Course Code: STT101 / STE101
Thermal Design and Installation Course incorporates instructor-led lectures, presentations and hands-on labs, including the use of site-assessment tools in the design of solar thermal systems. Our solar training will prepare you for becoming a professional, successful solar installer.
Solar Thermal Installation training is approved for 40-hours of NABCEP continuing education credits*
Our solar training classes are for plumbers, HVAC/R professionals, electricians, homebuilders/architects, contractors, engineers, product wholesalers/resellers.
- Collector Orientation, Design & Function
- Solar Thermal Applications (pool, space & water heating)
- Open & Closed Loop Systems
- Service & Troubleshooting
- Hands-On Installation Labs (flush mount & rail mount)
- Pump & Tank Selection & Configuration
- Residential & Commercial Attachments
Each day the training begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. The morning session is 4 hours. There is a lunch break from noon to 12:30 p.m. The afternoon session continues for 4 hours, ending at 5:00 p.m. Each day there are 8 hours of instruction, totaling 40 hours of professional training over the five-day course.
5-Day Solar Thermal Installation & Design Course
Curriculum
Solar Thermal Installation & Design Class – DAY 1- Solar Insulation
- Collector Orientation
- Solar Pathfinder description & operation
- Lab - use of Solar Pathfinder
- Solmetric SunEye description & operation
- Lab - use of SunEye
- Heat flow properties
- Flat plate collector design
- Low. Medium, and high temperature collectors
- Single and dual tank systems
- Types and comparison of solar water heating systems i.e. active systems, passive systems, open loop direct, closed loop indirect, PV controlled systems, Glycol closed loop, Steamback systems, Drainback systems
- System components
- Introduction to solar thermal application (water heating, pool heating, space heating)
- Collector Mounting – lag mount, spanner mount, j-bolt mount
- Lab - flush mounting collector
- Lab - rail mounting collector
- Open loop components
- Closed loop glycol and Steamback components
- Closed loop Drainback components
- Differential control & sensors
- Lab - wire and program differential
- control
- Sealing pipe penetrations
- Flush mount install on asphalt shingle roof
- Rail mount install on asphalt shingle roof
- Setting mounts on a tile roof
- Solar heated swimming pool equipment & system layout
- Lab - install Open loop system
- Charging Closed Loop systems
- Lab - install Closed loop
- system
- Lab - install Drainback system
- Lab - install solar pool heating system
- Service of open loop, closed loop glycol & Drainback systems
- Sales & Marketing of Solar Thermal systems
- Customer scenarios; working with equipment distributors
- BTU
- Solar Rating and Certification Corporation SRCC
- Using SRCC reports as a design tool
- Collector Efficiency curve
- Using efficiency curve as a design tool
- Determine gallon capacity using BTU formula
- Balancing multiple tank installation
- Balancing single bank collector array
- Balancing multiple bank array
- Pump selection, sizing, and configuring
- Determining system fluid capacity
- Attaching collectors to commercial buildings
- Solar space heating sizing & design (forced air, radiant floor, ground water source heat pumps)
- Solar Pool heating – sizing and design
- Solar system flow rates vs. pool filtration
