Solartwin design minimises maintenance from the start…

Flexible Silicone rubber pipes expand as water freezes inside them. This eliminates requirement for Glycol and Glycol’s associated maintenance inspections and fluid top ups.

The only moving part in the system is the pump so there is very little to go wrong. The pump has been designed with durability in mind and uses a 10.7V brushless DC motor, which has an expected lifespan of 12+ years as it has no contact points that can degrade due to wear and tear. The diaphragm is made from EPDM rubber, which is a recognised construction material noted for its durability. The solar circuit does not require a filling loop and if decommissioning the system will self prime without requirement for removing airlocks, as airlocks can’t form in 6mm Silicone microbore pipe and the pump can pump any air out of the system which will then escape to atmosphere via open vent).

The Solartwin controller is preset to standard operational settings for a Solartwin. The controller is also powered by the PV cell and has no tenant interface, avoiding tampering. The controller holds its charge in two super capacitors which can cope with thousands of charge / discharge cycles.

We do recommend draining down the entire hot water system every 7 years to remove any deposits left by water naturally over time. The solar collector does not necessarily need to be decommissioned during this drain down as it will pump air until the mains water supply to the header, or feed and expansion tank in the case of the thermal store option, is re-opened. For further details decommissioning please see the Solartwin method statement.

We do not recommend Unvented hot water cylinders due to the compulsory annual maintenance requirement under G3 regulations. For pressurized hot water we prefer vented thermal stores, which provide mains water pressure avoiding it being stored under pressure.

The systems life expectancy is 20+ years. The Polycarbonate glazing comes to us with a 10 year worldwide UV non-degradation warranty. This means a life expectancy for the glazing of possibly 50 years in the UK if comparing to the areas on Earth that have up to 5 times the annual irradiation per meter squared than that which we experience in the UK.