Apricus Solar Hot Water System
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Reviews
Buy something else
3 and a half years trying to make it work and then keeping it going. Today it is removed for the last time. Apricus walked away your problem now. Builder removing and replacing with another brand and full refund. Thanks for the heart ache Chriss the owner of apricus. Show detailsTHERMANN/ APRICUS DO NOT HONOUR WARRANTY - DO NOT BUY
The tank has a 10 yr warranty and started leaking after six years, and Apricus ([Name Removed]) / Thermann ([Name Removed]) have denied the warranty claim due to “Failure due to tank corrosion where the magnesium anode has been degraded, and not replaced within the recommended maintenance periods advised by Thermann within manual”.Other brands do not require this and [Name Removed] from Thermann stated “if it had a Dux tank the warranty would be honoured”.
Nowhere in the manual or on the tank does it state this is a condition of the warrant... Read more
Hi Matt, Thanks for your valuable feedback about your experience with Apricus Australia. We are sorry to hear that you were unhappy with your experience with us... Read more
. All Apricus tanks are designed to last over 10 years, hence why a 10-year warranty is provided on the product. To provide a 10-year warranty for our tanks, the manufacturer requires certain maintenance to be performed on the tank to ensure both corrosion and an overbuild of pressure does not occur to guarantee the integrity of the tank for the full warranty life. Please can you reach out to Hannah at our Head office on 1300 277 428 or email her directly at warranty@apricus.com.au so she can discuss this further with you. Warm regards, Apricus AustraliaSystem broke within 3 years and ongoing support non existent
The solar tube system started springing leaks that caused damage in our ceiling. Then the tub unit broke. We have had no luck getting Apricus out to sort out what should be warranty issue. The units are cheap Chinese products and not worth the long term investment. Show detailsHi Joel, Thank you for your valuable feedback about your experience with Apricus Australia. We are sorry to hear that you have had such a negative experience with your system. We would love to speak t... Read more
o you about your experience to see how we can assist you further here. Please could you call Hannah at our Head office on 1300 277 428 or email her directly at warranty@apricus.com.au. Warm regards, Apricus AustraliaSolar is far from perfect; like solar panels, it is not a 24 hour available device - without a lot of help
Addition To My Original Review .I have now had my Apricus system for more than 15 years. For the majority of this time, the unit has performed extremely well; provided you fully understand just how it works.
There is always the risk of hardware failure following the warranty period, but nothing has occurred until recently at the end of 15 years. I noticed that the electronic controller was providing error codes, and showing inexplicable temperature readings. I then noticed the solar pump to the roof collector array was remaining on after dark.… Read more · 3 I called in a local Apricus representative, who analysed the problem as a faulty controller. The unit was subsequently replaced; but there were still problems with the temperature readings, and no hot water was coming from the tank, despite the day being very hot in November. Until the technician returned, I had to use the Booster switch in the continuous on position to, maintain tank temperature because of the possibility of legionnaire's disease developing in the cooler water. With the help of Apricus, the fault was traced back to the presence of air in both the tank system, pump, and in the heat exchanger on the roof. Once the system had been purged, everything went back to how it was supposed to be. _Health problem. Be mindful that the tank temperature should never be lower than 45c as legionela bacteria breeds rapidly between 20c and 45c . The temperature must remain above 45c and above to ensure that the micro organisms do not survive. This warning also applies to all solar water heaters that use sunlight as the primary source of energy. The conversion factor for these units is very high at 92% - compared to other types. I would also advise having the sacrificial anode in the storage tank checked every 10 or so years to deter a rust problem. Despite the cost, I am still happy with the unit's performance.
