A solar thermal system consists of two main components; a solar collector and a hot water storage tank.

The solar collector, located on the roof, collects the suns energy and transfers the heat to the storage tank. The storage tank allows the hot water to be stored until it is used at night or in the morning.

If the storage tank (geyser) can be mounted higher than the solar collector, the rising of the hot water can cause the transfer of the heat from the collector to the tank. This is called a thermosiphon system. If the storage tank is mounted lower than the solar collector a circulation pump and differential temperature controllers is required. This is called a pumped system.

The life expectancy of a solar collector is typically 20 years while the storage tank (geyser) is 5 years.

Solar hot water systems can save the home owner or business a substantial amount of money and drastically reduce global warming. At current energy prices, these systems can pay for themselves in 2-5 years, depending on the application.

On average it takes less than a day to install a solar system.

Our solar technology requires almost no maintenance except for making sure the collector surface is clean. We do however recommend that the system be checked annually to ensure that you are getting the best possible efficiency out of the system.

Modern solar systems are designed to be maintenance free but due to poor water quality in some areas and dust cleaning is needed. ITS recommends an annual check-up of the system to ensure that your system is providing you with the biggest possible saving. During this check-up the collector surface can then also be cleaned and de-scaling can be done.

On our evacuated tube heat pipe solar collectors the system will remain operational. The efficiency of the system will be reduced by the percentage surface area lost. Replacing the broken glass tube is a very simple and inexpensive operation.

Yes. Although the heat output of the solar collector is reduced on overcast days it will still be able to provide heating. Approximately 25-30% of the suns energy actually gets through the clouds.

Yes. ITS manufactures a special conversion valve to change your normal geyser into a solar geyser.

ITS evacuated tube and ITS flat plate solar collector products are both of very high standard and offer superior performance when compared to many other brands on the market. There are a lot of different arguments about which type of collector is better and unfortunately this is often driven by what technology that company sells and not based on facts. Evacuated tube collectors are more efficient in high temperature application and is frost resistant. Flat plate collectors are more cost effective and great for normal household geyser temperatures. Frost protection must however be provided by a solar controller or glycol in an indirect system configuration.

On average for every 1kWh of energy produced by a coal power station, 0.966kg of carbon dioxide is produced. Now, a good quality solar system with 3m2 of solar collector area will on average generate 7kWh of thermal energy per day. Therefore, you will personally be responsible for saving our environment of another 2470 kg of carbon dioxide per year. Carbon dioxide traps heat in our atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect, which alters our planet’s climate and ecological systems. Using solar energy in place of non-renewable fuels may also reduce nitrous oxides and sulphur dioxides, which are components of smog.