Flat Plate Solar Water Heaters have been quite common in the Malaysian market since the 1980s. But in 2010, this technology has not seen much improvements and issues regarding its long term durability have come into question with many customers. This is why SMART SOLAR is bringing you the BIG innovation that can save you more time and money. Presenting the SMART SOLAR Evacuated Tube solar water heater with CPC!

In this video, we will break down the major flaws of Flat Plate Solar Water Heaters and How SMART SOLAR fixes all of these issues. The common issues with Flat Plate Solar water heaters include: Low Efficiency, Low Heat Retention, Many Potential Points of Failure, Inconvenient and Inconsistent, Risk of Copper Poisoning, and Lastly, High Price & Maintenance Costs. On the market, there are 2 types of Solar Water Heaters - Open Loop Systems & Closed Loop Systems. Flat Plate solar water heaters are generally designed with an Open Loop system. An open loop system means that water is designed to run through the solar collector. With a Closed Loop system, no water flows through the solar collector. The SMART SOLAR is designed with a Closed Loop System to ensure no water runs through the Evacuated Tube solar collector. This means no leaks will occur even if you remove the evacuated tube. If one of your evacuated tubes is broken, the water tank will continue to function and produce hot water.

In Flat Plate Solar Water Heaters with an open loop system, copper tubes run water underneath a layer of glass. These solar collectors are integrated into the tank with many pipes and fittings, increasing the potential risk of failure leading to leaks and corrosion. In the case where the copper pipes start failing, water may begin to leak beneath the glass layer, causing sediment and scale to form, further lowering the heater’s long term effectiveness. Additionally, the copper pipes and fittings will begin to rust and seep into the water, causing copper poisoning, making your water harmful for human skin. This will not occur with SMART SOLAR. Next, let’s talk about the actual effectiveness of the flat plate collector. The Copper pipes do not conduct and retain heat as well as the SMART SOLAR’s evacuated tube and CPC combo. In this demonstration, the copper rod on the left does not transfer heat throughout its body as fast or as well as the heat pipe on the right as the thermochromic paint shows. This is proven as well in practice, here we’ve connected digital thermometers directly to the conductive materials of the solar collectors. These solar collectors have been placed in the same location for the same amount of time, the evacuated tube’s readings reach up to an extremely hot 170 degree celsius while the flat plate’s readings only go up to measly 50 degree celsius. Furthermore, with the CPC reflector, SMART SOLAR can reach its maximum heat generation faster than ever!

On a cloudy day, the difference in effectiveness between flat plate solar water heaters and SMART SOLAR grows ever more. Thanks to the vacuum insulation and High Density Polyurethane Foam, heat loss will only drop 5-7% after 12 hours. This is not the case with flat plate solar collectors, as there is no proper insulation present. Another point for SMART SOLAR, is the SMART CONTROLLER. With a SMART CONTROLLER, you can get a reading on the current temperature of your water at any time. And During a cloudy or rainy day, you can still set and schedule the backup heater to produce hot water when needed or as the temperature drops below a certain point. This function does not exist for many flat plate solar water heaters. They would have to heat up the water manually and wait for the water to heat up. If you forgot to close its switch, your electric bill may skyrocket as well.

Another flaw that reduces a Flat Plate collector’s effectiveness over time is its design. Flat Plate collectors that are installed on a flat roof can accrue dust, moss & mold on the glass over time. This leads to a sharp decline in its ability to continue producing hot water consistently. This may lead to more calls for maintenance and repairs across its alleged 10+ year lifespan, costing you more money as well. This is not an issue for SMART SOLAR, it comes with a strong bracket, ensuring optimal performance and an everlasting durability for any type of roof. Unlike most flat plate solar water heaters, SMART SOLAR has an effective lifespan of up to 20 years thanks to its Marine Grade 316L stainless steel water tank and its Magnesium Anode Rod, preventing rust and corrosion. Prolonging its use even further.

That concludes the Advantages and Improvements SMART SOLAR Evacuated Tube Hot Water System brings over its competition. Make the Smart Choice, with SMART SOLAR.