling level in order to cut the 
holes in a fire stop. Usually this hole can be made out 
of sight in a closet. After sealing the firestop, it may 
be desirable to make the remaining drywall removable 
by putting a simple frame around it and placing it 
back in place with a few finish nails. 

INFILTRATION AND FIRE STOPS:

  In all 

situations, remember that infiltration is one  of the 
main sources of energy loss in a house. In no way 
should the installation of a solar system contribute to 
this loss!  ALWAYS seal up any holes made in the 
house envelope especially in the attic and fire stops. 
Fire stops must be properly put back in place so their 
important function is preserved.  

STORAGE:

  You need a storage tank that is at least 

50 gallons with a one and two collector system and at 
least 80 gallons with the three collector SRCC system. 
You will need room to work around it and space for 
the solar hardware, usually a foot on the drain side of 
the heater is adequate.  

You will need to turn the 220 

volt power to the tank element off at the Breaker to 
the tank. Be Sure to mark it with a label "Do Not 
Turn On" for protection until you are completely 
finished.

 Competely drain the tank, remove the old 

drain and install the tank "Quick Connect" 
components. 
 
The larger the water heater the better. For larger 
families, or for situations where there is a small water 
heater, adding a low cost 50-gallon or larger water 
heater and using it only for the solar can be a good 
idea. Plumbing will be required. SRCC OG300, rated 
systems must have their lower elements disconnected. 
Have 

a qualified person 

disconnect the lower 

element. You will then only be using the top element 
for backup.  If this does not work well during the 
winter, first try using water efficiency such as low 
flow showerheads and aerators and/or have a 

qualified person

 add a 220v switch to the bottom 

element.   

Another good plan is to  have a 

qualified person

install a 220v timer set to heat the water for two hours 
before you get up in the morning and for two hours 
before you get home from work.  Try turning the 
power off during sunny summer days.  You should 
have ample Hot water with 1 panel for a family of 1-3 
and with 2 panels for a family of 4 or 5 on clear 
summer days.  

INSULATION OF EXPOSED COPPER PIPES IS 
NEEDED.

  A MINIMUM 3/4” R-4.5 OR BETTER 

High Temperature open cell insulation IS REQUIRED 
for SRCC OG300 systems.