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How
does gas boosting work? Does it turn on when I'm
not using hot water?
No.
Our natural and LP Gas systems turn on and boost only
when it detects that the water temperature stored has
fallen below 60º which may occur when you have used all
your solar heated water in your storage tank or during
extended periods of limited sunshine.
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Are
Evacuated Tubes affected by frost?
No.
Traditional technologies are vulnerable to freezing in
cold weather. Now you don’t need to compromise the
system’s performance (for example by using chemicals
like glycol) in order to prevent it freezing. Many traditional
technologies require regular and costly maintenance programs
for freeze protections.
Evacuated tube technology, as used by the Endless Solar
system, works extremely efficiently in cold climates.
In Antarctica the British Research Station, Halley VI,
has chosen to install evacuated tube technology to help
preserve power and conserve energy.
Evacuated tube solar collectors are the technology of
choice in countries that experience extremes in temperature.
For example, they are widely used in Germany, China and
Canada.
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What happens
if the Evacuated Tubes are damaged in a storm or broken
by accident?
The
Endless Solar System is very strong and uses toughened
glass which is highly resistant to damage under various
weather conditions. However in the event that a tube or
two is broken, the system does not stop working. Because
the system is modular, if tubes do need to be replaced
this can be done quickly and easily for only a small cost.
By contrast, the replacement of a flat plate collector
can cost hundreds of dollars and require costly installation
procedures.
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How long does
it take and what is the cost to install my solar hot water
system?
Installation
is easy. Because Endless Solar systems are lightweight,
modular and include comprehensive installation instructions,
you can expect an average installation to take 6-8 hours
and cost approximately $1000 - $2000 depending on the
type of roof, whether you are retrofitting an existing
home or new home and how experienced and knowledgeable
the plumber is. To locate a qualified and trained plumber
near you, visit:
GreenPlumbers®
Are Endless
Solar hot water systems expensive?
No.
In the long term, a Endless Solar hot water system can
save you up to 80% of your household’s electricity
or gas expenses. Over a 10 year period the capital cost,
plus the running costs can be considerably cheaper than
buying an ordinary electric or gas hot water heater -
due to the amount of the sun's heat that a Endless Solar
system captures and uses.
People
are looking for products that operate effectively for
a long time without ongoing, costly maintenance. Endless
Solar has developed a system expected to last 3 to 4 times
as long as traditional water heating systems. We have
created a product free of ' built-in' obsolescence that
will not end up as landfill in five years.
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What rebates exist for the system and
how do they work?
RECs: The
RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) program is aimed
at increasing the use of solar hot water systems by providing
a cash back rebate value that consumers receive after
purchasing a Solar Hot Water System. The amount and value
of REC’s received depends on where you live and
on the type of system purchased. The RECs can amount to
several hundred dollars. RECs are payable if you are installing
a system in a new dwelling or installing a solar water
heater to replace an electric water heater in an existing
dwelling. You can also get a partial RECs rebate for replacing
an old electric system.
Federal
Government Rebates: Solar
Hot Water rebates are available from the Federal Government
up to $1000. You must meet certain requirements
to claim this rebate. Please talk to one of our friendly
sales team for more information.
State
Government Rebates: Additional rebates also exist
in a few states - check with your State/Territory government
for details.
The NSW State Government Rebate was announced as of 1st
Oct 2007 for up to $1200. You
must meet certain requirements to claim this rebate. Please
talk to one of our friendly sales team for more information.
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How can I be sure of the quality and performance
of your products?
The
entire range of Endless Solar water heaters meet the rigorous
tests set by Standards Australia and the relevant
Australian industry certifying bodies. They are made from
high quality components backed by generous warranties.
Our systems meet the requirements of State and Federal
Government rebate programs and they qualify for some of
the highest energy performance ratings in the market.
At
the end of the day, the quality and reliability of our
products and the service we provide, is best told by our
customers. We receive regular praise from customers and
have included some of their testimonials on this web site
- click
here for testimonials.
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How many RECs
does the Endless Solar Hot Water system achieve?
The
number of RECs that you receive depend on the size and
type of system you purchase. To find a solar hot water
system that suits you needs, please talk to our sales
team. As a general guide you can expect to receive between
22 and 44 RECs.
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Who will install
the Endless Solar Hot Water system to my roof?
The
Endless Solar hot water system must be fitted and tested
by an authorised and registered plumber, who will ensure
it is positioned correctly. We recommend
GreenPlumbers®
who are trained and qualified in solar installations.
Your retailer can arrange installation for you.
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How many people
will the Endless Solar Hot Water system service?
