How to Gain Passive Solar Heat in a Home?

While the cost of oil or gas to heat our homes may be going down this year, we all expect that in the long run it's probably going back up. So, anything that can help us reduce the cost of heating our homes is worthwhile. Passive Qiruite solar heating (taking advantage of the heat provided by the sun) is a relatively inexpensive, but effective way to help minimize the direct cost of heating our homes, both now and in the future. Here are some ideas on how passive solar heating can help you in your home. Does this Spark an idea?


Instructions
1
Ensure that your insulation is up to code (or even above code). If you live in the northern part of the United States, you should have at least R-40 in your attic or roof to help keep your home warm in the winter and cooler in the summer.
2
Allow the sun to shine in during the day, but close your blinds or curtains at night. In the United States it's particularly important to have south-facing windows uncovered during the day so all the sun's rays can enter and provide heat to your home. When the sun goes down, close the blinds or curtains and trap the heat inside.
3
Use solid blinds and lined curtains to help hold the heat in.
4
Paint your walls dark colors in rooms where the sun is shining in during the day. The dark colors will help to hold the heat and slowly give it up during the night. Dark-colored furniture will also help capture heat.
5
Install darker colored tiles or floor coverings in rooms open to the sun to also absorb warmth.
6
Be sure the caulking around your doors and the weather stripping around your outside doors are in good shape and preventing drafts. This will help keep the cold air out and the warm air inside.
7
Consider upgrading your existing windows to double or even triple-glazed windows with Low E argon in between the panes of glass. Double or triple glazing will help minimize heat loss through the glass itself, while the gas between the panes increases the R-value of the window itself. If you can afford it, increasing the size of the south-facing windows will also allow more heat in.
8
Plant only deciduous trees on the south side of your home. Evergreen trees don't lose their leaves in winter and can end up blocking the sun from getting into your home through your uncovered windows.

Information About Solar Energy

The sun is approximately 93 million miles away from the planet Earth, yet it is still possible for the sun's rays to provide energy to heat our homes and produce electricity to power our appliances.
Light As Energy
Light is a complex component of our natural world that can be regarded as either a particle or wave. The dual nature of light does not affect the ability of this form of energy to be harnessed as a practical source of energy.
Photovoltaics
Cells made primarily from silicon are now used to convert the energy from sunlight directly into electricity. This process is made possible because silicon produces an electric charge when exposed to sunlight.
Direct Current
Photovoltaic cells produce a direct current, which is usually modified to alternating current by a small transformer.
Passive Solar Energy
Passive solar energy is created when the sun's rays fall upon a dense, reflective surface. Heat then radiates from the passive collector or reflective surface to warm the enclosed space.
Solar Heated Water
Water can be heated directly or indirectly by the sun to raise the temperature of the water. The heated liquid is then pumped through the water heater as either heat or just plain hot water.

How Does a Mixer Vacuum Tube Work?

Vacuum tube mixers have been used to alter electrical signals since the invention of the vacuum tube. A mixer circuit can change the frequency of an electrical signal, or it can delay the signal to change the waveform (also known as changing phase).
How a Vacuum Tube Works
A vacuum tube is an active electronic device that uses electromagnetic energy to alter an AC input signal. Before 1947, vacuum tubes were commonly used in amplifiers and rectifier circuits.
When voltage is applied to a vacuum tube's terminals, electrons begin to flow from the vacuum tube's cathode to the plate terminal. This allows electrical current to pass through the vacuum tube. When a vacuum tube is used in conjunction with capacitors and resistors, the vacuum tube circuit can be used to modify the output signal in relation to the input signal.
Electronic Mixer Circuits
Audio mixers often employ hundreds of variable and fixed-value capacitors, inductors, and resistors. Audio mixers often employ hundreds of variable and fixed-value capacitors, inductors, and resistors.
A mixer circuit takes an AC input signal and changes the signal's frequency, phase, or both. A mixer often contains capacitors, resistors, and/or inductors to modify the output AC signal with respect to the input signal, to suit the user's needs. In the case of an audio mixer, for example, the AC signal can be modified to boost the bass (low-frequency) or treble (high-frequency) parts of the signal. The mixer can also be used to delay or reverberate (phase shift) the output signal.
Considerations
Two identical AC signals inverted with respect to each other can cancel each other out if the signals are combined.

