1. THERMAL STORES, COLLECTOR PIPES
AND PLUMBING WORKS
By Eric Hawkins

2. WHAT IS A THERMAL STORE?
• A Thermal Store/Buffer Tank can be
open vented or unvented (vented is
safer)
• If open vented as the schematic shows,
it means the hot water expansion is
through a small header tank of 10-40
litres.
• This also allows the tank to vent the air
and feed water into the buffer tank.
• The buffer tank can be made from
anything, from an oil drum to a cold
water plastic tank.
• An existing unvented tank can also be
converted to a thermal store.

3. WHAT IS A THERMAL STORE?
Once the water is heated above 60c,
lime scale is eliminated
Solar heated water is the same as in the
buffer tank, and requires no solar coil or
all the extra component parts, which
adds to system cost.
Mains city water or from a gravity cold
water tank, is now connected to the
lower 10 meter coil which connects to
the 20 meter coil above.

4. USING SHW IN WINTER
A Thermal Store heated by solar direct, with a back up of a gas/oil boiler for benefit
during winter months from solar heated water. The system has 2 x heat pipe
collectors plumbed into a Thermal Store can provide both heat and potable hot
water from a single tank of water. No Glycol, no service costs, no leaks, and a gas
boiler that is switched off 4-6 months of the year. The German Sorel controller
protects the system from frost.

5. A HORIZONTAL THERMAL STORE
If you have an empty roof space, or building a new house, use the space for a
horizontal Thermal Store. To reduce water waste and the cost of heated cold water
to hot water through an existing unvented hot water tank, look to install a PRE HEAT
sold water system, which pre heats the cold water before it passes into the existing
unvented hot water tank. No pumps or solar controller needed.

6. THE IDEAL WATER TANK FOR AFRICA
This is a new design non-pressure pressure water tank. The latest
heat pipe tube collector is now produced in all glass. Compared to
the water fill evacuated tubes, there is no water in the tube. A
pump is required to move the water from these insulated square
box manifold tanks (50-80 liters). This is only suited for large scale
hot water needs with a very competitive price.

7. THERMOSYPHONIC SPLIT SOLAR SYSTEM WITH A
THERMAL STORE
The horizontal thermal store is located in the roof space, with only the
collector located outside. Its important that the top of the collector is below
the level of the bottom of the tank. Tank sizes from 100 to 200 liters with
heat pipe collector from 12 to 20 tubes.

8. BUYER BEWARE!
Beware of stainless steel pressure tanks sold
with heat pipe tube collectors as thermo-
siphon from China

9. A LOW PRESSURE WATER TANK FROM CHINA
The failure is related to the quality of the stainless steel (304) the very thin
stainless steel for the end caps (0.6mm) and the cheap stainless steel
threaded fittings that connect the plumbing fittings to the pipe.
If to much pressure is used to tighten a galvanised fitting to the threaded
fitting, the tank fitting will split from the stainless steel cap end.

10. WHY STAINLESS STEEL TANKS FROM CHINA DON’T
LAST
-The very low quality of the plumbing pipe and fittings
-With increase in temperature, when the heat pipes are direct
in the water, the water expands by 10%
-If the pressure/temperature release valve fails to open, the
tank becomes a time bomb.

11. THERMAL STORE: THE SAFE ALTERNATIVE
A Turkish made system, with a flat
plate collector instead of heat pipe
tube collectors, but has a split
system.
The mains city water passes
through the heat exchanger
stainless steel coil inside the
cylinder
Unlike a heat pipe collector, flat
plate collectors cannot heat these
tanks above 80c, because of the
single glass, which heat is passed
through unlike the evacuated
tube, which has no heat loss.

