Solar Repair Kits

Solar Repair Kits

9 products

  • Solar Repair Kit, Plugs Only, 10 Pack

    Solar Repair Kit, Plugs Only, 10 Pack

    Solar Repair Kit, Plugs Only, 10 Pack

    Calzona

    SKU: PST-SRK-FAF-PA
    MPN: ELM-151-1009
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 0 Website Price Number: 0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"ELM-151-1009","warehouselocations":"Idaho Falls, ID","warranty":"12 Months"}
    $15.50
    $34.30 $15.50
  • Speedball Linoleum Cutter Handle - Red

    Speedball Linoleum Cutter Handle - Red

    Speedball Linoleum Cutter Handle - Red

    Speedball

    SKU: PST-4138
    MPN: 4138
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 0 Website Price Number: 0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"4138","saleprice":"0","warehouselocations":"Idaho Falls, ID","warranty":"12 Months"}
    $12.80
    $31.90 $12.80
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  • Ball Driver Tool, .050

    Ball Driver Tool, .050

    Ball Driver Tool, .050

    Bondhus

    SKU: PST-0602
    MPN: 0602
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 0 Website Price Number: 0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"0602","saleprice":"0","warehouselocations":"Idaho Falls, ID","warranty":"12 Months"}
    $10.10
    $22.80 $10.10
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  • Teflon Tape, 1/2' x 520'

    Teflon Tape, 1/2' x 520'

    Teflon Tape, 1/2' x 520'

    Teflon

    SKU: PST-TEFLON
    MPN: TEFLON
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 0 Website Price Number: 0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"TEFLON","warehouselocations":"Idaho Falls, ID","warranty":"12 Months"}
    $9.90
    $17.70 $9.90
  • Solar Repair Kit

    Solar Repair Kit

    Solar Repair Kit

    Calzona

    SKU: PST-SRK-FAF-B
    MPN: SRK-FAF-B
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 0 Website Price Number: 0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"SRK-FAF-B","warehouselocations":"Idaho Falls, ID","warranty":"12 Months"}
    $35.90
    $73.60 $35.90
  • Speedball Linoleum Cutter No. 5 large Gouge

    Speedball Linoleum Cutter No. 5 large Gouge

    Speedball Linoleum Cutter No. 5 large Gouge

    Speedball

    SKU: PST-4105-S
    MPN: 4105-S
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 2340.0 Website Price Number: 2340.0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"4105-S","saleprice":"0","warehouselocations":"Idaho Falls, ID","warranty":"12 Months","websiteprice":"23.4"}
    $9.60
    $20.30 $9.60
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  • Universal Solar Repair Kit

    Universal Solar Repair Kit

    Universal Solar Repair Kit

    Calzona

    SKU: PST-SRK-UNI-B
    MPN: SRK-UNI
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 0 Website Price Number: 0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"SRK-UNI","warranty":"12 Months"}
    $35.60
    $74.80 $35.60
  • Speedball No. 5 Large U-Gouge Linoleum Cutters - Box of 12

    Speedball No. 5 Large U-Gouge Linoleum Cutters - Box of 12

    Speedball No. 5 Large U-Gouge Linoleum Cutters - Box of 12

    Speedball

    SKU: PST-4105-12
    MPN: 4105
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 3990.0 Website Price Number: 3990.0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"4105","saleprice":"0","warehouselocations":"Idaho Falls, ID","websiteprice":"39.90"}
    $39.90
    $51.40 $39.90
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  • 3/8' Tube x 1/4' Pipe, White Acetal

    3/8' Tube x 1/4' Pipe, White Acetal

    Sold out

    3/8' Tube x 1/4' Pipe, White Acetal

    John Guest

    SKU: PST-PI011222S
    MPN: PI011222S
    Sale Price Value: 0 Sale Price Number: 0 Website Price Value: 0 Website Price Number: 0 All Metafields: {"mpn":"PI011222S"}
    $9.60
    $20.10 $9.60
    Sold out

Pool Solar Panel Repair Kits — FAFCO, Heliocol & SunStar Compatible

Repair leaking or damaged pool solar heating panels with solar panel repair kits compatible with FAFCO, Heliocol, and SunStar solar collectors. PST Pool Supplies stocks the repair plugs, tools, and hardware needed to seal tube leaks in rubber solar panels and restore your solar heating system to full operation, starting from $9.90.

Rubber mat-style pool solar panels (FAFCO, Heliocol, SunStar, and similar) consist of hundreds of small-diameter rubber tubes connected between a supply header and return header. The most common failure point is a cracked or split individual tube — caused by UV degradation, physical damage, freeze damage, or simple age-related brittleness. The repair method: a damaged tube is cut out with a linoleum cutter and plugged at both ends with a rubber tube plug (or the tube is bypassed entirely). The Solar Repair Kit — Plugs Only (10-pack) provides just the plugs for technicians who already have the cutting tool. The Standard Solar Repair Kit and Solar Repair Kit include plugs and a cutter tool. The Universal Solar Repair Kit is the most complete option — including plugs, machine screws for plug retention, a Speedball linoleum cutter, a cutter handle, and Teflon tape — everything needed for a complete field repair of FAFCO, Heliocol, and SunStar panels with or without ribbed header types. Individual components are also available separately: the Speedball Linoleum Cutter No. 5 Large Gouge (available individually and in a box of 12 for service companies) cleanly cuts rubber tubing without crushing or tearing; the Speedball cutter handle (red) accepts the No. 5 gouge blade; the Bondhus .050 ball driver tool tightens the machine screws that retain the tube plugs; the Teflon tape (1/2" × 520') seals threaded header connections; and the John Guest 3/8" tube × 1/4" pipe white acetal fitting is used in certain header bypass and repair configurations.

