Angled mounting plate for a seasonally biased solar pool heating controller

Abstract

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Description

Field of the invention Disclosed herein is a mounting plate assembly for the angled mounting of a roof temperature sensor for a solar pool heating system controller. Background Typically, a thermistor type temperature sensor (hereafter referred to as a temperature sensor) for a solar pool heating system controller (hereafter referred to as a controller) is attached / glued to the roof near a set of thermal solar collectors (hereafter referred to as collector). Its purpose is to sense and monitor the roof temperature and to give an indicative approximation of the internal stagnation temperature experienced by the solar collectors, so that the controller can compare the pool water temperature to the collector’s momentary maximum achievable internal temperature and know when there is heat to be gained. However, firstly, if we consider any small section of a large roof mounted collector, we note adjacent sections of collector on all sides, which are of the same temperature as said small collector section; and hence as such, provide effective side insulation to all boundaries of said small collector section. To faithfully reproduce the collector’s internal temperature, the temperature sensor should have excellent or at least very good side insulation, but typically mounted temperature sensors are encased in a cylinder and are not mounted with side insulation, hence they tend to give cooler temperature readings than that which is experienced in the internals of roof mounted collectors. Secondly, pool heating solar collectors are typically very large, as air moves over a large area of collectors it heats up. If we re-examine any small section collector, we note 2026201967   16 Mar 2026 this results in warmer air experienced by said small section of collector than would be experienced by a mounted temperature sensor, since temperature sensors cannot be mounted on collectors or in the centre of a roof mounted collector, and are typically mounted off to one side of the collector on the roof near the edge or the roof, and hence they do not experience the same warm air coming of very near surrounding collector. As such they tend to run a little cooler than actual collectors. Thirdly, temperature sensor assemblies tend to be manufactured with the electronic thermistor (temperature sensor) mounted centrally inside a cylindrical container, this monitors the temperature inside the centre of the tube, while a tubular solar thermal collector will always have an optimal sun facing area (typically near the top area of the tube) where the sun hits the collector at a more normal to the surface angle, hence that section of the solar collector will be warmer than the central internals. Typically, during the day, the opposite of said top tube collector area (typically the bottom internal side) is not any cooler than pool water (due to the warming action of the roof underside), and hence there should be no loss from water in contract with the bottom of the tube. This means that the top warmer side should really be used to determine if there is heat to be gained verse the central of the tube. The temperature of the collector’s warmer side cannot be detected by a typically mounted temperature sensors (with a thermistor centrally located in its protective container) and in fact cannot be reproduced by such a temperature sensor, as that would need at least a passive tracking action. All of the above means, temperature sensors tend to underestimate the internal temperature of collectors, and this in turn means controllers today, tends to switch ON the solar pool heating pump too late in the morning and OFF too early in the afternoon. Furthermore, during the shoulder season it would be preferable if the solar system started even earlier to allow low COP factor heating conditions over extended running times as we want to prioritize pool heating over electrical system efficiency during such times. During summer we want the opposite, we want to prioritize electrical pump 2026201967   16 Mar 2026 efficiency over thermal efficiency, as typically we are much more confident there is always going to be enough heat in summer to bring the pool up to temperature at some point during the day. In other words, we want to seasonally bias the ON / OFF times of the controller. To do this we need a means for an installer to quickly and easily be able to change the angle of the mounting surface for the temperature sensor and to adhere the assembly to the roof. Furthermore, sometimes for East or West mounted collectors we want to run the pool heating system even if there is no direct sun on the collectors, for example in the early afternoon for East facing collectors (in the southern hemisphere, when the sun is starting go down), as there is heating benefit to running the solar heating system, even with only diffuse 200W / m2 radiation on the collector, due to the benefits of turning over of the swimming pool water in the afternoon to remove the stratification layer that develops on the pool during the day. Hence, for East or West facing collectors, the installer needs the ability to adjust the mounting surface of the temperature sensor to a flatter angle, instead of just mounting the temperature sensor on the East or West facing roof which will only get warm in the morning or afternoon respectively. Lastly, by making the controller turn the solar heating system ON faster we firstly, lower the start-up temperature of the collectors, which in turn lowers the thermal stress / shock / fatigue they experience during start-up, and secondly, with extended running times collectors experience less ON / OFF start-up fatigue working cycles overall, which in turn extends their life. Hence there is a need to address the above, and / or at least provide a useful alternative. Summary According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a solar mounting plate assembly comprising: 2026201967   16 Mar 2026 A first upwardly facing warming surface having a darkened external colour, on which can be mounted a temperature sensor; a second surface situated adjacent to said first surface, that provides a mounting base for mounting the assembly on a roof, or a fence or a wall surface; and an adjustment means that can change the angle between the said first and second surface to any obtuse or acute angle. In certain embodiments, the assembly further comprises an insulation layer situated under the first warming surface. Embodiments of the assembly may also comprise versions where the means for adjusting the angle between the two surfaces comprise a section of bendable sheet metal. Embodiments of the assembly may also comprise versions where the means for adjusting the angle between the two surfaces comprise a stiff hinge between the first and second surfaces. Embodiments of the assembly may also comprise versions where the first upwardly facing warming surface has a recess in its surface to retain and enclose