How It Works

Solar vacuum tubes are the main components of a solar hot water heating system.  These tubes are the actual pieces of equipment which direct the available sunshine to heat, which is then transferred to water; the other equipment components in the system are either moving this heat, storing it, or regulating its generation. 

The tubes are about 7’ in length, with one end situated in a header used for heat transfer, while the other end is secured to the base of the rack.  The tube is a vacuum, which has a phenomenal insulation factor, and contains a condenser column.  The sunlight hits the tubes, creating a condensation effect in the column within the sealed vacuum tube.  This heat condenses to one end, which heats up amazingly fast even in cloudy weather.  A water or glycol (nontoxic antifreeze) solution strips this heat off in the header, traveling to a tank to be stored or used within the home.

How Much is Enough?

The number of tubes and size of the storage tank designed for a system depends on the demand for hot water.  High Noon Solar has designed systems using 16 tubes to 96 tubes, differing with the amount of hot water used within the building.  This ranges from a small residential home which needs a minimal amount of water for showers and dishes to a commercial laundry facility.  In a standard to still incorporate a conventional back up hot water heater in situations of unnaturally cloudy weather or very high demand, so there is never a chance of running out of hot water.