When most people think of solar panels and their applications, they may envision their use on rooftops, in large solar farm fields, attached to roadside call boxes, and even on satellites orbiting the planet. While all good examples of use, they all are of the variety that generate electricity. Not many people think of solar as a reliable means to generate hot water, and unlike the power producing panels, it usually only takes one panel of a certain type to do the job.

In actuality there are multiple panel types and various systems that use both passive and active methods for heating water. With passive systems there is no need for an electric source and water is allowed to flow naturally through a feeding pipe outside the home and into the interior of a heat retention panel that heats the network of pipes and the water within, before the hot water flows out of the top portion and into the top part of the hot water tank. For active systems there is typically the use of a pump that either circulates the water or a special heating fluid that is used to heat the water in more…

Adding a solar power system to your home need not be a financial or techno disaster. There are sound reasons why most of us can benefit from solar power and we need to explore these reasons.

First of all, there are many different forms of renewable energy - wind generation, ethanol supplments to various forms of gas and oil, solar hot water, solar heating of saline solution for nightime power production and some other lesser known events. To be a candidate for solar power you should be geographically located in a solar area 4 or higher. Germany, the world leader in conversion to solar power is solar 4! Most of the United States is Solar 5 or higher. These terms refer to the intensity and amount of time you receive enough solar energy to power a system.

The first question most people ask is: Is it feasible? If you have a home with a southern facing roof or open area you have crossed the first divide. The sun rises in the east, transits across the southern reaches of the heavens and pours out its energy for free!. The suns rays are composed of “photons” which bombard more…

With everyone talking about going “green” it’s no surprise that more and more homeowners are thinking solar. Add in the price of oil and gas, and homeowners are definitely looking for efficient and affordable alternatives. Solar energy has had the reputation of being costly and let’s face it, unattractive. Tax breaks and incentives make solar energy more feasible than ever. Many states even offer net metering, allowing homeowners to sell electricity back to the electric companies. Haven’t we all wished our electric meter would run backwards?

There are three basic types of solar energy:

*Solar domestic for hot water (SDHW)

*Solar electric for providing electricity (PV)

*Solar heat

Most homes are easily retrofitted for a solar heat system. Both Solar Heat and SDHW require panels to be installed on the roof generally facing south with lots of winter sunlight. The PV systems can be installed on the ground on polls sunk into concrete footers or on the roof, but panels must face south with a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight a day to be most effective.

Purchasing and installing a solar energy system isn’t cheap, but they are more…

Hot Water Heaters have been around since their invention in the 1930s and are found in nearly every home that has a working water supply. They are uncomplicated devices, consisting primarily of a water storage tank and a means of heating the water within it. Naturally, there are also temperature control mechanisms, as well as inlet and outlet lines and important safety devices.

Water heaters come in three different varieties: electric, gas, and solar. Electric and gas water heaters rely on an external source of energy, i.e. electricity or gas, to heat the water. Solar water heaters, on the other hand, only rely on upon exposure to the sun’s radiant energy to heat water. With the cost of man made energy rising continuously and in short supply, solar water heaters have become a feasible alternative. Another alternative water heater, that uses less energy than conventional heaters, is on-demand, or point-of use water heaters. These are also known as tankless water heaters. Whatever their design may be, water heaters must be able to supply enough hot water to meet the household or business hot water need.

The outside, or shell, of a hot water heater consists of a non-corrosive metal shell and more…

In most homes today, hot water heaters come in two different types, gas or electric. Which one is used depends largely upon the availability and price of natural gas or propane, which can be more economical than electricity. Some homes are adapting to solar hot water heaters, but overall, electric and gas hot water heaters are far more common.

The difference between gas and electric hot water heaters is relatively basic. One uses a supply of natural gas or propane, which is piped directly into the home or delivered by a service company, and the other uses household electricity from the grid. The price difference between the two commodities is usually the deciding factor in making a decision about which type of hot water heater to use. Since they are approximately the same size, they are usually interchangeable with each other, wherever they are installed.

Gas and electrical hook ups should be completed only by qualified technicians or licensed plumbers. It’s always a good idea to check the local building code for any installation requirements that you have to follow. This includes the proper connection of the T&PR valve and relief tube, which relives a heater of overheated water if the temperature more…

A way back I had a conversation with an acquaintance of mine who hails from California paid me a visit in my home in Israel. “On routine business,” was his excuse for being in the country. Well we talked this and that about our families, the old times when we studied together in college. When, out of the blue he started to complain about his high electricity bills, “Paid over three hundred dollars last month, mainly for heating the hot water geyser. Trying to find an answer to lower the cost!”

I told him there is a way install a solar heater to heat your water and it can reduce your electric bills immensely. You live in California and there is plenty of sun to heat a solar system for obtaining plenty of hot water. He listened intensely as I explained the advantages of a sun-heater and the minimal cost of installation….

Solar heating are quite simple systems. They are generally composed of solar thermal collectors covered with dark glass, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir to stock the heat water for subsequent use. The systems may be used more…

Adding a Solar Power System to Your Home

Solar power systems generally come in the following types of systems: heating and cooling systems, hot water systems, cooking systems, and photovoltaic systems or systems that generate electricity.

Solar energy can be active or passive, but solar energy used for homes that are already built is usually active. In other words, it uses mechanical devices to set up the system; whereas, the passive solar system employs architectural techniques for optimal use of solar energy.

If you are just building a home, passive solar energy can be built into your home. In other words, your entire window system becomes your solar collector. Solar building contractors employ various measures to insure the greatest possible solar collecting ability of the home - construction materials, building location, building shape, location of indoor spaces, and entranceways all figure in the construction of a new solar-powered home. They also consider climate and natural environmental processes in order to provide a continuous flow of energy.

High heating and electric bills may be the necessity for this project. Solar energy is virtually free and your long-term benefits will be that you no longer more…

Most people have wondered at least a time or two about how a water heater is able to keep hot water pouring from the shower head for the duration of our morning shower. As devices go, the method that a water heater employs to get this done is very simple. For about 75 years, the basics of the water heater have not changed.

All tank-type water heaters have the same common elements. The first and most obvious thing about a water heater is the tank. These can range from 10 gallons up to over 100 gallons. The tank is where water is stored while being heated and held until it is sent out to some open hot water faucet. Water heaters require two water pipes. One to let cold water into the tank and a second to carry hot water to where it is needed. Every water heater has a pop off valve that releases if the pressure in the tank gets too high and a drain to let the water out of the tank for repairs or replacement.

The final common component in a hot water heater is a way to more…

These days, energy conscious homeowners are turning more and more to solar and wind energy products to meet their energy needs. Both of these resources have advantages and disadvantages and a hybrid approach is proving to be the best solution in many instances. For example, wind turbines are gaining in popularity and hold tremendous promise for producing enough energy to for the average home today. When combined with solar energy, or any other type of energy for that matter, a more reliable supply of electricity results, improving the efficiency of the entire system.

In our homes, the single largest consumer of energy in our homes is the water heater. Operated by electricity or gas, water heaters consume energy that could otherwise be used for powering other devices and reduce the consumption of commercial energy. In those parts of the country with an adequate supply of sunlight, solar water heaters can prove to be an efficient way to generate hot water using the sun’s unlimited and free energy.

Solar water heaters are inexpensive and have a high heat capacity, which is a measure of the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 cubic foot by 1 degree F. more…