Solatube® product questions
Tube material | Ceiling diffuser | Roof dome | Accessories
Tube material
What tube material is used in Solatube® Daylighting Systems?
The tube material in Solatube® Daylighting Systems is made from Spectralight® Infinity. This has the highest reflectivity of any commercially-available tube material in the world – 99.7% – resulting in the brightest, purest light transfer and unmatched colour rendition. The Spectralight® Infinity material is permanently fixed with thermoset adhesive to provide a permanent bond to a 0.4mm thick aluminium substrate and protected by PET film for long-lasting reflectivity. The end result is a rigid, robust tube with a super-reflective mirrored inner surface. All reflective surfaces in all Solatube® Daylighting Systems use Spectralight® Infinity.
Why is the reflectivity value of the tube important?
When light bounces down a reflective tube some light will inevitably be absorbed by the tube's surface at each bounce – just how much light is lost will depend on the reflective properties of the tube surface. At 99.7% reflectivity just 0.3% of the daylight is lost with each bounce. The higher the tube reflectivity, the greater the amount of light transferred from the rooftop and into the room below – see our comparison chart to compare the significant difference in light delivery from tubes with lower reflectivity values.
How long can the tube be?
Ideally, the shorter – and straighter – the tube the better the level of light transfer. We recommend a maximum effective tube length of 6m for the Solatube® 160 DS and 9m for the Solatube® 290 DS.
How short can the tube be?
There is no minimum distance. Solatube® Daylighting Systems may be installed into flat roofs, vaulted or open beamed ceilings. For install distances of less than 100mm between roof and ceiling please contact us for advice on installation.
How are tube sections fastened together?
Your Solatube® Daylighting System is supplied with sufficient aluminium tape to seal all tube seams. For very long or angled tube lengths, self-tapping screws are provided to fasten the tubes together to give additional strength and rigidity.
How do I adjust the tube length?
Tube sections are designed to telescope together for ease of installation, so tube lengths can be adjusted by simply overlapping the tubes as required rather than cutting them.
Can I split the tubing and light two rooms from only one dome?
No, it is not possible to connect two diffusers to one dome. There is no "Y" adapter available for Solatube® Daylighting Systems, indeed the light transfer of such a design would be inconsistent and inefficient.
Why do I get two adjustable angles with each Solatube® Daylighting System?
These two adjustable 0-30 degree angles make installation easier. They may be used straight for flat roof and straight tube applications, or, where the ceiling diffuser is not directly beneath the roof flashing, may be adjusted to provide the required angle. For more complex installations, separate 0-90 degree adjustable angles are available.
How effective are the tubular skylights that use flexible tubes?
A flexible tube system will not give anywhere near as much light as a rigid tube system because, by its very design, the concertinaed tube material or ducting used in flexible systems will not transfer light efficiently; a concertinaed tube will scatter light in all directions with only a small percentage ending up travelling downwards to the ceiling diffuser. A Solatube® Daylighting System can deliver more than 10 times the amount of light than a comparably sized flexible duct system and, for that matter, more than any rigid system too – see our comparison chart.
Ceiling diffuser
Is there a choice of ceiling diffusers?
Yes. We supply as standard the Vusion™ ceiling diffuser with white ceiling trim, but a range of lenses and ceiling trims is available – see our range of styles and finishes.
Is there a way to turn off or "block out" light from a Solatube® Daylighting System?
Yes; the Solatube® electric daylight dimmer. The Solatube® electric daylight dimmer allows light levels to be controlled via a wall mounted switch. The dimmer is fully integrated into the Solatube® Daylighting System and the variable butterfly baffle inside the tube opens or closes to control light output. Please see our Accessories page for more information.
Roof domes
Do I need to clean the roof dome?
No, it is not necessary to clean the roof dome. The maintenance free design and shape of the dome eliminates debris build-up – the rain will clean away any dirt or bird droppings.
What is the dome made from?
The dome is made from polycarbonate which is TP(a) rated for fire safety and meets UK building regulations. The dome is virtually unbreakable and has passed stringent international airborne object impact and sever weather zone tests.
What happens if the dome gets covered with snow?
Light output will of course be temporarily reduced but the dome will be fine. Tests have shown the Solatube® domes can resist positive and negative loads of up to 4.79kPa (100 pounds per sq ft).
Can the dome be raised higher above the roof?
Roof domes can be raised by the addition of a turret extension. The turret extension raises the upstand of the roof flashing so when the dome is fitted on top it will sit clear of any roof obstructions such as multiple roofing layers, extra thick shingles, walled roof areas, etc. Turret extensions are available in various heights - please contact us for details.
Accessories
Solatube® Daylighting Systems may be fitted with an optional integral electric light kit for both the Solatub®e 160 DS and 290 DS, and a bathroom ventilation kit for the Solatube® 160 DS. All kits are CE approved, and all electrical components come with a 5-year warranty. Daylight dimmers are also available if you need to block out the light from a Solatube® Daylighting System. Please see our Accessories page for more information. Any electrical work must be undertaken by a suitably qualified person.
Is there a minimum tube length required to install either the light kit or bathroom ventilation kit?
Access into the roof void is required to install the light or bathroom ventilation kit, therefore a minimum distance of at least 500mm is required.
Can a Solatube® Daylighting System have both an electric light and bathroom ventilation kit installed together?
Yes. They can be combined with any Solatube® 160DS for a neat 3-in-1 fixture (for ventilation, daylight, and night light) thus minimizing the number of ceiling penetrations.
How does the bathroom ventilation kit work?
The ventilation kit has an additional intake cowl that installs to the side of the ceiling diffuser of the Solatube® 160 DS. Air is moved through a separate chamber (not through the reflective tube), then through an exhaust duct and outlet in your roof or soffit.
How strong is the fan in the bathroom ventilation kit?
The Solatube® proprietary twin fan is rated at 52 litres per second (110 cubic feet per minute) which is a very powerful fan that ensures quick and effective ventilation, ideally suited to bath- and shower-rooms.
Does the powerful fan mean it is noisy?
The Solatube® vent has a very powerful fan, but a key feature of this product is that the fan is positioned not at the ceiling level, but in-line up in the roof space. This significantly reduces the noise level in the room below. The insulated ducting provided further reduces noise to a minimum. It is also important to check that the motor does not rest against a ceiling joist as this can cause vibration noise.
