What is a Sun Tunnel/Solar Tube or Tubular Skylight, and how do they work?

Nov 15

It is often difficult for homeowners to bring natural light into spaces without windows. Solar tubes or solar tunnels can be built to bring natural lighting into attics and loft conversions. So what is a sun tube? And how does it work? This page will cover what solar pipes are (or sun tunnels), their function, cost estimates, and other important aspects of solar tubes.

What is the difference between a Sun Tunnel and a Solar Tube?

A sun tunnel can be described as a rigid or permanent conduit that runs through a roof and transfers light from outside to a room in the home. The interior of the sun tunnel is highly reflective, allowing light to flow through the space from the outside. A diffuser, which helps spread light across the space, is installed at the terminal end. The roof dome (rooftop) also has a transparent covering. Sun tunnels can also be called sky tubes (sun tubes), sun pipes (sun tubes), solar tubes (sky tubes), solar tunnels (solar tubes), and other terms like "sun pipes".

Through the glowing interior of the solar tube, natural light is allowed to enter the space. This method is 100% natural and does not require any electricity. It is also environmentally friendly.

Tube made out of solar A Sun Tunnel Operation

Because light has natural qualities, the smaller the tunnel, and the lighter you get in it, the better.

You could add a solar tube, or sun tunnel, to your home.

Sun tunnels work in the same way as roofs or Velux windows. It is possible to install solar tubes (solar channels) on almost any roof structure. It won't take long to realize that if you have ever set up roof windows, the same abilities can be used for setting up a solar tunnel. If you are a skilled DIYer, the solar tube can be installed by yourself. A bit more knowledge about solar tubes is required to select the right solar tube for you and determine the best position.

Choose the right kind of solar tunnel

Which is better: a flexible, or rigid, solar tube? This is a tricky question to answer, as the type of tunnel selected will be determined by these factors:

There is ample room in the room as well as on the roof.
Accessibility via the use of a loft area
The ceiling-to–roof distance refers to the distance between the ceiling, the roof, and the ceiling.
Budgeting.
Installation is very easy.

The solar tunnel's strength makes it ideal for long distances with no obstructions from the roof to your ceiling. You will get the highest light output from rigid solar tubes if your roof is correctly oriented. Steady solar tunnels will be the best choice if you are designing a new structure that will contain solar tubes.

Solatube Tubular Skylight Rigid Skylight Sun Tunnel

Flexible Solar Tunnels known by Tubular Skylights can be used in retrofits or loft conversions. The flexibility of the sun tunnels is ideal for maneuvering around beams, and other obstacles. It's important to avoid excessive light loss after a sun tunnel is installed. This type of tunnel is great for short distances.

What is the maximum light that a Sun Tunnel can offer?

Next, consider how much sunlight you expect to receive when considering sun tunnels. There are many factors that affect the light level in the space. You should consider the size of the solar tunnel and the orientation of the roofs where it is constructed.

Many solar manufacturers will list the lumen output in their marketing materials. These numbers are meaningless for the average householder so we'll use normal power outputs.

Light output from a rigid solar tunnel

This is the easiest way to describe the output of different solar tunnel sizes. The most widely used sizes are 10 and 14 inches, with optimal lengths of 1 meter and south-facing installations. Here are some examples of typical light outputs:

Expect 150-200Watts from the 10", and up to 250Watts from 14".

Variable outputs can be made for solar tunnel lighting.

As the solar tunnel grows in length, you can expect significant output drops. You can expect to get 60 watts or 80 watts from the 10" and 13" sun tunnels, depending on whether they are in a north-facing orientation.

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