Question 1

What is the lifetime of the system and what is the performance degradation?

Accepted Answer

Hello,Solar thermal panels are different from PV panels in that they do not have a predictable degradation mechanism based on material physics. Therefore a prediction of the life of a panel is not really possible. However here are a few pieces of information that may be helpful.The frame and mechanical components of the panels are thick architectural grade aluminum. Therefore the lifetime of these parts will be in the many decades range. The water or heat transfer liquid are contained in copper tubing therefore the lifetime is comparable to copper plumbing. There is considerable uncertainty in this as a lot depends on the characteristics of the water. With glycol as the heat transfer liquid the lifetime of this component should again be in the many decades range.The coating of the absorber plate is the component that determines the efficiency and performance. Unlike PV panels which rely on semiconductor physics this component relies on simply the ability to absorb light (remain black). We do not have any lifetime data on this component, but in our original test samples (8 years old) there is no appreciable degradation of absorption.Finally the glazing is polycarbonate. This component is guaranteed not to yellow for 10 years by the manufacturer, meaning that no reduction in transmittance is to be expected for this time. After that a gradual drop in transmittance will bring about a reduction in performance. Unfortunately there is no solid data on this reduction, but we estimate it to be of the order of 3% per year.The remainder of the system consists largely of standard plumbing parts so the lifetime is equivalent to the average residential plumbing system.The PV panel to power the pump has the durability characteristics of crystalline silicon photovoltaics, however since this component's power generation efficiency has almost no effect on the thermal performance of the system this factor is not important.Thank You,Heliatos Solar

Question 2

You said use a shutoff valve on heater top and bottom.What runs the valves,pressure elec.and are the valves in the kit.

Accepted Answer

Hello,
The kit comes with a "bottom feed connector" that has the appropriate shutoff valves. If you use a different way to connect the solar heater to the water heater you will have to supply the shutoff valves. These will be manually operated standard ball valves. Their purpose is to allow you to close off the system if needed.
Thank You,
Heliatos Solar

Question 3

I plan to replace a tankless heater with a solar system. Can you recommend an appropriate tank since one is not included in your kit. Thanks.

Accepted Answer

Hello,Any standard residential water heater is the least expensive choice for a tank. We recommend a 40 or 50 gallon electric water heater as they are usually the least expensive. You can connect the electrical heating elements as a backup but don't have to.Thank YouHeliatos Solar

Question 4

Are the clear solar panel covers plastic or glass?

Accepted Answer

Hello,The glazing is UV protected solar grade twinwall polycarbonate. The advantage of this material over glass is that it is unbreakable, has better insulation characteristics, and slightly better light transmission.Thank You,Heliatos Solar

ASIN	B008KC93TE
Best Sellers Rank	#3,282,337 in Tools & Home Improvement ( See Top 100 in Tools & Home Improvement ) #3,252 in Water Heaters
Brand Name	Heliatos
Customer Reviews	5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars (7)
Included Components	5 SW-38 Panels, All fittings, Adapters, and Connectors, Wire, 1 TopsFlo TD5 Pump, 1 Bottom Feed Connector, 1 Grade A 10W PV panel, Installation Instructions
Item Weight	65 pounds
Manufacturer	Heliatos Solar
Manufacturer Part Number	077.0050
Material Type	Copper
Maximum Power	10 watts
Model Number	SW-38
Unit Count	1 Count

5 Panel Standard SW-38 Hybrid Solar Water Heater Kit- Single Row Installation

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