Endless
Solar Hot Water systems come in a full range of sizes
suitable for any domestic installation. The exact size
depends on the number of bathrooms and the number of people
living in the home. There are types and sizes of systems
to suit every home.
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Can I still use a Endless Solar Hot Water
system for my investment property?
Yes.
If you have an investment property, the Endless Solar
Hot Water system will provide your real estate portfolio
with a number of advantages such as reducing your property's
gas or electricity bills and can increase the overall
value of your property. You may also be able to add your
Endless Solar hot water system to your depreciation schedule
and claim it as a tax deduction.
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How did you
estimate the average saving value for my electric/gas
hot water unit?
The
most credible sources for this type of information is
Sustainable Energy Development Office web site ‘How
to choose a hot water system’:
www1.sedo.energy.wa.gov.au/pages/runsolhw.asp
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What tariff
should my electric boosted Endless Solar hot water system
be connected to?
The
Endless Solar Hot Water system should generally be connected
to an off-peak tariff where possible. A qualified electrician
can recommend the best alternative for you if you don’t
have off-peak available. In such circumstances an electrical
timer can be used to help ensure that your electric booster
only runs during times of the lowest energy tariff. Please
contact your energy provider to confirm your requirements,
as each State varies.
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Is solar water
heating a viable alternative to gas or electricity?
Because
weather conditions vary, solar hot water should not be
viewed ast a total replacement for gas or electricity,
but rather a major partner. Solar cannot totally replace
the need for gas or electric heating in most cases - as
there are sometimes days when there is little sunlight.
But when averaged over a year, a correctly sized solar
system can provide up to 80% or more of a household's
hot water needs. The hot water system can easily be automated
so that hot water is guaranteed, regardless of sunlight
levels. If you want a complete alternative, in some cases
an oversized system can provide 100% of your hot water
needs.
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How long will
it take to recoup my investment?
Your
annual electricity or gas saving will differ depending
on the climate and sun angle in your location and current
hot water usage. However, in a normal household spending
40% of its energy on heating hot water, the full cost
of the purchase may be recouped in as little as 5 to 10
years by reducing energy bills. The quality and durability
of the materials used in a Endless Solar system means
that your yearly savings is likely to continue long past
the pay-back point.
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Can Endless
Solar Hot Water Heaters be used in cold conditions?
This
represents the major performance difference between Endless
Solar evacuated tubes and the old-fashioned flat plate
solar collectors, which suffer from significant loss in
efficiency in cold conditions, as well as requiring the
purchase and maintenance of a glycol system to prevent
them freezing.
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Will my water
be heated on a cloudy day?
Yes.
Although the heat output of the solar collector is reduced
on overcast days it will still be able to provide heating.
If it is a heavily clouded day or raining, then gas or
electric backup may be required to maintain water at the
required temperature. The backup system is fully automated
so you don't have to worry about running out of hot water
on a rainy day.
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Can I use
the Endless Solar collector with my existing hot water
system?
Yes,
the Endless Solar collector can be retrofitted to most
existing tanks using our special conversion kit. We do
recommend that you consider replacing your existing tank
if it is more than five years old, since normal mild steel
vitreous enamel lined tanks often have a limited life
after this period. We can replace your old tank with a
long-lasting, well-insulated marine grade stainless steel
tank.
Due
to increasedGovernment incentives, the overall cost difference
in now quite small.
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Are the Endless
Solar collectors noticeable on the roof?
The
sleek design of our collector and the lack of tank on
the roof mean that it is very unobtrusive. From a distance
they actually look somewhat like a skylight. However,
please check with your local council regarding any possible
building restrictions in your area.
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Can the Endless
Solar collector be mounted on a flat surface?
Yes.
Endless Solar collectors can be mounted on a flat roof
or even on the ground by using one of our fully adjustable
stainless steel frames.
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Will the Endless
Solar collector be a fire hazard during hot, dry weather?
No.
The solar collector's components are all high temperature
rated and non-flammable so even during strong sunlight
with the circulation pump turned off (stagnation), the
system will not catch alight or give off any sparks. The
majority of the solar collector's components are stainless
steel, copper, aluminium and glass.
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Can the Endless
Solar collector heat water to a high enough temperature?
Certainly
- in good weather the Endless Solar collectors are capable
of bringing water to boiling point. Generally, this is
not necessary and so when it is installed the system should
be tuned to provide a peak temperature of around 70ºC
to 80ºC in the summer. Since scalding can occur at 54ºC
(130ºF), Australian plumbing regulations limit the maximum
temperature of hot water to sanitary outlets to 50ºC (122º
F). This is achieved by the use of a solar tempering valve
that must fitted when the system is installed. Licensed
plumbers are required to fit a solar tempering valve to
all installations.
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What
maintenance of the Endless Solar collector is required?
Under
normal circumstances no maintenance of the system is required
other than simple checks specified in the Owners Manual.
The round shape of the tubes and the gaps in between them
mean that regular rainfall and wind help keep the tubes
clean.
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Can the Endless
Solar Collectors be used for a large scale hot water production?
Yes.
Endless Solar collectors can be connected in series to
provide large scale hot water production for commercial
settings such as a school, hotel, office building or swimming
pool. Please call us for further advice.
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Can
I heat my swimming pool or spa using a Endless Solar hot
water system?
Yes.
Each pool/spa installation requires specialised design
and certain additional components such as a heat exchange
system due to the corrosive nature of salt or chlorine
pool water. For spas, the Endless Solar hot water collectors
are also ideal, as the volume of water is small and temperature
requirements high. Please call us for further advice.
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Where can
I purchase a Endless Solar Hot Water solar collector?
Endless
Solar Hot Water systems are available throughout Australia.
For
details call (02) 9281 5526
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Can I use
the LPG gas booster and then convert to normal gas if
available at a later stage?
Yes.
The Endless Solar design is both modular and versatile.
In the case of changing from LPG to natural gas, all that
needs to happen is that the burner manifold needs to be
changed and the PC board reprogrammed. The cost is currently
around $80. Please call us for further information.
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Which type
of collector is the best value for money?
When
pay-back time is being considered, the overall price per
unit of energy produced is the most important consideration,
not peak efficiency levels. The high-efficiency and longevity
of Endless Solar systems makes a compelling case for purchasing
our product.
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What
are the main advantages of Evacuated Tube Collectors in
comparison to flat plate collectors?
There
are numerous benefits that evacuated tubes offer over
the traditional “flat plate” collector designs.
Although evacuated tubes are relatively new to the Australian
market, they were invented here almost 30 years ago
and they are a well proven, superior technology, widely
used around the world:
INCREASED EFFICIENCY
Flat plate collectors only provide peak energy output
at midday, when the sun is perpendicular to the collector's
surface. At other times of the day, the heat collection
of a flat plate is either increasing or decreasing.
Due to the round shape of the evacuated tube, the sun
is perpendicular to the surface of the glass for most
of the day, resulting in higher heat collection and
heat output all the way from morning through to late
afternoon.
The
ability of the tubes to absorb heat from a wide range
of angles means that the Endless Solar collector can
be mounted on even east or west facing roofs with only
a small decrease in performance. This versatility allows
the home owner to install the Endless Solar collector
where it will look best, whereas placement options with
flat plate collectors are limited.
MINIMAL HEAT LOSS
Because air is removed (evacuated) from the glass tubes
to form a vacuum, the insulating properties of the tubes
increases. As a result, wind and cold temperatures outside
the tubes have much less effect on the efficiency of
the evacuated tube collector - when compared with a
traditional flat plate solar collector. The collected
heat is conducted to the cold water using a specially
designed heat pipe. Well over 90% of the heat captured
in the tubes is held and is conducted into the cold
water.
HIGH FROST PROTECTION
Endless Solar collectors can be used in sub-zero temperatures
without damaging the system. By contrast, under similar
conditions, flat plate systems require expensive and
complicated "antifreeze" systems to be installed
(remember this when comparing system costs). The glycol
that is used in flat plate systems needs to be regularly
replaced in order to maintain its efficiency. This is
an ongoing cost, requiring replacement of the glycol
every 3 years or so, with the added risk of the glycol
leaking into gutters or rainwater tanks at times of
glycol changeover, or if the flat plate is damaged by
storms.
SUPERIOR WINTER PERFORMANCE
The high solar energy absorption of the Endless Solar
evacuated tube collectors, even during overcast conditions,
combined with the superior insulation properties of
the tubes, provides excellent water heating all year
round. While some flat plate collectors may produce
similar heat output in summer conditions, they generally
have reduced performance during winter - when hot water
is most needed.
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of page.
Does
the solar collector have to be installed on a North facing
roof?
Because
of the significantly better efficiency of a Endless Solar
evacuated tube collector in harnessing the sun's energy,
you can locate your system on a roof area facing north-east
or north-west with only minimal reductions in efficiency
(2% to 4% loss) or on a west or east facing roof (6% to
10% efficiency loss). Even if the only unshaded place
to mount the collector is on a south facing roof, it can
be mounted on a reverse frame facing north. However, the
best place to locate your solar collector is on a north
facing roof with a slope of 20 to 45 degrees.
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