Terrible service
Worked well for about 5 years but then the tank started leaking. Although they say you have a ten year warranty Apricus wont honour it unless you can prove that you have had it serviced. Ours was serviced but I couldnt provide proof of what was done so they wouldnt honour their warranty. In the end it failed completely and I couldnt wait for them so I had to replace the tank. No support so I was out of pocket big time. Show detailsHi Muzza, Thanks for your valuable feedback about your experience with Apricus Australia. We are sorry to hear that you were unhappy with your experience with us... Read more
. All Apricus tanks are designed to last over 10 years, hence why a 10-year warranty is provided on the product. To provide a 10-year warranty for our tanks, the manufacturer requires certain maintenance to be performed on the tank to ensure both corrosion and an overbuild of pressure does not occur to guarantee the integrity of the tank for the full warranty life. If you are able to send across your maintenance details we requested, we would be more than happy to reassess your case for you. Please can you reach out to Ros at our Head office on 1300 277 428 or email her directly at warranty@apricus.com.au so she can discuss this further with you. Warm regards, Apricus AustraliaVery disappointed
We had the Apricus system for about three years before we started to renovate the home. I asked the plumbing company who installed the system disconnect the system for reuse once we'd finished the reno's.The plumber said that the system had not been working which we guessed as the electric booster was required 24/7. We have not re-installed the evacuted tubes and but have kept the water tank which i believe is not efficient. Could someone verify whether we should replace the Apricus storage tank with a standard storage tank? Show details
Hi Steve, Thank you for your valuable feedback about your experience with Apricus Australia. We are sorry to hear that you have had such a negative experience with your system. We would love to speak ... Read more
to you further about your experience, to find out where the system was purchased from and whether we can assist you at all moving forward. Please could you call Ros at our Head office on 1300 277 428 or email her directly at warranty@apricus.com.au. Warm regards, Apricus AustraliaThe Cost Factor
I have owned an Apricus ground level system since 2009. It has certainly done an excellent job through changing climate conditions here in SE Qld. However, I must point out a continuing cost problem with this system. Because the tank is ta ground level, the sun collectors at roof level require the water to be constantly pumped through the system. This is great until the recirculating pump fails. Unfortunately my original pump failed in less than 2 warranty years, and I had to have it replaced at a cost of over $600, because the plumber did not ... Read morebother to inform Apricus of the failure- which voided the warranty. My 3rd pump is now showing signs of wear, so I searched the net for a compatible replacement. To my horror, the xost is now above $700 BEFORE YOU ADD THE INSTALLATION FEE. Current pumps on the market only have up to 2 years warranty, making this system a quite expensive proposition in the long term. Not included is the tube end sealing maintenance on the roof that needs to be done every 2 to 3 years.. Apricus might consider the idea of including a couple of high efficiency solar panels to power the pump during daylight hours to reduce the overall electricity cost, and allow the system to run when the power is down.. This would also help is defraying the overall cost of pump replacement into the future. A pump with a greatly improved lifespan would be the ultimate way to go and make the whole system a lot more attractive to prospective purchasers.11 years and hasn't missed a beat!
Just realised our system has been going for over 11 years non-stop in Canberra - 30 tube 315L vitreous tank - We were a house of 7 when installed and down to only 4 now so a lot of hot water use. It is gas boosted and our last gas appliance so if it ever fails we will replace with electric boost or heat pump as we now have large solar PV and battery. But until then we are very happy with it and the energy savings. Have never done any maintenance on it Show detailsDon’t want to honour warranty if you have issues
Regularly serviced and anode changed and tank failed1week asked for pictures of failure /provided
2week asked for service records /provided
3week asked for anode to be removed and pressure relief valve in operation pictures
Accc said you do not have to do this as is inappropriate
After 6 week of no hot water told they would not honour warranty Show details
quality gear ,professional company
10 year old system, tank and circulating pump an tubes live out in Queensland weather. Never problems, flow of hot water slowed few days ago. supplier contacted Apricus company, that responded promptly, put me in contact with technician that talked me through the diagnosis and problem of dirty inlet strainer fixed in few minutes. cost neutral!Professional honest company, great gear! Show details
Was good but the tank turned it to a fountain 6 years old and only 5 years warranty.most of the others have 10 years
Works very well up until now but when compared with the solarhart which is 16 years old and still working very disappointing when the replacement cost is around twice the price of a normal hot water systems. Show detailsMisleading warranty
Won't honour the 10-year warranty. Pump failed at 15 months, tank split at 9 years. Maintenance 'requirements', with supporting evidence must be provided before warranty claims are considered (the first I learned of this was when I lodged a warranty claim). The owner's manual contains maintenance 'recommendations', with no mention of relationship to warranty. No mention of 'maintenance requirements' in Warranty T&C's either. If you buy this system follow the owner's manual like your warranty depends on it, because it does. My experience trying to make a warranty claim was stressful and long-winded, even though the staff were polite and seemed like they were trying to help (with everything except for honouring the warranty). Show detailsDisappointing After Sale Service
System is about 7 years old. Over a year ago we had some power lines cut in our street. About that time the quantity of hot water started to decline.The off-peak electric booster was continually on - 58 hours every weekend, and all night every weekday night - costing a fortune in electricity each quarter.