12. LARGE SCALE GRAVITY BUFFER TANK SYSTEM
Inside this 1,000 liter buffer
tank also vented but without
the external feed and vent
tank, are a large number of
stainless steel heat exchanger
coils, where the mains city
water is connected to.
The water tank is fitted with a
solar coil, so the water/glycol
liquid Is separated fro the
water in the tank, which is the
DIRECT supply of hot water out
and cold water in

13. SOUTH AFRICA’S THERMOCUBE DESIGNS
As long as a thermal store can be maintain a temperature above 65c,
from a high output solar collector like a heat pipe tube collector with
a back up of a heat pump, gas or oil boiler or electrical heater, the
mains water can run through the internal coils all day without
running out of hot water

14. WORLD’S FIRST FLAT PACK TANKS
The worlds first flat pack tanks were first developed
in the USA by Eric Hawkins

15. FLAT PACK TANK IN SOUTH AFRICA
In 2014 the flat pack tank designs and specifications
were shared with the owner of Sirac, South Africa

16. EFFICIENCIES OF A THERMAL STORE
A thermal Store can provide hot water for space heating at the same time as delivering hot
water
An alternative to placing coils in the tank is to located plate heat exchangers on the outside
as a way to exchange buffer hot vented water with mains pressure city water.

17. UNDERSTANDING THE HOT WATER TANK OPTIONS
FOR KENYA
• For solar water heating to be a success in
Kenya, there needs to be an investment in
the setting up of a hot water tank assembly
factory
• This will reduce the importation of tanks
shipped in Containers from the UK, Europe
and China

18. THE HOT WATER TANK OPTIONS OPEN TO KENYA
Split solar systems options without a pump
1. Unvented pressure water tanks
2. Vented none pressure water tanks
3. Made of steel, glass lined
4. Made of stainless steel (3 SS qualities)
5. Vented polyethylene
6. Vertical or horizontal

19. THE HOT WATER TANK OPTIONS OPEN TO KENYA
Split solar systems options with a
pump/controller
1. Unvented pressure water tanks
2. Vented none pressure water tanks
3. Made of steel, glass lined
4. Made of stainless steel (3 SS qualities)
5. Vented polyethylene
6. Vertical or horizontal

20. WHAT IS AN UNVENTED CYLINDER DESIGNED FOR USE
WITH A SOLAR COLLECTOR?
The majority of unvented pressure water tanks designed to be
heated from a solar collector are made of mild steel with a glass
lining .
Israel is a typical volume manufacture of steel water tanks,
designed to be heated indirectly by a solar collector
Mains city supplied water at mains pressure into the base of the
tank, with hot water out of the top, to the inside of the house at
often boiling temperatures

21. WHAT IS AN UNVENTED CYLINDER DESIGNED FOR USE
WITH A SOLAR COLLECTOR?
• Steel glassed lined tanks are very heavy and not
recommended for use in Kenya unless produced in
Kenya, but only for large scale hot water storage.
• Vertical installed hot water cylinders are provide the
best stratifications than those installed horizontal
• The danger from unvented thermo siphon systems,
is as the water temperature increases, so does the
water pressure in the tank.
• All such unvented tanks come with a
pressure/temperature release valve, which opens at
90c until the tank temperature falls back to below
75c

22. STAINLESS STEEL VENTED TANK
• A typical Chinese made stainless steel vented
tank with a heat exchanger coil inside for the
delivery of hot water at mains city pressure
indirect

23. STAINLESS STEEL VENTED TANK
• This is good example of combining a vented none
pressure stainless steel water tank, with water filled
glass tubes or with heat pipe evacuated tubes
• This is called a Thermal Store, where the water in the
cylinder is non-potable water. It means once the
cylinder has been filled with water, it stays in the
cylinder and only now and then needs to be topped
up.
• These tanks can safely be heated to 90c, with no
dangers of overheating or exploding if the
pressure/temperature valve fails due to lime scale
build up

24. A THERMO SIPHON SYSTEM WITH A HEAT EXCHANGER
COIL INSIDE
• The best solar water heating option for a country with a
water shortage, is a two tank system.
• In this system you need a bronze pump, as the tank inside the
house is unvented, which means the potable water passes
from the tank through the copper coil in the roof vented tank
and back to the tank in the house

25. HEAVY DUTY STAINLESS STEEL HOT WATER TANKS
WITH A INTERNAL SOLAR COIL
• The majority of mains pressure unvented tanks
produced in China have been copied from Europe
manufactures
• These tanks are destined for France designed by Hitachi,
Japan to be heated by a heat pump (one 40ft container a
month)

