Why Choose an Evacuated Tube Solar Hot Water System?
After replacing an ageing flat plate solar hot water system with an Apricus evacuated tube collector, one homeowner compared over two years of temperature records. The results showed that despite the new collector having a much smaller roof footprint, it delivered virtually the same hot water performance while reducing gas consumption and simplifying maintenance.
Same Hot Water Performance with a Smaller Solar Hot Water Collector
Despite the Apricus collector having a significantly smaller roof footprint (2.1m × 1.6m compared with 2.4m × 2.4m for the previous flat plate system), it consistently produced similar hot water temperatures.
This highlights one of the key advantages of evacuated tube technology. The cylindrical tubes capture solar energy from multiple angles throughout the day, effectively tracking the sun without moving parts. Combined with their highly efficient absorber surface, they produce excellent energy output while requiring less roof space than many flat plate collectors.
Reduced Gas Consumption
Another major advantage of evacuated tube technology is its ability to maintain high performance during cooler, windy and overcast conditions. Each tube contains a vacuum between two layers of glass, acting like a thermos flask to minimise heat loss.
Because the collector retains far more of the solar energy it captures, the homeowner noticed a significant reduction in gas consumption.
“The 46kg gas cylinders used for hot water heating backup and cooking that used to last 8 months now last 11 months, which is quite a saving”
Home Owner
By harvesting more of the sun’s available energy, the solar hot water system reduced reliance on expensive backup heating – particularly valuable as LPG prices continue to rise.
Easier Maintenance than Flat Plate Solar Hot Water Systems
The homeowner also found that unlike the previous flat plate collectors, the evacuated tube design provides easy access to the roof beneath the collector, making roof cleaning much simpler. And the tubes themselves seem to require very little cleaning compared with the old flat panels.
The other benefit to the system design is that an Apricus solar hot water system is not only smaller but much lighter, reducing any strain on the roof.
“What I most like about the design of the Apricus panel is the full access to the subjacent roof to keep it clean which was impossible with the large flat panels. I have only wiped over the Apricus tubes a couple of times since they were installed whereas I had to scrub the flat panels every couple of months.”
Home Owner
“When the flat panels started leaking they had to be drained, removed from the roof, dismantled and the copper pipes resoldered, which took a full day and cost a fortune.”
Home Owner
Warranty & Repairs
Ease of repairs proved to be another major advantage.
Individually replaceable tubes
With the Apricus solar hot water system if a tube were ever damaged, it can be replaced individually without draining or dismantling the entire system.
Although damage is uncommon, Apricus evacuated tubes are individually replaceable. Unlike flat plate collectors, replacing a damaged tube does not require draining or dismantling the entire collector.
High Quality Testing
Apricus collectors are built for long-term durability. Every production batch undergoes steel ball impact testing and 100% visual inspection. The tubes have also passed New Zealand/Australian, European Solar Keymark and Swiss hail impact testing, demonstrating resistance to repeated impacts from 25 mm hail travelling at 25 m/s.
They are also designed to withstand frost down to -15°C without requiring glycol, helping reduce long-term maintenance requirements.
Why Choose an Apricus Evacuated Tube Solar Hot Water System?
Produces high energy output while using less roof space.
Maintains excellent performance during winter, windy and overcast conditions.
Vacuum insulation dramatically reduces heat loss.
Lightweight collectors place less load on the roof.
Individual tubes can be replaced without dismantling the collector.
Excellent resistance to frost and hail.
Easy access beneath the collector simplifies roof maintenance.
Proven long-term reliability with comprehensive warranties.
Please Note: Figures in our posts are subject to change over time. While we do our best to keep information up to date, all figures were accurate at the time of publication, which for this article was:
