Is your spa (or pool heating system) costing you a small $$$ fortune $$$ to run? The bad news is that it's going to get a lot more expensive with electricity prices set to double over the next few years.

The good news is that there is now a much smarter way to offset heating costs! Using super efficient low flow collectors the innovative Vertex Solar™ pool heating system combined with a solar blanket can easily boost water temperatures to comfortable levels during all of those warmer spells when everyone wants to jump in the water - with a Vertex system you get most of the benefits of solar for a fraction of the upfront costs and ZERO ongoing costs. That's right a Vertex system is solar powered and is 100% free to run.

If you already have an existing gas or electric heater, you can still benefit from our system by offsetting utility bills and extending the life of your heater (by reducing its on time).

ZERO electricity usage - help combat climate change by reducing your emissions	Clean potable-grade HDPE polymer & silicon joiners, no rubber or plasticized PVCs	Uses only small 40-60W pumps, which means the system is whisper quiet	Performance when you need it most as compared to tubular rubber mat collectors	Safe extra low voltage certified, typically 12VDC (max 24VDC)
No mains pump, the system is fully powered by a 40W/60W solar PV panel	Cockatoo and Hail proof, made from solid HDPE	German quality HDPE polymer collectors should last a minimum of 25 years	Fully automated & self-regulating, install & forget - sunlight turns the system on/off	Simple system design means unrivalled reliability and easy of service

Compare Features	Vertex™ System	Traditional Rubber Tube System
Uses Mains Power	No	Yes
Reduces PV Solar Feed-ins	No	Yes
Roof Space Requirements	Requires Less Space	Uses More Space
Needs Periodic Winter Flushing	Not Required	Required
Potable Polymers	Yes	No
Cockatoo Proof	Yes	No
Animal Proof	Yes	Depends?
Hail Proof	Yes	Depends?
Connection Seals	Clamped Silicon Joiners	Unclamped Plastic Barbs
Connection Clamps	Stainless Steel	None or Plastic
Roof Attachment Means	Stainless Steel Straps	Silicon Glue

• off-set utility bills for gas or electric heated pools
• heat smaller above ground pools
• lap pools or
• swim /pool spas

The Vertex Solar™ system is sold as an easy to setup DIY kit. It's separate from your filter system and requires no mains power connection. In fact there is only a single moving part and electrical connection in the whole system. Lay the panels on the ground, or fix to a fence or build a supporting structure to lean against a fence or wall. You can even use the panels as part of a combination pool heating system / pool fence or shading structure. Includes a comprehensive step by step installation manual and can be put together in a few of hours.


This depends on what you're using to heat your pool, swim spa or spa pool and where you are located. The table below gives the heat energy collected per (1.1m²) collector across an entire swimming season and the equivalent cost of this heat energy obtained using either gas, electric heat element or heat pump units.

	Average Daily Seasonal Insolation (1.1m²)	Energy Collected	Gas (1kWh=3.6 MJ)	Electric Element Offset	Heat Pump Offset
Melbourne (Oct-Mar)	6.7 kWh	733 kWh	$91	$165	$41
Sydney (Oct-Apr)	6.5 kWh	696 kWh	$86	$157	$39
Brisbane (Oct-Apr)	6.7 kWh	716 kWh	$89	$161	$40

Assumptions

• We assume the Vertex system is optimally mount and undersized so that each collector is maximally utilized.
• We count only the energy collected across the swimming season specified.
  
• The Average Daily Insolations (or peak sun hours) across the swimming seasons are assumed to be 6.08kWh/m² (Melbourne), 5.94kWh/m² (Sydney) and 5.91kWh/m² (Brisbane).
• We assume an average gas price of 2.75c/MJ and electricity price of 22.5c/kWh.
  
• We assume an overall unglazed collector conversion efficiency of 60%, gas boiler efficiency of 80%, and heat pump efficiency of 300%.

To obtained the anticipated energy savings simply multiply the size of your system by the relevant energy cost - hence for a 4 panel spa heating system in Syndey, off-setting an electric heat element the anticipated annual savings are $157 × 4 =  $628.

Warranties EcoOnline™ offers the following Warranties on the Vertex system components: 5 year return to base limited Warranty on all Vertex system HDPE collectors 2 year return to base limited Warranty on all Vertex system pumps 2 year return to base limited Warranty of materials and workmanship on all Motech Cell solar PV panels 10/20 limited power output performance Warranty on Motech solar PV panels See Terms and Conditions page for further details. I Want one - What next? Step 1: Go through the suitability and safety checklist first to see if your installation is suitable. Step 2: Determine where your collector array is to be installed - measure your total pump head height requirement. Step 3: Size your pool or spa using our sizing calculator to determine if your Vertex system is feasible. Step 4: If your system is feasible contact us with the details of your system for a formal quotation. Or contact EcoOnline.com.au for support and details Comes with a 40°C Safety Thermostat Monitors the return line and cuts off at 40°C. Desired water temperature inside the spa bath is adjustable from 40°C – 35°C.**

Q. How many panels do I need?
A. Please use our interactive sizing calculator to accurately size your panel needs, if you have any difficulty please contact us. Note: we frown upon the practice of selling you more panels than what you actually need for your heating goals - to back our smaller sizing recommendation we provide a panel sizing guarantee.

