FAQ

1. How does my Solarstream work?

2. What are the benefits of a Siddons Solarstream?

3. How do I purchase a Siddons Solarstream?

4. What should I ask my installing plumber before I purchase my Siddons Solarstream?

5. What qualifications should my installing plumber hold?

6. What is the life expectancy of my Solarstream Heat Pump Water Heater?

7. At what temperatures will my Siddons Solarstream operate effectively?

8. Can I operate my Solarstream on Off-Peak Tariffs?

9. How will my Solarstream system compare to other products on the market?

10. Does the Heat Pump outdoor unit of the Water Heater need to conform to MEPS (Star Rating) standards as required for air conditioners?

11. What is a REC and what is it worth?

12. What is VEET?

13. What is a VEEC?

14. What are the characteristics of the power used by my Solarstream water heater?

15. Are there issues I should be aware of regarding the quality of my water?

16. Can I integrate an additional heating source with the Solarstream, such as solar panels or a wood fire?

17. Should I undertake any maintenance of the Heat Pump?

18. What do I do if my Siddons Solarstream has a problem?

19. Do I need to register my warranty?

1. How does my Solarstream work?

• The Solarstream takes solar energy from the air through its internal solar panel which is cut into a myriad of heat transfer fins placed in a double L shape.
• The large fan draws the ambient air over the fins, transferring heat from the air into the liquid refrigerant which is compressed and heated into a gas at over 90 degrees Celsius.
• This heat is then transferred to the water inside the tank through a patented process involving copper coils wrapped around the outside of the water cylinder.
• The Solarstream heat transfer method delivers heating efficiency throughout its entire, long life because the tank walls become a large, gentle heating surface that resists the build-up of mineral deposits such as calcium.

2. What are the benefits of a Siddons Solarstream?

For the advantages of Siddons Solarstream please visit the Benefits section of our website.

3. How do I purchase a Siddons Solarstream?

To request the contact details of a supplier of Siddons Solarstream closest to you, please submit your details here.

4. What should I ask my installing plumber before I purchase my Siddons Solarstream?

• Do I require a pressure limiting & stop valve to be installed with my Siddons Solarstream? If your water supply (ie mains water) is set at above 500kPa you will require a pressure limiting & stop valve to be fitted. Your plumber can advise as to your current water pressure.
• What is the estimated cost of installing a Siddons Solarstream and how long do you estimate it will take? These factors are always variable depending on the complexity of the installation, there really is no such thing as a standard install. Siddons definitely recommends that your installing plumber view your home/place of installation prior to quoting.
• Have you installed a Siddons Solarstream before? Siddons is always very happy to offer technical assistance to any plumbers who are inexperienced with the installation of a Siddons Solarstream. You can find technical guides for all trades (electrical, plumbing, refrigeration mechanic) in the Downloads area on our website or simply have them contact us and we will happy to assist.

5. What qualifications should my installing plumber hold?

• A licensed plumber should install the Siddons Solarstream and they should hold a Restricted Split System Air Conditioning Installation and Decommissioning License (Certificate II course under the Australian Refrigeration Council’s code RSS03). This is a warranty requirement for installation of the Siddons Solarstream. Please see the Owner’s Manual for more information about this requirement. 
• The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995 (the Regulations) state any individual who handles, installs, commissions, services or maintains RAC equipment intended to hold or contain fluorocarbon refrigerant must be licensed by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC). Therefore any person undertaking a split system installation must have the appropriate ARC Refrigerant Handling Licence (RHL) in order to install all components of an air-conditioning system (this may include roughing-in pipe work and any internal or external connections). Penalties may result from handling fluorocarbon refrigerant without an appropriate licence.   (back to top)

6. What is the life expectancy of my Solarstream Heat Pump Water Heater?

Experience has shown that most stainless steel condenser water tanks, which is the most expensive component of the Solarstream water heating system, last more than 20 years. Siddons Solarstream tanks are guaranteed for 10 years in normal domestic use. The full life span will depend on your water quality, the purer the water, the longer the life.

The Heat Pump outdoor unit is similar to that of a reverse cycle air conditioner and you can expect a similar life span. The compressor is guaranteed for 4 years.

7. At what temperatures will my Siddons Solarstream operate effectively?

The Solarstream will operate effectively between minus 5 and plus 45 degrees C. It is designed with extreme low and high temperature systems to give it the broadest operating temperature range on the market.

A special de-icing controller will activate a de-ice cycle in freezing conditions to de-ice the fin coil of the evaporator. It will then switch back to its normal heating cycle when the evaporator fin coil is clear of ice. The Solarstream will make hot water from minus 5 degrees Celsius ambient air temperature.

On the other hand, at high temperatures, a special cooling capillary is activated to supply cold refrigerant to cool the compressor, and a shut off system will eventually activate to protect the Heat Pump at extreme temperatures.

Conventional solar water heaters are not effective in very high temperatures as they tend to over-heat and lose large amounts of water, whilst other Heat Pump Water Heaters that are not designed with cooling and shut off systems can over-heat and result in high maintenance costs.

8. Can I operate my Solarstream on Off-Peak Tariffs?

Yes, if your normal daily water use is less than the water capacity of the Solarstream model you are purchasing because the Siddons Solarstream water heater will be restricted to a limited operating window provided for night rate power. The hot water produced in this limited period (approx 3-4 hours operating time depending on your ambient water and air temperature) will be available for subsequent daily consumption. The Siddons Solarstream water heater is able to operate at night because it can extract solar energy from the ambient air rather than relying on radiated heat from the sun as do most Solar Water Heaters. Night time off peak electricity tariffs are nearly half that of day tariffs (check with your electricity provider).

