A solar system converts the energy of the sun into heat, which, for example, warms the drinking water or supports the heating. If homeowners want to purchase new solar panels, they often have many questions. It is usually unclear which type of collector you should buy, how many you need and what they cost. You can go for the Solar Panels Claims also.
Collector types in comparison
The collectors of a solar thermal system convert the light of the sun into usable heat. How efficiently this works depends on your solar panel construction. Homeowners can buy, for example, flat panels or vacuum tube solar panels.
Buy flat solar panels for the solar system
Flat collectors can be recognized quickly by their box-like structure. So they consist of stable housing, which is aligned to the sun and covered with a glass pane. Inside the components is the absorber. This is a dark-colored plate that heats up in the light of the sun. Pipes, which are usually located at the rear of the absorber, absorb the energy and conduct it via a solar fluid to the heating system. So that the box itself loses as little heat as possible, it is lined from the inside with a protective insulating layer.
If the roof is pointing in the right direction and the un-shaded area is large enough, homeowners can purchase flat solar panels. Because these are relatively cheap, but achieve the same area a lower yield than vacuum tube collectors.
Purchase vacuum tube solar panels
Typical of vacuum tube collectors are the many individual glass tubes, which are connected via a manifold and collector. Each one of them consists of two nested tubes with an approximate vacuum between them. Just like a thermos, the almost space minimizes the heat loss. Inside the tubes are the collector and a special medium. This vaporizes when it absorbs the solar heat and thereby flows to the top of the tube. Here it gives off its energy via a heat exchanger to the solar fluid and cools down. It gets fluid, and the cycle starts again.
If conditions on your roof are not optimal or space is limited, homeowners can purchase vacuum tube solar panels. These are a bit more expensive than flat-plate collectors, but also achieve higher profits in the same area.
Purchase the right area of solar panels
The correct size of the solar system is in addition to the conditions on the roof, especially after the planned use. Differentiation can be made between systems for hot water preparation and heating support.
Solar system for water heating
A solar system for water heating uses the energy of the sun to heat drinking water for showering, bathing or rinsing. If homeowners want to purchase solar panels, they should have the following size:
- to 1.2 square meters of flat-plate collectors per person in the household
- 8 to 1.0 square meters of evacuated tube collectors per person in the household
The required area can be larger if the roof has an unfavorable orientation or is shaded. A reliable answer, for example, is given by an experienced installer on site.