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 Mobile ViewENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ACOUSTICAL SEALANT CHOICES AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS AIR BYPASS LEAKS AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION AIR POLLUTANTS, COMMON INDOOR AIR LEAK SEALING PROCEDURE AIR SEALING STRATEGIES BASEMENT CEILING VAPOR BARRIER BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BIOGAS PRODUCTION & USE BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BLOWN-IN INSULATION BRICK LINED WALLS BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION? BUILDING NOISE DIAGNOSIS & CURE CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING VENTILATION CEILING FINISHES INTERIOR CEILINGS, DROP or SUSPENDED PANEL CEILINGS, PLASTER TYPES CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR COOLING LOAD REDUCTION by ROOF VENTS COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT BUILDINGS CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES DAMAGE CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS COOLING LOAD REDUCTION by ROOF VENTS CRAWL SPACES DEHUMIDIFICATION PROBLEMS DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings AFUE DEFINITION, RATINGS AIR BYPASS LEAKS AIR CHANGE RATE ACH HEAT SAVINGS AIR CONDITIONING HEAT PUMP SAVINGS AIR LEAK SEALING PROCEDURE APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & MOLD COOLING LOAD REDUCTION by ROOF VENTS DRYER VENTING ENERGY AUDIT - How to Use a Free One ENERGY SAVINGS MAXIMIZE RETURNS ON ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS ENERGY STAR PROGRAM ENERGY USE MONITORING GLASS vs HEAT MIRROR SOLAR GAIN/Loss HEAT LOSS in buildings HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HIGH MASS TRADEOFFS, HEATING vs COOLING HOUSE DOCTOR, how-to be INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INSULATION LOCATION - WHERE TO PUT IT RADIANT BARRIERS REFLECTIVE INSULATION ROOF COLOR RECOMMENDATIONS Skylight Energy Efficiency SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS THERMAL MASS in buildings TIMERS for ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS VENTILATION, BALANCED HEAT COST SAVINGS WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WINDOW EFFICIENCY Features & Ratings WOOD, COAL STOVES & FIREPLACES EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES FRAMING METAL STUD PERFORMANCE FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING FROST HEAVES, FOUNDATION, SLAB GREENHOUSE DESIGN for SOLAR HEATING GREENHOUSE / SUNSPACE GLARE HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS HEAT LOSS INDICATORS HEAT LOSS PREVENTION PRIORITIES HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION HEAT LOSS RATE CALCULATIONS HEATING SMALL LOADS HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS ICE DAM PREVENTION INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LEED Building Designation & IAQ MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE NOISE CONTROL for HEATING SYSTEMS NOISE CONTROL for FLOORS NOISE CONTROL for PLUMBING NOISE CONTROL for ROOFS ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS BLOCKBED RADIANT FLOORS - SOLAR DESIGN FLOOR, CONCRETE SLAB CHOICES FLOOR, CONCRETE SLAB POURED FINISH GLASS vs HEAT MIRROR SOLAR GAIN/Loss GREENHOUSE DESIGN for SOLAR HEATING GREENHOUSE / SUNSPACE GLARE PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN KEY ELEMENTS PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN METHOD PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY MONITORING PASSIVE SOLAR FLOOR TILES, PHASE CHANGE PASSIVE SOLAR HEAT PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR HOME, LOW COST PASSIVE SOLAR PERFORMANCE PROBE PASSIVE SOLAR Roof & Window Overhangs PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS POLYCARBONATE GLAZING REMOTE ELECTRIC POWER, PHOTOVOLTAIC ROCK-BED SOLAR HEAT STORAGE DESIGN SLAB INSULATION, PASSIVE SOLAR SLATE THERMAL MASS for SOLAR HEAT STORAGE SOLAR COLLECTOR AIR or GAS COLLECTION SOLAR COLLECTOR EFFICIENCY COMPARISONS SOLAR COLLECTOR FILMS SOLAR COLLECTOR OUTGASSING SOLAR COLLECTOR WOOD HOUSINGS SOLAR GAIN CALCULATION SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM DESIGNS SOLAR HOT WATER HEATERS SOLAR HOUSE EVALUATION SOLAR MODULE MANUFACTURERS SOLAR SHADES & SUNSCREENS SOLAR SHADES, LOW-E EFFECTIVENESS SOLAR WATER DISINFECTION SOLAR HOT WATER HEATERS SUNSPACE DESIGN for SOLAR HEATING SUNSPACE GLAZING for SUNTANNING STORM WINDOW INTERIOR STORM WINDOW PLASTIC CHOICES STORM WINDOW WEEP HOLES SUNGAIN, FILMS, LOW-E GLASS SUNSPACE GLAZING for SUNTANNING SWIMMING POOL SOLAR HEAT, INDOOR SWIMMING POOL SOLAR HEAT, OUTDOOR DIAGNOSIS THERMAL MASS in buildings STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS SUMP PUMPS GUIDE SWEATING (CONDENSATION) on PIPES, TANKS THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL MASS in buildings THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in buildings VENTILATION in buildings WATER HEATERS AGE of WATER HEATERS ALTERNATIVE HOT WATER SOURCES WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WET BASEMENT PREVENTION WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING WIND WASHING INSULATION At EAVES WINDOWS & DOORS WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD, COAL STOVES & FIREPLACES WOOD STOVE SAFETY ZONE VALVES More Information |
