Quality Control

Extensive Quality Control directory covering raw material control, optical and vacuum tube quality control, heat pipe, solar collector and solar water heating quality control and management.

Recent examples of new products designed specifically for the Australasian markets include:
1.      200L and 300L Thermosiphon (Tank on Roof) Solar Water Heaters with 316L Stainless Steel Tanks
2.      270L, 315L and 400L Solar Split Water Heaters with 316L Stainless Steel Tanks and Flat Plate Collectors
3.      Cyclone Rated Solar Racking Systems fully engineered in Australia for High-wind areas in Australia up to C4/N6 Rating
4.      Stainless Steel Solar Attic Fans for Australia’s coastal regions and Galvanised models for inland application
5.      Comprehensive range of Solar (PV) Skylights to combat Australia’s spiraling energy costs for homes
6.      NiteLite – a new Solar (PV) Skylight for continued operation after dark

As SolarEast moves forward, new products for the Australasian markets will become available including pool heating products, water filtration and additional ranges of solar and LED products, all engineered for the Australian market and approved to all relevant Australian Standards.

Photography of quality management equipment.

Research and Development

Research and development remains a key focus for our Joint Venture Business Partner Sunrain with new products continually evolving from concept stage through to production and distribution to over 100 countries and regions around the globe.

Sunrain’s commitment to R&D for solar collectors and tanks is world class with substantial investment in test equipment to verify successful testing to Australian Standards. Sunrain products are then independently verified to AS/NZS 2712, AS 3498, AS/NZS 2535 and all other applicable Standards.

Solar Basics

This information may help assist you with understanding why solar energy is important to us, how the sun’s energy has been harvested for the benefit of all Australians and where to access solar products and other SolarEast products. Simply Click on the topic below to find additional information that may be useful for you.


Using solar and other forms of renewable energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels for energy production, thus directly reducing CO2emissions. CO2 emissions contribute to global warming, an environmental issue which is now of great concern. The average household can reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 20% by installing an Sunrain solar collector.



What is solar insolation?
The amount of electromagnetic energy (solar radiation) incident on the surface of the earth. Basically that means how much sunlight is shining down on us. Why is knowing the insolation level useful? By knowing the insolation levels of a particular region we can determine the size of solar collector that is required. An area with poor insolation levels will need a larger collector than an area with high insolation levels. Once you know your region's insolation level you can more accurately calculate collector size and energy output.

What units are used to express Insolation levels?
The values are generally expressed in kWh/m2/day. This is the amount of solar energy that strikes a square metre of the earth's surface in a single day. Of course this value is averaged to account for differences in the days' length. There are several units that are used throughout the world. The conversions based on surface area as follows: 1 kWh/m2/day = 317.1 btu/ft2/day = 3.6MJ/m2/day

The raw energy conversions are: 1kWh = 3412 Btu = 3.6MJ = 859.8kcalIs my region's insolation level low, moderate or high?
The following scale is a basic guide for insolation levels. Although a value of 5 is not considered very high during the summer months, as an average annual value this is very high. You will see that in central Australia, which is a hot, sunny place, the annual average insolation is 5.89. You may compare you location to the following two extreme locations. Average annual insolation levels: Central Australia = 5.89 kWh/m2/day - Very High Helsinki, Finland = 2.41 kWh/m2/day - Very Low

To achieve maximum solar performance, the solar collectors should be installed facing as close to North as possible. The following are guidelines for the installation of solar collectors:

  • Solar collectors should be positioned to face the equator which is North facing in Australia. The further away from North, the greater the loss in solar efficiency.
  • The inclination of the solar collectors should be within 10% either side of the local latitude angle. For example, the latitude of Brisbane is 270 South so the inclination of the solar collectors should be approximately 24 to 30 degrees.
  • Solar collectors should be free from shading by trees (should be checked regularly) or nearby buildings or other structures.Note: If the above guidelines cannot be achieved, consideration should be given to increasing the solar collection area by adding an extra solar panel, particularly if the direction is further than 450 either side of North.In any case, no direction should be chosen that has any inclination towards South.

Australia’s WaterMark approval ensures compliance with Australian Standards and continual quality and process control for all materials in contact with our potable water system and is recognise around Australia.

IAPMO Oceana Certification for solar Products and systems is mandatory for application with Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator for the granting of STC’s

CE CERTIFICATION CE Certification is the European Conformity standard for solar collectors. Sunrain has obtained certification through Global Mark.

SOLARKEYMARK CERTIFICATION Solarkeymark is the most widely accepted European standard for solar thermal. Testing for the certificate was completed by ITW and ISE in Germany.

