Solar Heater valve ????

[edlentz]

My son got me an early fathers day gift. A Solarheater 2 x 20 setup and a diverter valve kit. I got the heater mounted on a raised angled platform. Our pool is a 12 x 20 Intex AGI have a couple of questions: I am kinda handy with plumbing stuff, but for the life of me I can't figure out how a single valve would change the water flow from my pool to the heater and then back to the pool. Second question, I don't have the "factory" authorised brackets for mounting the solar heater I just used some angle brackets. But the thing really buckles up, right now it is about 4 inches in a buckled area. Is that normal??

thanks for any suggestions / help

[Watermom]

Ok. I am definitely not the want to help you on this problem, but just wanted to say that my solar heater has two valves, not one. I have to open one and shut the other to send the flow where I want it. Somebody will be along to help.

Nice gift! It will make a big difference in your pool. My pool is already up to 86 most days. Without my solar panel, i would be nowhere near that warm.

[mas985]

Here is a diagram on how solar is typically installed. The return side of the solar is plumbed through a check valve and teed back into the return line for the pool. Both check valves are a good idea especially if the panels will be elevated so water doesn't drain backwards through the filter. Also, if you want the panels to be self draining, they will need a vacuum release valve.

[Watermom]

Mark,
That is a good diagram. Hopefully it will help our poster with his panel. Also, I noticed that you have commented on several of the threads I bumped up this morning that had not had any replies. Thanks for taking the time to do so. I'm sure these people will really appreciate your input.

[mas985]

No problem. It was actually hard to find a diagram that actually had the panels installed properly. Some had the return pipe of the wrong side, some didn't have the check valves and some didn't show the vacuum release. This one though was closest to ideal that I could find. However, a ground based installation could do without the VRC and filter check valve. Also, the isolation valves are nice to have but not necessary either.

[edlentz]

Thanks for the diagram. Looks like it has everything. And it got me thinking about the "diverted kit". I will post a drawing that I think might work later.