OAR 330-070-0059: Solar Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub AEDs

(1) Installations must be installed according to manufacturer's instructions; and comply with all applicable state, county, or local codes and regulations. (2) Consumers who purchase a solar swimming pool, spa or hot tub heating system must receive written operating and maintenance instructions. These instructions must at a minimum include: (a) Clear instructions on how to monitor the system performance; (b) Description and recommended frequency of homeowner maintenance; (c) Diagram of the system noting location of valves and monitoring devices; and (d) What to do and who to call in an emergency and when the system needs professional maintenance and repairs. (3) Swimming pool heating system designs and installations must comply with the following additional requirements: (a) Collectors and piping must be securely mounted to withstand local wind loads. (b) Piping and pump sizing must consider collector area, total flow rates, pressure drop across collectors, length of run from collectors to pump, and maximum allowable pressure drop for the system. (c) Any building insulation disturbed due to the system installation must be restored to previous condition. (d) Swimming pool collectors must come with a minimum 10-year manufacturer's full warranty (to ensure that equipment designed for temporary installation is not used). (e) System must have a method to show that it is operating correctly. This equipment must be a permanent part of the system, not require any special tools, and be in an easily accessible location. (f) Collectors must be mounted in a manner to enable seasonal drainage by gravity for proper freeze protection. (g) The system must have a minimum Total Solar Resource Fraction (TSRF) of 75 percent. (h) Swimming pool collectors must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC), Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) or other certification body approved by the department. (i) Swimming pool heating collectors will be limited to no more than 125 percent of the pool area for the purposes of calculating the tax credit. (j) To estimate annual savings, swimming pools are assumed to be heated to a maximum of 85 degrees F. Swimming pools, spas or hot tubs heated beyond 85 degrees F will be considered a spa or hot tub for tax credit purposes. (4) Spa and hot tub heating system designs and installations must comply with the following additional requirements: (a) System design must be approved by the department. Approval is based on complete system design documentation and calculation of annual energy savings. (b) Controls must be capable of maintaining safe spa temperatures. (c) The system must have a minimum Total Solar Resource Fraction (TSRF) of 75 percent. (5) The addition of more energy producing capacity to an existing solar pool heating system may be eligible for an AED tax credit if: (a) The system addition increases first year energy savings; and (b) The system addition is built, installed and operated in accord with OAR 330-070-0010 through 330-070-0097. (6) The department will calculate first year energy savings of a system addition by subtracting the estimated savings of the original AED from the increased first year energy savings with the addition. (a) The department will not recalculate the original AED's estimated energy savings, even if the AED produces less than estimated. (b) Any AED that received an AED tax credit in a prior five years will be assumed to remain in place, for purposes of calculating a tax credit for a system addition.