Solar Water Heater

May 18, 2010

What You Need To Know About Solar Swimming Pool Water Heaters

Contrary to what many believe solar heating systems can be installed with the purpose of keeping pool water always warm. Even if it is Summer and the water might be warm it can be too cold for swimming and having a good time. In order to cut down on electricity costs there is always the possibility of installing swiming pool water heating systems that can do a proper job.

Every solar pool water heating system is based on the use of solar panels. What is definitely interesting is that anyone can create the system easily in the event that the investment can be done. You might even want to analyze this subject prior to building a swimming pool. What is definitely important is to think about the size of the pool in order to figure out the amount of solar power that is needed to maintain it warm. When you are heating pools sizing is necessary. A solar collector surface of around 60 to 100 percent of the swimming pool is usually necessary because of the water quantity seen. Sometimes you will need more. Different important factors have to be taken into account when you think about how big the solar panels need to be. You mist first analyze the direction of the roof as a south facing roof can offer you better heat absorption. The shape of the pool is also important while its depth is not a factor that can be decisive. Then we do need to see wind conditions and generally speaking weather conditions. Even trees that might be shading your pool need to be analyzed.

If you do want to use one good solar pool water heating system then a specialist might need to be consulted. This is because it is really hard to figure out exactly what you are going to need. All stands out more complex than house water systems. The good news is that prices are not as big as you might believe and you can probably afford it. Even in the event that you do not the investment is sure to pay off in the future.

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May 12, 2010

What to Know About Solar Water Heater Designs

If we think about a solar heating water system design we have to always think about it as it should be built with a secondary goal to minimize maintenance costs. You should know that it is not actually effective to design one system that fully provides energy with solar sources. This is mainly as you do have to invest much in collector areas and storage volume. Now the design is going to dictate a lot of facts. In order for you to see what design will be suitable in your home’s case we do have to analyze a number of facts.

First you will have to find solar connectors. You will get most possible energy when this system is to be faced south. Also, you do need to use tilt. According to a number of studies the angles and orientation that has to be used will vary a lot. You need to consult with one specialist or, alternatively, do solo research if you want to see all angles that will be perfect for the location where you live. Your latitude dictates the best possible tilt angles that should be utilized.

Now freezing problems have to be considered. The damage that can be caused when water is freezing is not to be taken lightly. A very good heating system based on solar power is to analyze all aspects that are necessary to always be sure that water will not freeze. A lot of different strategies are possible if you are thinking about preventing freezing damage. Although where you live water might not freeze often freezing protections should still be installed.

Then you will need to think about the use of bypass capability and tempering valves. If you want to keep temperature being consistent at all times you will have to include tempering valves. Thanks to these two parts of the design you can gain hot water even when the heating system is not working. Also, even if this is not necessarily linked with design, it is highly important to think about maintenance. You must look at damage that is possible. Freezing point and PH have to be checked when analyzing the heat transfer fluid. All the other design parts will be simple and you will not meet problems in the future.

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May 10, 2010

What to Know About Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heater

Contrary to what some people believe we have seen solar water heating system appear long time ago. As technology advanced they became more efficient and now the efficiency offered by evacuated tube solar water heaters is over 90 percent. Basically this means that the sun’s energy is landing on the surface and is converted to heat at around 90%. You are to see incredibly low energy generating costs if you compare to a regular source.

Vacuum tubes or evacuated tubes are usually built from glass. Pyrex is used in most cases when we have touble wall systems. Glass noticed in inner tubes is coated in most cases on its outer surface with the use of absorbing coating. Inside all tubes air is removed in order to create one vacuum. Copper heat pipes are located right in the middle of these tubes. 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.

One huge advantage that is obtained through the use of evacuted tubes is that they keep the solar water heating running well even when the temperatures fall below freezing point. Vacuums are to prevent your heat tubes from getting too cooled when the temperature is low. Also, thanks to evacuated tube systems you can also take advantage of the little sun power that we see during winter. In different cases you will be happy to know that the water can even reach 50 degrees if you use your solar water heater system.

The most important reason why the popularity of evacutated tubes was low in the past was availability for regular people. At first we only saw them in different commercial equipments, which were quite expensive and not affordable by regular people that wanted to use them. Nowadays it is a lot easier to buy such tubes and it is actually recommended to do so. The solar water system will become much more efficient if it also comes with included good evacuated tubes.

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May 5, 2010

What is a Heat Exchanger in Solar Water Heaters?

Any solar water heater system uses heat exchangers so that solar energy can be transfered and absorbed, only to be used in order to heat water or heat space. A heat exchanger can be created out of bronze, steel, copper, stainless steel, cast iron or aluminum. In most cases copper is utilized as it is a really good thermal conductor. It will also provide good levels of corrosion resistance. Let us analyze some common heat exchanger types that you might want to utilize.

