Experience indicates this will not be an issue in the majority of cases. Pool owners are already
used to electrical pipes, rain gutters and other pipes running up the outside of their homes. Neatly installed
pipes running vertically from the support system equipment area into the attic through the eaves should be
acceptable. They can then simply be painted to match the homes exterior color. Actual installation
conditions and consumer preferences will usually dictate what has to be done.
Rigid CPVC 2" is recommended for increased flow and resistance to solar deterioration. Also
PVC pipe 1-1/2 or 2" can be used. Use 2” pipe if your pump is 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hp. If larger, consult a pool
dealer. If outdoors, and PVC pipe is exposed to the sun, it should be painted to prevent deterioration of
the plastic. Flex PVC pipe manufacturers state that it sags at 150º F temperatures and should only be used
cautiously inside an attic. If the pipe will not drain down automatically in the system, this lessens the flex
PVC temperature due to the water inside the pipe. Plumbing must be installed in accordance with state and
local codes and good trade practices.
Experience has shown that a continuous length of flex PVC to and from the PCS1 in the attic and
extending outside of the eaves where it is connected to rigid PVC pipe is acceptable. Rigid PVC pipe is
used from this point throughout the rest of the support system. With the PCS1 installed in the attic,
extended periods of high temperatures do not exist. Therefore, the flex PVC pipe doesn't appear to suffer.
Using flex PVC inside the attic also removes any PVC cement activity, which can be done outside.
Roofs can be modified to accommodate the PCS1. A) By mounting the PCS1 at the end of the
house Vs inside the attic. B) By mounting within the roof itself in a waterproof way and providing for
condensate drain. NOTE:The objective is to allow the roof to function as a collector and to pull heat from
the inside of the roof and attic area. Once again, this is an area to use some imagination and creativity.
List 10 possibilities!
NO: Attics should be the main house attic with a square foot area equal to or greater than that of the
pool's. In addition, see attic selection criteria below to determine effectiveness of attic.
Black roofs are better than white; non shaded roofs are better than shaded roofs; all power
ventilators must be disconnected; roof area should be at least two times pool area. i.e. 600 sq ft pool=
1200 sq ft roof ORthe ceiling area (sq ft of the attic) should be at least equal to or greater than the pool's
sq ft area; insulation level is not a critical factor; interior of roof should not be insulated or lined with heat
resistant material.
No: Just like other forms of solar heaters, the results will depend upon weather conditions. But,
unlike solar panels, orientation to the sun is not a critical factor and the roof itself presents a more "massive
collector".
This is a real concern and represents the number one sales objection that people may have. Many
water products are installed in attics and on roofs around the world. There is nothing that unusual about
the concept. These products operate at 60 psi or even greater pressures. Is there a 100% guarantee that no
leak is possible? The answer is NO. For the same reason you can't guarantee that your kitchen sink won't
leak! To properly answer this valid question requires knowledge about the operating environment of the
PCS1.
The PCS1 coil is tested under water at 350 PSI and operates under no significant amount of
pressure because the swimming pool is an "open container". In operating tests, the PCS1 was shown to
only add 4-6 PSI to the existing system's pressure. This typically means that the total system pressure the
PCS1 is exposed to is 20 PSI or less. It is therefore, highly unlikely, that any leaks could occur in the
PCS1 as a result of pressure. Again the PCS1 is factory tested at 350 PSI under water and typically
operates at 20 PSI or less.
A second issue is the plumbing to and from the PCS1. Here again are the dynamics of the pool.
PVC pipe is rated at 120 PSI and again the system only operates at a fraction of this. It is important that all
plumbing be professionally installed and that no questionable plumbing joints be accepted.
An acidic pool condition could quickly eat away the coil causing a "hole". In addition, an
improperly winterized system could result in a "hole" caused by freeze damage to the PCS1 coil. The
latter case has already occurred and the result was a small leak in the attic estimated at 1-2 gallons per
minute. The system was turned off quickly and only a minor ceiling stain resulted from this leak. Had
this system been inspected prior to spring startup, no problem would have occurred since the "hole"
caused by improper winterization would have been detected and repaired first. It is recommended that an
annual inspection is made at spring startup to ensure all pipes and other system parts are functioning
properly and that no deterioration or freeze damage has taken place within the attic.
Design protection has been addedto the PCS1 in the form of an internal float within the base
pan. In a normal instance, only a pint or two of water would collect and eventually evaporate. In the
event of a leak in the coil that sprayed water into the PCS1, the float would rise and automatically turn off
the PCS1 when the water level exceeds 3/8 inch. Cutoff is accomplished by opening the attic temperature
sensor, which causes the solar controller to turn the bypass valve off. Note: this protection is only
afforded when in full automatic mode with the solar controller. Turning the unit on “manually” ignores
this protection feature.
Added protectioncan be obtained by using a simple leak protection liner placed under the
PCS1. This can be in the form of a small kid's plastic swimming pool, which is tapped into with a garden
hose and drained off to the pool area. The company expects to have a custom leak liner available in the
future for purchase.
The biggest threat to the PCS1 is a poorly maintained swimming pool that turns acidic. Your pool
water should be crystal clear, not smell of chlorine and be potable [drinkable]. This is not hard to obtain
from proper pool water maintenance. If you have questions -- contact your pool chemical dealer and get
educated. In the event an acidic pool does causes damage to the PCS1, the small amount of leaking water
would either cause the PCS1 to automatically shut itself off or be collected safely and drained off [by
liner]. Any serious accidents to the attic or ceiling area are usually covered by homeowner's insurance
policies. Policies do not usually cover replacement of equipment and repairs due to owner negligence!