26. MY FIRST THERMAL STORE MADE FROM
POLYETHYLENE

27. THE SOLAR SPEEDFLEX THERMAL STORE DESIGN

28. THE SOLAR SPEEDFLEX THERMAL STORE DESIGN
• The Solar Speedflex Thermal Store is a open
vented hot water cylinder, made of a high
grade stainless steel for long life.
• Inside each tank up to 500 litres, one or two
coils of helical stainless steel pipe in ¾ inch
diameter are placed inside. Its through the
coil in the solar heated tank where cold water
is heated to hot as it flows through the coil

29. A MULTI FUEL SOLAR SPEEDFLEX THERMAL STORE
• The water in the store is used for space heating, while still
able to provide hot water at mains pressure through the coils
for washing and showers.

30. GERMAN DEVELOPED THERMAL STORES FROM
INSULATED PLASTIC
• Latento brand manufacture in Germany made just one
thermal store size of 500 litres with an option to be heated by
a solar collector, also offered by their company along with a
underfloor heating system.

31. SOLAR SPEEDFLEX THERMAL STORE TANKS
• Made of stainless steel, with stainless steel 1 inch
corrugated 316L coils which are split between 10
meters and 20 meters.

32. POWERTECH’S FIRST COPPER THERMAL STORE
The round thermal store tank placed
into a insulated square casing
The two coils inside are joined
together on the outside by a
full bore flow meter. This 250
litre multi fuel thermal store is
also for space heating
The Combi cylinder with twin coiled
pipe
A twin copper coil heat exchanger
with an integrated finned soft
copper coil inside a 1 inch diameter
copper pipe. This early thermal
store needed a circulating pump
with a flow meter.

33. A RANGE OF UK PRODUCED COPPER HOT WATER
TANKS
The United Kingdom water heating industry employs over
500,000 people, with 20% of production exported. It has over 80
yrs of open vented hot water and heating systems and is the
largest manufacture of copper water tanks in the world.

34. HOT WATER TANKS FOR USE IN SOLAR SPLIT SYSTEM
DESIGNS
The UK copper smith industries are the only water tank industry
in the world who have perfected a spray foam insulation over
the copper tanks, of any size up to 1,500 litres. All copper made
tanks are open vented.

35. THE ULTIMATE THERMAL STORE DESIGNED FOR SOLAR
HEATING
A UK produced 400 litre thermal store
This is made of copper sheet,
heated by 6 x 22 Apricus collectors
with a back up of 2 x 6kW emersion
heater elements. The stored water
is used to heat the house.
250 litre thermal store from China
This is made of stainless steel with plate heat
exchangers fitted on the outside of the tank,
instead of coils inside. It has heated by 2 x 22
tube Apricus heat pipe collectors DIRECT,
without a pump station, expansion vessel or
glycol.

36. PROVEN TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FUTURE GLOBAL
SOLAR WATER HEATING INDUSTRY
-The switch away from external
plate heat exchangers to
stainless steel coils was done in
2016.
-The idea behind splitting the
coils in two, was the maximise
the efficiency from solar.
-Unlike mass produced
unvented stainless steel
cylinders designed to provide
ONLY hot water at direct mains
city water pressure, the
Thermal Store delivers much
more than just a tank of hot
water for washing and showers.

37. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED
LOOP SYSTEMS
A vented cylinder with a closed loop
This is the same for unvented
cylinders.
A vented thermal store with an open loop
This is where the solar heated water is
pumped direct into the cylinder for maximum
heat transfer efficiency
Mains hot
Mains W

38. FUTURE OF AFRICA’S WATER TANKS AVAILABILITY
• The long term future for Kenya and other African
nations is to establish a strong water tank
manufacturing industry
• The continued importation of small and large water
tanks from all parts of the industrialised countries is
very expensive to the importer/distributor-80% of the
container of the material used to produce 40 x 200
litre finished water tanks is AIR.
• Its possible for ONE investment group to establish the
a manufacture and assembly of solar water tanks in
Kenya under a license agreement!

