Solar Pumping Solutions
solar hot water
Frequently asked questions - solar hot water
- How do the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar evacuated tubes work?
- How does the tanks gas or electric booster work?
- How are the Hills evacuated tubes effected by frost and cold?
- What happens if one of my evacuated tubes is broken?
- What is the timing and cost of the average installation?
- How do the Hills ESTEEM TM Evacuated tubes compare to other systems on the market cost wise?
- What are the available government rebates?
- What is the warranty on the Hills ESTEEM TM product?
- What RECs do the Hills systems attract?
- How is the Hills system installed and who is responsible for this?
- How many people can a Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water system support?
- Does the Hills ESTEEM TM system benefit the value of my property?
- How are the energy savings calculated?
- Should I connect my Hills ESTEEM TM system to 'Off Peak' electricity or other different tariffs?
- Can I run my system without a gas or electric backup?
- What is the average recovery time on my investment?
- Is the Hills ESTEEM TM system effective in the cold?
- What happens on a cloudy day?
- Can the Hills ESTEEM TM system be used with an existing hot water system?
- What is the physical area and visual impact of the evacuated tubes on my roof?
- What if my roof is flat / very steep / made from different materials?
- Is the system a danger in fire prone areas?
- What kind of temperatures does the Hills ESTEEM TM system heat to?
- Is there any ongoing maintenance required?
- Can Hills ESTEEM TM Solar Hot Water Systems be used for commercial hot water production?
- Can the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar Hot Water System be used for pool heating?
- Can the gas backup be swapped from LPG to Natural Gas if required at a later date?
- How do I compare apples with apples when it comes to solar hot water heaters?
- List the main advantages of the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar evacuated tube collectors over flat plate collectors?
- Does my roof aspect have any impact on the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar collector?
1. How do the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar evacuated tubes work?
Most Australians are familiar with flat plate technology when it comes to solar heating of water. Evacuated tubes are not as new as you might think, in fact they were developed over 30 years ago by an Australian at the University of Sydney! The technology was snapped up by Europe for very obvious reasons - it works extremely well in the cold!
The Hills ESTEEM TM evacuated tubes are basically long cylinders - meaning no matter what time of the day, they face the sun and as long as there is light in the sky they will be absorbing the sun's energy, in contrast to a flat panel which will only reach maximum efficiency in the middle of the day as well as sustain considerable efficiency loss due to reflection off the flat glass panel.
The Hills Hills ESTEEM TM evacuated tubes have reached efficiency comparisons in winter of up to 160% greater performance than a standard flat panel.
Click here to go view in dependant efficiency comparison graphs.
The Hills ESTEEM TM Solar Evacuated Tubes consist of a double layer of toughened glass with a vacuum between the 2 layers - similar to a thermos. the tubes are capable of retaining up to 97% of the energy absorbed from the sun. Efficiency of the collector is not affected by the ambient temperature and the cold whereas a flat plate collector is susceptible to freezing at low temperatures.
As a result,The Hills ESTEEM TM Solar Evacuated Tubes are perfect for all areas of Australia including alpine areas with an Australia and New Zealand freeze rating of - 15 degrees for a 10 hour period. In fact they have been used in much colder situations sometimes down to minus 40 degrees.
The energy from the sun that is absorbed is transferred to the water via copper heat pipes running down the centre of each tube. A small amount of water is inside each heat pipe which is turned to gas from the heat, the gas rises to the top of the heat pipes, which transfer the heat to the water through the manifold on the top of the collector. The water is then pumped to your water storage tank.
The Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water system boasts the highest efficiency rating of any equivalent sized system on the market (either flat panel or evacuated tub) boasting 90% of your annual water heating requirements being heated by the solar - that equates to a savings of 1/3 of the average households power bill!
Split System Design no more tanks on the roof
A Hills ESTEEM TM Solar Hot Water Systems is a ‘split system' meaning no tank on the roof. Hot water is stored in a well insulated, marine grade stainless steel tank at ground level. If your tank received no external heat input it would only loose approximately 1 degree in temperature over a 24 hour period.
All tanks come with a booster for backup - either electricity, LPG bottled gas or natural gas. Your system will achieve 90% or better heating with the sun and on consecutive cloudy days or times with many guests you know you can rely on your booster.