Basically we have 2 heat exchanger types: air to liquid and liquid to liquid. Heat transfer fluid is used by all heat exchangers designed for liquid to liquid solar systems. It basically circulates through solar collectors, absorbs heat and goes through heat exchangers so that heat is transferred towards the water in the storage tank. A number of heat transfer fluids will protect the collectors from freezing. Such a liquid to liquid heat exchanger system will use 1 or 2 barriers in order to be properly effective. Any heat exchanger constructed through a system based on 1 wall will have a tube or a pipe that is always surrounded by fluid. Double wall exchangers are using 2 fluids and show two walls between them. Double walled solar water systems are needed so that safety offered is higher. The problem is that their efficiency is not as big when compared to single systems. All air to liquid systems will include the use of air heater collectors. They usually never need heat exchangers in between sollar collectors and air distribution systems. The two exchanger systems stand out as being highly similar besides the fact that one uses air and the other liquid.

Whenever building your new solar water heater heat exchanger system you should think about sizing too. If you want all to be really effective one important factor is size. Whenever thinking about this topic you need to consider the heat exchanger types, the heat transfer fluid characteristics, flow rates and temperatures for inlet and outlet for the fluids used. Ratings are usually given by most manufacturers for every heat exchanger out there. For you to make really good decisions you should read specifications.

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April 29, 2010

Things To Consider About Solar Water Heater Efficiency?

Lately many have installed solar water heaters. The main reason why this happens is cutting down on electricity or warm water bills. This type of system did exist for a lot of time but we can say that just now they are actually efficient. Now what will make the solar water heating system efficient.?

Simply put one efficient system is a system that will offer warm water in enough quantities regularly. Even if a regular person utlizes 30 gallons daily, not all water is hot water. A lot of people think that a solar water heater will not be as effective when the days are colder and mostly effective when the days are hot. The truth that you need to know is that efficiency can end up as high as 50% even during winter. This is especially true when the system will use vacuums or evacuated tubes. Unfortunately a number of systems are inefficient.

Efficiency lacks will usually appear when the wrong materials are being used. People are trying to cut costs down and this might actually sacrifice some materials that are used. It is highly important to use high quality materials. Although prices are usually a lot more expensive at the beginning you will see that they will be covered eventually. Sun heat can easily be transformed in fuel used for warming water if the materials used are efficient. Also, a bunch of good materials are available and if you use them you will be able to use the solar system during winter to warm the water to around 50 degrees.

All materials used in solar water heater systems have an attached efficiency grade. In order to find the systems that are most efficient you can use Google searches or simply ask around. The only complicated part appears when a big house has to be covered or you want to warm the water in a swimming pool. Fortunately you can easily achieve this and also gain efficiency.

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April 28, 2010

Systems Used For Commercial Solar Water Heaters

There are many reasons that can be mentioned why solar energy systems have become so popular. In the past such systems were only used in residential areas in order to cope with individual needs. Nowadays we see many establishments considering solar energy system so that they can cut down on maintenance costs. Commercial solar water heater systems were created and will produce energy for a lot of companies in the future. Many corporate or small businesses try to use sollar effective principles in order to deal with rising energy costs.

There are 2 very important parts in all comercial water heating systems based on solar power: one solar panel and one storage tank. Solar panels can be installed with ease and they have been available for a long time now. Due to different tube collectors we can now use solar water heating in a lot of climates. These collectors can retain high degrees of heat absorption and they work by first absorbing sun produced energy in the form of water. Heated water will then move towards the storage tank. Heat exchanger are usually used and you can find them right inside the chosen storage tank.

When talking about commercial solar heating system we have the storage tank as a highly important part. This is because they do need to be bigger and handle a lot more use than those that are used in regular homes. Also, a commercial storage tank can also be built according to your design and shape needs. If you do have a good support aimed flat level spot then you will be faced with no problems when thinking about solar tank placement.

Solar water systems made it possible for some commercial establishments to save money on energy costs. This is highly important nowadays as economy in general is not that strong. Also, many companies do think green and do want to help protect the environment even if the most important reason why a system like this is installed has to be costs. 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 end up being reduced with even 70% yearly.

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April 26, 2010

Solar Water Heater Maintenance and Repair

Solar water heating systems are definitely easy if we talk about built. It is not at all difficult to repair them when something goes wrong. Unfortunately many people think that all can be done with ease although it is not always like that. In order for solar water heaters to work well maintenance should be proper. Repair costs must be lower thanks to this. Problems usually appear in heater boxes. In most cases repairs are over in one hour. You can use hand tools and the entire job can be done easily in the event that you reall know what to do.

