Been thinking about finally ditching my old electric water heater and going solar. Did a bit of digging around, and it seems like the two main contenders are flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors. Honestly, I'm still kinda fuzzy on which one would be better for everyday use.
Flat plates seem simpler, cheaper, and pretty sturdy from what I've read. I mean, fewer moving parts usually means less headaches down the road, right? But then again, people say they aren't as efficient in colder weather or cloudy days. And winters here can get pretty gloomy sometimes.
Evacuated tubes, on the other hand, look like some futuristic sci-fi gadget (which is kinda cool, lol). They're supposed to be way more efficient, especially when it's chilly or cloudy. But I've also heard they're pricier upfront and maybe a bit more fragile. Not sure how true that is though—anyone had experience with them breaking easily?
A buddy of mine installed flat plates a couple years ago and swears by them, but he's in Arizona where it's sunny like 360 days a year (lucky guy). I'm in a place with actual seasons—hot summers but cold winters too—so I'm not sure his advice applies to me.
If you've tried either of these setups yourself or know someone who has, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Is the extra efficiency of evacuated tubes worth the higher cost? Or should I just keep things simple with flat plates?
I've had evacuated tubes for about three years now, and honestly, they're pretty impressive in winter. Even on cloudy days, they still manage to heat water decently. But yeah, upfront cost was definitely steeper, and I did crack one tube once when a branch fell during a storm—replacement wasn't cheap. If you're tight on budget and worried about durability, flat plates might be less hassle overall...depends how much you value that extra winter efficiency.
