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Can anyone help me find some American Solar King collectors? I'm in Texas and I want to build a passive solar hot water heating system.
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If that's the American Solar King I remember, they were HQ'd in Waco, TX and made thermal flat plate collectors but went belly up in the early or mid '80's. The collectors used something called a roll bond absorber. It was a beast and heavier than a dead minister. I do not believe they would be suitable for passive solar applications. If still around today, they'd be more valuable for the scrap value of the copper. -
Are you still looking for American Solar King collectors?
I live in Colorado Springs, CO and know of 8 American Solar King solar panels that will be available next month, August 2015. They are in really good shape and still mounted on the roof. Are you interested in them?Comment
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Solar King in Waco manufactured a premium flat bed water heating collector. I installed one at my place and it worked quite well heating water for me in Texas.Comment
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The OP request was 18 months ago and hasn't logged in since.Comment
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Yep, I guess my comment was more aimed at the comment made that the collector would be worth more as scrap metal, which I find to be a senceless derogatory statement.Comment
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OK, yes they are heavy, I installed one on my house decades ago. And the original inquiry about using a Solar King panel in a greenhouse for a passive system seems strange unless the poster meant a gravity flow scenario not ulitizing a pump, or maybe for shade. But what I find derogatory is that a Solar King panel (if it is not damaged somehow) is worth more as scrap metal. And maybe the scrap metal yield might be $100. These were fine high efficiency panels. It seems to me if I recall correctly that a Solar King panel with enclosure and glazing cost around $600 new. I'd love to purchase one for the scrap metal price now! I thought this site imo was for constructive discussions which I found your comment not to be.Comment
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Agreed.
When new, they were, hands down, the Cadillac of solar thermal collectors. The best features however, were not the overabundance of copper. The "Rollbond" absorber from Revere used was then, and still is, just about the best thermal absorber design available with respect to fin efficiencies, heat removal factors and overall sound design. The material thickness was more of a requirement of the absorber forming process than for thermal design purposes - that design being one where two Cu sheets were put into a press and flow passages expanded pneumatically. Thus, the fin portions were approx. 2X the flow passage wall thickness. Also, the header design was such that it eliminated any flow maldistribution under any flow regime, and probably had better header flow factor and fin efficiency than the rest of the panel surface. It was, and still is, hard to find a better thermal design for a flat plate solar thermal collector. To top it off, a selective surface coating of black nickel initially and later black chrome was an option, making overall collector performance hard, if not impossible to match today.Comment
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Hello, new to solar. I have some American solor king panels that are in great shape. But i know nothing about solar panels. So what i need is some info, there is a tag on them with model number sc-15. I have a plumber that can hook them up for me but he doesn't know if it will be enough for what i want to do. Witch is heat my swimming pool during the "winter" in Phoenix Arizona. I have 5 panels for sure and if that is not enough i can get 3 more if i want to take them off the roof. Any help will help tons! Be blunt you can tell me if its dumb and a waste of time. Thats why we get on the Internet, right?! Haha
Thanks
RussalComment
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SC-15 is ringing a bell, but it's too far away in time for me to remember and too faint to hear clearly. See my immediate prior post for some remembered details. I think the 15 may be nominal sq. footage/collector.
If they get pressure tested and flushed/inspected, they might well serve one of their prior functions - that of domestic water heating, provided they were stored properly and sealed before storage. That's probably more of a DIY/hobby application however.
For passive applications, just make sure the storage is above the level of the collectors and use a tank that holds ~ 1.5 - 2 gal./ft^2 of total collector surface. Consider likely freezing conditions and how to handle them in the design as well as check valves for reverse thermosiphoning. See Builditsolar.com on the web for ideas.
If you do scrap them out, know that there is considerably more copper in those collectors than you will find in today's thermal panel. Check the cost of scrap copper before you call the junk man.
Good luck.Comment
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Ok. Thanks for the info. Im not real sure what any of that means. I will definitely have it installed by a pro!! Im handy but not handy. So you do think that thay could heat a swimming pool tho ? The pool is 15k gallons and i have 7 3'x8' panels actually. As far as winter and freezing temp thats a non issue here. Its always hot and sunny, "the vally of the sun". I wont scrap them. Not worth the drive 7hrs to go get them free or not, for scrap.
Thanks again for the info..Comment
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Heating your pool with that type of collector is in no way as efficient as simply using something like an Aquatherm sunswim collector. Using DHW panels will require twice as much square footage as a collector like the one I mentioned. Plus the copper will not last long with chlorine or salt water going through it, especially an older panel. You would need to run glycol in them and use a heat exchanger at the pool equipment to see any decent lifespan from them. If you want to save money and time and install a system by yourself, buy a product rated for the application. I have been using the Aquatherm's from the start and they work great and last. Made in the US by a solid company who gives excellent customer support. The only maintenance we see is tightening up the connector clamps every few years and or replacing an occasional rubber connector. Any savy homeowner can install these, but you might need help with the sizing of your system with what you want from it. There are other good quality pool solar collectors on the market and you should choose wisely.Comment
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Ok inwas worried that might be the case. Thanks for the info.Comment
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