33-1197 Solahart Owner ‟ s Manual – Thermosiphon Systems - Revision H – Nov 2013 3
Water Quality - Is It Suitable For The Solahart Water Heater ?
Your Solahart water heater is suitable for use with water with a total dissolved solid content less than 1,000 ppm and for which the total hardness does not exceed 200 ppm CaCO 3 . Water supplies having calcium hardness ( CaCO 3 ) and an alkalinity in excess of 150 ppm should be treated by a softening process prior to use with this water heater to prevent scaling and damage to the electric booster element .
A water analysis can be obtained from your water supply authority .
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Period Of Reduced Usage Or Holidays
WARNING : IF THE WATER HEATER IS LEFT UNUSED FOR TWO WEEKS OR MORE , FLAMMABLE HYDROGEN GAS MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE WATER CYLINDER .
To dissipate this gas safely , it is recommended that a sink hot tap be turned on for several minutes . Do not use a dishwasher , clothes washer or other appliance for this purpose . During this procedure there must be no smoking , open flames or any electrical appliance operating nearby . If hydrogen is discharged through the tap it will make an unusual sound like air escaping .
‘ Hartgard ’ Solution – Freeze Protection
Solahart Closed Circuit Systems are protected against freezing or harsh water conditions by our exclusive „ Hartgard ‟ fluid . „ Hartgard ‟ is a blue , non-toxic , propylene glycol fluid which , when mixed with water , provides the Heat Transfer Fluid contained in the solar collectors and the heat exchanger jacket around the tank . „ Hartgard ‟ is used to lower the freezing temperature of the Heat Transfer Fluid and so provides protection against freezing ( Note : for the correct % of Hartgard in the Heat Transfer Fluid , refer to the section on Frost / Freeze Protection ). „ Hartgard ‟ is a special food grade solution and is the only solution permitted to be used in the closed circuit systems . Hartgard has been approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia .
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WARNING : SHOULD THE WATER FROM YOUR CLOSED CIRCUIT SERIES WATER HEATER APPEAR BLUE , THEN THIS MAY INDICATE A LEAK OF „ HARTGARD ‟ FROM THE HEAT EXCHANGE JACKET INTO THE POTABLE WATER .
Although ‘ Hartgard ‟ is of food-grade quality and not hazardous to health , the blue colour in the water does indicate a fault and your Solahart dealer should be contacted to inspect the system .
Over-Temperature Protection System
The Closed Circuit Series solar water heaters have a means of controlling the maximum temperature of the water in the storage tank . These systems may be installed with a „ HartStat ‟ valve located between the hot outlet of the collectors and the inlet to the tank heat exchanger . This valve closes when the tank has reached a sufficiently high temperature , thereby preventing further heat transfer to the tank , and thus limiting its temperature .
The Open Circuit Series systems may be installed with a „ TRV ‟ located between the cold inlet of the tank and the cold inlet of the collectors . This valve restricts the flow through the collectors when the tank has reached a sufficiently high temperature .
PR6 / PR200 Jacket Pressure Relief Valve
The Closed Circuit Series tank ‟ s heat exchange jacket has a pressure relief valve located in the vent pipe of the jacket . This relief valve is to prevent over-pressurisation of the closed circuit either due to incorrect filling or abnormal operating conditions . During the water heater ' s first summer season , fluid will discharge from the relief valve until the ideal closed circuit fluid volume is established . Discharges from the valve after this time could indicate the water heater is not operating efficiently . Under these circumstances contact your nearest Solahart dealer immediately . Do not attempt to service the water heater yourself .
When operating in daylight , the heat exchange circuit will be pressurised and will contain a mixture of superheated water and steam . Do not remove the PR6 / PR200 valve during operation as there may be a very high SCALDING risk present .