Solar

    1000 Year Global Temperature Graphs

    Q: I thought a few pictures might make it easier for our retards to understand. This graph shows the average of *all published scientific research* into past global temperatures - includes the so-called "little ice-age" 300 years ago. The "little ice-age" is hard to spot but it's that little dip from around 1660. At least that's when some people claim it was. Others claim there were three distinct minima; 1650, about 1770, and 1850. Most climatologists now agree that previous assumptions that these were global phenomena was incorrect and that they were local climatic variations. Scotty's absurd claim that "it is generally agreed that the...

    12 Volt Dc Water Heater?

    Q: Pat you can forget 12 volt for heating water . uses way to much energy you might want to look int an instant hot water heater run on propane. this would be practicle and effecientA: My sailboat has a hot water tank that can be heated by running the engine or plugging into dockside AC. I'm installing a wind generator with a regulator with a divert function when my batteries are fully charged. I would like to use the excess power generated to heat water. Hot showers sure are nice & I've got a water maker installed. Is there a 12 volt DC water...

    Automatable 3-way Valve For Solar/tankless System

    Q: We are building a (solar) drainback hot water system which we are coupling with a tankless (gas) water heater for backup. If the solar system is providing water at/above desired temperature (e.g., water heater output temp), we want the water to bypass the water heater altogether. Otherwise, send the "pre-heated" water to the tankless for a temperature boost. This seems straightforward enough: use a 3-way valve (e.g, L-port) that has a single input and 2 outputs, only one of which will be in use at any given time. I've located an electrically operated valve suitable for this purpose, but am now at a loss as...

    Cleaning Solar Panels

    Q: I've been pretty much leaving it up to the rain to keep the solar panels clean. I swish off debris like leaves with a soft brush but that's all so far. (I'm not too fond of crawling around on the roof.) Should I be doing anything else? How delicate are they? Thanks for any and all advise.A: The controller for our solar panels displays the amperage going to the batteries. Firstly, thank you, all, for replying. Secondly, I think I'll climb up there and have the hose passed up to me so I can rinse them. I may use a...

    Discovered: 200 Trillion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas - 100 Years Worth Here In The Usa

    Q: James Lewis americanthinker.com Good news for America undermines the green energy agenda. The Wall Street Journal reports a huge new discovery of natural gas --- a fossil fuel so clean even liberals can stand it. "CADDO PARISH, La. -- A massive natural-gas discovery here in northern Louisiana heralds a big shift in the nation's energy landscape. After an era of declining production, the U.S. is now swimming in natural gas." "Even conservative estimates suggest the Louisiana discovery -- known as the Haynesville Shale, for the dense rock formation that contains the gas -- could hold some 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. That's the equivalent of 33 billion barrels of...

    Ecosanres: Re:fw: Challenges Of Ecosan In India -- Need For Professional Exchange

    Q: I think this type of discussion will follow us more and more and that is a positive sign because UDDT get more and more into the view for mainstream sanitation. Some weeks ago there was a somewhat similar aspect about Bolivia. The point is to differentiate between: lack of information/sanitation education, wrong use, wrong design and wrong construction, that is very difficult buat will be more important each day. As pointed out before we have to think how to address in the most professional way this aspect. We should not point always to the wrong use or lack of education. When we talk about private toilets the...

    Ending The Recession Ot

    Q: How big is a barn? How big is a log? Arfe you saying that we should phase out coal? A nuclear war would be the worst of both worlds: Dangerous amounts of radioactivity spread out over the entire world! But what about the fish? I mean what about the fish being blocked by the dams?A: There's a downside to every form of electrical production. Some are just more obvious than others. Solar and Wind are seen by Greenies as "better" for some reason... even though massive chunks of land have to be altered in order to prove the same amount...

    Energy Ideas -- Solar Power

    Q: This issue of "Energy Ideas" reports on solar technology and commercially-available, cost-effective applications. Although solar thermal power has been used for well over a century, and photovoltaic cells have been in existence for over thirty years, solar power has not gained widespread acceptance in the United States' economy. While a few efforts have been made at large-scale power generation with solar power, most notably the solar thermal plants built in California by Luz International, today's market niches for solar power are decentralized, small- scale applications. Photovoltaic systems are inexpensive and reliable sources of power for outdoor lights, water pumps, communications equipment and a host of other...

