Highly Insulated Solar Tank

The Sunbank water tank is a pressurized tank designed specifically to keep heat in and cold out.

Solar water heater tanks experience incredibly harsh conditions. How long they last will depend on how well they are maintained and local conditions such as water quality. The Sunbank water tank is insulated with 55mm of High Density Polyurethane (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. 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 the site 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 Thermostat

We have two thermostats that measure the temperature in the tank and can control the heating element – a standard wired sensor or a WiFi enabled smart home thermostat that send the temperature of your Sunbank to an app on your phone. Either one can be set to whatever temperature range so that it will only activate the heater when the tank temperature dips below a defined temperature. The WiFi enabled controller is mounted to the tank, outdoors, whereas the standard thermostat is mounted to your wall with an LED display. They both can also be used for overheat/freeze protection.

Electric Heating Element

The Sunbank comes with a 240V/2400W (10A) heating element standard. This allows you to replace your conventional water heater all together. This element is operated by the Sunbank thermostat (either the WiFi or standard version) which is wired to the circuit breaker. We also have a 120V/1500W (13A) element that is typically used for off-grid applications or if people don’t have space on their breaker panel for the additional amperage.