Complications in solar water heaters appear when electrical sources are also used. Fortunately energy is not utilized by most heaters. In most cases leaks are the common problems that appear. They will usually appear in storage tanks or heat boxes. You can easily notice any leak of the tank but when talking about your heat box things are not this simple. In order to avoid repairs that would cost you a lot of money we recommend that you install at least one plastic lid on your heat box so that you can see any leak that appears. When a box problem is noticed you will have to turn off the water supply. Also, the whole system has to be dry. You can easily then un-mount the heater and remove the lid. One piece of wet and dry san paper is used to clean a leak area. In most situations leaks can be fixed by simply adding sealing tape over PVC sealers. If you are faced with a big leak then that affected pipe has to be cut and replaced with a new one.

When you are dealing with repairs needed for the water heater system that are complicated you really need to contact specialists and not try to fix anything yourself. While a leak is very easy to fix some problems are not. In the event that you are using a system that was pre-built we can not recommend that you make any change unless you do know all that you are doing.

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April 23, 2010

Should You Use Passive Solar Water Heaters?

Passive water heaters using solar power are really popular nowadays. The problem is that a lot of people do not actually know what they are. You might notice one big tank inside a house and not realize that it is basically one part of one passive heating system. So what is a passive solar system.?

Passive solar technologies are basically ways to achieve energy through the use of sunlight and no extra mechanical system addition. This is in contrast with the use of active solar technologies. This technology type will help a lot in converting sunlight to heat so that you can use it with different purposes. The fact that is interesting is that energy sources that are extra will only be minimally required or not at all required. One common example we can give you is one solarium that is built on the southern side of any building. 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 is utilized in order to reduce summer cooling requirements.

Do not make mistakes and think that passive systems are the same thing as active solar water heating systems. A basic rule of thumb revolves around using conventional energy. If pumps or fans are powered with its use then the system is an active one. Different passive systems will sometimes also use conventional energy although only small amounts are needed.

Passive solar water heating technologies will also include different indirect and direct space heating aimed solar gains. There are heating system that are based on using a thermosiphon, thermal mass or phase-change materials. In wider spreads technology that is used in passive solar systems also include solar furnaces or solar forges. These are systems that do need an external energy source in order to align receivers or concentrating mirrors. We did see them to be quite ineffective over past years. The proper way for you to implement any passive solar system is by using low grade energy needs.

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April 21, 2010

Reducing Costs for Building Your Solar Water Heater System

Solar water heater systems are either highly expensive or really cheap. It all depends on how you approach the situation. We see many investing much money in solar water heating systems while believing that money can be saved while Summer days pass. While this is always true you have to know you can reduce all costs when you create a solar water heater alone. You need to know that good systems can be built with as much money as you would spend in one month on electricity.

One fact that stands out as interesting is that most materials are capable of absorbing heat handed out by the sun. One highly complex configuration is needed for photovoltaic panels, all combined with some expensive materials. All in order to gain electricity. When we talk about water heaters simplicity is high.

Now the trick in reducing costs for building your solar water heater is to purchase materials that do not cost much and are available almost anywhere. Although you might believe something else all that you really need is 2 days to spare and a bunch of common tools to build one. Also, in the event that you pay attention to doing all alone you can easily cut on all installation costs. The created design is the only thing that can limit the heated water quantity to be produced. It is a good idea to go on the Internet and look for different plans that you can use. Even if you might be aware of a lot of things there are surely different tips and tricks you definitely have to know. If the best possible materials are utilized and all the work is done by you the costs can be cut much more than you believe right now. Whenever help is required you should find a good local plumber store as there are people there to ask. You will surely learn all that is needed. Never believe different sales pitches and end up buying materials that are too expensive or storage tanks that cost too much. Think about your personal needs and you can cut costs easily.

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April 6, 2010

Building a Solar Water Heater

A lot of reasons exist why solar water heaters should be built. 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 truth is that a water heater can really help out any home out there. Many variations are possible and available for every person. We have to recommend choosing one solar water heater you find to be passive so that no extra energy is to be used.

The very first step that is important when building a solar water heater is properly analyzing personal water needs. A regular person will use around 30 gallons of water daily. Costs can be reduced if you are thinking about looking for discarded electrical heater tanks that have good sizes to suit your needs. Think about where you will put the new heater. It should be placed outside the house with it facing south so that good sun ray exposure is possible. If you are thinking about absorbing even more energy from the sun then painting the tank plack is a great idea. Also, plywood boxes are required for each water tank. It has to feature an incline in order for the heater to be placed in an upright position. In order to maintain a small level of energy loss you will need fiberglass insulation for the interior of your box. Then simply install the water tank.

Different pipes and plumbing fittings have to be linked to the bottom of your tank. They will carry water from your home towards the solar heater. Then you can connect another set of pipes from the heater top. These are the pipes that go back to your regular heater inside the house. We do recommend that you get one in order to have one backup unit that is good and to keep water warm for as long as possible. The pipes that are exposed need to be insulated so that they do not freeze in winter. You can use insulation foam although fiberglass is a lot more effective. Now you do have to cover the box by using clear plastic and/or window glass. With doing this you can achieve the proper maintenance of heat in the box.

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