    Energy Projects. A Roll Call Of Members With An Interest

    Q: We have had a few members/guests discussing "off grid" and alternate energy stuff. It may prove interesting to see a "roll call" of folks having interests/planned projects or better yet-completed projects in these areas. Even the low lying fruit like a cheapie solar fan'+ aaa/ aa battery charger counts. I saw my first solar thermal install when I was 7. The attic of a friend's house was fitted with patio doors on it's south face and black painted trash cans were part of it. -do you recall details of stuff from when you were 7 any betterA: I'd like to play with the tube based...

    Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heaters

    Q: I know advertising here is not "cool" with some of you guys but the new integrated tank systems we distribute are producing some simply amazing results at very small prices. Every day I - quite literally - watch the water boil in the tank. You can use these units to heat water or to pasturize and purify water or to even distill salt water. If you cut a door in the side you also end up with the best solar oven you have experienced. One unit as an oven and one as a water heater/pasturizer would give you a full remote kitchen!! If any of you experimenters...

    Fluidyne (and Solar Powered!) Engines

    Q: If the fluidyne pump is reliably self-starting it could move water to tilt the collector until a part of the collector shadows it. Something would have to let the water flow back at night to re-aim the collector towards the sunrise. A controlled leak will also rotate the collector eastward (widdershins, opposite the sun's motion) when the sunlight isn't strong enough to start the pump. If you allow electrical controls and a solar cell + battery powered motor you could drive plastic 2:1 reduction gears from the hour hand shaft of a cheap battery clock. The larger gear will move at the same rate as the sun. Size...

    Gel Or Agm Batteries For Solar Purpose ?

    Q: That is because Johnson does not make AGM batteries, only gelled. In our experience, warranty returns and problems have been less with AGM. We stopped selling the JCI gelled about 4 years ago because of lifespan problems, especially in hot climates.A: Please comments whether AGM or GEL batteries are best suit the Solar Panels ? Someone from Johnson Control told me that GEL should be more suitable for such a solution, any advice please ? Thanks for all the attention and looking for prompt reply. Speaking strictly for myself I would consider this a bad combination from the start. Too much panel for not enough...

    General Motors' Volt? Kill This Baby Before It's Born!

    Q: Huh? You got that right out of CMVSS 108, did you?A: I will be long dead before the reconing. I figure we are on the dawn of the information revolution, and it is going to leave many people behind. Going forward, a few hundred years the information revolution is going to stimulate the human mind. Many will die, some will survive. We will, despite our feable attempts to stagnate, will evolve by the unstopable force of nature. Because to resist, we will join the dinasources and the meek cockroaches will inherit the earth if we do not intellectually and socialogically...

    Gshp And Solar Heating

    Q: I'd like to get some opinions about ground source heat pumps as a backup for a solar based radiant floor heating system. The house I am building already has a solar heating system installed, but I am wondering how efficient ground source heat pumps really are? The claims of their efficiency are usually compared with electric heating, so I'm not sure I trust what I've been reading. I'm quite skeptical due to the fact that an electric compressor is required in these systems. Does anyone have any hard, unbiased facts? The house I am building will be VERY energy efficient, so I think this might be overkill...

    Heating Source For Pool: Propane Or Natural Gas

    Q: I'm going to install a small pool and a firepit in the back yard, and I am thinking of using a natural gas / propane heater. I can fuel this in one of three ways, and I would appreciate hearing from others who have experience with these options. My options are: 1) Install a standalone propane tank and use propane to fuel both the pool and the fire pit. 2) Install a standalone natural gas tank, and then install some kind of natural gas refilling station off our natural gas heating line to the home, moving over natural gas tanks to the pool area as needed. 3)...

    History Of Use Of Various Mined Minerals In One Area Of Tn

    Q: This page has a history of the us of various mined minerals in one area (Tennesseee): http://www.nashvillefossils.com/resources/pages/historyofuse.html It is interesting to see how an interest in mining various things comes and goes as technology changes (and sometimes returns again).A: It's interesting you note "the high price of labor" as a reason for Iceland not recycling more. I wonder if that dynamic will change with the recent economic issues? As an analogy, in war times like WWII, many countries have instituted national recycling programs. By the way, an online version of a book with related information: "More Other Homes and Garbage: Designs for Self-sufficient...

