Solar Blue LLC water heaters make use of a closed-loop drainback system, which requires very little maintenance. The heat transfer fluid (distilled water) seldom has to be changed.When the system is not pumping, the solar collector (1) is empty and the distilled water is stored in a 5-gallon reservoir tank, usually located just above the solar storage tank (3). When the pump (4) activates, the distilled water is circulated from the reservoir back through the collector and heat exchanger (5), passing heat to the potable water in the solar tank (3). When the pump shuts off again, the distilled water drains back into the reservoir tank.The solar collector must be mounted higher than the storage tank, and there must be sufficient continuous slope in the piping to ensure against freezing.

Drainback systems are effective and reliable. They are dependable on the hottest and coldest days, and they can go twenty years in operation without needing service. Every system will be custom designed to serve the individual needs of each customer. SolarBLUE’s engineers will perform site studies to evaluate the specific needs of each location and the physical layout to establish the best SolarBLUE solution. Upon acceptance and approval of the project, the engineers will forward detailed specifications to the factory to begin assembly of the solar water heating system.For locations with parapet roofs, it is necessary to elevate the solar collectors above the parapet to benefit from maximum sun exposure. This is accomplished by constructing steel mounting systems called skids. Workers at the factory will assemble the following: Solar panels, Heat exchangers, Drainback tanks, Skids (when required).

A. O. Smith has meant quality and innovation in hot water solutions for nearly 70 years. Today, A. O. Smith manufactures and markets a comprehensive line of jacketed and unjacketed storage tanks ranging from 80 to 12,500 gallon capacities. A. O. Smith patented the process for glass lining a water heater tank in 1936, and the glass-lined water heater remains the standard of the industry today. We use Taco water pumps that operate in capacities ranging from 3 GPM to more than 5000 GPM. We have traditionally used Steca for our system regulators/controllers, but are now evaluating another manufacturer’s system that will provide Internet-based, real-time feedback and analytics. Pumps and controllers are generally inventoried and shipped to installation sites when needed. The remaining installation materials are purchased locally near the job site.