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Main Photovoltaic Panel Parts

Green Tipster — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 07:01:59 +0000

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to make a home made solar panel, solar panel kits, and how does solar power work.

One of the reasons that constructing your own photovoltaic panels has become so popular is that there are really very few parts involved. A regular solar panel consists of just a few basic parts, namely an enclosure, photovoltaic (pv), a substrate and wiring. Here’s a summary of what’s involved.

Solar panel case or enclosure
This is what most people see when they think of a solar panel. It’s the clear glass top, the frame and the backing that the photovoltaic cells are mounted on. The case can be hefty enough to need a custom built metal rack for mounting on a rooftop, or small enough to be a plastic box that can be placed almost invisibly near an outdoor floodlight. It needs to be resistant to ultra violet (UV) rays so that it doesn’t deteriorate with relentless exposure to sunlight. And the glass (usually Plexiglas) needs to be durable enough to withstand harsh weather, including hail and wind storms that could crash tree branches and other debris into it.

Substrate
This is the piece of wood, peg board or other material that the solar cells are mounted on within of the enclosure. It too needs to be UV-resistant to survive prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Solar cells
The solar cells are comparable to the silicon chips that power most computers. They combine the silicon, metals and other materials in a way that captures direct sunlight and converts it into electricity. The electricity can either be instantly used by direct current devices (DC) like LED lights, or stored in DC batteries and transformed into alternating current (AC) to power conventional appliances like refrigerators, TVs and other electrical equipment in homes and businesses.

Tabbed and untabbed pv (photovoltaic cells
When building your own pv (photovoltaic) panels, you can save money by purchasing untabbed solar cells and soldering the tabs on top of the cells yourself. This can be a good choice if you have more time than money, but it’s a tedious job. You can save time by buying tabbed solar cells which will cut your soldering time by one-half to two-thirds.

Pv (photovoltaic) cell wiring
As soon as the solar cells are mounted on the substrate, they are wired to each other in a series so that they can generate electricity. Copper wire is added to connect the solar cells to storage batteries for using the electricity later, or to connect directly to the device that the solar panel is powering like an attic fan or a solar powered toy.

Blocking diode

The blocking diode is a little component that prevents electricity that is stored in a battery from draining backward into the pv (photovoltaic) panel. Bigger photovoltaic systems use a charge controller for the same effect.

Main Photovoltaic Panel Parts is a post from: Go Greener Tips

What Types Of Hot Water Solar Collectors Can You Manufacture Yourself?

Green Tipster — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:53:00 +0000

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to build a solar panel, solar energy facts, and evacuated tubes.

There are 3 key kinds of hot water solar collectors commonly used in homes: flat plate and evacuated tube systems. There are a number of different “recipes” for constructing each kind. But here is a short description of their similarities and differences.

First, there are pool solar collectors. These are usually a type of flat plate design, but there are enough differences between solar pool heating systems and solar hot water heating systems that some clarification is necessary.

Pool solar collectors, are usually designed as rows of UV resistant black polypropylene pipe that is heat welded together. Since pool heaters call for lower water temperatures than hot water for showers or for heating a building, the collectors do not need to be encased in a box. In fact, the polypropylene plastic is not proposed to withstand the high temperatures needed for other domestic hot water use, and should not be enclosed by glass.

Though solar pool heating systems are about the easiest solar energy system that you can make or install, the solar collectors themselves are not so easy to make. The polypropylene pipe does not react to adhesives, and the procedure and equipment needed for heat welding is cost prohibitive for a do-it-yourself project. And using a substitute material may not be wise because of its tendency to break down with ongoing exposure to the sun and chlorine from the swimming pool. For this reason, it is probably easier to purchase the solar collectors even if you prefer to install the system yourself.

Evacuated tube solar collectors are also complicated to build. Although they are used for domestic hot water and for heating a house with hot water, the materials call for special handling. They use unique glass tubing with double walls. The air trapped between the walls act as insulation, similar to the way dual pane windows trap air for insulation. The innermost tube can be filled either with water or with a heat transfer fluid to prevent freezing in frozen climates. Obviously, this kind of system is more complicated to build and install than a simple hot water heating system. Again, it might be easier to purchase the solar collectors unless you have a lot of expertise and confidence.