9. How will my Solarstream system compare to other products on the market?

The best way to compare against other products for performance is to compare the Australian Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) awarded to these products over a ten year period.

Please refer to the RECs section on our website for the REC’s assigned to the Siddons Solarstream products. You can also see the RECs for the commercial variations of our 327SSAD unit (327SSAC3 = 3 units manifolded together, through to 327SSAC6 = 6 units manifolded together). You also need to take note of the climatic zones in Australia upon which the RECs are based. You will notice that in a commercial situation, the water demand is higher and therefore the RECs awarded are much higher than 3, 4, 5, or 6 times the domestic unit.

In essence, our water heater competes best in large domestic and small commercial situations in cooler climates, where solar water heaters relying on radiated heat from the sun are not as effective. Additionally, in marine environments, the Solarstream condenser tank will not rust and in non gas reticulated areas the Solarstream is particularly effective.

Another guide to performance is from feedback from user experience and our own monitored sites in Melbourne. Based upon family usage (210-240 litres/day), we have found power costs to be on average around $150 per annum, or $90pa off-peak.

10. Does the Heat Pump outdoor unit of the Water Heater need to conform to MEPS (Star Rating) standards as required for air conditioners?

Heat Pump Water Heaters are currently not subject to minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) or any form of mandatory government-issued energy rating label. They will eventually be included in the Equipment Energy Efficiency Programme, but for now Heat Pump Water Heaters are a low priority for Government regulation due to their low volume of sales and relatively high efficiency compared to conventional electric and gas storage water heaters.   (back to top)

11. What is a REC and what is it worth?

REC’s are Renewable Energy Certificates issued by Federal rebate to assist Sustainability. Follow the link on our RECs page to find out more about REC’s.

12. What is VEET?

Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET) scheme

If you live in Victoria, an alternate scheme to the Australian Government rebate of $600, is the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET) scheme. This is a Victorian Government initiative promoted as Energy Saver Incentive. The Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET) scheme, which commenced on 1 January 2009, aims to encourage the uptake of energy efficient technology, initially in the residential sector. The VEET scheme plays an important role in achieving the Victorian government’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from households by 10 per cent by 2010 and Victoria’s overall emissions to 60 per cent by 2050.

For more information, refer to the Essential Services Commission website.

To use the VEET calculator for Siddons Solarstream models 327SSAD and 264SSSBD in your area under 1C – Decommissioning electric and installing electric boosted solar, follow this link.

13. What is a VEEC?

If you live in Victoria, you may be eligible for Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) which are electronic certificates created in accordance with the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007 (VEET Act).

Each VEEC represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) abated by a prescribed activity. VEECs are created by accredited persons, validated and registered by the Commission, transferred between parties and eventually surrendered to the Commission to demonstrate liability compliance against the VEET Act. VEECs must be registered by the Commission before they are considered valid. The Commission maintains a register of VEECs. A certificate is only valid as a VEEC if listed in this register. VEECs can only be created in respect of prescribed activities undertaken on or after 1 January 2009 and before 1 January 2030, and must be created by no later than six months after the end of the year in which the prescribed activity has been undertaken. For example, where a prescribed activity is undertaken in February 2009, VEECs can be created in respect of that activity up to 30 June 2010. A VEEC will expire 6 years from the date on which the prescribed activity was undertaken, or upon surrender to the Commission.

For more information, refer to the Essential Services Commission website:

14. What are the characteristics of the power used by my Solarstream water heater?

Please refer to the information on Page 4 of the Siddons Solarstream Owner’s Manual on our Downloads page.   (back to top)

15. Are there issues I should be aware of regarding the quality of my water?

Yes. Whilst the marine grade 316 stainless steel used in the Solarstream water cylinder is very effective at resisting rust, at elevated temperatures above 65 degrees C, the high mineral content that comes with poor quality water (eg from dams and bores) can cause electrolytic conductivity that may attack the stainless steel tank wall causing rust and ultimately make the tank defective. If in any doubt, ask your local council about the chemical composition of your water.

Where water stored in the Water Tank exceeds the following characteristics an issue with corrosion may occur and void the water tank warranty:

16. Can I integrate an additional heating source with the Solarstream, such as solar panels or a wood fire?

This is not advisable – the cost of operating the Solarstream for 12 months is only around $120-$150pa, less on off-peak tariffs. Therefore, using additional heating sources to augment the performance of Solarstream is spending money on diminishing returns. Usually, unless it’s a commercial application, it’s not worth the effort or cost involved. In addition, there can be issues with the warranty which applies to the Solarstream product only and does not apply to any additional modifications not specifically endorsed by Siddons Solarstream. Also, raising the water temperature above the maximum design temperature of 65 degrees C can also cause problems where the water has high mineral content or high electrical conductivity.

17. Should I undertake any maintenance of the Heat Pump?

For optimal operation of the Heat Pump, good airflow across the fins is required. We recommend brushing or hosing down the fins periodically (once every 6 months). A build up of grass or other material may prevent good air flow across the fins.

We also recommend that you release the pressure and temperature relief valve once every twelve months. To do this, simply gently raise and then lower the valve lever (positioned at the top of the tank near the hot water outlet).

18. What do I do if my Siddons Solarstream has a problem?

Firstly, review our troubleshooting section of our website. If still unresolved, contact the dealer you purchased your unit from.

If you are unable to reach your dealer for any reason, contact Siddons Solarstream. Please make sure you have noted your serial number for warranty verification purposes.

19. Do I need to register my warranty?

For efficient processing of warranty claims, should they arise, please register your Siddons Solarstream here. 

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