    Hot Tubs-solar

    Q: Planning to get a hot tub, but would like to know what are the possibilities of using passive solar heated water--such as a batch system. I built a passive solar home that needs no heat or cooling, and would like a hot tub system that relies maninly on solar heated war. But I can't find much on the subject. Any suggestions?A: To get it to 102-104 by solar probably won't work. If it did I would imagine it would take forever. My tub is 350 gal and takes 4+ hrs at 220v to get to temp. I don't really thing you would...

    Hydrogen Facts

    Q: Frequently Asked Questions 1. Is hydrogen more dangerous than gasoline? 2. Is burning hydrogen like the hydrogen bomb? 3. Did hydrogen cause the Hindenburg to burn? 4. How much does hydrogen cost? 5. When will I be able to buy a hydrogen car? 6. How does a fuel cell work? 7. Won't petroleum companies fight the introduction of hydrogen as a fuel? 8. What will happen to all...

    Hydrogen, Solar Panels, And Energy Crisis

    Q: There are tens of billions of flywheels in use today for power storage. There are probably six flywheels in use today for energy storage, most of which are subsidized.A: $30,000 worth of PV system will produce about about 5 kw peak. At 110 volts that's about 45 amps. Most houses have a 200 amp service nowadays so it's not for sure that $30,000 is enough. And that's a $30,000 upfront cost agianst $1,000 or less per year of electric bills (I'm assuming that if $30,000 of PVs will do you then your annual electric's got to be less than a grand. If your average electric bill is...

    Iceland's 100% Renewable Energy

    Q: The made the decision to forego petroleum for geothermal in the '70s. See, it can work. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2008/apr/22/renewableen...A: First the nitpick - the BTUs in the core have never seen the atmosphere, being a little squeezed for airfare. Now about heating the atmosphere - the idea of Power Satellites keeps coming up. Collect the solar in orbit, send it down via rf beams, through the water vapor window. However, the other gases do some absorbing, and the projected efficiency is nowhere near 100%. Any energy lost will go into heating something somewhere. Negligible at first perhaps, but scaling it up to power the planet implies some serious heating. But however,...

    Insulation For Evacuated Tube Solar Water Heater Piping

    Q: I am remodeling a bathroom, and have inserted a couple copper pipes from the basement to the attic for use in the possible future addition of solar water heating. I am wondering what insulation would be most appropriate to put around these pipes before I wall them in. I understand these heaters deal in pretty hot water, so I am not sure that the standard foam insulation would be appropriate. Any experience in this?A: Unless you plan on running a highly pressurized system (15 psi is only something like 245 deg), you're not going above the boiling point of water regardless of the efficiency of the...

    Is Solar Viable For Our New House?

    Q: We are in the process of designing a new house in Mendocino county (CA). I am trying to get an idea of how far I can (and should) go with alternative power. We currently live in the Bay Area and our electric bill last month showed 1000 kwh. This included an electrically heated hot tub (new), 2 refrigerators (one pretty old), but no electric heat. If I subtract the hot tub and extra refrigerator I would guess it would bring our electric usage down to 600 kwh / month(?). What is a reasonable usage for a fully solar electric house? I an trying to get an idea...

    Just An Idea

    Q: In my area cold water inlet temperatures often drop to almost the freezing point of water. I have recorded temperatures as low as 34F in January when the frost get down to about four feet below ground. The average temperature in my basement where the water heater and furnace sit remains about 66f all year. I had though of putting in a second bare tank to receive the cold water before the water heater, allowing it to heat up to room temperature before entering the water heater. Any thoughts?A: Too an extent, that's true. If you cool the basement much, it will cost more to heat...

    Lcbp P1 And P2 Grant Applicability

    Q: I read the Phase 1 and 2 Guidelines and then phoned the two organisations to check on grant applicability. We are not able to apply for a grant under Phase 2 - although the guidelines do say that organisations with multiple sites can apply, this refers to Housing Associations who are the freeholder or leaseholder of all of the buildings they are applying for. Our type of organisation does not meet their criteria and the applicant must be the freeholder or leaseholder. Phase 1 does apply and the programme is now open until June 2010. Although they thought that our plan was a good idea there are no special...

