Archive for Solar Panels Heating

Solar Panels Heating System

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

Should You Get a Solar Panels Heating System?

Everyone wants to lend a hand for our environment to survive the harsh forces of nature. One of the best ways to support this cause is to go for solar panels heating. The use of Solar panels heating is currently being used in many households as a form of heating system during cold seasons. Instead of going for the usual space heating or hot water heating systems, this device makes use of direct sunlight to provide families with a warm, comfy temperature inside their homes.

There are a lot of options available for consumers when selecting a solar panels heating equipment. In order to purchase or get the right one, you need to consider a number of things. First is the amount of hot water that you need on a daily basis. Of course, each solar panels heating system has different capacities. You want to get the right one that will suit your family. The location and size of your home is also another factor. You need to consider the fact that the weather in some states maybe more extreme than others. You do not want to overwork your solar panels heating system and waste a lot of money in the process.

If you are planning to hire a contractor when installing your heating system, be sure to also seek the assistance of family members and friends to get good references. Don’t just look at the price of the item, instead look at its features and see if those are the ones you need. Furthermore, it also helps to check if a lot of previous buyers were satisfied with purchasing that specific heating system. You can find customer reviews here on my site to check the various systems out before purchasing. You will also find the answers to many questions you may have. For example you may want to know some tips on how to incorporate the heating system to other parts of your house, such as your swimming pool.

Remember that the solar panels heating system normally runs on photovoltaic panels which, although falling in price over recent years, are still fairly costly. However although some offers may not look cheap at the outset your solar heating system will pay off and reward your investment over the longer term not only for your own home and family but also for the planet at large.

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What To Consider When Analyzing Solar Water Heater Designs

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Whenever analyzing solar water heater designs we need to consider that their purpose is to ideally minimize energy costs during their lifetime. It is not actually effective to design a simple system that only provides energy from solar sources. You also need to invest in collector areas and storage areas. The final solar system will of course be dictated by the design you decide on. In order for you to see the particular design that will be most suitable for your household you need to analyze various aspects.

First you need to work out where solar connectors have to be located. The best possible energy gain is achieved if the entire system is facing towards the south. Also, it is necessary to tilt it. According to some studies the ideal orientation and angles might be different based on certain facts. You should consult with a specialist or, alternatively, do your own research if you want to see all angles that will be perfect for the location where you live. In most cases you do also have to think about tilt angles which should be based on your latitude.

Next you need to think about freezing problems in the winter. The possibility of damage being caused by freezing water is a real threat. A good solar water heater design expert will analyze all that has to be done to make sure that water never freezes. If you want to accurately prevent freezing damage you can use a lot of possible strategies. Although you might find it that water does not usually freeze where you live you still need to install freezing protection for the rare occasions when it still may occur..

The nest thing you will also need to consider the use of bypass capability and tempering valves. The use of tempering valves is required if you want to maintain a consistent temperature. Thanks to these two parts of the design you can have hot water even when the heating system itself is not operating.

Also, although not perhaps the actual part of the design, maintenance is definitely important. You must look at what damage could be possible. When you analyze heat transfer fluids you will need to check their PH together with the relevant freezing point of the fluid. Apart from this, other design parts are quite simple and straightforward so you should not have any problems from them.

In conclusion, when you are planning to install your solar system it is a good idea to get some help in analyzing solar water heater designs required. you can do this by either calling in an expert or by studying the plans and guides to installing solar water heaters that are available.

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There are different types of heat exchanger systems used for solar water systems. They operate in such a way that an efficient transfer of solar energy to solar collectors is achieved and an air or liquid are then used in order to heat your water and/or living space. A heat exchanger can be made from bronze, steel, copper, stainless steel, cast iron or aluminum. We generally see copper being mainly used because it is recognized as a good thermal conductor while also being highly resistant to corrosion. Now let us look below at some of the most common solar water heater heat exchanger systems that you might like to use in your home.

Fundamentally there are 2 types of solar water heat exchanger systems: air to liquid and liquid to liquid.