This article discusses the diagnosis of the cause of outgassing from a 3-panel solar collector array using EPDM gaskets, silicone caulk, a selective surface, and 700-Series Owens-Corning high-temperature fiberglass insulation. Accompanying text is reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss. Photo a rooftop mounted site-built solar collectors at page top courtesy of Paul Galow. Also see SOLAR COLLECTOR AIR or GAS COLLECTION where we describe the accumulation of gas inside of a solar collector system used for heating a swimming pool. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. How to Diagnose & Clean Outgassing & Deposits on Glazing in Solar Collectors
The question-and-answer article about the overnight accumulation of a gas (probably air) in a solar collector used for swimming pool heating, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss. What Is the Probable Source of Gas Accumulating in and Deposits on the Inner Surface of Glazing on a Solar Collector ?Question: Diagnose the Cause of a Deposit on the Underside of Glazing on a Solar Collector SystemA three-panel solar collector array we installed four years ago (1981) recently developed a deposit on the underside of the textured solar collector AFG glazing. The solar collector has EPDM gaskets, silicone caulk, a selective surface, and 700 Series Owens-Corning high-temperature fiberglass insulation. We think that the outgassing is from the insulation. The solar collector manufacturer has gone out of business. We want to make sure we have the right solution to clean it with. What do you recommend? - Mike Fabian, Energy Engineering, Fargo ND. Reply: According to Frank Gilleland at Owens-Corning (in 1985), Owens Corning 700-Series insulation was not made to go into solar collectors. It is duct insulation made with a binder that can outgas under the high temperatures that occur inside a solar collector. We think that the deposit on the inside of the solar collector glazing is probably a skin of condensed resin outgas material. Normally you could scrape off a deposit on the inside of the solar collector glazing (if a glass product was used) but that won't work on textured glass. How to Diagnose the Source of Outgassed Deposits on Solar Panel GlazingFor liability reasons Owens-Corning did not recommend any solar collector glazing solutions. They also would not take responsibility for the solar collector deposit problem, because they said that it could have been caused by any of several materials used on the collector's construction. Gilleland said that with practice [or using forensic microscopy - DF] you can tell residues apart by color.
How to Clean Outgassed Deposits on Solar Panel GlazingAFT Industries' Dick Orton recommended (also in 1985) cleaning the solar collectors with very hot water and a detergent such as Tide™. If that does not work, add a half-pint of white vinegar for each gallon of cleaning solution. If the film is still there on the solar collector glazing inside surface, try an organic solvent such as toluene or xylene, available from chemical supply or hardware stor4es. He stressed that this is a last resort. Watch out: toluene and xylene are toxic and carcinogenic and must be used with proper procedures, location, and personal protection. Use extreme caution and follow the manufacturer's instructions precisely. Never use an abrasive substance to clean solar collector glazing. If these approaches don't work, talk to chemists. See what they recommend that will break down and remove phenolic resin without leaving a new film on the collector surface. By this time, however, you may just want to replace the solar collector glazing (glass). There is no guarantee that the outgassing inside the solar collector will stop. If you suspect insulation is the source of the outgassing or collector glazing deposit and the collectors haven't stagnated long enough to burn off all of the resin binder used to produce the insulation in the first place, dismantle the collector and lay aluminum foil between the insulation and the absorber. Then seal the edges with high temperature caulk. Or replace the solar collector insulation with an oil-free binderless insulation. As far as Gilleland knew, as of 1985 there was no such product on the market since Owens-Corning stopped manufacturing its SI-100 Series insulation in the early 1980's. But there may be a similar product available. How to Remove Un-wanted Gases or Air From Solar Collector SystemsAs we discussed in more detail at SOLAR COLLECTOR AIR or GAS COLLECTION, in addition to conditions that produced a deposit on the interior surface of a solar collector's glazing, other materials used in the construction of the piping, tubing, or solar collector array used to transport water for heating can also produce gases that interfere with proper solar collector operation. 
Air accumulating in water in hydronic home heating systems (hot water boilers) is a well-known problem for which at least two components are in common use that may help automatically purge unwanted air or other gases from inside the solar collector plumbing system:
Here we include solar energy, solar heating, solar hot water, and related building energy efficiency improvement articles reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss. Questions & Answers regarding this article. Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
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