So I have had a few requests from people for a description of my solar system. Let me start out by telling you that I live in Cortland NY. This means the system has to be protected against freezing. I have acomplished this though the use of non toxic polypropylene glycol anitifreeze. I would have done a drainback system, but my panels are a serpentine arrangement. This was not even close to my first choice when I first envisioned the system. I was sold on the idea of using evacuated tube collectors. The only problem with these was the cost and complexity of the system. So I began searching ebay and craigslist for solar "stuff" and came across an ebay auction for a new 4x 10 panel, 60 gallon solar tank, pump, and controller for $500. The listing looked too good to be true, but I was interested so I contacted the seller and found he had more stuff available and was fine with accepting cash at pick up. So I purchased two panels the tank pump and controller for a grand total of $700. My only regret now was not purchasing more panels at $200 ea. The story I got when picking the stuff up was that it was manufactured for the government and this was left over surplus. While the stuff was new and in boxes it was all made in 1987 according to the paperwork that came with the stuff. I also got a copy of the SRCC certification for the panels. The system was made by Sun Strip Solar. The one thing that bothered me and proved to be a bit of a head ache was the fact that the panels were set up to be used in a "microflo" system with 1/4" supply and return lines going to the panel. Everything I purchased worked with the excetion of the pump, wich 20+ years of sitting caused the shaft seal to leak. This is where I ran into my first problem, I replaced the rather large shaft driven pump with a taco 006 bronze unit and it could not overcome the head loss in the 50 ft of 1/4 line to and from the panel. Since I had two of the 006 pumps I put the second one in series with it and this worked. By worked I mean I was able to get return flow, but only at 1/8 gallon per minute. I ran one panel this way on a ground mount test stand for about a month while I played with the system. I figured it would be a whole lot easier to work on at ground level. With one panel the 60 gallon tank worked well seeing high temps of around 160F or so. This encouraged me to install both panels as you see them on the data log pages on the side of my house. The side of the house was chosen over the roof due to the roof pitch giving east or west exposure, and the side of the house facing due South. The panels are mounted 9 ft off the ground at the bottom putting the top at about 17 ft off the gound. I set the tilt to 60 to optimize for winter collection. With the panles mounted to the side of the house I redid the plumbing to the panels and replaced the 1/4 tubing with 1/2 pex. I also replaced the two 006 pumps with a 009 pump wich is speced for 35 ft head opposed to the 9ft head the 006 is speced for. Up until this point I was running water in the system as it was summer and I was testing things out. With September upon us and the thret of frost I added the anifreeze to the system at this time as well. With all these changes I get about a gallon per minute return flow while the system is hot. While it is cold I have not measured the flow but can tell you it is much lower due to the viscosity increases in the antifreeze. With all these changes the system is working very well, a little too well on some days, I need a bigger storage tank. The first clear sunny day after both panels were connected resulted in the storage tank being at a boil and the relief valve opening and dumping water. I had the controller set to a high limit of 190F and when it shut off the flow stop and the panel went up to 300F boiling the water in the solar loop as well. I fortunaly had the fore thought to connect the temp and pressure relief to the floor drain to avoid any flood conditions. The solar loop is non pressurized and produced steam in the basement thought the vent. To keep this from reoccurring I have been dumping hot water down the drain to controll the max temp and keep things below a boil. This fix this problem I need a much larger storage tank or a way to use the extra heat. My plan for now is add a heat dump to the solar loop that heats the house though a hydronic kick space heater. I have this almost completed. This will work during the winter months, but not for the summer. I plan to add a much larger home built storage tank. This is currently where I am at.