One liquid to liquid water exchanger for solar heater systems will utilize heat transfer fluid. It circulates through a solar collector, absorbs the heat and then goes through the heat exchanger in order to transfer heat towards water held in storage tanks. Different heat transfer fluids can protect collectors from freezing during winter. For a liquid to liquid exchanger to be effective there will be a need to utilize one or 2 good barriers. Any heat exchanger constructed through a system based on 1 wall will have a tube or a pipe that is always surrounded by fluid. A double wall exchanger will have 2 fluids and walls between them. In most cases a double wall solar water system will be required as the safety provided is higher. The difficulty is that efficiency is not really that high if we compare with single systems.

Air to liquid systems include air heater collectors. Between the solar collectors and the air distribution systems there w ill be no need of using heat exchangers. Besides the use of air instead of liquid the two solar water heater heat exchanger systems are quite similar.

Whene you are building your new solar water heater heat exchanger system you should think about sizing too. You can make it really effective when you take size into account. When you think about setting up your solar system you should consider the heat exchanger types you can use, the heat transfer fluid characteristics, flow rates and temperatures for inlet and outlet for the fluids used. In most cases manufacturers will provide the ratings for heat exchangers supplied by them.  Therefore in order for you to make the best choice you should read the manufacturer's specifications for your proposed solar water heater heat exchanger system.

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Is a Solar Water Heater System Efficient?

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Lots of people install a solar water heating system based on solar power. The idea is to cut down on the cost  of electricity in the home and reduce hot water bills. These solar heating systems have been around for decades but they were not prviously at all that efficient. So hpw can we make make solar heating systems more efficient these days?

In simple terms an efficient solar water heater system is an installation that will provide you with hot water in sufficient quantities regularly. In most cases a person uses 30 gallons of water on a daily basis although not all is hot water. It is a common belief that solar water heater systems are really efficient during the hot days but less efficient during colder days. The truth is that even during winter we can still maintain an efficiency of around 50%. This is mostly true when we use systems using evacuated tubes or vacuums. Unfortunately there are a number of systems which are inefficient in some ways.

The materials used are the main reason why efficiency can be less than optimal. People will try to cut down costs and unfortunately sometimes sacrifice materials used. Using really good materials is really important. Although they might be more expensive at first on a long run they will more than make it up. Efficient materials make it easier for most of the sun heat to be properly transformed into warming water fuel. Also, different materials can also help in keeping water at least 50 degrees warm during the winter months.

You will find that all  of the materials used in a solar water heater system has an attached efficiency grade. You can ask specialists or even do Internet searches to find those systems that are the most efficient. The only complicated part might be if a big house has to be covered or you want to warm the water in a swimming pool. The good news is that even this can now be achieved easily and you can really improve energy efficiency.

So check out which are the most efficient materials and ensure they are used for the solar energy water system in your home. Even if these appear a little more expensive at the outset they will be well worth it in the long run.

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Installing a Solar Water Heater System

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Installing a solar water heater system can work out to be quite cheap or highly expensive. It all depends on how you approach the situation. Many people will invest in such a solar heating system because they think that money will be saved during the warm summer days. This is definitely true. Costs can be reduced by building your own water heater system based on solar power. You need to know that good systems can be built with only as much money as you would spend in one month on electricity.

Materials of all kinds can absorb sun heat. A photovoltaic panel will need a fsirly complex configuration combined with expensive materials for electricity to be generated. However when dealing with water heaters everything becomes simpler.

So that you can reduce costs when installing a solar water heater system you need to buy materials that are cheap and readily available. All that you really need a couple of days to spare and a few common tools to build one. Also, when you do the installation yourself costs can be cut. How much heated water is going to be produced can only be limited by the design that you create. We recommend to look at some good plans to use.

While it is all quite straightforward installing a solar water heater system there are some tips and tricks that you must know. Using high quality materials and then doing the work yourself is not always fast due to your having to learn as you go along.  However you should realize that it can save much money. In the event that you need any help you can always go to a local plumber store and ask around. You should be able to learn all that is needed. Make sure that you do not believe all sales pitches so that you do not end up purchasing those costly storage tanks and materials that are too expensive . Think about your personal needs and you can cut costs easily.