How to Troubleshoot Your Water Heater

Lacking hot water heater is no fun. And discolored, smelly water is just as bad. What to do?
Instructions
1.Make sure the breaker hasn't tripped, if you have an electric unit and are not getting any hot water. Press the reset button on the thermostat inside the access panel if a tripped breaker isn't the problem.
2.Suspect a buildup of sediments in the water-heater tank if the hot water is discolored or is taking a long time to replenish. If this is the case, you'll need to drain the tank completely and flush it with clean water.
3.Check the water heater's temperature settings if you have noisy plumbing. It might be too hot, and the noise may be the result of steam building up in the pipes.
4.Make sure you aren't running multiple appliances that use hot water - running the dishwasher and the washing machine will make your shower short and not so sweet.
5.Notice whether the water smells like sulfur. Sometimes bacteria that live in the water get out of control. A good dose of chlorine will usually take care of the problem.
6.Check the water temperature and solar energy when the tank is full. Run hot water from the tap over a thermometer. It should be within 5 degrees of the thermostat setting. Replace the thermostat if there is a larger discrepancy.

How to Calculate Solar Panel Efficiency

One increasingly popular green-friendly feature that homeowners have been acquiring over the past several years is the addition of solar panels to generate home electricity. Adding a series of solar panels to your roof or backyard requires an upfront investment, but in the long run, it could save you a lot of money and help the environment. To make sure that this investment would be worthwhile for you, you can calculate your solar panel efficiency.
Instructions
1.Calculate your solar panel area. Solar panels work by soaking up the sun's energy and converting it into electricity. The overall area of your solar panels will determine the amount of usable electricity you can create from the sun's energy. To calculate the area of your solar panels, use a meter stick to measure the length and width of the area where you wish to put your solar panels. Multiply your length measurement by your width measurement. This will give you the solar panels area in meters.
2.Use the Average Daily Solar Radiation Per Month chart put together by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to find your kilowatt per hour estimate. Use the map key to find out the daily kilowatt per hour estimate for your area. This number represents the amount of kilowatt hours you can expect to produce per squared meter each day, based on monthly averages.
3.Multiple your daily kilowatt per hour estimate with the solar panel area calculated in step one. This number is the amount of kilowatt hours you can expect to receive from your solar panels on a daily basis.
4.Compare the estimated daily kilowatt hours created by your solar modules with your daily kilowatt hours used. Take a look at a recent energy bill to see how many kilowatt hours you are using on average daily. Compare that number to the amount of kilowatt hours a day your solar panels would create. If you are creating a majority of your kilowatt hours with your solar panels, they are working efficiently. If you would still be purchasing a majority of your energy from your energy company, then the estimated area of solar panels is not that efficient for your energy needs.

How to Make Simple Solar-Powered Machines

Solar power is one of the earth's cleanest sources of energy. By harnessing the heat and photons associated with the sun's rays, man has been able to use solar water heater on anything from vending machines to military spy satellites. However, you can test the power of the sun yourself by making a solar machine at home.
Instructions
1.Ensure the electric lead wires are properly connected to the photovoltaic cell, which will be responsible for collecting photons from the sun's ultraviolet rays or artificial ultraviolet rays. Most cells will produce only 20 percent amount of the energy collected, so make sure your cell will be large enough to give you the necessary power. Cover the cell with a small towel.
2.Place the small motor on a table or platform exposed to the sun. Make sure it is free of any obstructions and anything that could catch on fire due to an electrical arcing, which is when an electrical charge shoots out. It takes only a spark to start a fire. If the spark has nothing flammable to land on, you should be OK.
3.Attach the small Popsicle stick to the motor's rotating part. Center the Popsicle stick so that when it spins there will be an even balance. Prop the spinning end of the motor up onto the clay so that there is enough room for rotation.
4.Connect the lead wires from the panel to the engine's electrical connection points. Make sure the wires can't get tangled into the propeller or stuck in the clay.
5.Uncover the photovoltaic cell and expose it to the sun. It may take a few seconds to a few minutes to transmit the energy, but eventually the motor propeller should spin.