39. COLLECTORS TYPE, QUALITY AND HEATING
FLUIDS
By Eric Hawkins

40. COLLECTOR PIPES

41. SOLAR WATER HEATING COLLECTOR: CHOICES AND OPTIONS
Individual Property Use And Hot Water Needs
1. Flat plate with copper/aluminium absorbers
2. Unglazed polypropylene flat panels
3. Evacuated glass tubes (water filled)
4. Evacuated heat pipe collectors
5. Evacuated all glass heat pipe collectors
6. PVT Hybrid solar collectors
7. Evacuated tube batch water heaters
8. Thermo Siphon compact systems

42. GLAZED FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
• Compared with the quality of glazed flat plate
panels produced in 1970-90, today's flat plate
collectors are of a very high quality.

43. POSITIONING FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
• With all flat plate collector
systems, you have to face
them due south, or due
North if in Australia
• If evacuated tubes were
used instead, the
installation could have
been placed on the west
facing part of the roof and
not look so ugly with the
angled frame support.

44. WHY CHOSE A FLAT BOX SOLAR COLLECTOR?
1. The majority of flat plate collectors include a soft
copper pipe serpentine absorber.
2. All flat plate come with a single sheet of toughened
glass
3. Depending on the manufacture, the insulation is
mainly glass wool
4. The typical size of a flat plate is 2m2 to 2.5m2 and
heavy to lift alone.
5. In countries where temperatures may drop below
freezing, a closed loop system with a water/glycol fluid
is recommended by manufactures.

45. FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A FLAT BOX SOLAR
COLLECTOR
• The roof must be strong enough to fix the collector
frame too.
• If the panel is dropped and the glass shatters, you cant
repair it
• Very inflexible to size correctly to the size of a water
tank
• One panel per 100-150 litres
• Internal corrosion, due to condensation behind the
glass, will reduce the life of the collectors.
• Being a flat box, heat transfer is lower over a day than
a evacuated tube collector

46. INSTALLATION OF FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
• With all flat plate installations in the UK, a water/glycol fluid mix must
be used to protect the copper pipe inside from splitting open from
freezing.
• Once again, the system specification was with a vented thermal store,
with a feed and vent tank located above, where the glycol was added
into. This protects the whole system, both the collectors, the plumbing
pipe without being closed loop as is the standard across Europe.

47. CAUSES OF FLAT PLATE INSTALLATIONS FAILURES
• The most common cause of both collector failure and the hot water
tank, is the use of galvanised/iron fittings
• A copper pipe flat plate must always be plumbed into a water tank
designed for flat plate with 100% copper pipe and copper/brass
fittings or with stainless steel pipe and stainless/brass fittings.

48. FLAT PLATE INSTALLATIONS TIPS
• Depending on the water temperature required, the weather conditions of the
country, the selected area of the installation (not near the sea) flat plate is
recommended for large scale water heating systems, installed on the ground or a
flat roof, for ease of servicing, like keeping the glass clean.
• Never use flat plate as an open vented system, if there is signs of lime scale in the
water supply.
• A flat plate collector holds 5 times as much fluid compared to heat pipe collectors.
• Over heating the water tank is not possible, as there are heat losses through the
single sheet of glass.

49. AN INSTALLATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
• For some roof types, a slim line flat plate collector looks better than
tubes.

50. EH’S LARGEST FLAT PLATE INSTALLATION IN THE UK
• The low angled conference centre roof was fitted with a very strong frame
into the roof structure for maximum spring/summer and autumn solar gain.
• The 44 x 2.2m2 Chromagen brand panels were installed in 4 arrays, with
each 22mm copper flow and returns joined together with brass compression
fittings.
• The heated water was pumped to a insulated underground tank, holding
200,000 litres to be used in winter heating, back up with a oil boiler and
wood burner stove.

51. UNGLAZED FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
• The latest thermo-siphon system for rural off grid
homes. Comes complete with the plumbing pipe
and fittings.

