How the Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heater Collector Works

Product in this video: thesunbank.com/products
In this video we show you the heart of the Sunbank solar water heater: the evacuated tube solar collector. The vacuum tube collector is the most popular solar collector in the world and excels in cloudy and cold conditions. Any solar collector can make heat when it's hot and sunny outside, but the evacuated tube outperforms other collectors when you have less than ideal conditions, giving you more consistent year-round heat.

[@guiltfreehotwater4354]

Yes! That Vacuum is so Essential! its the BEST Insulation! the Heat gets Trapped and only way out is up the Heat Pipe!

[@SunbankSolar]

You're right - it's pretty incredible technology!

[@abigaillis7392]

Thank you for the great explanation!

[@SunbankSolar]

You bet!

[@shahmabdulnafeaw.j.7268]

Dude amazing, v.good to the point explanation

[@SunbankSolar]

Glad you liked it!

[@BigDave1125]

Nice video

[@SunbankSolar]

Thanks!

[@putonsemiO]

thanks bro❤

[@SunbankSolar]

No problem!

[@slevinshafel9395]

Nice details and what parts are each on the tube. But you forget mention what is the black material and if is atached tu the iner tube or can be replaced.

[@SunbankSolar]

Indeed - that is the selective coating which, like a black car, absorbs the sunlight as heat and does not let it escape. It actually has three layers to maximize infrared absorption as well, which is why it works so well even on cloudy days.

[@malcolmpierce825]

Is there a way to heat a livestock water trough in below freezing temperatures? We have a few 100 gallon water troughs that are too far to get electricity to and we're looking for alternatives!

[@SunbankSolar]

Yeah, absolutely. You could mount a system next to the trough and use a solar powered pump and a stainless steel coil to heat the water in the trough and keep it above freezing. We've helped people design similar systems because of the lack of available power. Give us a call if you'd like to chat about it.

[@georgeedgel1209]

Tell us more about the barium plug seen at 2:14. I notice that not all manufacturers have that feature.

[@SunbankSolar]

Every vacuum tube should have barium to help maintain the vacuum. We're not sure of any that don't, at least.

[@travisscott1858]

In central Florida I'm assuming this would work well. So i would use my hot water heater as a catch and it would only come on if temp was to low?

[@SunbankSolar]

That's right - plenty of sun in central Florida. The Sunbank could either be installed as a pre-heater to your conventional water heater - meaning the cold water goes to the solar system first - or you could bypass your conventional water heater and just use the Sunbank with the electric backup element. If you install it as a pre-heater, then the Sunbank will heat the water and for 6-8 months it will keep it above 120F and you'll like use no backup energy/your water heater won't turn on. In the winter you'll use some backup heat.

[@Speak_Out_and_Remove_All_Doubt]

How effective would these tubes be at heating a home? Do you have any kind of numbers for how much heat they can produce on your average winter's day? And how does this compare to how much heat a central heating boiler would churn out to heat an average sided house? This is a project for an old person living on their own, they currently don't have heating and the winters are getting too much for them in their old age. They don't have much money so I only have one shot at getting this right. I would really like to be green but I have to be realistic also, would a few of these panels produce enough heat to heat radiators around a house?

[@SunbankSolar]

Great question (sorry for the delayed response - am just now seeing all of these comments). Typically speaking, we do not recommend these systems for radiant heating. And that is because their is the least solar radiation while there is the greatest heat demand. If cost weren't a concern, you could build an oversized system. But I would recommend a more conventional system in your case.

[@Speak_Out_and_Remove_All_Doubt]

@@SunbankSolar thanks for the reply, sadly I came to the same conclusion too. I have seen a few cool projects on KZbin where they created almost a small, exceptionally well insulated swimming pool to store a few days with of the sun's heat but that is a much bigger project than we were looking for. I really wanted it to be a green project but sadly the reality is that it's very difficult to generate heat at those times you most want it and things like batteries wouldn't really cut it for heating a house. So I think all we can do it burn gas and try to offset the carbon.

[@SunbankSolar]

Depending on your climate, this could be a good use for a heat pump. I have a heat pump on my house that does heating and cooling and I love it. It only consumes electricity and we cover all of that electricity with PV production, so our house is net zero. And electricity grids have increasingly clean energy sources, so even without solar panels, heat pumps are a way to ensure your carbon footprint will continue to shrink as the years go by. If you wanted to do radiant heating, you could use a heat pump water heater to the same effect. Appreciate that you're looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint - hope that helps!

[@Gatnor]

Does its efficiency deteriate after years of use?

[@SunbankSolar]

This is not like solar photovoltaic (PV) panels where you would expect degradation.

[@mahadjaboob4877]

Hi im planning to buy solar water heater could you tell me which is the best

[@SunbankSolar]

Depending on the number of people using it, you'll either want the SB-40G (40 gallon) or SB-80G (80 gallon). The SB-40G is typically good for 1-2 people and the SB-80G for 3+. thesunbank.com/products/sunbank-80-gallon-solar-water-heater/

[@swedensy]

How do you get the top part sealed to the unit?

[@SunbankSolar]

The condenser bulb fits into a manifold in the tank that is perfectly sized to receive it. The entire tube is held in place by the tailstock that holds the bottom of the tube and keeps it held up against the tank.

[@gechove1154]

How long it takes to warm up after using the whole tank?

[@SunbankSolar]

You rarely "use the whole tank." I say that because if you have the backup heating element installed, then it simply kicks on when the temp falls below the set point. If you are just using the Sunbank as a pre-heater then it typically stays above 120F for 6 months of the year (climate dependent) and then is between 90-120 for the shorter 6 months of the year. But, to answer your question - on a sunny day the Sunbank temperature can increase by 70F with only solar input.

[@KoiAquaponics]

@@SunbankSolar but how long does it take for a full tank? Can I use a pump to run pool water through it and warm up my pool for cheap?

[@SunbankSolar]

To heat up a full tank from 55F (ground water temp) to 120F (shower temp) takes a full summer day. But as I said in the previous comment, it is only on the first day the system is installed that it starts at 55F. Regarding the pool, people often put excess heat from their system into a pool (using a heat exchanger) but for a dedicated pool system most people go with cheaper collectors that can't produce shower temps but can provide heat for pools. We sell flat plate collectors on our website that are often used for pools.

[@charlesamieldionisio9981]

what happens when the water in the tank is near boiling?

[@SunbankSolar]

The system has a temperature and pressure (T/P) valve that opens if the system gets close to boiling. This allows hot water to escape (to a safe place like a gutter) and to be replaced with cold water to cool down the system and protect the integrity of the tank. thesunbank.com/overheat-protection/

[@MrAgatto2]

what make model is it ?

[@SunbankSolar]

The Sunbank SB-80G - thesunbank.com/products/sunbank-80-gallon-solar-water-heater/

[@krishneellall]

Where can we buy this?

[@SunbankSolar]

You can purchase on our website, thesunbank.com, but it's usually better to give us a call first so that we can make sure that you get all of the right parts for your specific project.

[@offgridwanabe]

True but living where Palm trees grows is the real reason you have lots of hot water. lol

[@SunbankSolar]

Happy you brought this up because it is a good myth to dispel. This system is located in Santa Cruz, CA, a fine place for solar, but where it is often foggy and below 50 degrees at night...in the summer! Palm trees grow in places that don't have hard freezes. We have so many of these systems installed and working perfectly on the east coast and in places that DO freeze and definitely do not have palm trees. You don't have to live in southern Arizona to have solar - every BTU created in all 50 states reduces our emissions. Thanks for the comment.