2. How does the tanks gas or electric booster work?
Natural and LP gas tank boosters are activated only when heating is required. Standard electric tanks are equipped with a 3.6 kw electric element which rely's on its own thermostat - meaning you can set the backup temperature to the level you want. The gas booster is only activated when water drawn out of the tank has not reached the required minimum temperature - automatically diverting the water through the instantaneous Bosch heater. Backup might be required when you have many guests or during extended cloudy periods.
3. How are the Hills ESTEEM TM evacuated tubes effected by frost and cold?
The Hills ESTEEM TM Solar System has passed the AS / NZS 2007 Standards for Severe Freeze Conditions to -15 degrees Celsius for a 10 hour period and has been unofficially tested down to minus 40 degrees!
The system is so effective against the cold simply because there is no water entering the glass tubes meaning the solar collector can be exposed to very low temperatures without running the risk of freezing. The evacuated tube systems have been installed to heat the water on the base stations in Antarctica!
4. What happens if one of my evacuated tubes is broken?
Hills Evacuated Tubes have passed the AS/NZS 2712:2007 Standard testing for hail resistance up to 25mm or 1 inch hailstones. This is the worst case scenario, with the stones falling at the worst possible angle towards the glass. In most cases breakages are made through mishandling during installation.
The Hills ESTEEM TM Solar evacuated tubes are made from toughened borosilicate glass. In the unlikely event the glass component of a tube is broken it can be econimically replaced. Unlike a flat panel system, the remainder of the tubes will continue to operate and you will notice a minimal loss to your systems efficiency.
Broken tubes can be easily replaced without the need of a plumber .
5. What is the timing and cost of the average installation?
All systems require installation be completed by a licensed plumber or electrician. This is important for both your household insurance and your rebate eligibility requirements. Solar Pumping Solutions can either recommend Hills trained and accredited installers otherwise we are happy to supply plumber training free of charge to a local plumber of your choice. Most average installations take the best part of a work day to complete.
6. How do the Hills ESTEEM TM Evacuated tubes compare to other systems on the market cost wise?
The average Australian household can attribute approximately 30% or 1/3 of its energy usage towards the heating of water. Hills ESTEEM TM solar evacuated tube hot water systems can reduce this cost by up to 90% or better! that is 1/3 of the average families power bill. When pricing a system, you need to consider not only the up front cost and your predicted energy savings but your ongoing power savings and maintenance costs.
The Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water system has no ongoing maintenance costs or requirements and boasts the most thorough and long term warranty out of all systems available on the market today - including flat panel systems and competing tube systems.
7. What are the available government rebates?
There are three (3) solar hot water rebates available to people in NSW. All solar hot water rebates require the (full) system be installed by a licensed plumber or electrician.
- REC’s (Renewable Energy Credits – 12 months to claim)
are available with any full system purchase regardless of circumstances - Federal Government Rebate (2 months to claim)
Must be replacing existing electric storage system in existing residence New system must be allocated a minimum of 20 RECS credits
$1000 Federal Government Rebate available for systems installed on, or after February 2009
Click here for more information
Renewable Energy Credits (REC's) Rebate
click here for more information
8. What is the warranty on the Hills ESTEEM TM product?
Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water systems carry up to 15 years warranty. Hills have not cut any corners choosing to use only the highest quality components with all their systems.
Hills and Solar Pumping Solutions will not let you down - they care about Australia and Australians with a healthy local conscience and an understanding about what really matters. We will be here for the long run.
The Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water systems have the highest efficiency rating according to the evaluation of the independent government evaluations in comparison to any other evacuated tube (or flat panel) solar hot water system on the market today.
Click here to view independent efficiency comparison graphs
9. What REC's do the Hills systems attract?
Every system size is different, RECs or STCs are indipendantly calculated by the ORER according to each systems individual components.
- RECS - compared to flat panel systems - Some flat plate systems may offer more REC's however this has been calculated on 'area' covered per square meter by extremely large flat panels. As our systems are more efficient they cover less area.
- REC's - compared to other evacuated tube systems - The Hills systems have been allocated on average 4 additional REC's points in comparison with all other equivalent sized evacuated tube systems on the market! This is a fantastic independent comparison.