SRCC CERTIFICATION The SRCC (Solar Rating and Certification Corporation) is the key solar collector certifying body for the US and Canada. The Sunrain solar collector has been tested in Canada and Florida and obtained SRCC certification.

AUSTRALIA STANDARDSMARK The five ticks StandardsMark is Australia’s most recognized certification mark providing competitive advantage and differentiation to each product carrying this mark. The Sunrain solar collector has been tested in Australia and obtained StandardsMark certification.

SOUTH AFRICAN BUREAU OF STANDARDS SABS in South Africa as a neutral third-party certification body responsible for South Africa's system certification and product certification. Sunrain TZ47/1500-18T solar water heating system complies with SABS and has obtained the certification.

CSA CERTIFICATION GSE IP-195 Solar Water Heating System has been certified by CSA, and it is now the first and the only CSA certified evacuated tube solar water heating system in Canada

KOREA CERTIFICATION Korea Certification is the Korea standard for solar collectors. Sunrain has obtained certification through Global Mark.

CHINA CCC CERTIFICATION China CCC Certification is the Peoples Republic of China standard for solar collectors. Sunrain has obtained certification through Global Mark.


CLICK HERE to access our customer enquiry form. Simply complete it and submit and we will reply as soon as possible

SolarEast Australasia Pty Ltd
2/10-12 Cerium Street, Narangba, Queensland 4504

PO Box 265 Beachmere Queensland 4510
P: 1300 668 886  l  M: + 61 (0)400 98 4243

Your plumber or builder can help you decide whether flat plate technology or evacuated tube technology will be best in your area. SolarEast’s advice is to only install flat plate panels in frost free areas.

A number of configurations of tank size (270L, 340L and 450L) are available along with 2 and 3 flat plate panel configurations or 20/25/30 and 40 tube evacuated tube configurations.

It is also important to appreciate your family needs will change over time and plan ahead either for increased usage or perhaps decreased usage of hot water Some factors to be considered are:

  • Increased family usage as children become older
  • Number of bathrooms and whether these bathrooms will be used concurrently
  • Water saving appliances and shower heads
  • Appliances connected – some dishwashers and washing machines will use hot water
  • Your climate and water pressure can influence usage

As a general guide only, the following table may be useful.

Note that the above represents a guide only and additional advice should be taken from your installing plumber














Fahrenheit = (oC x 1.8) + 32

Celsius = (oF - 32)/1.8

For Delta-T measurements the relative temperature difference is needed.


The conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius is simple:

Fahrenheit = oC x 1.8

Celsius = oF / 1.8







Tm* is calculated as:

(water temp - ambient temp)/Insolation

Eg. (44oC - 20oC)/800Watts = 0.03














Heat pipes might seem like a new concept, but you are probably using them everyday and don't even know it. Laptop computers often using small heat pipes to conduct heat away from the CPU, and air-conditioning system commonly use heat pipes for heat conduction.

The principle behind heat pipe's operation is actually very simple.

Structure and Principle

The heat pipe is hollow with the space inside evacuated, much the same as the solar tube. In this case insulation is not the goal, but rather to alter the state of the liquid inside. Inside the heat pipe is a small quantity of purified water and some special additives. At sea level water boils at 100oC (212oF), but if you climb to the top of a mountain the boiling temperature will be less that 100oC (212oF). This is due to the difference in air pressure.

Based on this principle of water boiling at a lower temperature with decreased air pressure, by evacuating the heat pipe, we can achieve the same result. The heat pipes used in AP solar collectors have a boiling point of only 30oC (86oF). So when the heat pipe is heated above 30oC (86oF) the water vaporizes. This va pour rapidly rises to the top of the heat pipe transferring heat. As the heat is lost at the condenser (top), the va pour condenses to form a liquid (water) and returns to the bottom of the heat pipe to once again repeat the process.

At room temperature the water forms a small ball, much like mercury does when poured out on a flat surface at room temperature. When the heat pipe is shaken, the ball of water can be heard rattling inside. Although it is just water, it sounds like a piece of metal rattling inside.

This explanation makes heat pipes sound very simple. A hollow copper pipe with a little bit of water inside, and the air sucked out! Correct, but in order to achieve this result more than 20 manufacturing procedures are required and with strict quality control.