52. THE BEST ALL PLASTIC MOULDED PANELS
• These are two designs from an Israeli manufacture, the Flare Pro for
single domestic or large commercial systems and Eco Spark for low
temperature hot water heating (swimming pools)
• Patented collectors made from Polymer material, sustained ultraviolet
protection and polycarbonate glazing.
• Anti corrosion, anti lime scale build up, extremely light weight and long
lasting, when installed correctly. Can work in closed or open loop or
thermo-siphon

53. ECO SPARK ALL POLYMER PLASTIC PANELS
• This type of solar collector
is ideal for heating hotel
swimming pools, during
the winter months outside
as well as inside all year
round.
• Israel is a world leader in
solar water innovations,
high quality and
guaranteed to work for
many years.

54. KENYA’S SOLUTION
• Kenya can develop it’s
own system as a pre
heat system, by using
the Thermocube tanks
from Sirac in South
Africa, or insulate a
Poly tank for cold
water storage into a
insulated hot water
tank.

55. HIGH TEMPERATURE TUBE PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
• These large glass
tube collectors can
heat a liquid (oil)
up to 400c.
• The only down fall,
is keeping the
reflectors clean

56. NEW ALL GLASS HEAT PIPE TUBE COLLECTOR
• China is the worlds largest evacuated tube manufacture, with
around 2 million tubes produced every day.
• They have an impressive innovation of using a glass heat pipe
instead of copper, to heat the water storage header. These
are more efficient in heat transfer than water fill glass tubes.

57. WATER FILLED EVACUATED TUBE COLLECTORS
• This is a typical solar water heating system installed across
China, now exported to developing countries due to the very
low prices.
• The glass tubes were first developed between the Tsinghai
University in China and the University of Sydney, Australia in
1995. Now called the Sydney Tube.

58. WATER FILLED EVACUATED TUBE COLLECTORS
• An inner glass tube made from borosilicate glass, with tri absorber
coatings, is placed inside an outer glass tube and bonded together
through a gas flare. As the water fills the main tank from the
smaller feeder tank, water fills the tubes.
• If a tube is broken when full of water, all the water will flow out of
the tank, until a new tube is replaced. Not recommended for
countries with water shortages.

59. DIRECT FLOW EVACUATED TUBES LAID FLAT ON A ROOF
• Unlike evacuated heat pipe
collectors which require an angle
of minimum of 20 degree for the
heat pipe condenser to work,
these direct flow 70-100mm
diameter tubes do not.
• Pumped water from a closed loop
system flow down the inner
copper pipe attached to a copper
absorber plate in the tube, with
the water return flowing back to
the tank on the outside of the
inner copper tube.
• A pipe in pipe system, with a metal
to glass seal.

60. IMPORTED SUNDA TUBE COLLECTORS
• The large 100mm diameter Sunda Chinese made tubes in 2003 were replaced with
NEW Apricus 68mm diameter brand after many of the SUNDA tubes were losing the
vacuum.
• These 200mm long tubes were with a metal to glass seal, not an open tube as in the
Apricus brand and the majority of tubes made in China.
• The failed tubes were caused by the overheating of the heat pipes, in a closed loop
system, where the solar controller and pump, switched off the circulating to the
water tank.

61. HEAT PIPE TUBES FOR A STAINLESS STEEL TANK DIRECT
• This type of Thermo-Siphon heat pipe system, recommended if the
tank is open vented or for the water tank not to be heated above 80c
• The over heating problem is resolved, with a new heat pipe condenser
which incorporates a shut off valve inside or the water in the tank is
pumped to another larger tank, as a pre heat unvented mains
pressure system.

