"IMM" wrote in message
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"IMM" wrote in message
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"RichardS" noaccess@invalid wrote in message
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"IMM" wrote in message
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I could use 400 squ foot of flat plate collector on the roof,
twice
the
area, and produce the same volume of solar hot water as the
Thermomax
solar
collectors which takes up half as much square footage.

The area is "very" important in this instant. Is that clear?

Yes, but efficiency is independent of that IMM.

Thats tantamount to saying a 5oKw boiler is twice as efficient as
a
25Jw
one.

It is not. Solar collectors produce hot water. Some produce more
than
others for the same area, hence more efficient for a given area.

No.

Efficiency is the ratio of converted power out to power in .

The area doesn't come into it.

In this case it does. Area is the most important factor as it is
limited
on
a roof. Solar panel X can be more efficient (ratio of converted power
out
to power in) than panel Y. But panel X may take up four times the area
of
panel Y. It means eff all if the area is not taken into account. For
a
given area which is the most efficient? Area, area, area.

Also, with solar panels the input doesn't really matter as you don't pay
for
it. The output per square foot, or metre (hot water generated), is what
matters. The efficiency of a boiler comes into the "ratio of converted
power out to power in", and is important as you pay for the fuel.

That was a trivial remark. Power transducers and transformers are usually
compared in terms of their efficiencies, amongst othe things

Franz