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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOLAR COLLECTOR PANELS
All you need to know about Solar Collector Panels
and it’s just one step away…
Are you one of the thousands of people that are considering going solar? You probably have a bunch of questions about getting started. Don’t even get started with all the different terminology like photovoltaics, grid-tied inverters and other words we can’t even pronounce. Luckily for you, the team at Solar Man SA wants to help make the process a bit easier for you.
One of the most frequently asked question in the South African solar industry is what Collector Panel System should be purchased and what exactly the panel does. In this blog, we’ll explain exactly what it is and why you should invest in them.
Solar Collector Panels
The Collector System or more commonly known as ’solar collector panels’ is part of the traditional solar system. These panels collect and/or concentrates solar radiation from the sun. These devices are primarily used for active solar heating and make it possible to heat water for personal use. The collector panels are generally mounted on the roof of a building for maximum exposure to the sun. Therefore, the panels are very sturdy and built to last throughout various weather conditions.
The main use of these solar collector panels is to provide an alternative for traditional water heating by using a geyser. Using a solar-powered geyser can reduce energy costs significantly. Furthermore, a large number of these collectors can be combined in an array and used to generate electricity.
Types of Solar Collector Panels
In the solar industry, there is quite a number of different types of solar collectors, but all of them are constructed with the same basic idea in mind. In general, there is some material that is used to collect and focus energy from the sun and use it to heat water. We’ll be focusing on the two main systems for domestic use.
1. The Flat-Plate Collector System
The most used and well-recognized collector is the Flat Plate Collector solar panel. These panels have been around since the 1950’s and whilst the material used to manufacture the panels have improved over time, the technology within is largely the same.
In simple terms, this system uses cold water that is fed into the bottom of the solar panel, and as the panel is heated by the sun the water, in turn, is heated and automatically starts to rise to the top of the solar panel where it is fed into the solar geyser. The Flat-Plate Collector System is a tried and tested system which has provided thousands of people with solar-heated water for decades.
The main advantages of the flat plate collectors are it has a lower purchase price, lower maintenance and repair costs and is ideally suited for low-temperature systems.
2. The Evacuated Tube Collectors
This system is one of the most popular solar thermal systems in the industry. This type of solar collector uses a series of cylindrical glass tubes that are attached to a frame and installed on top of a roof. Each tube has a copper rod inside which extends from the bottom to the top of the tube and then into a manifold. A special chemical formula inside each tube starts to heat up. This quickly heats up the copper rods in each tube which in turns heats the water which passes through the manifold. The manifold, in turn, is connected to a geyser (some evacuated tube systems are connected directly to a geyser instead of a manifold).
The main advantages for the evacuated tube collectors are that it has great energy efficiency, requires less roof space and produces higher temperatures and can be coupled with high-temperature heating systems.
You might be wondering what system is the best to use? Well, there is no standard solution or clear right or wrong answer. Let one of our Solar System Specialist assist you to get the right fit for your home.
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