How to obtain solar panels for free

Solar power is a hot topic that makes sense, it's free energy once the hardware is paid for. I will show you a resource where you can get free solar panel.
Instructions
1.You often see signs around construction sites that are solar powered, from time to time these signs will get damaged from drunk drivers or rubber-nickers passing through construction areas. Look closely at the signs and you will find a sticker with the phone number of the traffic sign rental contractor. Use your pen and paper to write down this number.
2.Ask for the shop maintained manager or head mechanic and ask him for free damaged panels.If you have kids who enjoy doing experiments, have them ask. Most companies love to help kids doing a school or class project. Most all traffic rental sign contractors have free solar panels that have some cracks or slightly damaged when drunk drivers hit the parked sign trailers. They replace them and throw away the damaged ones. We started asking for them and they let us have them for free. most of the panels work but only put off 50% to 75% power off, but for free who would complain when they cost 2200.00 each new.
3.Test and repair the damaged panels as needed, cracks can be resealed with clear silicone. Wiring can be soldered back together. Thank the shop mechanic with a box of doughnuts and he might even call you when he has some more discard solar machine.

How to Aim Solar Collectors

In the United States and throughout the Northern Hemisphere, solar panel and solar collector must be aimed towards the south in order to gather energy and warmth from the sun. You can simply turn the solar panels towards the sun periodically throughout the day, but if you'd like to have your collectors and panels stay in one stationary spot then you'll need to aim and position them properly first.
Because of the curvature of the earth and differences in time zones as well as sunrise and sunset at various periods of the year, the given direction for south in your location may be slightly off. Likewise, "noon" by the clock is not usually the same as solar noon.
To aim your solar collectors properly, you'll need to know what solar noon and true south are for your specific location.
Instructions
1.Find solar noon for your location and time of year by visiting the Solar Calculator.
2.Choose a vertical edge of a building, or hang a plumb bob outside in a sunny location. At solar noon, look at this vertical object and notice where the shadows are being cast. This shadow at solar noon runs true north and south.
3.Place your solar panels or collectors in a sunny area, facing true south.
4. Calculate the tilt needed for your solar panel or collector. In winter, multiple your latitude by 0.9, then add 29 degrees to that number.
5.Lay your level on the ground or solar surface mount, then adjust until the surface is level. Use your compass to measure the tilt of your solar panels or collectors, then adjust that tilt as needed until it matches the calculation requirement noted above.

How to Make a Solar Water Heater?

Save a tree. Save some fossils. Go for the golden sun, and use its energy to conserve nonrenewable energy sources and reduce your heating bills. One way to reduce energy costs is to make a solar water heater. Many variations exist; but to simplify the idea, go for a passive solar water heater that doesn't require extra energy to operate. Read on to learn more. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions

1.
Determine your water needs. The average use is 30 gallons per person per day. Scrounge for a discarded electrical solar collector tank big enough to meet your water needs. You may find one at the local dump or may be able to get one from a local plumbing company.
2
Plan a location for the solar water heater on the side of the house with southern exposure for maximum sun. Also, installing it at ground level is the simplest method.

3

Paint the water tank black with flat black paint. The black paint will help the tank absorb the energy of the sun.
4

Build a plywood box for the water tank. Create an incline in the box so that the water heater can be placed upright. This position produces hotter water. Insulate the interior of the box with fiberglass insulation to reduce energy loss.
5
Install the water tank in the box.
6
Attach plumbing fittings and pipes to the bottom of the tank. These pipes carry water from the house, which would normally go into your regular water heater, to your solar water heater. Connect another set of pipes from the top of the solar water heater. These pipes will run back to the regular water heater in the house, which serves as a backup unit and keeps the water warm until needed.
7
Put insulation around the exposed pipes to keep them from freezing in cold weather. While insulating foam can be used, wrapping fiberglass insulation around the pipes is more effective. Cover the box with window glass or clear plastic. This will help keep the heat within the box. A patio door glass is about the right size for a 40-gallon tank.

