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frequent asking questions (faq)
About CollectorsQ: What type of Solar Collectors are available?
We carry Evacuated Tubes Collectors available
with 10, 20, 25 and 30 tubes. We
also carry Thermo-siphon Solar Water
Heaters and Flat Plate Solar
Collectors.
Q: How do Evacuated Tube Collectors work?
Evacuated Tube Collectors are made of a several glass tubes, vacuum sealed and coated with special heat absorption layer to trap
the heat
inside the tube after the sun light passes through the glass. The solar radiation heats a copper heat pipe inside the evacuated tube which transfers the heat to the water in the manifold.
Q: What are Flat Plate Solar Collectors?
Flat-Plate Collectors are flat thin boxes with a series of copper tubes inside covered with a transparent glass or plastic. As water passes through the collector it is heated
up by
the solar radiation. Flat-plate collectors are less expensive than evacuated tubes, and indicated
for warmer climates.
Q: What are Thermo-siphon Solar Collectors?
Thermo-siphon is a complete Solar Water Heater including collector and storage tank. The water is heated directly within the collector and flow by thermal convection to the storage
tank mounted directly above the collector. Thermo-siphon
are close loop - the potable water in the tank is separated from the heat
exchanger, which allows for the use of Glycol.
Q: What applications are suitable for Solar Water Heating?
Solar Water Heating has been used around the globe.
For residential, commercial, industrial, municipal or agricultural
applications, solar water heating will do the
job.
Q: Explain the difference between Solar Panels and Solar
Collectors for Solar Water Heating ?
Solar panels are used to generate electricity. Solar collectors are used
to collect energy from the sun to convert into heat - the heat is then transferred to
the water. Solar technology for heating is more efficient than the
photovoltaic technology. For most solar panels, the efficiency is around
15% and for solar water heating the efficiency is nearly 80% or
more.
Q: How can I use Solar Hot Water in my Home?
There are many ways you can use Solar Water Heating in your home and save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars
in energy bills. Hot water is used for shower and cleaning. An average
person uses 20 - 30 gallons of hot water every day. Solar Water System
are designed to provide 60 to 80% of your hot water needs. Solar Water
Heaters can also provide heat for the environment using radiant floor
heating, baseboard radiator heating, and through forced hot air with an
air-over heat exchanger. For heating pools, hot tub or spa, a Solar
Water Heater can reduce electricity, propane, or natural gas
consumption.
Q: Can a Solar Water Heater be used in my Office?
Solar Water Heaters can be used in any application where hot water is needed.
Q: Will a Solar Water Heater Work in a Cloudy Day?
Solar Water Heaters work with direct sunlight or solar radiation. Even in cloudy days Evacuated Tube Collectors
may work well, nevertheless with less performance than in a bright, sunny day.
Q: Will a Solar Water Heater Work in the Northeast or Northwest?
Evacuated Tube Collectors are indicated for colder climates. In Northern weathers, during a significant portion of the year the sun is at low angles in the sky, the days are extremely
short, and the temperatures are often freezing, or barely above. Evacuated Tube Collectors are particularly suitable
for these conditions - their unique 360 degree collection area make them
ideal for capturing sunlight at many angles, increasing the period of optimum absorption, and coupled with a closed-loop glycol system provide adequate freezing protection
in all temperatures.
Q: Are Solar Water Heaters indicated for pool or spa
heating?
Yes. Pool Heating is considered one of the most efficient and cost-effective uses of
the sun for water heating. Heating a pool or spa requires significant
amount of fuel or electricity. Solar energy can reduce drastically the
monthly energy bill.
Q: What Collectors should I use for pool heating?
Evacuated Tube Collectors or Flat-Plate Collectors are suitable for pool
or spa heating.
Q: How Much Cost a Solar Water Heater?
Depends on the type, size and application. The average cost for a solar
water heater for a family of 4 is under $5,000 and for a large
commercial installation can cost many thousands of dollars.
Q: What is the Payback?
Typically, a Solar Water Heater pays for itself in 6 to 12 years depending
on how much energy is used.
Q: How Much Hot Water Is Used in a Typical House?
This depends on the number of people living in house. It has become
a standard 20 and 25 gallons per person of hot
water every day. For instance, for a family of 4, we want a Solar Hot Water
Heater that produces about 80 gallons of hot water a day.
Q: Which Fuels Are Used For Heating Water?
Common fuels are electricity, natural gas, and propane. Fossil fuels are extremely dirty,
bad for the environment, and expensive. Solar energy is free and clean
source of energy.
Q: How Much Money is Spent by the Average Household for Heating Water?
A close inspection on monthly energy bills can
show. For most families, the cost for heating water accounts for nearly 20% or more of
the energy bill.
Q: How to size a Solar Water Heater?
For Domestic Hot Water the daily average consumption is 20 gallons of hot water per person.
Multiply this number by the number of people in the household. Each evacuated
tube heats approximately 2 gallons of hot water a day.
Q: What is the Best Angle to Install a Solar Collector?
A general rule of thumb is to install the Solar Collectors at your Latitude plus 15 degrees. However, if your roof pitch falls within 5 - 10 degrees of this measurement, you can still simply
flush-mount the solar collector on the roof. Additionally, there are
special installation angles designed to balance the performance of the
collector between summer and winter for best performance.
Q: On Which Direction Should We Install a Solar Collector?
Solar collectors should be installed in the Northern Hemisphere, facing South and in the Southern Hemisphere, facing North.
For the purpose of solar collector installation, when we refer to "South" we mean the "True South" not "Magnetic South" - this is know as Azimuth.
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