“The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
As part of our radiant systems, we have been designing and installing solar collection systems for nearly three decades. We offer a solar hot water system that costs significantly less and saves more than other systems. Our solar designs and products are low-maintenance, robust, and easy to install. You can purchase a solar collection system or choose from the individual components that fit your needs. Finally, all components can be configured for a pressurized system, but we highly recommend a drainback system.
Solar Products
Our Collection System
Our solar collection system is designed for domestic hot water heating and/or space heating. It includes selected Flat Plate Solar Panels, an Earthstar Drainback Solar Tank, and an Earthstar Pump & Control Module. Aside from the solar panels, each product is designed and produced by us. The components are described below.System design
Each system is designed and sized to match your needs. The system is made with inherent simplicity and reliability. It is easy to install and requires little to no maintenance, as the only moving part is a circulator pump. We will design the system to maximize your efficiency and collection capability while meeting your financial needs.Made for Savings
Savings of up to 50% to 80% off your annual hot water bills are possible, and significant solar space heating can be achieved when combined with an Earthstar radiant floor heating system.Aesthetics Count
Flat panel solar collectors flush mounted on a roof looks similar to a skylight. We do not generally recommend tilt mounting roof panels. In many cases systems on houses with off angle roofs or a low roof pitch can perform acceptably with additional panel area to compensate.Easy installation, low maintenance
The system’s modular construction makes it quick and easy to install, and flexible enough to fit nearly any space, including new and old homes. Once the components are in place, just fill the solar tank with tap water from a hose and turn it on. No purging, no vents, no expansion tanks, no expensive and messy anti-freeze. Finally, it requires little maintenance because it only has one moving part: an ultra-quiet pump. It’s designed to prevent rusting, overheating, freezing, nighttime thermosyphoning, and corrosion, all of which are common in other solar hot water systems.Features
• No summer overheating, no winter freezing, no nighttime thermosyphoning
• Scalable and easily expandable
• Operates off fresh well/tap water
• Only one moving part: an ultra quiet pump
• Reliability by design, proven for over a quarter century in hundreds of homes!
• Drainback operation so that whenever the system shuts off, the water in the collectors drain back to the tank by gravity.
• Optional summer/winter mode selection lets you turn off and bypass the gas or electric heater in the warmer months
Solar Tanks
Scalability
One of the keys to our solar systems is the scalability of the solar tanks. We size the system so that the tank collects heat most efficiently, and we can make large tanks at a fraction of the standard market price. You’ll get the right size at the right price.Intelligent, elegant design
The tanks are sized and built to make them simple, reliable, and efficient. We take special consideration to avoid common problems in solar hot water systems. Instead of trying to “fix” the problem, our designs remove the source of the problem. For example, our tanks won’t rust or corrode, which is the main source of tank failure. Our tanks are made of durable, recyclable plastic which allows us to provide a less expensive tank that lasts longer. Additionally, you won’t have to service the system due to overheating or freezing, because the water drains out of the panels at extreme temperatures. The solar fluid won’t become acidic at high temperatures because there is no antifreeze.Durability & Reliability
Across the industry, the leading cause of system failure in solar hot water systems is the solar tank. We haven’t had to replace any tanks in 3 decades of designing, building and installing hundreds of solar systems.Heat Exchangers
The tanks are made with properly sized copper coil heat exchangers. Solar energy collection will not be reduced by our load-side heat exchangers. Neither will DHW heating, because the heat exchangers are amply sized to meet your needs.Custom Fittings
The tanks are fitted with copper coil heat exchangers and the connection points can be pex, copper, or pipe thread. We install sensor wells and low and high level switches.Standard sizes
As shown in the table below, we have a number of sizes to meet your needs. While we can provide other sizes, our standard sizes are:
Size
(gal)Diameter* -
Uninsulated (in)Height -
Uninsulated (in)Diameter -
Insulated (in)Height -
Insulated (in)160
31
41
58
63
300
35
81
45
86
500
46
76
56
81
1000
64
81
76
86
*smallest door opening the tank will fit throughFeatures
• Drainback operation
• Stores heat up to 160°F
• Tank sizes from 50 to 1,000 gallons
• Properly sized heat exchanger
• High performance insulation wrap
• Polyethylene tank will not rust
• Easy installation
Solar Controller
The Earthstar Solar Control is a differential setpoint control to operate the solar collection pump. The control has an array-to-tank temperature differential of 8°F to operate and 4°F to shut off. When the array is 8°F hotter than the solar tank, the pump operates until the tank high limit temperature of 160°F is reached, or the panel to tank differential drops to 4°F.
Features
• 8°F differential cut-in to start collecting, 4°F cut-out
• High temperature shut-off
• 24VAC or 120VAC pump relay
• Digital readout displays collector and storage temperatures
• 3-pronged chord plugs into 120VAC electrical outlet
Solar Control Module
The solar control board is made to connect and control the solar array and solar tank. It includes a properly sized bronze 120 VAC pump and a differential temperature solar control. With this control module, connecting the solar array to the solar tank is simple. When the array is 8°F hotter than the solar tank, the pump operates until the tank high limit temperature is reached, or the panel to tank differential drops to 4°F. The connection endpoints can be either pex, copper, or pipe thread.
Features
• Earthstar Solar Controller
• Easy installation
• Drain valve
• Ultra-quiet collection pump
• Custom fittings: pex, copper, or pipe thread
• Labeled for clarity
• Quality craftsmanship
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