Super Insulated Tank

High Density Polyurethane (HDP) Insulated Tank

The Sunbank water tank is a pressurized tank designed specifically to keep heat in and cold out. Its design, craftsmanship, and important accessories all contribute to the Sunbank’s high performance and long life span.

The Sunbank water tank is insulated with 55mm of HDP insulation. It loses as much heat on a freezing night as your fiberglass insulated gas or electric water heater loses in your basement each night. That’s because high density polyurethane is a much more effective insulator than standard fiberglass insulation.

The Sunbank tank is made up of a high-quality stainless steel inner tank that is argon arc welded for maximum pressure withstanding capability. Set around this tank is 55mm of HDP insulation. And around the insulation is a steel shell that protects the insulation from UV damage and keeps the whole tank isolated from the elements. Thanks to this design and the polyurethane insulation, the tank is able to maintain a high temperature difference between the water in the tank and the outside air temperature.

The tank is built for an operating pressure of 85 PSI and is pressure tested in the factory to 175 PSI. Because of this, the Sunbank works with municipal water pressure and does not rely on gravity or the use of pumps. This allows the customer to have high water pressure and a constantly full tank without using any extra electricity.

Magnesium Anode

All Sunbanks and conventional water heaters come with a magenesium anode already installed. According to Randy Schuyler and Larry and Suzanne Weingarten of Water Heater Rescue, “The single most important factor in whether a water heater lives or dies is the condition of its sacrificial anode. For more than 60 years, it has been used as a key part of the rust protection of a tank, although few people know it’s there.”

Not changing the sacrificial anode is the reason that most water heaters fail. Some in as few as 5 years. Checking this component will ensure that your Sunbank lasts for decades.

T/P Valve

All Sunbanks also come pre-equipped with a Temperature and Pressure Valve. This protects the tank by releasing water and heat if the temperature and therefore the pressure rises too high inside of the tank.

Optional Accessories

The Sunbank can be configured in one of two ways. As a pre-heater to your existing water heating system, or as a stand alone unit. If you prefer it to be your only water heater, then it is recommended that you install the electric heating element and Sunbank controller to supplement in times of high water usage or especially little sun. It is also possible that you might want to install the controller without the electrical heater. This allows you to keep track of the temperature in your tank.

Sunbank Controller

The Sunbank Controller measures the temperature inside the Sunbank and can be used in conjunction with the auxiliary heater. It can be set to whatever temperature range so that it will only activate the heater when the tank temperature dips below a defined temperature. It is mounted on your wall like your thermostat and has smart features such as an anti-legionella function and a timer setting.

Electric Heating Element

The Sunbank can be installed with a 1.5KW auxiliary electrical heating element. This allows you to replace your conventional water heater all together and is convenient because it will run on a standard 120V 15 amp circuit as opposed to needing an electrician to come in and put in an expensive 240V circuit.

    EXCELLENT  
  16 reviews on
 
 
         
   nic maier 
 
 
 
   I don't write reviews but I have to tell others about James from Sunbank! We got an 80 gallon solar water heater and installed it ourselves. It works very well in Southern California. The installation was a little challenging for us, but James helped every step of the way and was even available to give us advice a full year after we had purchased the unit. He was always quick to respond with a thorough and helpful answer! I wish all businesses were run like Sunbank with people like James!
  
 
 
       
   Bob Billings 
 
 
 
   James, thanks for your continued support.  Our 40 gallon Sunbank water heater is the best. Installed in October of 2021 and we would not trade it. Our life off-grid has worked out well. Bob Billings
  
 
 
       
   Jonathan Bishop 
 
 
 
   My only regret is not getting the Sunbank sooner! I installed the 40 gallon system which has been perfect for 3 people. It has a 1500 watt element to heat the tank when the sun isn't shining and because of the low power demand, we are able to run it completely off-grid. James also took time to answer any questions I had and has been excellent to work with!
  
 
 
       
   Robert Thorlin 
 
 
 
   James and the team at Sunbank are exceptionally knowledgeable and willing to help.  Pre-sale and post-sale support was wonderful, even to the point of shipping a bunch of extra T-bolts I needed for my unique installation, bolts and shipping all at their cost.