62. STAINLESS STEEL FLEXIBLE PIPE VS. PPR
• The picture on the right is of an installation in Kenya with flat plate
collectors, where all the pipe used is PPR (polypropylene Random pipe) PPR
Nanometre Anti-Bacteria Pipe. This type of pipe is not suited for use in solar
water heating systems, if the water temperature under mains pressure
increases above 80c. At this temperature the inner layer breaks down.
• On the left is a USA installation used Speedflex stainless steel flexible pipe

63. THE ALTERNATIVE TO A CLOSED LOOP HEAT PIPE
THERMO SIPHON SYSTEM
• Into the horizontal stainless steel tank, we insert a 30 meter stainless steel
helical coil, which the mains city water is passed through to pick up the heat
indirectly from the water in the tank, heated by heat pipes.
• With all such systems, a thermostatic valve must be included to avoid
people being scalded by mains pressure heated water.

64. AN EARLY SQUARE BOXED APRICUS COLLECTOR
• The 12 tube heat pipe collectors is installed with a heat exchanger
evaporator.
• Dirty water in a tank above the collector feeds into the evaporator and flow
out as drinking water the other end, when the water in the heat exchanger
is above 80c.

65. AMERICAN INSTALLED APRICUS HEAT PIPE COLLECTOR
• The collector uses a solar PV
panel to pump the water.
• If the national grid is not
stable, the use of solar PV
panel charging a battery, for
the solar controller and pump
to operate from the battery is
recommended.
• Also one could install a
inverter charger with a
battery wired to the grid.

66. A HEAT PIPE COLLECTOR INSTALLED AS A SPLIT SYSTEM
• This is installation has a
fibreglass double skin insulated
tank located under the roof,
with a back up of a LPG gas
boiler.
• In those days (2003), copper
pipe was used for the
installation. If a tube is broken,
its easy to pull out and replace
with a new one.
• The water content in this 22
tube copper header is 0.80L, so
no need for the pipe to be
greater than 15mm (1/2 inch)

67. ONE OF SPEEDFLEX’S LARGEST HEAT PIPE COLLECTOR
INSTALLATIONS
• This 37 x 30 tube heat pipe
collector installations was split into
two halves.
• The hot water energy savings over
a year was 55%

68. 6 X 30 TUBE HEAT PIPE SPLIT SYSTEM
• This brand new built house in
Spain, was installed with a
underfloor heating system,
plumbed into a 500 L thermal store
coupled to 6 x 30 tube heat pipe
collectors.
• Many villas in Spain did not use
insulation, so in the winter were
very cold.
• The system is supported by day
time winter heating
• All through the day, the solar
heated water is circulated through
the UFH

69. EVACUATED TUBE BATCH WATER HEATER
• After 6 months of first testing a batch water heater in Cyprus,
manufactured in Japan, one of the copper water storage tubes inside the
glass tube exploded, due to the acid water quality.
• The 40 litre of water storage, has no freeze protection and works as a pre
heat of mains pressure water before passing through my Therma Store.

70. SUNTECH HEAT PIPE BRAND OF COLLECTORS
The designs were inspired by lessons from the Sunda and Apricus brands

71. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A HEAT PIPE
COLLECTOR
The most important part of a heat pipe collector starts with the header.
The design incorporates the copper heat exchanger inside the insulated manifold casing.
There are 10 component parts (excluding the frame, which makes up a heat pipe collector)
The heat transfer is between the tight fitting of the condenser attached to the heat pipe into a
closed socket brazed into a 36mm copper pipe

72. A WELL DESIGNED/INSTALLED HEAT PIPE TUBE
COLLECTOR
The only down side when specifying evacuated tubes, is you have to be
careful how you handle the glass tubes, when inserting the tubes/heat
pipes into a manifold or a water tank

73. A TYPICAL SPLIT SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM
An unvented, closed loop twin coil cylinder requires greater installation
skills than a none pressure open loop system.
All solar collectors badly installed, can be very dangerous and should
always be handled with care. Never commission a system, during high
sunlight levels.

74. PV + THERMAL IS THE FUTURE
Behind these PV panels
installed on a roof in
Switzerland is a solar thermal
panel which provides both
electrical and warm water
energy.
It’s a well known fact, that
when the temperature of
glazed PV panels increases
above 26c, the efficiency of PV
panels begin to fall.

