This large solar hot water collector system is mounted on the Rodd Moncton Hotel roof. Oriented perfectly toward the southern sky, it is an enormous array. However, very little information about the manufacturer and initial installation are available, because it was installed in 1975, when the hotel was built, making it one of the oldest solar hot water installations in the province. The manager has observed that the pipes coming from the collectors were at one time hotter than they currently are. The collectors appear to be worn with some leakages around the panels and the pipes. Hot water collected from the 2-dozen or so collectors on the roof is pumped to eight hot water tanks. The hotel pool draws on that stored energy during the summer months to raise pool temperatures to a comfortable level. The system is drained each year before winter to prevent freezing. Although they may be in need of a refurbishment, the fact that the collectors still function after 35 years of service is a testament to their durability and cost-effectiveness.