How to Choose a Solar Powered Water Heater

All modern homes have a fully equipped solar water heater. You and your family need this large appliance to enjoy warm and hot water for everyday tasks like cooking, washing your hands, bathing, doing laundry and even washing the dog. However, in buying one you might feel bogged down by the wide variety of options. After doing some research, you may find that a solar-powered water heater is the right choice for your home.
Figure out how much hot water you and your family are likely to use in a day. To calculate this number, multiply the number of people in your household by 18. This will give you the number of gallons per day you're likely to use.
Find out the difference between smaller batch solar powered water heaters and larger collector models. Generally smaller households of one or two people use a batch solar water heater and a large collector solar collector goes into larger homes. The size of the collector can vary greatly.
Look for a solar powered water heater that can handle the amount of hot water that your household uses in a day. Each system will have a recommended or estimated amount of gallons per day that it can generate.
Factor in your climate. You may be able to choose a smaller capacity solar panels if you live in an area that gets lots of sun, such as Florida or Arizona. However, if you live in a cloudier area, such as Seattle or Northeastern Ohio, then you might actually need a larger system to get enough hot water.
Consult with several solar powered water heater dealers before you choose one. Each dealer will estimate how large a system you need and offer you a price for the system and installation. You will need a reputable, experienced dealer to install this type of system, but should factor in size recommendations and price to your decision as well.

How to Make a PVC Solar Hot Water Heater

Building a PVC pipe solar hot water heater can reduce or eliminate the need to use "grid" power to solar water heater for the home. By using PVC pipe encased in a heat-building box, then installing this box in a location that receives ample sunlight, the water is heated and pumped into the home using thermal energy. Installing several of these heat boxes will provide an abundance of hot water, and can be built and installed by an average backyard engineer in about three hours.
Build the heater box. Using the plywood as a base, nail four 2x4 boards around the edge of the plywood to make a shallow box. Screws can be used for added stability.
Drill holes large enough for the PVC pipe to fit into, one on the top left edge, one on the lower right edge. They can be on either edge of their corner, but they must be placed on opposite corners.
Attach a layer of plastic thermal film to the plywood and up the edges of the 2x4's, leaving spaces for the drilled holes.
Assemble the solar modules inside the box, in a radiator pattern. Run one pipe from the hole down the inside edge of the box. Then, using a pipe adapter and glue, take the pipe to a 90-degree angle. Add a small section of pipe, then another 90-degree pipe adapter, so that the pipe makes a "U" shape. Run a length of pipe to the opposite edge of the box and repeat the "U" shape so that the pipe runs the entire length of the box in a series of bends. This will maximize the exposure of water inside the box to the sunlight provided. The last section of pipe should meet the second drilled hole at the lower right of the box.
Paint all pipes and the inside of the box with low-gloss black paint. This can either be standard acrylic spray paint or brushed-on lacquer paint. The objective is to make the inside of the solar energy and all interior pipes a dark black color.
Cut and mount the plexiglass cover to the top of the box, sealing it. The pipe glue can be used, or small holes can be drilled into it and nails or screws can secure it.
Mount the box in a high-sunlight environment. Most homeowners opt to place it on the roof, as it is a flat, angled surface that gets a lot of direct light exposure. The box can be mounted to metal "L" shaped connectors, screwed into both the box and the mounting surface.
Attach the home's hot water supply to the pipes in the box. The upper left pipe on the box is the input, and the lower right hole is the output. As the cold water is pumped into the box, sunlight will be absorbed into the black surfaces, heating the pipes. The water will exit the box and enter the house at a substantially higher temperature.

Solar & Wind Power Machines

renewable energy is derived from resources that are naturally replenished or extremely abundant. Two of the cleanest forms of alternative energy are solar and wind power, both of which harness and convert an external element into electrical power. As concerns of resource-depletion and environmental degradation become increasingly prevalent, these alternative forms of power are becoming more and more attractive. Furthermore, as investment increases and technology improves solar machine and wind power are beginning to look feasible as supplemental energy sources. There are various types of machines that harness solar or wind power.