We sent to Apricus temp figures for one cloudy day.
They immediately said the that the roof heat pipes inside the evac tubes were gone and sent out replacements at no charge. I asked why the off peak should be continually on if the heat pipes... Read more were not working when the booster is not related to the roof heat pipes as it heats the tank directly. There was no adequate reply to that; just that the pipes need replacing. The plumber I contacted would not put in the pipes because he said a customer of his had his system buggered by a power outage that stuffed the settings. He suggested an electrician. I got back onto Apricus about that - and was told that was not the issue. An electrician said there were no issues with the thermostat or anything else he could check. Rang the plumber to install replacement pipes. He couldn't make it, so I called in another. The new plumber informed these systems have an array of issues that can go wrong (sensors, control panel, tubes, pumps), and he did not want to charge me half a leg for something that may not be the cause of the problem. He suggested I turn off the pump to see what temp the roof top collector got to. It got to 110 deg. So clearly not a heat pipe issue. I notice that when the top of the tank reaches above 50 deg, the pump - which kicks in and out every 5 minutes or so during the day, all day - never allows the tank to get to 60 deg to safeguard against legionnaires. If the tempering valve then adds cold to that (which it shouldn’t as the temp is already at 50 deg – but who says it doesn’t?) then that may explain our lukewarm water. The plumber said you can spend a fortune replacing every part until you fix the problem, but it is better just to decommission the HW solar and connect it to the roof top panels that supply the house. He even said there was a bloke in town who specialises in the task such is the amount of work he has due to failing solar HW systems. The unit was beaut before the issue, but having to rely on guess work to find the cause of the issue is primitive. To make matters worse, I have read this in my investigation into trying to solve the problem: “The controller might be damaged due to voltage surges, short circuits, lighting, or corrosion.” Apricus insisted the issue is the heat pipes, that will take two plumbers a few hours to install into the 40 tubes. If the issue really is the controller, or the pump, or the sensors, then how do I receive back the plumbers' wages for an unneeded heat pipes replacement? Apricus need a better method to diagnose problems with their product to actually pin-point the issue. Big money was spent to lower electricity bills and to protect the environment, but the heavy reliance on off-peak electricity that runs non-stop, has cost even more money to operate than the old electrically powered tank - which at least cut out at night and weekends when the desired temperature was reached! With the extra electricity used, more CO2 is put in the air. UPDATE About two weeks ago (around 15 Nov, 2022) the heat pipes were installed. Apricus relented on their earlier policy of having me pay for labour, minus $40. The water is heating well and we have not needed to turn the electric booster on - though we have not had a full household in that time to test it properly. The only issue since the repair has been the need to repalce the tempering valve - which is to be expected as it was at the end of its life (8 years old).
UPDATE 3/3/2023 Back to full household and the water is heating well. Thank you for fulfilling your warranty obligations. Will update this if matters change.
do not honour warranty so stay away
The system has a 10yr warranty (as advised by Apricus), it is not even 6 years old but leaked. Refusing to listen to experts and wont honour warranty. STAY AWAY Show detailsGas boosted Solar
We have just replaced our gas boosted water heater after 11 years of faithful service with no issues or problems at any time. The water is sooo hot in summer. Of course we use more boost in winter but still are extremely pleased with the savings and efficiency. Apricus organised the replacement and covered the cost of freight. The no fuss installation was conducted by their preferred installers Laser Plumbing. Ros is a major asset to Apricus. Her customer service, knowledge of the product and follow up was excellent. Thanks so much for your help Ros! Leanne and Bill Sanderson Show details · 1Questions & Answers
Hello Apricus, we have a SolarTube heating and Apricus HWS for our hot water …if we are away for a month, is there a way to turn down the heat of the water to save electricity during our absence? We understand that we cannot simply turn it off because of the need to keep water pumping.
