copper leaching in solar thermal system [RE-wrenches]

matthew tritt solarone at charter.net
Mon Oct 21 11:06:29 PDT 2002


Todd,

Since you have two separate buildings with two different grounding systems,
maybe the copper pipe is acting as an extremely long bonding wire. I still
say that you have created a kind of chemical and metal  battery that is
trying to complete a circuit. Maybe one of the circ. pumps is the culprit?

Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Cory, Mt. Shasta Energy Services" <toddcory at finestplanet.com>
To: "Wrenches" <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 10:36 AM
Subject: Re: copper leaching in solar thermal system [RE-wrenches]


> Yes, my wife's blond hair actually has a green tint at the ends as does
the
> white shower's fiberglass after a month or so of use.
>
> I used rosin flux and no soft copper in any parts of either loop. The
> potable loop is basically convection with a very s-l-o-w pump to get it
> going. Before the pump it didn't circulate well enough. The temperature
runs
> in the 110 degree range in the winter and 185 degree range in the summer.
>
> Do you think there is any relationship between the fact that this solar
> thermal system has the glycol part of the loop buried to the collectors on
> another building and the potable side leaching what seems to be rather
large
> amount of the copper from the pipes inner wall into the domestic hot
water?
>
> Lets speculate that there is some kind of bizarre ground potential
> difference on the different ends of the plumbing. While I don't understand
> how a very minute current flowing through a pipe could cause any problems,
> might that cause this leaching into the potable side (for all I know this
is
> happening in the glycol loop too) and if so, how would one rectify the
> problem? Would you suggest ground rods at each end and bonding at each end
> to those rods?
>
> Todd
>
>
> Graham Owen wrote:
>
> > Hi Todd,
> >
> > I have never heard of anyone's hair changing color due to a solar water
> > heating system, but I have had kids ask me if they will get freckles
> > from showering with solar water.  The most common cause of copper
> > leaching is having a circulation pump that is oversized, long runs of
> > flexible-soft-copper, way to much acidic flux used during installation
> > and water quality problems from the supply source.  I have no experience
> > with women's hair coloring but I have noticed that sometimes the
> > draperies don't match the rug.  No disrespect intended, just exploring
> > all avenues.
> >
> > Graham Owen
> > GO Solar
>
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