Q. Can I power this system using my own solar panel?
A. Yes - but only if it the recommended wattage, i.e. 40W or 60W. The specific power of the solar panel is an integral design aspect of the control system. Over-powering the pump will result in the system running in cloudy conditions which would cool your spa water and be counterproductive.

Q. What can I expect from the system throughout the year and in winter?
A. Typically the system is sized to supply enough energy to bring the spa up to working temperature for about half the year in Southern states and three quarters of the year for mid latitude Australian states. In winter in Southern Australian states the system will struggle to come on. Outside air temperatures need to be at least 16-18C with full sun before an unglazed panel system has a chance at harvesting energy at typical spa bath temperatures 35-38C.

Q. Is this system stand alone?
A. Normally no - in winter in Southern Australian states the system may not even turn on. On demand auxiliary back up heating is required if you want on demand spa usage. On the other hand if you don’t require on demand spa usage and will only use your spa opportunistically when it is up to temperature, then the system can be considered stand alone.

Q. What is the freight cost to my postcode?
A. Please use the shipping calculator in the listing. Simply enter your postcode and the correct number of panels to ship. We will use this cost on the invoice.

Q. Can I use glazed panels with this system?
A. Strictly No - For a number of safety reasons we strongly recommend you not use glazed panels with our system, nor should you install glazing over the panels. Glazed panels have a much higher stagnation temperature and can boil and potentially sputter boiling hot water, or otherwise send damagingly high temperature water through the system. The Vertex system is designed with safety in mind first and foremost.

Q. The 40DegC over-temperature thermostat is too high is it adjustable?
A. The over-temperature thermostat is attached to the return pipe - hence the average spa water temperature should not reach 40DegC. It could however reach 38DegC depending on the number of panels installed and the flow rate. If a lower temperature is required we recommend a PVC ball valve is used to restrict flow and increase the temperature differential across the panels, this will drop the average spa water temperature down during thermostat cut-off. This indirect form of temperature control is preferred as it is gentler on the system.

Q. Do we have installers?
A. At present unfortunately no we do not have installers.

Q. Can I download your comprehensive manual before I purchase?
A. Yes, in fact we highly recommend you check over the manual to get a good idea of installation requirements before you purchase. The manual can freely be downloaded from our EcoOnline download page.

Q. Can I slow the flow to increase the temperature gain?
A. No, this is a common misconception. Slowing the water flow will result in a warmer outlet but also less harvested energy overall since there is much less warm water flowing. This is because the panel is being made to work at a higher temperature and hence a lower efficiency. In fact the Vertex system uses this exact principle to reduce cutoff water temperatures. Faster flow rates better strip the heat from the panels (up to a point of diminishing benefit). Optimal flow rate is achieved at 5L/min/panel.

Q. Can I undersize my system and upgrade as needed later?
A. Yes, however if you going to the trouble of purchasing and installing the Vertex system the cost of an extra panel or two is not significant, hence we recommend the system be sized right the first time.

Q. Can I tap into my spa bath lines?
A. No, we don’t recommend this due to the potential for unforeseen interference with system in your spa bath. The Vertex system should be installed as an independent system with dedicated outlets/inlet into the spa.


The following outlines mandatory suitability and safety requirements for installing a Vertex Solar™ heating system. Please read carefully and consider all points, if any of the following requirements cannot be meet, a Vertex Solar™ system should NOT be purchased or installed.

 

1. The Vertex system is to be used for chlorinated or otherwise treated outdoor spas and pools only.
2. Under no circumstances should collectors be installed so as to compromise the effectiveness of a child pool or spa fence safety barrier by providing a climbable object.
3. Due to the potential of falling from heights, mounting the solar panels on a roof or structure at heights should only be undertaken by a professional solar panel installer, unless you are accustomed to and confident of performing the work.
4. Due to the remote possibility of a water drain down event caused by the Vertex system, this system should not be installed on a pool or spa pool with a mains power electrical devise that does not have a working over temperature protection device and/or will not fail safely in the event of dry running.
5. At present this collector array system is not recommended for installations in cyclonic regions C or D, or on houses situated on top of hills exposed to strong winds, or on second story (or higher) roofs.
6. The Vertex System is not self-priming and requires the installation of the pump outside of but below the waterline of your pool/spa.

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** Temperature adjustment is achieved indirectly utilising the temperature differential across the collector array. High flow rate = low temperature differential = ~40Cº spa bath cutout. Low flow rate = high temperature differential = ~30Cº cutout.