SANS10254 calls for the discharge pipe from the Expansion Valve (EV –normally attached to the Pressure Control Valve) to be discharged to the outside of the building,to be visible and also not to be placed where the water discharge can cause a nuisance. (There are other requirements as well. See the SANS10254 for full details.)
Geyser installers have generally used a Polycop pipe to discharge the water from the EV and they run it into a gutter or out through the eves.
All high pressure geysers require an EV and it is normal for them to vent water every day. However,with solar installations,due to the greater heat and therefore expansion variations,the fitting and positioning of these pipes require greater attention to detail. In general,the EV will discharge more water from a solar system than from a conventional electric geyser. If the system goes into stagnation,the expansion from the steam in the collector can also cause the pipe to vibrate as the EV opens and closes,even causing the pipe to pull out of its discharge position and into the roof if not properly secured.
It is extremely irritating not to mention costly to be called back to an installation for a minor issue such as this pipe. For this reason we would encourage solar water heater installers to attend to the following when installing the EV discharge pipe.
- Discharge the pipe in an area that will not cause irritation to the homeowner,preferably harmlessly discharging the water into a flower bed so that the water is not wasted.
- Secure the Polycop pipe firmly to prevent it retreating back into the roof and discharging on the ceiling.
- Tell your client that the EV may discharge more water than they are used to,up to a few liters a day due to the greater heat and expansion fluctuations with solar.
Should you receive a call from a client about the amount of water being discharged,ask them to run a hot tap for about 1 minute. If the flow of water continues it may indicate a faulty valve. If it stops,the valve is probably working normally.