75. PV + THERMAL IS THE FUTURE
By adding a low cost thermal
panel into the space at the back
of a PV panel, where cool water
is circulated through the
absorber, the efficiency of PV is
increased to the level of the
initial in door testing.
The heated water is a by
product of PVT, but must not be
allowed to rise above 30c,
unless there is a greater
demand for hot water than
electricity .

76. CONCLUSION
• With all the choice of solar collectors and system options, who
decides which system is the best for decision maker of a domestic
home, a business, hotel, school or Hospital
• No one type of collector/system meets every home/business needs.
• A Thermal Store is preferable to an unvented pressure tank
• The main failure of the majority of solar systems is related to
overheating through system oversized for water demand.
• The 2nd issue is not enough knowledge and experience in selecting
the correct plumbing pipe, fittings and the use of insulation to reduce
heat waste.
• Lastly, reducing water waste, waiting for hot water to arrive, is an
urgent matter for many African countries in a water crises.

77. PLUMBING AND CIVIL WORKS AND
INSULATION
By Eric Hawkins

78. A SAMPLE OF TWO SHORT LENGTHS OF INSULATED PIPE
AND FITTINGS

79. SPEEDFLEX’S CHOICE OF PIPE MANUFACTURE

80. THE IMPORTANCE OF A HIGH QUALITY RANGE OF
INSULATION TUBES

81. PREPARATION OF THE PIPE, THE UNION NUT, SPLIT RING
AND FIBRA WASHER
• The lowest cost and most common pipe to brass fitting
connection, is through the purchase of a Flange Tool.
• The cost vary a lot, but from us in China, its a low cost and
works with a hammer.
• There are 3 flange tool sizes offer for each of the 3 most
used pipe sizes.
• A split ring and a quality sealing gasket is required as well as
the correct sized union nut.

82. PREPARATION OF THE PIPE, THE UNION NUT, SPLIT RING
AND FIBRA WASHER
• The union nut is first placed over the pipe , then is
placed in the open tool, allowing for 2-3 rings to be
flattened.
• A split ring is then inserted behind the flattened
rings.
• The new improved German gasket of 0.30mm
thickness provides the leak proof guarantee

83. TYPES OF BRASS FITTINGS WHICH CAN BE USED IN
INSTALLATIONS
• With this type of corrugated pipe system, there are
a limited number of adaptor fittings offered.

84. QUICK FIT BRASS FITTINGS
• The all in one union nut and adaptor that couples together the stainless steel flexible
pipe to copper pipe or male/female brass fittings to hot water tanks, eliminates the
need of the flange tool, the split ring and gasket.
• First place the union nut over the pipe, then the grab ring on the 3rd grove of the pipe,
with the flat side facing outside.
• Then add the silicone seal (tested to 200c) with the flat side against the flat side of the
grab ring.
• Attach the body of the fitting and tighten by hand. Just two turns with a pipe wrench
will provide a long term leak free joint.

85. QUICK FIT BRASS FITTINGS
• The all in one union nut and adaptor that couples together the stainless steel flexible
pipe to copper pipe or male/female brass fittings to hot water tanks, eliminates the
need of the flange tool, the split ring and gasket.
• First place the union nut over the pipe, then the grab ring on the 3rd grove of the pipe,
with the flat side facing outside.
• Then add the silicone seal (tested to 200c) with the flat side against the flat side of the
grab ring.
• Attach the body of the fitting and tighten by hand. Just two turns with a pipe wrench
will provide a long term leak free joint.

86. IMPORTANT SELLING POINTS IN SOLAR WATER HEATING
SALES
The Copper Option.
1. Copper like many other metals including stainless, is traded on the London
Metal Markets (LME) which makes this material the most traded
commodity like Gold through out the world.
2. This makes copper a very unstable metal to buy with prices changing daily.
Also copper is easy to steal for the recycling cash payments as scrap.
3. The rigidity of copper pipe in lengths, coupled with the need to use a
professional plumber to handle the brazing of all the joints the need of a
bending tool to form a right angle bend adds to the end installed cost of a
copper installed system.
4. Even if soft copper was used supplied in coils, swept and right angle
bends would still need to be brazed onto the pipe in order to provide retain
the roundness of the pipe throughout the installation.
5. Copper pipe is proven to burst at low freezing temperatures, hence the
need to mix Glycol with water in the system.

