In　this　paper,　the　thermal　performance　of　a　large-scale　solar　water　heating　system　(SWHS)　with　flat　plate　collectors　based　on　micro　heat　pipe　array　(MHPA-FPCs)　is　presented.　The　system　was　built　to　provide　hot　water　for　dishwashing　in　a　university　cafeteria　in　Beijing,　China.　The　thermal　performance　tests　for　the　system　were　conducted　at　different　conditions.　The　field　trial　data　were　analyzed　from　the　aspects　of　different　solar　irradiation,　ambient　temperature　and　initial　temperatures　in　water　tank.　Test　results　show　that　more　solar　irradiation,　higher　ambient　air　temperature　and　lower　initial　water　temperature　could　achieve　higher　system　efficiency.　The　daily　system　efficiency　could　reach　62%　with　large　solar　irradiation　and　small　temperature　between　the　collectors＇　temperature　and　the　ambient　temperature.　Under　different　conditions,　the　average　system　efficiency　approached　50%.　The　test　results　present　excellent　characteristics　for　the　large-scale　SWHS　with　MHPA-FPCs.　A　large　number　of　worthy　experimental　data　are　got　from　this　paper,　which　can　serve　as　an　important　basis　for　understanding　the　field　operation　of　large-scale　novel　MHPA-FPC　SWHS.　(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/).