Further protectioncan be achieved by mounting a sheet metal plenum on the coil end of the
PCS1 and connecting the other end of the plenum to flexible duct. In this scenario, the PCS1 would be
installed over the garage area and draw air from the main attic. To be effective, it must have a clear path to
draw and return the hot attic air. This technique has been used and works very well. The company
expects to have a custom plenum kit available in the future for purchase.
The PCS1 is plumbed into the support system after the pump and filter. Any chemical dispenser
must be downstream of the PCS1 and should have a chemical check valve installed.
Flowreversal™ reverses the flow of water in the pool. It takes water off of the top of the pool and
returns it to the bottom of the pool for more effective heating. In tests, the pool's heating needs have been
demonstrated to be significantly less (1/3 rd to 1/2 less).
No degradation of filtering or cleaning effectiveness occurs. In fact, the pool appears visually the
same to the pool owner in either normal or reverse flow. Flowreversal™ is accomplished by the simple
90º turn of a single manual valve. A proportioner valve is used in conjunction with the flowreversal valve
to effect proper skimmer action during reverse flow. See plumbing diagrams.
Experience has shown that a swimming pool can simply be left in reverse flow unless the pool is
being cleaned or drained. Flowreversal™ enables the pool to be efficient in its heat needs. This in turn
allows the PCS1 to provide greater capacity and heating margins in adverse environments. The PCS1 has
been found to work effectively without the flowreversal valves. However, the swimming pool is
considerably more comfortable with the valves [especially large or deep pools]. Flowreversal™ is a
trademark of Mark Urban of Tustin, California.
No: Heat pumps are typically not designed to withstand the extreme attic temperatures. Operating a
heat pump in an attic can easily lead to premature failure of its compressor system.
What is the difference between the PCS1 and Heat Pumps?
In a comparative energy study, heat pumps were found to use seven to twenty-eight times the
electrical energy! With the average heat pump using 12.1 times the energy use of the PCS1. Heat pumps
use Chlorofluorocarbon chemicals [CFC'S] in the compressor heat producing cycle. These chemicals
pollute our environment by damaging the earth's protective ozone layer. The PCS1 uses no chemicals.
The PCS1 also has extended life characteristics when compared to heat pumps.
A typical heat pump C.O.P. is calculated as follows: 57,000 btus output/11,977 btus input= 4.75 x
100 = 475%. For comparison, the PCS1 is calculated as follows: 60,000 btus output/1351 btus input= 44
x 100= 4400% EFFICIENT. In other words, the PCS1 has ten times the efficiency of the typical heat
pump and 44 times the efficiency of electric resistance heaters.
The roof functions as a "massive solar collector"---collecting solar heat. The attic functions as a
heat storage and transfer device---storing and transferring solar heat. And, the PCS1 functions as an
"exchanger" that exchanges the heat from the attic into the pool. This is a continuous solar process.
A non dusty environment; a non corrosive atmosphere; proper pH chemical balance between 7.2
and 7.6; automatic chlorine dispensing to keep levels below 3 parts per million or the use of a nonchlorine
alternative; a water flow rate of 45-55 GPM; black roof; sunny roof; sunny pool; manual Flowreversal™;
use of a pool blanket during extended periods of non use; a non salt water pool; some shelter of the pool to
minimize convection losses. Plus other factors that help minimize a pool's heat losses.
Yes! The PCS1 has been used to heat water up to 105º F. SolarAttic, Inc. expects to have a
separate spa version on the market sometime in the future.
However, in the meantime, another opportunity avails itself. That is the sharing of the heat
from the attic with both the pool and a spa. This is especially true during periods of time when the pool
cannot use the heat available. During these times, the heat can be channeled 100% of the time into the spa.
A recent study showed that up to 25% of new pool installations are being installed with a spa attached to it.
To share the heater requires the use of a Share-a-Heater™ valve. With a simple 90º turn of a single
valve, the spa can be heated instead of the pool. The valve allows the sharing of a single heater and it can
be automated. Share-a-Heater™ is a trademark of Mark Urban of Tustin, California.
Dark Blue
Blue
Dark Brown
Brown
Red
Green
Dark Grey
Grey
White
Smooth White
1.21
1.14
1.07
1.00
.86
.71
.71
.57
.57
.36
If good conditions exist for the pool, then just about any color of roof may be acceptable with the
PCS1, Flowreversal™ and the use of a blanket. This would be especially true on relatively small pools
(450 sq ft) and large roof areas. Grey, white, and smooth white may be marginal on a large pool with an
extremely small attic to draw from. The above factors can be interpreted as follows: The PCS1 will
perform nominally, or 1.00, with a Brown roof. Other colors will increase or decrease relative
performance; however, a large roof with a poor color factor may out perform a smaller roof with a good
color factor. Due to the solar radiation and BTU availability. Larger numbers are better performers.
Outside blanketed pool
Screen & blanketed pool
Outside, blanketed & windy
Outside without blanket
Screen without blanket
Outside, without blanket & windy
1.00
.80
.67
.42
.33
.29
(multiply above factors by)
The above environmental factors show that the PCS1 will perform twice as good with
Flowreversal™ and a blanket. The larger the number, the better the conditions of performance with the
PCS1. The dealer or purchaser is responsible for determining whether the PCS1 is
suited to a particular installation and operating environment.
