Solar Hot Water. Roof Drainage Pipe Is Using a 15L of Water Per Minute

Hi,

I have solar hot water. It's copper drainage pipes are leaking 15L of water per minute onto our roof. If I shut water off at the mains, the water stops dripping. If I cut power to my hot water, the water stops dripping.

Is there a remedy to fix this myself?

Edit - originally I thought this was my air conditioning unit. It's actually my solar hot water.

M̶y̶ ̶m̶u̶m̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶d̶u̶c̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶g̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶d̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶s̶y̶s̶t̶e̶m̶.̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶u̶n̶i̶t̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶s̶t̶a̶l̶l̶e̶d̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶e̶c̶o̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶t̶o̶r̶e̶y̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶h̶o̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶(̶i̶n̶s̶i̶d̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶r̶o̶o̶f̶)̶.̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶u̶n̶i̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶c̶o̶p̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶i̶p̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶e̶x̶i̶t̶ ̶o̶n̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶e̶x̶t̶e̶r̶i̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶i̶l̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶e̶c̶o̶n̶d̶ ̶s̶t̶o̶r̶e̶y̶.̶ ̶W̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶i̶c̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶1̶5̶L̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶w̶a̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶i̶n̶u̶t̶e̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶f̶l̶u̶s̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶p̶i̶p̶e̶s̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶f̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶o̶n̶.̶ ̶W̶e̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶i̶c̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶r̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶a̶r̶g̶e̶ ̶v̶o̶l̶u̶m̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶w̶a̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶f̶a̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶d̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶d̶r̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶p̶i̶p̶e̶.̶

Comments

  • Good news it's not leaking into your roof.

    Bad news it's probably something inside the ceiling unit - ie not able to regulate the water flow anymore.

    Try googling the model of the unit and water leak.

  • Are you sure it's not an evaporative cooler?

    • It's not. I've tried googling the make and model with 'leak' or 'water', but no luck. I'll have to call someone in on Monday.

  • +1

    Refrigerated aircon units are not plumbed into the water, the only water that comes out of the pips is what has been extracted from the air inside the house.
    Almost certainly an evaporative unit and the water float is faulty, allowing a continuous inflow of water to the unit, which then "overflows" out of the unit

    • If I turn the water off at the mains, the water stops flowing from the roof pipes.

      Edit: while troubleshooting, I've found that it's my solar hot water - not my air conditioning.

  • yay you're hotwater is leaking…. call a plumber or have a look yourself. Could be as simple as a stuck relief valve or could be something else.

    OP do you have HW still?

    • +1

      It seems to have fixed itself.

      1. I turned off power to the hot water and gas booster
      2. I turned the water to the mains back on
      3. I turned power back on to the hot water and gas booster
      4. I turned on a hot water tap and received hot water

      And after following these steps there is no longer any (noticeable) water trickling down the pipes. Strange.

      • +2

        your SHWS may have a safety overflow tap that was stuck open. turning every thing off stopped the flow of incoming water (which had been keeping the overflow tap open and it mayhave been stuck open) and allowed that to shut off

        • Thanks for the explanation.

      • +1

        Great to hear its fixed!!

        While its fixed, it might come back. Keep an eye on it. Sounds like a sticking valve, most likely a relief valve at a guess.

  • +2

    These systems have a pressure relief valve, you might look at having it replaced if the issue continues.
    The valve is designed to open under too much pressure, sometimes the valves can get stuck open and require some persuasion to shut again. They have a little test lever, but they notorious for not sealing again after being tested, especially if they are old and weathered

  • +1

    Wish you would make up your mind - first it was YOUR MUM that had a a faulty "ducted gas air-conditioning system" (whatever the hell that is), and now YOU have a faulty solar hot water system.
    Are you sure it is not a neighbour's swimming pool filter leaking onto your property?

  • -1

    I really don't get you. Apparently you have done some troubleshooting… but initially not sure if its the A/C or HWS. Flicking the main switch and turning the water main haphazardly is not a fault finding method. Finding the source of water leaking at a rate of 15 L/m is really not that hard… follow the pipe to the source! You seem to be a novice at this.

    Your problem is not fixed. If it can happen before it will most likely reoccur and possibly cause water damage if you are not home to stop it. Get a tradesman.

  • It's a common issue with the valves on these type of units, with the frost seasons they cause them to burst. You'll have to bypass the solar assist part of your hot water system, or have a plumber replace the burst valve.

  • +1

    15L per minute is a lot of water, like more than a shower's output or filling a bucket in 40seconds. That isn't just a drip like you might expect from condensation from AC.

    Now it is 'fixed' keep a closer eye on it, if the pressure relief valve was activated it could be a sign something else is going wrong.

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