10. How is the Hills system installed and who is responsible?
All Hills systems should be installed by a licensed plumber or electrician. This is important for your household insurance as well as your rebate eligibility. Solar Pumping Solutions are careful to recommend trained or Hills Accredited plumbers, it is important to us that you are more than satisfied with your new solar hot water system. We understand you may have a favorite local plumber you trust and love - we are equally happy to train a plumber of your choice free of charge if required.
11. How many people can a Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water system support?
Solar Pumping Solutions will recommend the right size system for your home. We will base our recommendation on a thorough list of requirements and are happy to conduct an assessment if need be. It is important to us that you have the right system to suit your home and your habits and everyone is different. Contact us for an obligation free quote and assessment.
12. Does the Hills ESTEEM TM system benefit the value of my property?
The Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water system supplies major ongoing benefits towards all properties - for example; the massive reduction of the most prominent household energy user (the heating of water) - this can only be described as a major advantage to any investment property. The Hills system has the longest projected life span, the best support and the most limited ongoing maintenance.
You can also add the Hills system to your depreciation schedule as a tax deduction.
13. How are the energy savings calculated?
You can view further independent details at the Sustainable Energy Development Office website ‘How to choose a hot water system’ at:www1.sedo.energy.wa.gov.au/pages/runsolhw.asp
14. Should I connect my Hills ESTEEM TM system to 'Off Peak' electricity or other different tariffs?
The aim of your solar hot water system is to reduce your household energy usage. It is possible to connect your Hills ESTEEM TM system to your off peak electricity tariff however we recommend rather than running your system on solar all day and off peak tariff all night (in essence eliminating the effectiveness of the solar component) that you invest in a low cost timer (approximately $60) to check the water temperature approximately 1 hour before the sun comes up in the morning - your backup can heat to a very low temperature setting only if required for a short time before the sun comes up.
With careful consideration and monitoring the performance of your Hills ESTEEM TM system is likely to perform outside the average best.
15. Can I run my system without a gas or electric backup?
The Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water system is not a complete alternative to gas or electric hot water systems. Solar will replace your water heating requirements on average 90% (or better) of the time. You do need backup one way or another but a correctly sized system will cover your major requirements.
16. What is the average recovery time on my investment?
Every home is different depending on aspect, climate and sun angle in your specific location combined with your average hot water usage. In most cases the average investment can be recouped from as little as 2 - 5 years. With the high quality components and backing of the Hills system this means that once you have covered the up front cost of your system you can enjoy maintenance and trouble free hot water for years to come.
17. Is the Hills ESTEEM TM system effective in the cold?
Due to the clever design of the Hills ESTEEM TM system the evacuated tubes can withstand and efficiently operate in temperatures well below freezing.
Officially - the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar System has passed the AS/NZS 2712:2007 Standards for Severe Freeze Conditions to -15 degrees Celsius for an extended period of 10 hours.
In everyday terms - the Hills ESTEEM TM system is not generally affected by the ambient (outside) temperature and due to its clever design will operate as effectively in a 10 degree day as a 30 degree day!
The theory being that the tubes operate on the UV light present in the sky - eg: you can still get sun burnt on a cloudy day...
18. What happens on a cloudy day?
Of course the collector efficiency of the evacuated tubes is reduced on overcast days however in most cases it will still be able to produce the required heat. If the cloud or rain is persistent or ongoing then your (electric or gas) booster will support your requirements until the weather improves.
The main point being, you will never have to run out of hot water just because you are on solar.
19. Can the Hills ESTEEM TM system be used with an existing hot water system?
The Hills ESTEEM TM evacuated tubes can be retrofitted to some existing tanks - you would need to check with the manufacturer of that tank. In cases where you are replacing an existing electric storage tank (hot water system) it is recommended you replace the full system as the rebates available will outweigh any other option both in longevity and economics. (NSW only)
If you have an existing tank and are replacing a gas or solar (or other) system there may be benefits to considering a retrofit option.
Solar Pumping Solutions are happy to discuss all available options with you and provide an obligation free household inspection service if need be.
20. What is the physical area and visual impact of the evacuated tubes on my roof?
The Hills ESTEEM TM evacuated tubes have a very sleek and unobtrusive design. As the water storage tank is located on the ground there is very little visual impact.
Solar collector areas are as follows:
- 22 tube collector 200mm(H) x 1845mm(W)
- 30 tube collector 200mm(H) x 2485mm(W)
There are some local council restrictions which vary between locations and should be investigated by each individual.
