Your questions answered (FAQ)

1.How does a solar heating system work?
2.How do I decide the size of my SunTank system?
3.Will I have hot water at night?
4.What happens in winter?
5.Will a hailstorm damage the panels?
6.What happens in freezing weather?
7.Will I still be able to use my existing storage tank?
8. How hot does the water get with solar heating?
9. What savings will I get on my electricity bill with a SunTank system?
10. What is the life expectancy of my SunTank system?
11. What are the SunTank installation options?
12. What are the basic requirements needed to install a solar system?
13. Are there any maintenance requirements?
14. What is the SunTank system guarantee period?

1. How does a solar heating system work?

The SunTank solar heating system comprises of a hot water storage tank and solar heat collector panels.
The glass-covered collector consists of a flat, black aluminium heat-absorbing plate that is precision-fitted
onto a copper manifold where the water runs. Through a thermo-siphon effect (in which hot water rises)
hot water circulates between the collectors and the tank while the sun is out and is stored at the end of
the day in an insulated storage tank.

All SunTank systems are equipped with an electrical heating element as a back up, controlled by a
thermostat for those odd days when the sun's energy is insufficient for water heating.


 See animation

2. How do I decide the size of my SunTank system?

Generally speaking you should choose the largest system you can afford. The number of people in your
household and their hot water consumption needs determine the size of the SunTank system that you
would need.

As a rule-of-thumb, an average person consumes 50 litres of hot water per day.

For example:

How the system works

Technical Information

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3. Will I have hot water at night?

SunTank systems are designed to supply hot water 24 hours a day. The hot water collected during the
day is retained in the storage tank. The insulated storage tank is perfectly capable of retaining hot water
overnight.

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4. What happens in winter?

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5. Will a hailstorm damage the panels?

SunTank's collector panels are made of 4mm-thick hail resistant glass.

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6. What happens in freezing weather?

If you live in an area where freezing conditions occur regularly, you should opt for SunTank's indirect
system. With this system, an anti-freeze fluid contained in a closed-circuit system circulates between
the solar collectors and a heat exchanger in the storage tank. The heat exchanger then transfers the
heat from the anti-freeze fluid to the water in the storage tank.

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7. Will I still be able to use my existing storage tank?

Typically, the SunTank system comes complete with a storage tank and panels. However, if your storage
tank is fairly new or still in good condition you could choose the SunTank Conversion option where solar
panels are combined with your existing storage tank.


See illustration

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8. How hot does the water get with solar heating?

SunTank systems are designed to heat water to 65ºC, as is the case with any standard electrical storage
tank.

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9. What savings will I get on my electricity bill with a SunTank system?

In the average home almost half of the electricity consumption is attributed to heating
water. A SunTank system is capable of saving you 90% of the water heating
costs, reducing your electricity bill by nearly half.

See pie graph

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10. What is the life expectancy of my SunTank system?

SunTank systems are made of the finest raw materials and designed to last 20 years or more with regular
maintenance.

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11. What are the SunTank installation options?

SunTank domestic systems come in various configurations designed to meet a diverse range of needs
and requirements.

For ease of installation, good reliability and minimum maintenance requirements choose
On-roof installation. In-roof and pump-assisted installation are designed for visually sensitive home
owners. For flexible positioning of solar storage tank and improved solar efficiency choose pump-assisted
installation , pump assisted installations are offered with electrically driven pumps as well as
solar pumps.

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12. What are the basic requirements needed to install a solar system?

  To achieve the best results from a SunTank system, the following requirements apply:

• A solid roof, pitched or flat
• The roof should be exposed to direct sunlight throughout the day
• The solar collectors should be placed facing the equator

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13. Are there any maintenance requirements?

The maintenance of a SunTank system is minimal. With no moving parts, the system is designed to work
uninterrupted with only the following maintenance requirements:

• In Direct Systems - it is recommended that sediment at the bottom of the collector be flushed out
  once a year.
• In Indirect Systems -the anti-freeze fluid in this system needs to be inspected and if necessary
  topped-up every two years for maximum efficiently.

Maintenance can be done by SunTank or by the homeowner.

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14. What is the SunTank system guarantee period?

The SunTank system and all its components carry a 5-year warranty.

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