Solar Water Heater Course

Lesson 1 • Solar Radiation Basics

Covers solar spectrum, irradiance, and insolation concepts. Grounds students in the energy source driving all solar thermal systems.

Lesson 2 • Solar Resource Assessment

Teaches use of solar maps, databases, and tilt-angle optimization. Students can identify site potential before any hardware selection.

Lesson 3 • Heat Transfer Principles

Introduces conduction, convection, and radiation as applied to solar collectors. Links physics to real collector performance.

Lesson 1 • Codes, Standards, and Certifications

Surveys applicable safety, performance, and installation standards. Students understand compliance requirements before touching hardware.

Lesson 2 • Key System Components

Identifies collectors, storage tanks, heat exchangers, pumps, and controls. Students map each component to its functional role.

Lesson 3 • System Performance Metrics

Defines solar fraction, collector efficiency, and system COP. Students use these metrics to compare and evaluate designs.

Lesson 1 • Evacuated-Tube Collector Design

Covers heat-pipe and direct-flow evacuated tubes, vacuum integrity, and manifold design. Students compare performance with flat-plate collectors.

Lesson 2 • Collector Selection Criteria

Applies climate, load, and budget factors to collector choice. Students produce a justified collector recommendation for a given scenario.

Lesson 3 • Flat-Plate Collector Design

Examines absorber plates, glazing, insulation, and housings. Students trace heat flow from glazing to fluid and identify loss pathways.

Lesson 1 • Auxiliary Heating Integration

Covers electric, gas, and heat-pump backup heaters and their control logic. Students design a backup system that minimizes energy use.

Lesson 2 • Freeze and Overheating Protection

Explains drainback, antifreeze, and pressure-relief strategies. Students select and size protection devices for extreme climate conditions.

Lesson 3 • Heat Exchanger Types and Sizing

Compares internal coil, external, and wrap-around heat exchangers. Students size a heat exchanger using effectiveness-NTU methods.

Lesson 1 • Fluid Flow Fundamentals

Reviews Reynolds number, laminar vs. turbulent flow, and pressure drop. Students apply these concepts to collector loop design.

Lesson 2 • Pipe Sizing and Material Selection

Covers copper, stainless, and polymer piping options and sizing methods. Students select pipe diameter to balance cost and performance.

Lesson 3 • Pressure Management and Safety Devices

Covers expansion tanks, pressure gauges, air vents, and check valves. Students place and size each device in a system schematic.

Lesson 4 • Pump Selection and Circuit Balancing

Teaches pump curve analysis, parallel vs. series collector arrays, and balancing valves. Students select a pump and verify operating point.

Lesson 1 • Economic and Financial Analysis

Calculates simple payback, net present value, and life-cycle cost for a design. Students justify system selection on financial grounds.

Lesson 2 • System Schematic Development

Guides creation of piping and instrumentation diagrams for solar loops. Students produce a complete schematic with all components labeled.

Lesson 3 • Hot Water Load Analysis

Quantifies daily hot water demand by occupancy, fixture type, and usage patterns. Accurate load data drives all subsequent sizing decisions.

Lesson 1 • Electrical and Controls Wiring

Covers differential controller wiring, sensor placement, and pump relay circuits. Students wire a functional control system safely.

Lesson 2 • Roof and Structural Mounting

Covers rafter attachment, ballasted ground mounts, and load calculations. Students select and install the correct mounting hardware safely.

Lesson 3 • Plumbing and Piping Installation

Teaches soldering, compression, and press-fit joining techniques for solar loops. Students complete a leak-free piping installation.

Lesson 4 • System Filling and Commissioning

Details flushing, fluid filling, air purging, and setpoint configuration. Students commission a system and verify correct operation.

Lesson 1 • Component Replacement and Upgrades

Guides replacement of collectors, pumps, controllers, and heat exchangers. Students assess upgrade options to extend system life and efficiency.

Lesson 2 • Common Fault Diagnosis

Covers no-flow, overheating, low output, and leak faults with root-cause analysis. Students follow a structured fault tree to reach a diagnosis.

Lesson 3 • Diagnostic Tools and Techniques

Introduces flow meters, temperature loggers, and pressure gauges as diagnostic tools. Students use data to isolate faults systematically.

Lesson 4 • Preventive Maintenance Schedules

Defines inspection intervals, fluid testing, and component checks. Students create a maintenance plan tailored to system type and climate.