Flat plate solar collectors, also used for residential hot water and heating, are generally easier for a do-it-yourselfer to build. The design is fairly uncomplicated and basic. Flexible tubing for the water is attached to an absorber plate and positioned inside of an insulated metal box. A glass cover is used, which allows the sun to heat the water. As the water is heated, it is pumped into an insulated storage container and held for use as needed for bathing or washing dishes. With the assistance of a good set of instructions, constructing and installing a hot water system using flat plate solar collectors is a good project for people who are handy and motivated.

What Types Of Hot Water Solar Collectors Can You Manufacture Yourself? is a post from: Go Greener Tips

Must You Construct Your Own Solar Swimming Pool Heater?

Green Tipster — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 01:07:34 +0000

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to make a homemade solar panel, solar powered, and solar hot water.

Building your own solar swimming pool heater is a fantastic do-it-yourself project if you want to add solar to your house. You will not need to buy a lot of high-priced equipment or tools. And you will not need highly specialized skills. Here is a fundamental explanation of the process and benefits so you can decide if you want to tackle it.

The project payback time can be as short as 2 years in terms of energy savings. This is because you will be saving the cost of gas to heat your pool. And the cost of materials for building a solar pool heater is lower than with most other solar projects. You will also be saving the cost of installation if you decide to go ahead and do that yourself.

You will need to buy only a few simple components: solar collectors, piping, a controller and a diverter valve. You will not need to build or buy a storage container, since your pool already stores the water. And you will not need to get, build or install a circulating pump, since your solar pool heater will use your pool’s circulating pump.

Here’s a straightforward explanation of how the system works. The water from the pool gets pumped into the solar collector, gets heated by the sun and gets pumped back into the pool. This is called an open loop design. The controller allows you to select the warmest temperature you want the pool to reach. And the diverter valve either sends water back to the pool if it is already warm enough, or over to the collector to be heated as required.

The solar collector is a simple system of black polypropylene UV-resistant tubing. The choice of materials is important so that the tubing doesn’t break down from exposure to the sun or from exposure from the chlorine in the pool. The suitable materials will last up to 20 years.

Although it is attractive to think of doing it all yourself, including making the solar collector, it is really easier and more cost effective to purchase ready made collectors for your project. The reason is that adhesives will not stick to polypropylene, and the equipment you would need to thermal weld it would cost more than buying the ready-made collectors. What’s more, experts advise against using a cheaper rubber or plastic tubing that will break down too quickly because of exposure to the sun and chlorine.

If you decide that you really want to install your solar pool heating system yourself, the easiest method is to buy a kit. You will still need to design measure and install your system. And you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your efforts for years afterwards.

Must You Construct Your Own Solar Swimming Pool Heater? is a post from: Go Greener Tips

Using The Suns Fuel To Warmth Pools And Homes Around The Globe

Green Tipster — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:54:05 +0000

The sun can provide us by way of huge amounts of useable fuel from heat to power. There are two main reasons why we should use solar fuel to heat our homes, company in addition to even swimming pools. Firstly, the price of energy is constantly mounting. For many people, heating now is a luxury as they find it hard to afford to heat their homes as they once did. Therefore this makes it particularly hard to warmth a non-essential space such as a swimming pool. Many people are also no concerned over the impact of using fossil fuels on the natural world. The emissions generated from using fossil fuels are now known to cause carbon emissions, which raise the global temperature.

Learn more about Solar Heating For Pools

So its clear we necessitate to move away from using fossil fuels such as oil plus gas to warmth our homes along with pools, however how else can we source warmth in a low carbon and ‘green’ fashion. Well, solar fuel maybe highly promoted as a way to generate electricity with solar cells, however it is much better to capture solar fuel for thermal uses, such as heating pools. There are a variety of solar air heater designs, however a more appropriate solution for heating swimming pools is the solar water heater. A solar water heater, if built correctly can generate huge amounts of warmth. By means of a little bit of knowledge, its amazing how uncomplicated it is to be able to build your own solar water heater from dwelling. A solar water heater for your pool could be assembled for only a few hundred dollars along with will give you free warmth pretty much all year round by way of little or no maintenance as well as running costs at all. On the net there are a mixture of videos of home owners who have built their own solar water heaters, such as the one below.