I would bot hesitate to work with them again on anything... 10 stars if I could...

Mike
  
 
 
       
   Elsa Hennings 
 
 
 
   Living in the Mojave desert, I've wanted to "go solar" for our home's energy needs for a long time (I like free stuff). We put in a solar electric system in 2004, which has long since paid for itself, and bought a plug-in hybrid car to use our "free gas" several years ago.  I finally decided to heat our water with the sun, and after looking at a number of systems, I chose SunBank Solar based on it having no moving parts (I don't like to fix stuff). I mounted it on the ground since we have no shading on the other side of the wall from our old electric water heater, which made the plumbing pretty simple. For overheating protection in the desert, I painted half of each heating tube with reflective silver paint as James recommended (see photo on right), so when we leave on vacation I just rotate each tube to prevent heat absorption, turning the system off. The instructions provided, along with some how-to videos on youtube for using pex tubing, allowed me to get it all put together with no prior plumbing experience.  James was an invaluable resource when I had questions, which was often!  The system has now been running for over a month, quietly generating all the hot water we need!  I highly recommend not only the system but the company for the high quality materials and excellent product support!
  
 
 
       
   debra covey 
 
 
 
   Installed the Sunbank 40 water heater 12/2019. We didn’t install the controller until 8/2020 in case we needed it in the coming winter, but still haven’t needed supplemental heat in south Florida as of 4/2021.  Love this thing! Works great for the 2 of us in our small (1000 sq ft) home.  So glad we installed it.  Company was very responsive to all questions prior to ordering through install.  Highly recommend!
  
 
 
       
   Jim Feldhan 
 
 
 
   I rarely write reviews; however, I am very happy and impressed with the Sunbank solar hot water heater. It appears to be made from top quality material. I was replacing a Solarhart which was not a stainless steel tank and the heat exchanger developed a leak. I started with a 40-gallon system and installed it myself. I’m very handy with DIY projects.
The Instructions online were clear, and James was very helpful with any of the questions I had.
Being in Phoenix I thought a 40-gallon system would be enough. Once Witter arrived, I realized that I use more hot water than I thought and wanted to have 100% solar hot water. Thus, I installed a second 40-gallon system to boost my capacity to 80. I also install a couple of radiators to heat the master bath and home office allowing me to heater those room in the fall, winter, and spring with excess hot water.
In summary, I am very happy and give Sunbank 5 stars for quality and service.
  
 
 
       
   Timothy Clayton 
 
 
 
   I installed the Sunbank and the water temp went from 50F to 101F in 4 hours the 1st day.  By the 3rd day I was up to 160F.  It only loses approx 5 degrees overnight.  It is awesome!  James at Sunbank is one of the best support guys I've dealt with.  Definitely recommend buying this for solar hot water.
  
 
 
       
   Cuyler Smith 
 
 
 
   Our family purchased a 40 Gallon Sunbank Solar Water Heater just over a year ago and we are VERY pleased with its performance, ease of installation, and energy savings!  We have it installed on top of our spring house roof, located about 125 ft. away from our house.  When combined with the Federal Tax Credit and the savings associated with the solar offset of electrical usage for heating water, this Sunbank system quickly pays for itself and is a great investment.  I was able to install the system on my own and it has performed flawlessly during its first year of use.  James at Sunbank Solar has been more than helpful in responding to any questions I have, even after the initial purchase, which says a lot!  I would recommend the Sunbank Solar Water Heater to anyone wanting to save money and reduce our environmental impact!
  
 
 
       
   tutti hacking 
 
 
 
   I recently installed two 40 gallon Sunbank solar water heaters - one on my garage and one on my ADU. They have been awesome! Water is super hot and now I don't have any qualms washing my laundry with warm, solar heated water! I have wanted a Sunbank system for almost four years now, and James has patiently helped me through the process. I used my local solar panel installer to get the job done. Took 3 days to fully install (I did need some reinforcement for 2x4 rafters) and inspection was quick and easy. James steered me to a great structural engineer to get what I needed for City Planning. It feels great to have gotten rid of my natural (fracked) gas water heaters! And the 30% tax credit, along with the California Solar Initiative rebate, really makes it affordable.
  
 
 
  
 
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