Quality Control

Material quality and cleaning is extremely important to the creation of a good quality heat pipe. If there are any impurities inside the heat pipe it will effect the performance. The purity of the copper itself must also be very high, containing only trace amounts of oxygen and other elements. If the copper contains too much oxygen or other elements, they will leach out into the vacuum forming a pocket of air in the top of the heat pipe. This has the effect of moving the heat pipe's hottest point (of the heat condenser end) downward away from the condenser. This is obviously detrimental to performance, hence the need to use only very high purity copper.

Often heat pipes use a wick or capillary system to aid the flow of the liquid, but for the heat pipes used in Sunrain solar collectors no such system is required as the interior surface of the copper is extremely smooth, allowing efficient flow of the liquid back to the bottom. Also Sunrain heat pipes are not installed horizontally. Heat pipes can be designed to transfer heat horizontally, but the cost is much higher.

The heat pipe used in Sunrain solar collectors comprises two copper components, the shaft and the condenser. Prior to evacuation, the condenser is brazed to the shaft. Note that the condenser has a much larger diameter than the shaft, this is to provide a large surface area over which heat transfer to the header can occur. The copper used is oxygen free copper, thus ensuring excellent life span and performance.

Each heat pipe is tested for heat transfer performance and exposed to 250oC (482oF) temperatures prior to being approved for use. For this reason the copper heat pipes are relatively soft. Heat pipes that are very stiff have not been exposed to such stringent quality testing, and may form an air pocket in the top over time, thus greatly reducing heat transfer performance.

Freeze Protection

Even though the heat pipe is a vacuum and the boiling point has been reduced to only 25-30oC (86oF), the freezing point is still the same as water at sea level, 0oC (32oF). Because the heat pipe is located within the evacuated glass tube, brief overnight temperatures as low as -20oC (14oF) will not cause the heat pipe to freeze. Plain water heat pipes will be damaged by repeated freezing. The water used in Sunrain heat pipes still freezes in cold conditions, but it freezes in a controlled way that does not cause swelling of the copper pipe.






The Getter is located at the bottom of the
evacuated tube.
Left Tube = Vacuum Present
Right Tube = Faulty

The efficiency of a evacuated water heater is dependent upon a number of factors, one important one being the level of evacuated radiation (insolation) in your region. To learn more about insolation and the average values for your area click here.

Evacuated Tube Basic Specifications

Length (nominal) 1500mm /1800mm
Outer tube diameter 58mm
Inner tube diameter 47mm
Glass thickness 1.6mm
Thermal expansion 3.3x10-6 oC
Material Borosilicate Glass 3.3
Absorptive Coating Graded Al-N/Al
Absorptance >92% (AM1.5)
Emittance <8% (80oC)
Vacuum P<5x10-3 Pa
Stagnation Temperature >200oC
Heat Loss <0.8W/ ( m2oC )
Maximum Strength 0.8MPa
Solar Water Heating Reduces CO2 Emissions

Currently Sunrain solar collectors are reducing CO2 emissions by more than 13,000 tonnes / 28.6million pounds per year, with collectors installed in the UK, USA, New Zealand, Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Hungary, Portugal, Jordan, Lebanon, Australia, Canada, Mexico and many other locations. (One metric tonne = 2200 pounds) There has been a great deal of information in the media over the past few years about global warming and the role of CO2 emissions. 2003 saw extreme weather conditions and a heat-wave throughout Europe, clear evidence of the realism of this problem, commonly referred to as the "greenhouse effect." Burning fossil fuels such as coal for electricity production, and gas for water heating both release large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, thus contributing to this environmentally harmful phenomenon.

By using renewable energy sources such a Solar Thermal, Solar PV, Wind, Hydro and Geothermal, reliance on fossil fuels can be minimised, thus directly reducing CO2 emissions. On average for every 1kWh of energy produced by a coal power station, 1kg (2.2pound) of CO2 is produced. Burning natural gas for electricity production or water heating produces about 450grams of CO2 for every kWh of energy produced.

In the average household, water heating accounts for around 30% of CO2 emissions. By installing a solar water heater, which can provide between 50-70% of your hot water heating energy needs, you can reduce your total CO2 emissions by more than 20%.

Further Information

I have more unanswered questions. Please visit: the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Sunrain Solar Energy Co., Ltd., founded in 1999, which is an innovation-driven renewable energy enterprise, specialized in research and application of solar energy, manufacture and marketing campaign; Devoting to cooperate closely with the global customers and partners, and adhering to the service concept, creatively provide valuable service for customers worldwide in more than 100 countries and regions, foreign trade and export amount ranked No.1 for 6 consecutive years in the solar thermal industry.

To visit the Sunrain (English) Website, please click here

For any other information, please contact SolarEast Australasia on 1300 668 886