Capturing Solar Energy For Heat As Well As Energy For Only A Few Hundred Dollars

Green Tipster — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 07:48:04 +0000

The sun, its crucial for all life on earth, and it will now have to play a more prominent role in providing the fuel to power as well as heat our modern lifestyles. As a modern society we have depended too heavily on using fossil fuels to provide by means of the heat along with power we need. Fossil fuels are simply not sustainable. We now are seeing the repercussions from this by rapidly inflating prices along with resource problems. Also, the concerns for the natural world due to the use of fossil fuels grows everyday. Heating your pool for example is obviously a none essential, along with heating by fossil fuels are was the norm is now not morally or financially viable. On the other hand, many people see their pool as a crucial part of their habits. The pool is a well-liked way to relax and carry out light exercise, along with entertain along with hold parties. A cold pool is not an inviting space, and does hold back the potential of the pool. Therefore some heating is required. On the other hand, without using a oil or gas heater how can we get enough heat into the pool. The answer is by way of solar heater due to using a solar water heater, while will generate heat in the pool all year.

Learn more about Pool Solar Heating

Through using a solar water heater to get warmth into your swimming pool can do two things. It can provide a free source of heat as well as it can also help to save the natural world, removing the require to use oil or gas heaters. The important thing to remember about heating a swimming pool is the volume of water which needs to be heated. If you set up perspective how long a kettle takes to heat water as well as the amount of energy it uses, you can start to understand the amount of fuel required to heat an entire swimming pool, by way of even only a few degrees. To increase the heat of the pool plus keep it there requires a fairly constant resource of warmth. This is what pool solar heating can provide each along with every day, even in mild climates. This means solar water heaters can amplify the temperature of the pool along with keep it there for when ever you use the pool the heat will be a nice ambient warm.

Read more about Solar Blankets For Pools

On the other hand the source of fuel maybe free, to produce solar energy as appealing as possible, the way we capture it must also be low price. It is possible to build a solar water heater for as little as $200. It can even be constructed from reclaimed materials. One of the easiest along with cheapest designs to manufacture is the passive solar water heater. This design is also of of the most efficient and reliable. Also, its the prefect design of solar water heater to be used to warmth your pool. The video below is of an case which can easily be constructed by way of anyone in addition to generate free warmth all year.

More information on Solar Covers For Pools

Capturing Solar Energy For Heat As Well As Energy For Only A Few Hundred Dollars is a post from: Go Greener Tips

Solar Heater For Pool And Combating Climate Change Along With High Oil Prices

Green Tipster — Sun, 30 May 2010 08:48:05 +0000

The pool can be a place to relax as well as exercise, its many people favourite place to be. It is important though to keep the pool in good condition, by means of cleaning it regularly. Additional than cleaning, to manufacture the pool a more pleasant experience, it helps to get the heat to a nice ambient heat, heating such a large volume of water however can be tricky, plus expensive. Firstly, as the volume of water is so large it takes time as well as a fairly constant reserve of warmth to increase the temperature by means of even only a few degrees. Therefore is needs a heat source running most of the time. In the past a wide selection of warmth sources were used, from oil, gas in addition to electric heaters. Though for most people the running costs of these solutions are no longer affordable, as well as will not be any more affordable in the future. There is a pretty much abundant source of fuel that pool owners can harness to warmth their pools, the power of the sun. Even in mild climates, the sun generates a huge amount of energy which can be used to warmth your swimming pool. There are a range of ways to capture solar energy into the pool, one of the greatest answers is to set up a solar water heater.

Learn more about Solar Heater For Pool

As stated, using traditional forms of fuel to warmth your pool is far to expensive for the average person. Also, its very hard to relax plus enjoy using the pool when you calculate its costing you a small fortune. Therefore installing a solar water heater is the answer. There is a video of a design of solar water heater which can be used to warmth a pool, plus which can even be build from dwelling. This specific design is known as a passive solar water heater. The passive solar water is one of the first, but still one of the best designs. Its very reliable and due to its uncomplicated design is one of the cheapest solar water heaters to construct and run.

Read more about Solar Water Heater Plans

The design of the passive water heater is build on simplicity as well as efficiency, to capture as much solar fuel within a giving space for the lowest fee probable. The design uses parts which can be purchased from any hardware store as well as for minimal price. The first part is a black water storage vessel, sized appropriately for the size of swimming pool you wish to warmth. A solar collector box is then manufactured to dwelling the tank as well as enlarge the heat around the tank. It is then simply a case of flow along with return pipes as well as a pump to move the water. The design of solar water heater is easily simply ample for even a starter into DIY as well as dwelling builds.