There are links to good plans and guides for installing a solar water heater system here on our website

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Installing a Solar Pool Heating System to Cut Costs

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

Did you know that a great solution to keeping your swimming pool water warm all the time is to install a good solar pool heating system? Even if it is Summer and you think the water is warm it can still feel quite cool for swimming and splashing around in having fun.

For cheaper electric bills you can install one of the many types of solar pool water heating systems.

Solar panels are usually used in all solar swimming pool heating systems. What is useful to know is that anyone can create the pool solar heating system easily once you have decided to make the investment. You would be wise to think about this fact before you actually plan to start to build the swimming pool. What is really important is thinking about the pool's size so that you can work out just how much solar power will be needed to keep it warm. Sizing is always necessary when heating a pool so you can heat it adequately and efficiently. One solar collector surface is needed and it has to be the same size as the length and width of the swimming pool in most cases. Sometimes you will need more for the most efficient solar pool heating system

When you think about solar panel size a number of factors have to be analyzed. You must first look at the roof's direction because in the Nothern Hemisphere South facing roofs will generally offer better heat absorption. Pool shape is also important while depth is one factor that is not as important as some people believe. Then we need to think about the local wind conditions and the weather in general in your locality. Even parts of the pool that are shaded by trees need to be properly analyzed and taken into consideration.

We rcommend you always talk to a specialict  whenever you want to install the best solar swimming pool water heater system. This is because it is really hard to figure out by yourself without experience exactly what you are going to need. It is more complicated when compared to the normal house water systems.

The good news these days is that prices are lower than you might have expected and you can probably afford it. In any event such an investment will pay off on the long run so it is worth making the initial outlay for the long term savings you will achieve on your solar pool heating system. 

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Are You Considering a Passive Solar Water Heater?

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Installing a passive solar water heaters is much more popular than you might imagine. The main issue at the present time is that a lot of people do not actually know what they are. You might spot a big tank inside a house without being aware of its main purpose of being a good passive heating system. So how do we define a passive solar heating system?

Passive solar technologies are basically ways to achieve energy through the use of sunlight and no extra mechanical system addition. This is definitely appearing in contrast if we look at solar technologies that are active. This type of technology will basically help in converting sunlight into heat that can be used for different purposes. The interesting fact is that extra energy sources are either not needed or minimally required.

One good example that we can mention is solariums built on southern sides of buildings. While we can even utilize passive cooling, this is one system that has the opposed main goal with the use of a similar principle. It can be used to reduce the cooling requirements we see during summer.

Don't make the error of believing that a passive solar water heater system is actually an active system. One really simple fact revolves around the use of convetional energy. If it is utilized in order to power fans or pumps then we are in front of an active system. There are also passive systems that use small amounts of conventional energy sources.

Passive solar water heater technologies also include the indirect and direct solar gain used for space heating. There are heating system that are based on using a thermosiphon, thermal mass or phase-change materials.

Some of the different wider spread technologies included in passive solar use include solar forges and also solar furnaces. These are systems that do need an external energy source in order to align receivers or concentrating mirrors. We have noticed them to be ineffective in a wide spread use. The proper way for you to implement any passive solar system is by using low grade energy needs.

So a passive solar water heater can be a good option to choose for providing you with minimal cost supplementary energy needs for heating your water.

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Information About Building Solar Water Heaters

Friday, March 25th, 2011

This article will provide you with information about building solar water heaters. There are a variety of reasons why you might want to install a good solar water heater. Most people will want to cut down on heating bills while others are thinking about the environment and want to save trees or fossils. The fact is that a good water heater is going to be of benefit for any household. Theer are many good types of solar water heaters available. One type we would recommend choosing is the passive solar water heater which doesn't use any extra energy up in the process. 

Before you begin building solar water heaters you need to think about your own household personal water needs. A single person usually uses around thirty gallons daily but maybe you will need more or less. You can cut down on costs if you look for an electrical water heater tank that has been discarded but is big enough for your needs. Think about where you are going to place the new solar water heater. 

The tank should be positioned outside the house and if you live in the Northern hemisphere facing south so that good sun ray exposure is possible. It should always be painted black so that more sun energy will be absorbed by it. Also, you are going to need a plywood box for your water tank. It has to show an incline so that you can place the heater upright. Fiberglass insulation is to be used for the box's interior so that you can reduce any energy loss. After this the water tank can be installed.

