Will the glass evacuated tubes on the solar collector break easily?
Apricus collectors have surpassed all SRCC, SolarKeymark, and ISO9001:2000 hail impact, high wind, and weight load certification requirements. The easy to assemble frame is made of a highly durable all-weather stainless steel composite. This means your collector can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’!
Click on the links below to see videos of the evacuated tubes struck with a ball of ice and a steel ball.
Steel Ball Impact Test Video | Ice Block Impact Test
Will an Apricus Solar Collector be able to provide hot water during winter months?
Apricus collectors will continue to provide a percentage of your hot water during winter with the rest supplied by an electric or gas backup. Our North Europe and Canadian customers enjoy solar hot water even in the most threatening sub-zero winters.
What is the difference between flat plate and evacuated tube solar collectors?
Flat plate thermal solar collectors have been in use for several decades, but only in relatively small numbers, particularly in Western countries. Evacuated tubes have also been in use for more than 20 years, but have been much more expensive than flat plate, and therefore only chosen for high temperature applications or by those with money.
In recent years the production volume of evacuated tubes has exploded, resulting in greatly lower manufacturing and material costs. The result is that evacuated tubes are now similar in price to flat plate, but with the insulating benefits of the evacuated tube, they are set to become the default choice for thermal solar applications worldwide.
|
Green products tend to be more expensive than traditional products, how will installing a solar hot water collector save me money?
Going “green” actually saves you money! Would you rather rent a house or buy one? Buy! Would you rather “rent” your energy from the utility company or own it for yourself? Reduce your energy bill 30% or more, and become your own independent energy owner by installing an Apricus collector!
Will an Apricus Solar Collector provide hot water in cloudy weather?
Apricus collectors still convert a significant portion of the sun’s radiation into heat even during cloudy weather. Your normal gas or electric system will automatically compensate for any further energy needed. Even though it’s cloudy, you’re still saving!
How are Solar Hot Water collectors different from Photovoltaic (PV) panels?
Photo-voltaic cells (PV) use semiconductor-based technology to convert light energy directly into an electric current that can either be used immediately, or stored in a battery, for later use. PV panels are now becoming widely used as they are very versatile, and can be easily mounted on buildings and other structures. They can provide a clean, renewable energy source which can supplement and thus minimize the use of mains electricity supply. The disadvantage of PV panels is their high cost and relatively low energy conversion rate (only 13-15%).
Thermal energy can be used directly to heat water for household use. In many regions, solar water heaters are now a viable supplement or alternative to electric or gas hot water production. Thermal energy obtained from the sun can be used for a number of applications including producing hot water, space heating and even cooling via use of absorption chilling technology. Thermal solar has average efficiency levels of 60-75%
(4-5 times PV efficiency), and is therefore much cheaper per unit of energy produced.
|
