Whats the real difference between evac solar tube and flat panel.

S

SillyMonkey

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Am getting a geothermal system with UFH. Also getting 300ltr tank heated by the geo.

Just this week decided to go for solar panels evac tube preferably. So went in to see my geo supplier but they only do flat panel.

Now flat panel appeals to me because of looks but evac are meant to be better.

How exactly are they better, is my water at a higher temp before the geo kicks in therefore saving me electricty or what?
 
One of the reasons that the tubes are better in Ireland, is that they are more efficient when the sun is low in the sky, which will be true for a lot of the year in Ireland.

Each tube will have more surface exposed to the sun when the sun is at a low angle then the flat panel.

this means that you will have warmer water in winter.
 
The evac tubes work like a flask, so once the water is heated, it stays hoter for a lot longer. Same principles. Flat panels don't have this luxury as such!
 
All the tests would certainly indicate that under Irish conditions the evacuated tubes are more responsive and lose less heat in intermittent sunshine. You can also get tubes which are made in N.Ireland - reputed to be the best. Tons of disinformation out there about both types but tubes are more popular as you move North in Europe where neither system is considered to be superior - they just have different attributes wrt cost, installation, efficiency etc - with tubes more suited to Northerly climes. This may be the reason why SEI reduced the grant per m2 by €50 for flat plates.
 
podesc said:
This may be the reason why SEI reduced the grant per m2 by €50 for flat plates.
Click to expand...

Balancing the extra cost of the evac tubes V their better performance and greater SEI grant, would it be better to go with the evac tubes over the flat plate??
 
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