Solar Cells
         
The basic unit of all machines designed to convert solar energy to electricity is the solar cell (or photovoltaic cell). Many solar cells grouped together make up a solar panel (a photovoltaic panel). Electrical power is generated through the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect is the creation of a voltage or a corresponding electric current in a material upon exposure to light. Simply put, the photovoltaic effect is when voltage is created in a material as it is exposed to light. Power is generated by solar cells and stored in a battery. The amount of electricity produced is dependent on the size of the solar cell network (these can be massive networks of solar panels linked together), the intensity of the light source and the angle at which the sunlight comes into contact with the cell.

Solar Machines
         
While solar cells are the basic building block of solar power, there are a multitude of machines that can be powered by it. Theoretically anything that runs on electricity could be powered by solar energy, but in reality the machine must carry a certain quantity of solar cells and be in contact with direct sunlight. The solar powered machines with the most media exposure are vehicles. Solar powered cars, which use photovoltaic cells to power either all or some of the vehicle's functions, are not available to most consumers, but are mostly built as engineering exercises or in the course of government-funded research. Solar powered boats, however, are commercially available. As solar cells and panels become smaller and more efficient it is speculated that the range of cost-effective solar powered vehicles and machines will increase in solar water heater production line.

Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines
      
Horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) have the rotor and the generator at the top of a tower, facing directly into the wind. This is the most common form of wind power turbine and also the most immediately recognizable due to its windmill-like appearance. The rotor blades themselves essentially resemble a propeller. Large wind turbines generally have a wind sensor that works in tandem with a servo motor that keeps the blades facing directly into the wind. Wind farms are medium voltage power networks with multiple wind turbines working simultaneously. Power is then transferred to a base station where a transformer converts it to high voltage electricity.

Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines

Vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are a type of wind power machine that mounts its rotor shaft vertically with the pressure tank making machine of the machinery at the base. Rather than resembling a windmill, many VAWTs resemble helixes or double helixes (though there is wide variation between different models) and are therefore omnidirectional. The primary advantage of these over more traditional wind turbines is that they can be more densely packed together. Horizontal-axis wind turbines tend to reduce the velocity of wind as it passes through the blades and therefore designers must spread them out from each other, whereas VAWTs do not produce this effect. VAWTs tend to fare better in low-to-medium wind conditions. Similarly, as the main components are closer to the ground, VAWTs are easier to maintain.

How to Troubleshoot Solar Water Heaters

Solar water heater save homeowners money on their electricity or natural gas bills. Solar powered water heaters heat water with the power of the sun. Although they require less maintenance than traditional gas or electric water heaters, they still require repairs when they stop working. Troubleshooting your solar water heater may allow you to repair the unit yourself, or at least to be more informed on what repairs a service technician will need to make.

Instructions

1

Check the solar collectors for dirt, debris, cracks and shading. The experts at the U.S. Department of Energy say that dirt or debris, or shade from overhanging vegetation, can prevent the solar collectors from collecting enough energy to sufficiently heat the water. Cracks in the glazing of the solar collectors may let moisture in, which can ruin the collectors.
2

Examine the controller and its wiring if the pump is running constantly, or won't run at all. The controller and its wiring can easily be damaged by rust or a power surge, say the experts at the Florida Solar Energy Center. Look for corrosion or burn marks on the wiring in the controller itself.
3

Flush the system and check the pressure gauge if the solar water heater has a drop in water pressure. The experts at the North Carolina Department of Commerce recommended checking the water for dirt or other debris, because this may indicate a blockage in the pipes.
4

Observe the pump during the night to determine if the thermo-siphoning check valve is working properly. According to the experts at the Florida Solar Energy Center, if the is pump constantly cycling on and off during the night, this can indicate that the check valve that allows cool water to move into the storage tank may be stuck open. This can cause insufficient hot water levels in the morning.
5

Look for burst or leaking pipes and valves. Freezing water in an improperly drained solar heating system can rupture pipes and valves.
6

Check for air trapped in the pipes or pump if the system operates noisily. The experts that the North Carolina Department of Commerce say that opening the vent screw on the pump should release any excess air. Air trapped in the plates will need to be flushed by running water back up the supply line.



