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Advantages of Evacuated Tube Technology over Flat Plate Collectors

Easier Installation
Professionals can quickly and easily install a solar thermal collector without a hoist or special tools because the vacuum tubes, manifold, and frame are installed separately. This unique feature results in substantial savings in installation time and expense. This is not possible with most flat plate products because of their one-piece construction. 

Superior Insulation
As any good thermos bottle proves, there is no better insulator to heat transfer than a vacuum. The glass tubes are evacuated to 10-5 mbar, which provides excellent resistance to heat losses via conduction and convection, even under extreme environmental conditions like cold winter temperatures and wind. Flat plate collectors lose a considerable part of the heat energy collected back to the environment.

Easier Servicing
Since the evacuated tubes are installed in the manifold via dry connections, any tube can be replaced without shutting the system down. Flat plate systems must be shut down and drained.

Longer Life
High vacuum protects the absorber surface from moisture, condensation, corrosion, and degradation of the selective coating over the entire life of the collector, which easily exceeds 20 years. Flat plate collectors are not immune to these effects since air contacts the absorber and all interior surfaces.

Better Efficiency
Vacuum technology insures a high year round efficiency. Flat plate collectors are less efficient during cold seasons.

Dual Use Potential
Domestic water and space heating are possible.

Better Conversion Threshold
More energy is collected earlier in the day and during partly cloudy days because of the special absorber coating and superior insulation. 

An optimally sized system can provide from 50% to 65% of a typical household’s hot water
needs in the winter, and up to 100% during the summer.

A business can save 40 to 80% on electric or fuel bills by replacing its
conventional water heater with a solar heating system.