21. What if my roof is flat / very steep / made from different materials?
Your Hills ESTEEM TM solar collector can be mounted on all different roof surfaces and pitches.
If your roof pitch is less than the required 20 degrees it is recommended you use either a low or high pitch Hills stainless steel frame to increase the pitch of your solar collector to within the optimum range.
- Standard roof pitch is 22.5 degrees
- Minimum pitch required 20 degrees (greater is acceptable)
- Optimum pitch for general NSW latitude is 33.5 degrees
22. Is the system a danger in fire prone areas?
The Hills ESTEEM TM solar system has a high temperature rating and is non-flammable. There is no risk of the system catching alight or sparking. All materials are either stainless steel, wool or aluminium and glass.
23. Can the Hills Solar collector heat water to a high enough temperature?
Certainly - in good weather the Hills Solar collectors are capable of bringing water to boiling point. Generally, this is not necessary and so the system should be tuned to provide a peak temperature of around 70 to 80ºC in the summer. Since scalding can occur at 54ºC (130ºF), Australian plumbing regulations limit the maximum temperature of hot water to sanitary outlets to 50ºC (122º F). This is achieved by the use of a solar tempering valve that must be fitted to every installation.
24. Is there any ongoing maintenance required?
In normal conditions there is no maintenance required of the Hills ESTEEM TM system. There are simple checks recommended in the owners manual.
25. Can Hills ESTEEM TM Solar Hot Water Systems be used for commercial hot water production?
There is no maximum compilation in relation to the number of tubes that can be organised together. The Hills ESTEEM TM evacuated tubes are capable of many varied commercial operations including schools, B&B's, hotels etc. Solar Pumping Solutions welcome any opportunity to provide an obligation free quote on any job large or small.
26. Can the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar Hot Water System be used for pool heating?
Because of the copper components included in the Hills system there is currently no options available for pool heating.
27. Can the gas backup be swapped from LPG to Natural Gas if required at a later date?
Yes, there are options available to change the gas backup choice. Please contact us to discuss this in more detail.
28. How do I compare apples with apples when it comes to solar hot water heaters?
It can be confusing and difficult to decipher the pros and cons of all available products on the market. We encourage thorough research. it is often the case that that no matter what product you are researching be it hot water or sunglasses - you will always find a cheaper option.
What we do encourage our clients to consider is the longevity of the Hills system - the longest and most thorough warranty in its class - along with the backing of a trusted Australian company and the highest efficiency ratings of any other equally sized system.
29. List the main advantages of the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar evacuated tube collectors over flat plate collectors?
HIGHEST RATED EFFICIENCY
Efficiency comparison graphs between Hills Evacuated Tubes and other hot water heaters on the market show the collector is on Average up to 160% more efficient per m2 of aperture than the Flat Plate Solar Collector. Click here to view independent efficiency graphs.
The Hills ESTEEM TM solar hot water systems also have an average of 4 or more REC's allocated to them than any other evacuated tube solar hot water system.
Putting it simply - they are the most efficient out of all your options!
HIGH HEAT / UV LIGHT CAPTURE CAPABILITIES
wind and cold temperatures have much less effect on the efficiency of the evacuated tube collector. The system will capture up to 97 percent of the sun's energy.
FREEZE PROTECTION
Hills ESTEEM TM Solar System has passed the AS/NZS 2712:2007 Standards for Severe Freeze Conditions to -15 degrees Celsius for a 10 hour period. In comparison flat panel systems require "antifreeze" systems using glycol (antifreeze chemicals) to be installed. Glycol is poisonous and needs to be regularly replaced ito maintain efficiency – if glycol leaks into your rainwater storage via cracked or damaged flat panels you must drain all your affected water storage.
UNPRECEDENTED WINTER PERFORMANCE
Hills ESTEEM TM solar evacuated tube hot water systems achieve unprecedented winter (and summer) performance. Click here to view independent efficiency comparison graphs.
30. Does my roof aspect have any impact on the Hills ESTEEM TM Solar collector?
Due to the cylindrical nature of the evacuated tube, the solar collector can be located on roof areas facing NW or NE with a barely noticeable reduction in efficiently (2% - 4%). In general, the most north facing areas are the best place to start with a slope somewhere between 20 and 45 degrees.