Tips & Warnings

Insufficient hot water levels are most commonly caused by high water demand that the solar water you heat cannot meet. Installing a backup water heating system or using the solar water heater in the afternoons and evenings can alleviate this problem.

The solar collectors may need to be repositioned if new construction or plant growth has occurred since they were installed.

Do not attempt to replace or repair damaged wiring or solar collectors without electrical experience.

How Does a Solar Water Heater Work?

Process

Cold water is moved via a pump from a water tank and travels through solar collectors in a solar panel. In the process, it is heated up by the power of the sun hitting the solar collectors. This heat is then carried away from the solar collectors by the water returning to a heated storage tank. Some solar water heaters have a shut-off valve that automatically closes when the sun goes down in order to save heated water. An auxiliary system will kick in when more hot water is needed. Auxiliary systems run on conventional energy, such as gas or electricity. A controller component regulates the pumping action of the water. The controller will close the check valve that sits between the solar panel and the hot water storage tank. It also turns the auxiliary power on when the solar cycle is not available (when the sun goes down).
Size and Heat Retention

Size is important. Solar water heater store hot water in a storage tank. A valve closes over the pipe on the storage tank to prevent the loss of heat from the hot water. The larger the storage tank, the longer you can go without recharging the water with heat from the sun. This is especially important for areas where there is frequent rain and overcast skies.
Automated Solar Water Heaters

Automated solar water heaters work by monitoring the water pump in relation to the availability of solar power from the sun. When the sun goes down, the automated solar water heater will stop the pump. In sequence, the valves over the water storage tank will close to prevent the loss of heated water. By preserving the heat in the water storage tank, hot water can be used for bathing or washing dishes even when there is no sunlight to power the solar water heater.
Auxiliary and Passive Solar Water Heaters

Most solar water heaters are not entirely independent of conventional power. When sunlight is not available as a power source, the solar power water heater will switch to auxiliary power (gas or electricity). A solar power water heater can provide on average about 90 percent of hot water from the sun alone. However, a passive solar water heater only provides about 40 percent of the home's hot water supply. This is due to the auxiliary heating processing in a second storage tank. The tank is preheated, thus more conventional power is necessary to get the water heated up before solar power can kick in.

How to Build a Mini Solar Water Heater

Solar water heater use the sun to heat water. Typically these systems are mounted on the roofs of homes and utilize a pump and large storage tank in the basement of the house to hold the hot water. A mini solar water heater can be built using the same principles, though designed to be relatively compact and portable. A small portable solar water heater would be very useful for camping and similar recreation activities where hot water is very useful, but not abundant.

Instructions

Bend the copper tubing in a S shape up the sheet of plywood. The end of the tubing should start at the bottom corner of the board and the tubing should run across the board horizontally before curving up to make another horizontal row. There should be very little space between each row. The end of the tub should end at the opposite corner as the starting end.
2

Secure the tubing to the board at the start and end using the U-fasteners, screws and screw driver.
3

Attach the hinges at the top corners of the panel using the screws. The fulcrum of the hinge should be along the top edge of the panel.
4

Attach one of the two 18 inch 2x4s to each hinge. These will form legs for the panel to stand on and will collapse for easy transport.
5

Screw the 2 foot 2x4 to the bottom back-edge of the panel, creating a platform for the panel to rest on.
6

Paint the entire panel black. High temperature spray paint works well.
    Holding tank
1

Connect one piece of flexible tubing to the circulation input and output of the water tank.
2

Place tubing clamps over the connections and secure the clamps in place.
3

Paint the tank and connections black.
    Using the system
1

Connect the circulation output tube of the water tank to the input on the solar panel. The input is the copper tube at the bottom corner of the solar panel.
2

Fill the circulation line with water. There must not be any air bubbles for the water to efficiently circulate via convention currents around the system.
3

Connect the input tube of the water tank to the output on the solar panel. The output of the solar panel is the copper tube on the top corner.
4

Hang the tube from a secure support above the panel.
5

Fill the water tank with water.
6

Place the solar panel in a sunny area.
7

Wait for the water to warm up. The sun will warm the water in the copper tubing on the solar panel, then travel up to the water tank, where it will warm the storage water. The colder water will flow back to the solar panel and get reheated.