a temperature sensor. Brief description of the drawings Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly with an adhered temperature sensor mounted on the first warming surface, with the assembly mounted on a flat roof structure; 2026201967   16 Mar 2026 P13051.AU Specification - 15 / 03 / 2026 - 5 - Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly with an adhered temperature sensor mounted on the first warming surface, with the assembly mounted on a vertical fence structure; Figs. 3 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly with an adhered temperature sensor mounted on the first warming surface, with the assembly mounted on vertical wall structure; Fig. 4 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly with an adhered temperature sensor mounted on the first warming surface, with the assembly mounted on an angled East / West roof structure; Fig. 5 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly with an adhered temperature sensor mounted on the first warming surface, with the assembly mounted on an East facing fence but with the warming plate oriented facing North; and Fig. 6 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly with a temperature sensor mounted on the first warming surface via a curved retaining recess formed within the first warming surface. Detailed description Fig. 1 side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly 100 with an adhered temperature sensor 12 mounted on the first warming surface 10, with the assembly mounted on a flat roof structure 22. The angle between the second base roof mounting surface 18, is acute in this instance so that the temperature sensor 12 is angled and facing more of the shoulder season sun. This is done to bias the sensor to picking up more of the shoulder season sun vs the summer sun, to prioritize longer run times for the solar pool heating system during shoulder times. Fig 1 also shows the insulation layer 16 situated on the back the first warming surface 10. The temperature sensor 12 in this image is adhered to the warming surfacing using a strip of roofing silicon glue 14. The mounting surface 18 can also be adhered to the roof using silicon roofing glue. 2026201967   16 Mar 2026 Fig. 2 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly 100 with an adhered temperature sensor 12 mounted on the first warming surface 10, with the assembly mounted on a vertical fence structure 28. The invention gives the installer the option of safe mounting of the temperature sensor 12 on a fence, rather than risky roof mounting and is well suited for sales to DIY home owners, without the usual disadvantage of a cooler temperature sensor as is usually the case if the temperature sensor 12 is not mounted up on a warm roof. Here the darkened first warming surface 10 will warm up the temperature to mimic the higher temperature the collectors experience up on the roof. The mounting base surface 18 can be drilled though and screws can be used to mount the assembly (not shown) or simply silicon adhesive can be used. In this instant the opposite side of the flat surface 18 can also be used for mounting. Figs. 3 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly 100 with an adhered temperature sensor 12 mounted on the first warming surface 10, with the assembly mounted on vertical wall structure 26. Again, the advantage is that the installer has the option of safe mounting of the temperature sensor 12 on a wall, rather than risky roof mounting and is suited to DIY home owners, without the usual disadvantage of a cooler temperature sensor as is usually the case if the temperature sensor 12 is not mounted up on a warm roof. Fig. 4 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly 100 with an adhered temperature sensor 12 mounted on the first warming surface 10, with the assembly mounted on an angled East / West roof structure 24. For such cases, the sensor and warming plate face a more sky normal angle to catch more diffuse insolation for an extended run time in the early afternoon for an East facing sensor, or an extended run time in the late morning for a West facing sensor. 2026201967   16 Mar 2026 Also in this example, the edges of the assembly can be adhered down to the roof structure and used for mounting purposes (not shown). The angle between the two surface is obtuse in this case, however alternatively an acute angle could be used and the structure turned around 180Deg and mounted using surface 18, so that the mounted angle of the first warming surface 10 is the same (not shown). Fig. 5 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly 100 with an adhered temperature sensor 12 mounted on the first warming surface 10, with the assembly mounted on an East facing fence but with the warming plate oriented facing North. The mounting is accomplished using a single screw 30, in such a way that the pitch of the warming surface 10 can easily be adjusted to suit. Fig. 6 is a side perspective view of the invention showing an angled mounting plate assembly 100 with a temperature sensor 12 mounted on the first warming surface 10 via a curved retaining recess 32 formed within the first warming surface 10. Such a retainment recess means saves the installer the need to adhere the sensor using silicon but also encases the sensor in a warming metal shell, as heat collected from the warming surface conducts around the temperature sensor 12 warming it. The above shows the versatility and usefulness of the invention in both warming the temperature sensor to provide longer solar pool heating system running times, and in providing the installer a means to easily angle and hence bias the warming of the temperature sensor to any compass direction and pitch. Reference numeral list First warming surface 10 Temperature sensor 12 Silicon roofing glue 14 2026201967   16 Mar 2026 Insulation layer 16 Mounting base surface 18 Adjustable mounting angle 20 Near flat roof structure 22 East / West facing roof 24 Vertical wall 26 Vertical fence 28 Mounting Screw 30 Retaining recess 32 10

Claims

1. A solar mounting plate assembly comprising:a first upwardly facing warming surface having a darkened external colour, on which is mounted a temperature sensor;a second surface adjacent said first surface, that provides a base for mounting the assembly on a roof, or a fence or a wall surface; andan adjustment means that can change the angle between the said first and second surfaces to any obtuse or acute angles.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprises an insulation layer situated under the first warming surface.

3. The assembly of claim 1, where the means for adjusting the angle between the two surfaces comprise a section of bendable sheet metal.

4. The assembly of claim 1, where the means for adjusting the angle between the two surfaces comprise a stiff hinge between the first and second surfaces.

5. The assembly of claim 1, where the first upwardly facing warming surface has a recess in its surface to retain and enclose a temperature sensor.

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