Thanks
Brian …..in Victoria
I was told that the heat exchanger on the roof at the top of the tubes is designed to get hot during the day, and water flow is cut off during the night via the controller unit when it senses a negat... Read more
ive difference between the water in the tank, and the temperature at the heat exchanger. I keep mine running continuously, but I also have the storage tank switched on to ensure the water stays above the level where the algae and other bacteria will form and infect people using the water. In other words, solar by day, then internal heater at night. The Aquamax tank is extremely well insulated, and keeps the water hot enough through the night, to not use an excessive amount of extra electricity when not in normal use. My electricity bills are fairly constant each month.Thanks Cliff
Hi Brian, Thanks for your message and thanks for your input here Cliff! You are correct that your system needs to remain connected to protect your manifold on the roof and to prevent Legionella bacter... Read more
ia growing in the tank. The tank must be heated daily to at least 60 degrees celsius to kill this bacteria. Please feel free to call Hannah at our Head office on 1300 277 428 or email her directly at warranty@apricus.com.au. She will be able to help if you require further assist here. Warm regards, Apricus AustraliaCan an existing instantanious gas water heater be intergrated with an apricus heater with ground holding tank??
I guess with the right controller it might; but remember the Apricus system relies on water storage to collect heat. You would have to have a storage tank as well, with the instantaneous heater as a "booster."
I have a 30 tube, 315 litre Apricus in Melbourne, installed in 2014. It worked well for a few years but has barely heated water for the last 2 years. I have had the temperature sensors and controller replaced but it still does not heat properly. The roof collector temperature only reaches about 40 degrees in direct summer sunshine. I removed one of the glass tubes and found that there was no grease/paste on the metal bulb at the top of the tube. Could the absence of thermal paste be the problem or do I need to replace the 30 tubes? How can I check that individual tubes are actually working?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Good luck Richard. I had a tank develop a leak and they have done nothing but throw up barriers to accepting any liability. Mine was only five years old and they argue I haven’t maintained it properly... Read more
!! Lots of words but no real support from Apricus. Buyer beware!!Hi Richard, Thank you for your enquiry. Could you please contact Hannah in our Aftersales team on 1300 277 428 or email her at warranty@apricus.com.au. There are some simple tests we can have you run ... Read more
on the system to check the solar components and their performance to see help resolve your issue. We look forward to hearing from you. Apricus AustraliaI am having as similar problem with my array after 14 years. A new controller did not fix the temperature problem.I now have to keep the boost on continually 24/7 to maintain at least 50C in the tank.
Details
Features:
- The Apricus Solar Hot Water System has vitreous enamel construction that’s designed to resist chemicals, corrosion, and wear and tear over time.
- It’s Australian-designed and designed for a tough Aussie climate.
- The system is insulated with polyurethane foam, which has ultra-efficient thermal performance that helps save energy, as well as money.
- You can get this solar hot water heater in 3 different sizes: 250L. 315L, and 400L.
- This product has a 10-year warranty.
Points of praise:
- Most reviewers found that this hot water system scored them big energy savings, and thus savings on their electricity bill.
- They also said that the installation was a no-fuss affair, with everything going smoothly and installers being polite and tidy.
- Reviewers also praised the knowledge staff on Apricus’ customer service team.
A point of pain:
- Some reviewers have expressed disappointment at the after sales service they experienced, with some saying that conditions of their warranty weren’t made very clear when they purchased the unit.
Apricus 315ltr Tank3.2(89) | Apricus 250ltr Tank2.9(43) | Apricus 400ltr Tank3.5(21) | |
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Category | Solar Water Heaters | Solar Water Heaters | Solar Water Heaters |
Extra Information
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Hi Matthew, Thanks for your message. We are sorry to hear about your experience. Please could you contact Hannah at our Head office on 1300 277 428 or email her directly at warranty@apricus.com.au. Sh... Read more
e would like to discuss this further with you to see how we can assist here. Warm regards, Apricus Australia