Plumbing fittings and different pipes have to be attached to the tank's base. One set of pipes will carry water from your home towards the solar heater. Then you need to connect another pipe set to the top of the heater. These are the pipes that go back to your regular heater inside your house. It is recommended to have one so that you have a good backup heater unit which will then keep the water warm for a longer period of time.

When building solar water heaters, remember that the pipes that are exposed outside will need to be insulated so that they do not freeze in the cold winter months. You can also use insulation foam although the effectiveness of fiberglass is better. Next the box should be covered by window glass or plastic. By doing this you will be able to keep heat right inside the box.

Building solar water heaters is not difficult and it is a great idea.for saving energy costs in the home.

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Installation and Heating of Commercial Solar Water Heaters

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Solar energy systems and the various types of commercial solar water heaters have become popular for a number of reasons. In the past such systems were mainly used in residential areas in order to cope with individual household needs. Nowadays there are many companies and basically commercial establishments that want to implement solar energy systems so that their maintenance costs can be reduced too. Thus we see the appearance of commercial solar water heaters systems in order to help produce energy for many companies. A lot of corporate or small businesses these days try to use solar effective principles in order to deal with their ever rising energy costs.

Any good commercial solar water heater system includes a storage tank and a solar panel as the most important major parts. A solar panel can easily be installed and they have of course been available for many years now. Thanks to tube collectors, solar water heating systems can be used in many climates. Collectors can retain much heat absorption and will work with absorbing the sun energy produced as water heat. Heated water will then move towards the storage tank. A good heat exchanger will also be included inside the main storage tank.

The storage tank is very important in commercial solar heating systems. The main reason for this is that they do have to handle much more and be bigger than what is used in most homes today. Also, commercial storage tanks can be built on request based on shape or design needed. In the event that you can install your solar tank on a good flat level and provide proper support then no problems should appear during installation of the solar system.

By installing a solar water system a commercial establishment can definitely reduce energy costs. This is highly important in these times when the economy in general is not that strong. Also, we are pleased to see that many companies have green ideals and do try more and more to protect the environment. Naturally the lower cost stands out as the most important reason for installing this type of energy system.

If you are a business owner and want to cut costs while also protecting the environment you should seriously consider the possibility of using commercial solar water heaters. Energy costs can often be reduced by around 60 to 70 percent each year which will be a great saving on your business overheads,

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Learning About Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heaters

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

It is hard to believe that, solar water heating has been available for hundreds of years. However if you think about it this natural way of heating water from the sun has always been around. As technology advanced the systems have become more efficient and now the efficiency offered by evacuated tube solar water heaters is over 90%. Basically you will see 90% of all the sun's energy being absorbed and then converted properly into heat. When we compare the costs associated with generating energy we have a much lower cost than from commercial power suppliers.

These energy efficient vacuum tubes or evacuated tubes are usually built from glass. In some cases the one double wall system is used based on Pyrex. Glass in an inner tube is usually coated on the outer surface with special absorbing coating. Inside every single tube the air is usually removed so that a vacuum is created. Copper heat pipes can be found in the tube's middle area. Such a sealed heat pipe is good as it also includes in most possible cases anti freeze liquid and can help in absorbing infra red radiation better.

The really good advantage that the use of evacuated tubes have in solar water heating systems is the fact that these also work when the weather is cold and overcast. Vaccums will prevent heat tubes from ending up being cooled too much by the temperature of the ambient air. Also, thanks to the evacuated tube systems efficiency we can take advantage even of the little sun power that appears to be visible during the winter. In many cases the water can still be heated to around 50 degrees with the use of the installed water heater system which makes it a great system. 

Evacuated tubes were not so popular in the past because they were not readily available or priced reasonably fro domestic home use. They were mostly used in commercial equipments that were too expensive and people had no reason to install a system that included them. Nowadays it is a lot easier to buy these evacuated tubes and it is actually recommended to do so for the sake of heating efficiency. If you see that your personal solar water heater system also includes some good evacuated tubes you will soon see and appreciate that much efficiency is gained from your evacuated tube solar water heater.

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