More information on Solar Water Heater Panels

Solar Heater For Pool And Combating Climate Change Along With High Oil Prices is a post from: Go Greener Tips

Solar Pool Heaters In Addition To Free Solar Warmth In Addition To Lower Carbon Emmisions

Green Tipster — Sat, 29 May 2010 07:49:42 +0000

There are many dissimilar uses for solar fuel. One of the most commonly perceived uses is to generate electricity directly by means of the use of photovoltaic panels. However, the truth of the matter is, this is not the most efficient way to capture solar energy is due to taking advantage of the solar thermal energy the sun produces. Some power stations now use solar thermal fuel to generate electricity, on the other hand in this case in point we are more interested in capturing solar energy directly for heat, by means of solar pool heaters. In the past, when energy was cheap, most consumers used electricity or gas to warmth their pool. Yet, those days are gone, plus by means of concerns over global warming there prices are set to enlarge year on year. So how do you heat your pool, after all a cold pool isn’t half as inviting. This is where solar thermal fuel comes in, and capturing that energy to heat your pool to a warm ambient temperature. One form of solar pool heaters, are solar covers. These basically look similar to bubble wrap, just on a much larger scale. The cover allows solar fuel into the pool, yet the cover has insulating properties which then keep that warmth within the pool. Solar covers are great, they help to keep the pool clean as well as also generate some warmth. Yet, to get the pool to an ideal temperature, more warmth is required. Solar thermal fuel can do this, but in a more concentrated form such as a solar water heater.

Learn more about Solar Pool Heaters

Solar water heaters capture more solar heat within the smallest space potential, increase the heat from the sun plus insulating against warmth loss. Using a solar water heater will provide you will all the warmth you’ll call for. The video below is of an example of a solar water heater which would be ideal to be used a pool heater. This particular design is known as a passive solar water heater. The video shows how simply the solar heater can be produced in addition to put to good use immediately. The parts required to build a solar water heater can be sourced from any local hardware store.

Read more about Solar Water Heater Plans

One of the first parts to obtain is a suitable water storage vessel, the container should be black to absorb as much solar fuel as possible. The volume of the container will be calculated on the size of swimming pool you wish to warmth. This is where the warmth is captured. Building solar pool heaters is a realistic project for anyone by even only a basic knowledge of DIY skills.

More information on Solar Powered Hot Water Heater

Solar Pool Heaters In Addition To Free Solar Warmth In Addition To Lower Carbon Emmisions is a post from: Go Greener Tips

Solar Water Radiator Panels And Modern House Heating Answers

Green Tipster — Sat, 29 May 2010 07:03:24 +0000

Capturing solar fuel to heat water instead of producing electricity is a much more efficient in addition to cheaper method to capture solar fuel on a small dwelling scale. There are various solar water heater panels used in the design of solar water heaters. This depends on where the solar water heater is positioned and the system used. There are passive, active as well as active systems with intelligent controls. The fee and complexity of the systems does change on the design. The appeal of solar water heater panels is clear, at a time when heating with gas along with oil is more expensive than ever, a solar water heater can provide a substantial amount of free warmth, even in mild climates. This hot water can be used to heat the property via radiators or under floor heating, depending on the climate the warmth generated may meet all or component of the heating needs for the property. In many cases the water is used for washing along with cleaning, or even providing warmth for swimming pools. What ever the scenario, solar water heater panels can provide a free source of warmth, plus lessen conventional fuel costs.

Learn more about Solar Water Heater Panels DIY

Below is a link to a video of a home constructed DIY installation of a solar water heater system. The video shows the type of tank used, along with the insulated materials used to abode the tank. The video also shows how the solar water heater is connected to the hot water tank within the property, click the picture. The set up of a solar water heater will include the solar water heater panels, flow as well as return pipes, a pump plus a hot water storage vessel. Depending of the design of system used there will also be a series of valves plus intelligent controls to adjust water flow to capture solar fuel when available. Now, the set up will also have to accompany the choice of either placing the solar water heater panels on the roof, or locating the solar water heater on the ground. There are compensation in addition to disadvantages to each. Generally more solar fuel will be captured by means of a roof mounted system, though there are also considerably more costs, risks of wind exposure plus the general appearance of the unit. Ground based units are much cheaper to construct plus set up, in addition to by means of the right placement can capture as much solar energy as roof mounted solar collectors.

Read more about Solar Water Heater Panels DIY

For someone even by means of only a basic knowledge of DIY, building a solar water heater system is a realistic project along with worth taking on. The simplest, cheapest plus most reliable is a passive solar water heater.

