Solar installation service

Service activities during solar collector inspection:

Solar installation servicing is like a car, a gas furnace, or your teeth ; ) From time to time, it’s simply worth checking things out. Below, in my opinion, is what should be checked in solar systems . First, a collector inspection isn’t just a visit to the boiler room. After a short interview with the owner, we’ll find out what’s going on. I ask what happened when, what was done, when , etc ….

It often goes like this:

i start the interview:

• Me: What’s wrong with the system?
• Client: The pressure in my system has dropped, it’s probably trapped air, as always. The controller shows a fault, the alarm beeps (good thing it was on). This happens every year in the summer. I always called, the service technician came, refilled the glycol, and it worked… for a while.
• Me: Was the service technician on the roof to check the system?
• Client: No.
• Me: In the few years he refilled the system, he never went on the roof?
• Client: No.

“After this brief exchange, I more or less know what was going on. Why did he do that? Was he securing a regular customer this way? Didn’t he know? Was he afraid to go on the roof? It doesn’t matter anymore. I go on the roof, check… and see a leak at the collector. The trace on the connectors and roof is very clear; it’s not a recent issue. I’m removing the cause of the leak, topping up the glycol, and there won’t be any need to come back next year : )”

But let’s get back to the topic.I personally check the following on installations:

• tightness of connections and solar cables
• system pressure
• solar fluid/glycol condition
• solar controller settings
• condition of insulation on wires
• outdoor solar panels
• solar fluid flow rate (more on this here)
• water tank

Sometimes, of course, there are exceptions, but this depends on the specific case.