Solar Hot Water FAQs

How does Solar Hot Water Differ from PV or Solar Electricity?

PV, or Solar Electric, uses the energy trapped within sunlight to generate an electrical charge. This charge can then be stored and used to power any number of electronic and electric devices. Solar Hot Water, however, is also known as Solar Thermal, and used the tremendous energy trapped within sunlight to generate heat – this heat is then transferred by any number of mechanisms to water. We can use that water for nearly every hot water application – from domestic hot water use to radiant space heating to pool/spa heating. In, fact, Solar Thermal technology is much further advanced that PV technology today – a typical PV panel has an efficiency of 14 – 20% where a Solar Hot Water System has an efficiency of 80% or better – this makes Solar Hot Water Systems one of, if not, the most cost-effective and affordable uses of Solar Energy available today.

What can SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems be used for?

SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems are used across the United States and around the world for nearly every water heating application imaginable. Whether your application is residential, commercial, industrial, municipal or agricultural, SunMaxx Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors and Flat Plate Solar Collectors are perfect for the job. SunMaxx Solar Hot Water Systems shine in systems designed for Domestic Hot Water production, Radiant Floor and Space Heating, and Solar Pool and Spa/Hot Tub Heating.

What are Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors and How do They Work?

SunMaxx Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors are built with series of clear glass, vacuum sealed tubes with a special selective coating that allows solar radiation to pass through from the outside and traps it inside. This 360 degree collector design is the key principle advantage of Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors – it allows for great absorption earlier and later in the day when the sun is at odd angles for most solar collectors – leading to increased overall system efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The solar radiation then heats the copper heat pipe within the Evacuated Tube, which transfers its heat upward where it is passed to the water moving through the manifold through the specially designed condenser.