More information on Solar Water Heater Panels

Solar Water Radiator Panels And Modern House Heating Answers is a post from: Go Greener Tips

Solar Covers For Pool In Addition To Dropping Oil And Gas Pool Warming

Green Tipster — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:07:46 +0000

Having your own pool is a privilege, along with is an excellent way to relax as well as exercise. Yet, swimming pools are not without their work. The pool has to be kept clean, in addition to also the pool has to be heater to a nice ambient temperature to manufacture the experience as enjoyable as likely. On the other hand how is this warmth generated, plus how much will it fee. Well in the past there were options such as using oil, gas or electric heaters to warm the pool. However this is just no longer affordable for most people. Also, using fossil fuels to warmth a no essential space such as a pool is not a very environmentally responsible practice. There is a source of energy accessible to use which we can take advantage of, the sun. Even in mild climates there is still a huge amount of solar fuel obtainable which can be captured for heating. One method to capture solar fuel is by way of using solar covers for pools. Solar covers allow solar fuel into the water along with then try to keep it there. Solar covers are also good at keeping the pool clean, by means of stopping leaves etc into the water. However solar covers may not provide as much heat as you require, therefore using a solar water heater along with solar covers is a brilliant way to capture as much solar energy as potential to get pools to an ideal heat by practically zero running costs.

Learn more about Solar Covers For Pools Help

As stated, using solar covers along by means of a solar water heater can eliminate the need for fossil fuel energy to be used, along with by means of good reason. Gas prices for case in point are set to amplify by means of 60% over the next 5 years, plus more green taxes are on the way. Installing solar heating ideas we warmth your pool for free. Below is a video of a passive solar water heater. Passive solar water heaters are positioned on the ground in addition to can be placed next to the pool. The design is simple however proficient, as well as is the cheapest solar water heater to make plus maintain. The video below shows how to build a passive solar water heater.

Read more about Solar Covers For Pools DIY

The parts list to build a passive solar water heater is actually very simple. Firstly, a black water storage vessel is required, by its size depending on the size of the pool. The tank is then placed within a insulated and reflective solar box. The box captures the solar fuel as well as reflects it against the black hot water tank. Building your own solar water heater is much simpler than you may think, and can be manufactured very cheaply.

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Solar Covers For Pool In Addition To Dropping Oil And Gas Pool Warming is a post from: Go Greener Tips

Swimming Pool Solar Heaters And Saving On Fuel Expenses

Green Tipster — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:51:54 +0000

Owning a swimming pool has many payback, but it does require work to clean along with maintain. The supplementary factor is the temperature of the water, some people may enjoy jumping into a freezing cold swimming pool, however its not enjoyable to most. That doesn’t mean the swimming pool has to be as warm as a hot tube, but a nice ambient temperature to enjoy. However, even heating the swimming pool to even an ambient temperature does call for some heaters of some sort. Conventional heating of a swimming pool can be very expensive, on the other hand using solar heaters can provide the heat you necessitate with only minimal start-up costs along with practically free running costs, extra than the motor used to pump the water. A swimming pool ca actually be used as a solar thermal storage medium. Therefore having a a solar water heater is ideal to raise the temperature of the swimming pool to a nice ambient heat along with then keep it there for months.

Learn more about Swimming Pool Solar Heaters Help

The savings which can be made from using swimming pool solar heaters is clear. Electricity is the most expensive means to heat a pool, on the other hand oil plus gas heaters are not far behind. Also, the fee of energy is only set to raise, for case gas prices over the next couple of years are expected to rise by means of 60%. Along by way of this charge increases, governments are now introducing green taxes onto fossil fuel energy to decrease consumption and diminish carbon emissions. Therefore it is clear that in the future it will only become more expensive to warmth your swimming pool.

Read more about Swimming Pool Solar Heaters

One of the greatest as well as simplest types of solar water heater to heat your swimming pool is a passive solar water heater, in addition to you can even build these units your self. The design is uncomplicated, but effective plus one of the most reliable and low maintenance forms of solar heater. The video shows how to build your own solar powered hot water heater, which could be used to heat your swimming pool for free saving on fuel bills. The main workings of swimming pool solar heaters are a black water storage tank which is used to capture the solar energy. The tank is then placed within an insulated solar capture box which allows the solar fuel in, in addition to then keeps it there to increase the heat of the water within the hot water tank.

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Swimming Pool Solar Heaters And Saving On Fuel Expenses is a post from: Go Greener Tips