There has been a large amount of confusion regarding the requirements of SANS 10400-XA and the installation of Retrofit solar geysers as an installation option for SANS 10400-XA compliance on new property developments.

With Retrofit installations been a cheaper installation, developers are opting for the retrofit systems but are unaware that the installation will not be compliant as per the requirements of SANS 10400-XA and SANS 1307. This also becomes an issue for the plumber issuing the PIRB COC as it will fail on an Audit.

What is the requirement of SANS 10400-XA?

XA2 – Not more than 50% of the annual volume of domestic hot water should be supplied by means of electrical resistance heating, ie 50% or more of the hot water used must be heated by energy sources other than electricity.

So with a standard electrical geyser been used as a solar retrofit installation the standing heat loss on the cylinder does not allow for 50% alternative heating, as the water in the tank cools down over night or during winter seasons the geyser will be required to use an electrical element to heat the water , thus not allowing for the required 50% as per SANS 10400-XA2

If we take a closer look at SANS 10400-XA it states, the following regarding Solar hot water heating installations.

SANS 10400-XA Point 4.1.1

4.1.1 in order to comply with functional regulation XA2, contained in part XA of the National Building Regulations, the following guidance is provided:

a. The volume of the annual average hot water heating requirements shall be calculated in accordance with table 2 and 5 of SANS 10252-1 and

b. If solar water heating systems are used, these shall comply with SANS 1307, SANS 10106 , SANS 10254 and SAN 10252-1

Where some might find difficulty in getting the full picture of all the solar water heating system and installation requirements is when the numerous normative referenced standards are not examined, which is where a lot of the detail resides. These include SANS 151, SANS 60335-2-21, SANS 10254, SANS 198, SANS 10152-1, as well as NRCS VC 8055 and VC 9006 etc

SANS 10106 5.1.6 in turn requires that the solar water heating system must comply with SANS 1307.

It is therefore clear that both the solar water heating system must comply with SANS 1307 (which includes the 2 main components – the collector and the storage tank (3.1.6), as well as all the prescribed control and safety valves, pipe-work thermal insulation), and secondly the solar water heating system installation (which covers many aspects as well) must comply with SANS 10106.

SANS 1307 specifies the tests, the design and performance of some of the components separately (like hail, condensation, cover strength etc. tests on the collectors, other tests on the storage tank, as well as other tests on the components together as a system, such as thermal performance, standing losses, freeze resistance etc.

SANS 1307 compliance cannot be achieved by the sum of the individual components on their own, tested separately.

There is no test in SANS 1307 or in any other SANS standard for the thermal performance of the collector on its own. You cannot therefore test a collector on its own and then mix and match it to any other storage tank and then prove or certify compliance of such a combination as a SANS 1307 system.

So in conclusion any inspectorate like PIRB or the municipality or any other inspection or approvals authority (Dept. Energy, CEF, etc) or body, needs proof in the form of a valid and current SANS 1307 system test report, mark certificate or JASWIC listing and certificate.

If a retrofit system is to be used at a new development then a SANS 1307 test report will need to be provide by either the manufacturer, importer or plumber doing the installation and presented to the developer or consumer as proof that the complete installation is compliant and has been tested in full to the requirements of SANS 1307.

The installation will also require the plumber to provide the consumer with a copy of the SANS1307 test report and a PIRB COC as per the requirements of SANS 10106