Solar panel tube leaks are almost always repairable without panel replacement. A single cracked tube in an otherwise functional panel can be isolated with two plugs in under 15 minutes — the repaired panel loses a small fraction of total flow capacity (one tube out of several hundred) but continues to function effectively. When multiple adjacent tubes in the same panel fail, the plugging method eventually reduces panel efficiency enough to warrant panel section replacement; FAFCO and Heliocol sell replacement panel sections for this scenario. Annual inspection of solar panels — looking for bubbled or cracked tube surfaces, water staining below panels on the roof, or reduced system output — allows small tube failures to be caught and repaired before they become larger leaks. Always depressurize the solar system (turn off the solar pump) before cutting and plugging tubes.

Shop solar panel repair kits and keep your pool's solar heating system running efficiently all season.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my pool solar panels need repair?
The most reliable indicators of a solar panel tube failure are: (1) Visible water dripping or spraying from the panel during system operation — look at the underside of the panels (from the ground if roof-mounted) while the solar pump is running. A cracked tube will spray or drip from a specific location on the panel. (2) Water staining or algae streaks on the roof or mounting surface below the panels — evidence of a slow leak that has been dripping for some time. (3) Reduced solar system output — if your pool is not gaining as much heat as it previously did under similar conditions, multiple tube failures may have reduced panel flow capacity. (4) Pressure drop — if your system has a pressure gauge, a drop in system pressure while the pump is running indicates a flow path leak. (5) Air bubbles in the return flow — when the solar system primes after startup, brief air bubbles are normal, but persistent air injection into the pool from the solar return indicates a leak on the suction side of the panels. Turn off the solar pump before inspecting panels for damage — pressurized water from a cracked tube can spray with surprising force.
How do I repair a cracked tube in a FAFCO or Heliocol solar panel?
Repairing a cracked solar panel tube with a plug kit is a straightforward process: (1) Turn off the solar pump and allow pressure to bleed down — open the manual air bleed valve if your system has one, or wait 2–3 minutes after pump shutdown. (2) Locate the damaged tube — look for the cracked or split section (often visible as a bulge, crack, or whitening of the dark rubber material). (3) Cut out the damaged section using the Speedball No. 5 linoleum cutter — make two clean cuts about 1" outside the damaged area on each side. The linoleum cutter's curved gouge blade slices cleanly through the rubber tube without crushing it. (4) Insert rubber plugs into both open tube ends left by the cut-out section. Twist the plug in fully — most Calzona plugs include a machine screw that tightens an internal expander to lock the plug firmly. (5) Tighten the machine screws with the .050 ball driver tool until snug — do not overtighten; finger-tight plus 1/4 turn is sufficient. (6) Restart the solar pump and inspect the repair area for leaks. A properly installed plug is a permanent repair for that tube section.
Are FAFCO, Heliocol, and SunStar solar panels the same and are the repair kits interchangeable?
FAFCO, Heliocol, and SunStar are the three major brands of rubber mat-style pool solar heating panels used in residential installations. While each brand has slight differences in tube diameter, tube wall thickness, and header design, the repair kit plug system is compatible across all three brands — the Universal Solar Repair Kit is specifically designed to work with "FAFCO, Heliocol & SunStar collectors, with or without ribbed header type panels." The rubber plugs seal tube openings within a range of tube diameters that covers all three systems. The linoleum cutter tool is universal for rubber tubing of the diameters used in all three brands. The primary variation between panel brands that affects repair approach is the header type: some panels use a plain (smooth) header while others use a ribbed header — the Universal Kit accommodates both. When ordering repair supplies, confirm whether your panels have ribbed or smooth headers and select the appropriate kit designation. If you are unsure of your panel brand, examine the header pipe for a manufacturer's stamp or label, or check the panel's installation documentation.
How many tube repairs can a solar panel sustain before it needs to be replaced?
There is no hard limit on the number of plug repairs a single panel can sustain from a structural standpoint — each plug repair is independent. However, efficiency considerations apply: each plugged tube represents a reduction in the panel's total flow capacity. For perspective, a standard FAFCO or Heliocol panel section contains approximately 200–400 individual tubes. Plugging 5–10 tubes reduces total flow by roughly 1–5%, which has negligible impact on heat output. When 20–30+ tubes in a single panel section are plugged, flow reduction becomes noticeable and the panel's heating contribution drops measurably. At that point, panel section replacement is more economical than continued plugging. A practical guideline: if you're performing more than 10–15 plug repairs in the same panel during a single service visit, consider ordering a replacement panel section for that location. FAFCO and Heliocol sell replacement panel sections in standard widths that can be installed in place of a heavily damaged section while reusing the existing header plumbing.