87. IMPORTANT SELLING POINTS IN SOLAR WATER HEATING
SALES
The Stainless Steel Flexible pipe (Solar Hose) Option.
• Stainless Steel like copper is also traded on the LME) but not to the high
cost level that Copper is traded at.
• The much lower price as a base metal creates a more stable price for the
processes who turn stainless steel into end products like hot water tanks
and corrugated flexible pipe.
• The flexibility of stainless corrugated pipe supplied in a roll from 10 to 50
metres allows the plumber/installer of solar thermal systems to cut the pipe
and bend it in into a U bend by hand, is both faster and less costly than
copper when the labour costs of soldering the pipe joints and using a
bending tool is taken into consideration.

88. IMPORTANT SELLING POINTS IN SOLAR WATER HEATING
SALES
The Stainless Steel Flexible pipe (Solar Hose) Option.
• The price to the solar installer when supplied by the importer/wholesaler
company, should not be any more cost than the price of copper pipe. The
cost benefit of pre-insulated or none pre-insulated is in the labour cost, time
taken.
• Other key benefits of using corrugated hose pipe are, A. Less chance of
being stolen, B. Easy to store and carry, C. Minimum waste, D. Easy to cut,
E. no expensive tools, F. an easy and inexpensive solution to connecting
solar collectors to hot water tanks and cold and hot supply lines between the
house and the Thermo Siphon combination system on the roof.

89. IMPORTANT SELLING POINTS IN SOLAR WATER HEATING
SALES
The Stainless Steel Flexible pipe (Solar Hose) Option.
• The price to the solar installer when supplied by the importer/wholesaler
company, should not be any more cost than the price of copper pipe. The
cost benefit of pre-insulated or none pre-insulated is in the labour cost, time
taken.
• Other key benefits of using corrugated hose pipe are, A. Less chance of
being stolen, B. Easy to store and carry, C. Minimum waste, D. Easy to cut,
E. no expensive tools, F. an easy and inexpensive solution to connecting
solar collectors to hot water tanks and cold and hot supply lines between the
house and the Thermo Siphon combination system on the roof.

90. SAMPLE TWIN COIL HOSE
• These pictures show some samples purchased through a 3rd party. What you
don’t see, until you order a twin coil solar hose, is the way the PE hot film
process is used to cover over the China made insulation tube for protection.
• Its only when the installer comes to separate the flow and return pipes, that
he/she will start to expose the none protected parts of the insulation tube. Also
the end appearance is not good and the purchase of twin coils is wasteful

91. A SPEEDFLEX INSTALLATION IN THE USA FOR A HOTEL

92. SOLAR SPEEDFLEX- THE SWH INSTALLATION SOLUTION

93. CONCLUSION
• What is the wall thickness of the corrugated pipe? (19mm, 25mm or
30mm) offered?
• What are the guarantees of the pipe not splitting open or corroding if
304 type pipe is used?
• Is the EPDM specified from a recognised branded manufacturer with
international approvals?
• Has the stainless steel pipe specified, passed international pressure
tests and meets local building codes and potable water standards?
• Make sure the range of brass, chrome on steel and stainless steel
union nuts and fittings offered are of a strong enough quality that
heavy handed plumbers cannot split open from over tightening.
Some key points to ask before placing any orders for a
solar hose plumbing coils

94. CONCLUSION
• What is the background history of the company and more important,
who is the person behind the development of a solar hose plumbing
system?
• If you are looking for a specific requirement of pipe size, insulation
wall thickness for outside and for inside with even different
temperature ratings for flow and return lines, will your Chinese
supplier understand what you are talking about?
• The initial appearance and make up of a product will tell you how
good the management is of a manufacture/supplier. From the
installers point of view, when the installation is completed, he/she
wants to leave the job he is being paid for, knowing its his best
installation and no call backs.
Some key points to ask before placing any orders for a
solar hose plumbing coils