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Solar Roof Pump FAQ's

How About Great Back-Up Plan to DRAIN Dangerous & Damaging Ponding Water from Your Flat Roof?

More information about The Roof Sentinel Solar Powered Roof Drain Pump:

The Patented Roof Sentinel Solar Powered Roof Pump is the ultimate in simplicity; however, many years of engineering and updates have gone into this unique design by a licensed roofing contractor and a team solar engineers. The Roof Sentinel Solar Roof Pump is the first ponding pump on the market with patented Smart-Chip technology. Even some competitors are now attempting to copy this protected technology. But there is only one Roof Sentinel! No company can match our technology and spun aluminum casing with DuPont’s new reflective powder coated surface.

Depending on the surface of the roof, the Roof Sentinel Solar Powered Roof Drain Pump is automatically actuated when the water reaches a depth of 1 ¾” (Basically, in the middle area of the unit’s connection bib). For shallower depths you will need the patent pending Sentinel Spun Aluminum Pan Sump Flashing, which will need to be installed by a roofing professional. The pump can remove up to about 400 gallons of water per hour through the siphon effect. For more information please see our page on The Siphon Effect. In most cases it will drain down to 1/8”-1/2” depending on several factors including the roof surface.

The Roof Sentinel Solar Powered Roof Drain Pump has patent “Smart-Chip” technology, which creates a siphon effect and allows the ponding pump to drain the ponding water indefinitely in the unlikely event that the sky is overcast for several days, not allowing the solar panel to recharge the battery. This new-patented technology can allow the ponding pump to operate for up to 3 ½ weeks without ANY sun! When the sun comes back out, the battery recharges itself. The charging is precisely managed through a digital charge-controller, which insures no over-charging of the deep cycle gel battery or the new Lithium Battery.

Q: How do I install my Sentinel Solar Roof Pump?

A: Set your new ponding pump in the lowest area of the ponding water. We recommend using PVC piping instead of a garden hose. Hoses have a tendency to kink and stop the siphon. Run your PVC piping to the edge of the building or, to the in-roof drain or to the wall scupper. Make sure that the pipe goes down a minimum of five to six feet below the roof line. The farther the end of the PVC piping goes the better and stronger your siphon will be. Make sure to put the switch in the “on” position... (UP).

Q: How do I install the battery?

Q: If it’s cloudy and raining for days on end how does The Roof Sentinel keep working?

A: First of all, this is an auxiliary pump and should not be used for the main drainage of your roof. The battery-back up will remain charged by the oversized solar panel and can even last up to 3 ½ weeks without any sun. The siphon will allow the water to continue to drain even if the battery goes dead. Some charging still happens on cloudy days just not as much. None at night.

Q: Why do I need to run my drain line a minimum of 36” downward at the end?

A: It is better to go down much farther (5-6 feet) the farther the better! This provides the siphon to allow water to continue to drain. The patent pending “Smart-Chip” technology will continually have the pump cycle every 8-10 minutes.

Q: How can I test the operation of the pump without water?

A: First, put the switch in the up position which is ON. Simply hold the unit upside down wait 15-20 seconds and listen to see if the pump is running. If you hear a hum, this means you pump is working! Do NOT allow the pump to run more than 5 seconds without water running through it.

Q: Can I just put my new pump on the roof and forget about it?

A: Absolutely not! Like with all mechanical equipment it must be maintained. Because mother nature is so unpredictable, it is always a good idea to inspect your pump after each storm. We always recommend inspecting your roof anyway, check on your pump making sure it is in working order, drain lines are good and it is in the correct area of your troubled roof. During the non-rainy season remove the pump from the roof and put in storage until the rain returns.

Q: If my battery goes dead can I replace it myself?

A: Yes, it takes very little time to replace the battery. This is why it is important to remove the Sentinel Solar Roof Pump from your roof during the non-rainy season. We will be coming out with the new Lithium Batteries later this year.

Q: Can my new pump be my primary way to drain my roof?

A: NO, this is designed to be a back-up plan to drain ponding water off your roof if a drain gets plugged or if you have problem areas that don’t drain correctly.

Q: I can hear the pump come on but the water is not going down what do I do?

A: First of all, make sure that the end of your pipe or hose is at least five or six feet below the roof line. Remember, the pump has a delay of 10-20 seconds before it kicks on. While the ponding pump will drain down to 1/8”-1/2” (depending on the roof’s surface) it takes a minimum of 1 ¾” of water to initiate the pump action. If your ponding area is below that you will have to have the patent pending Sentinel Spun Aluminum Pan Sump Flashing installed by a roofing professional. Using the SAPS will also allow you to virtually remove most ponding water.

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