This　paper　presents　a　novel　flat　plate　solar　water　heater　(SWH)　using　micro　heat　pipe　array　(MHPA)　sprayed　solar　selective　coating　and　arranged　closely　as　the　absorber　of　collector.　The　collector　has　the　advantage　of　resistance　to　freezing,　high　heat　transfer　ability,　relatively　low　heat　loss,　elimination　of　welding,　and　prevention　of　leakage.　The　experiments　were　conducted　first　to　investigate　the　thermal　performance　of　the　novel　collector.　The　test　results　for　the　collector＇s　instantaneous　efficiency　show　that　the　slope　and　intercept　of　the　instantaneous　efficiency　curve　are　5.6　and　0.85　respectively.　Then,　the　thermal　performance　monitoring　analysis　of　the　forced　circulation　SWH　with　2　m(2)　novel　collector　under　different　weather　conditions　were　carried　out　using　trial　installations　in　Beijing,　China.　The　test　data　were　analyzed　from　the　aspects　of　water　temperature,　effective　heat　gain,　and　thermal　efficiency.　The　test　results　show　that　the　daily　effective　heat　gains　on　the　three　typical　days　in　different　seasons　are　13.43MJ/m(2),　11.05MJ/m(2),　and　7.42MJ/m(2)　respectively,　corresponding　to　the　solar　irradiation　of　18.9MJ/m(2),　17.2MJ/m(2),　and　14.7MJ/m(2).　The　daily　average　thermal　efficiencies　are　71.05%,　64.25%,　and　50.49%,　respectively.　These　experimental　results　provide　basis　and　reference　for　practical　application　of　the　novel　SWH.　(C)　2015　The　Authors.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).