[RE-wrenches] solar hot water penetration flashing

Wed Jun 9 10:35:57 PDT 2010

The coolie caps are really just regular (oversized) caps which have been punched out to snugly accommodate the pipe to be sealed. Tom Lane's book, Solar Hot Water Systems, Lessons Learned ..., addresses this sealing method and many more. AET Solar in Jacksonville, FL stocks this item as well as almost anything solar thermal you could want.

One solution for exposed rubber or (more precisely) the filler bushing seal on the combination metal / flexible insert seal Oatey style flashings is paint. One meticulous homeowner had done that on his '80's vintage system and the flexibility of the seal was just like new. He identified it as latex paint. I would want to be very sure that whatever I used on that flexible material was compatible for many many years since unlike a typical plumbing flashing which can be relatively easily replaced by simply inserting the seal over the end of the vent, the loop of pipe, common with SDHW does not allow that luxury.

Bill Loesch
Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Nik Ponzio 
  To: RE-wrenches 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 10:05 AM
  Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] solar hot water penetration flashing

  This is an on-going problem, apparently. We were getting the coolie cap fittings from EFI but they got out of the solar business recently.

  Does anyone have a source for these now?

  Thanks in advance.

  --
  Nicholas Ponzio
  NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer

  Building Energy
  1570 South Brownell Road
  Williston, VT 05495
  t: 802-859-3384 x15
  f: 802-658-3982
  c: 802-365-1973
  www.BuildingEnergyVT.com

  On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 9:24 PM, Karl Schwingel <karl at northwindrenewable.com> wrote:

    I use similar boots, and design the penetration so the insulation and wrap ( we use aluminum) nearly cover the whole boot by the time you're all done.  you're left with about 1/2" of boot showing all the way around. 
    where can I get the coolie cap style brazed copper flashings?

    karl

    Todd Cory wrote:

      I use accordion style rubber boots. These are typically attached to the roofing with a bead of silicone underneath and gasketed metal roofing screws on top. These are made for all kinds of metal roof penetrations and I have even seen them used for 6" metalbestos stove flues. One note of caution, the orange "high temperature" ones are (I think) rated only to 180 degrees F. so you want to make sure the SHW fluid never exceeds this. Also in time, like any rubber flashing on a roof the rubber will deteriorate from UV. I build a show shed over my system's plumbing which shades it so hopefully this will not be in issue in ~20 years.

      Todd

      troy Harvey wrote:

        Any thoughts on how to flash a copper pipe roof penetration on a metal roof. The brazed copper flashing we typically use would cause corrosion with the steel roof I'm afraid. WHat have others used in this situation?

        Troy Harvey
        ---------------------
        Heliocentric
        801-453-9434

        taharvey at heliocentric.org <mailto:taharvey at heliocentric.org>

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    -- 
    Karl Schwingel
    NABCEP Certified Solar Thermal Installer
    NorthWind Renewable Energy LLC

    PO Box 723 Stevens Point, WI 54481
    Karl at Northwindre.com
    Cell: 715 209 0446
    Fax : 715 952 4501

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