    Looking For Info On Pool Solar Heating In Nj

    Q: Care to explain why plastic sheets on the roof are impractical? There are about 15,000 acres of greenhouses in the United States, and about 65% of them have polyethylene film roofs, 15 square miles of such roofs with no solid material underneath, sprinkled all over the country. Professor Bill Roberts at Rutgers works with one New Jersey greenhouse that measures 1320 x 250', ie 7.5 acres. The one next door measures 1000 x 290', 6.7 acres. Many growers use inexpensive aluminum extrusion clamps to hold the film, making it easy to change and recycle it every 3 years or so. And why is efficiency is so important,...

    Luz Plant Size (wasre: Practical Applications Of Solar Energy)

    Q: I believe the 10MW size of the Luz plant was mentioned. The owner of Luz stated in an article in Solar Today that the size was limitied by PURPA rules. When PURPA was modified to permit larger sizes, the next Luz plant matched that size, 80MW I believe. They had to stay within this limit partly to get tax breaks but also to insure that the utilities would be required to buy the power they generated.A: Sandia is working on the heliostats, but there's no reason to yank the glass heliostats that are already in place -- they work fine, but were too expensive...

    Making Links With Financial Bailouts And Climate Change

    Q: I'm hoping to go to this - anyone want to join me to pray for the redemption of RBS?! George coudl you forward to the moving mountians e-mail in case London Ed wants to come too, or anyone else, I can't seem to be able to do it. Praying and protesting for RBS's repentance could move a particularly large mountain! in light of recent events we have decided to call a rush on RBS next thursday the 5th of March. We feel it's time a wider audience drew the links between the financial mess the banks are in and climate change. Please can everyone network this like...

    Mix Solar Into Existing Hot Water Baseboard System?

    Q: I have a normal hot water baseboard system in my house. Brand new oil boiler, multiple zones, very typical. My hot water tank is directly heated from the boiler on demand, so not electric. I was wondering if it were feasible to install a SHW panel to add heat to the system during the day (sunny ones :)) My theory is that if the heating water was passing through the panels during the day, the boiler would stay at operating temperature longer without firing up. The trick would be making sure the water was not passing through the panels whenever they were not actually...

    More Generating 240 Volt Ac

    Q: As the last thread seemed to meander off, I thought I would start afresh. As mentioned earlier in that thread, it is very common to hang an additional 240 volt alternator onto marine engines. They are fitted and driven the same as the charging alternator. Companies Like Sterling Power should able to help. Sorry no contact details. I'll not contradict any of the experts here, I'm only stating the fact that they are readily available and commonly used on yachts (not ships). Quote from Living On Board:- http://www.livingonboats.co.uk/27/mains-electricity-onboard-boats/ 240 volt AC Alternator These devices attach to the boats main engine. They are similar to a car alternator except they...

    My Views About Feed In Tariffs

    Q: At our last Alternative Energy meetup group, we had quite a discussion around feed in tariffs, specifically for solar PV systems. The main question was around "gross feed in" or "net feed in". Gross feed means that each kW of energy produced will be paid out at the feed in tariff incentive. Net feed means that the cumulative excess energy produced (energy fed back to the grid at any given time) will be paid out at the feed in tariff incentive. At our meetup, there was some debate over which feed in tariff was better. Here are my thoughts: -A net feed in tariff would not benefit...

    Nat'l Talk Show Hosts Are Lying About Solar Energy

    Q: As a manufacturer of solar devices I'm finding this discussion interesting but without much substance. I purchase materials on the open market, and am more or less obliged to conclude that what I pay represents all of the costs of those materials along with enough markup to keep everyone in the supply chain solvent. There's no way for me to know what portion of that cost resulted from fossil fuel consumption. I'm certain that it's more than none, and it's certainly less than all. To transform those materials (mostly wood) into product for shipment, I use in the neighborhood of 2 kW*hr of electricity to power computer, tools, and...

    Need Source For Domestic Water Tank For Solar Hot Water Application.

    Q: I built solar cabinets that get up to about 180 degree F in the heat of summer (110 degree F now). I am extracting the heat and blowing it into my basement supplementing my heat. It didn't work well in the middle of winter due to sun being blocked by trees and lots of cloudy weather. The last week they have really done well, blowing 110 degree hot air from 10 am to 4 pm. Here is what I need help with. I plan on placing water tanks in these cabinets (there are two) and running my cold water through the cabinets / tanks before...

    Off-the-grid Hot Tub Heating

    Q: I also posted this at alt.rural but thought that the metal professionals might have some good ideas and/or experience. Does anyone have any good ideas regarding heating a hot tub with some kind of wood-fired stove? I have seen a submersible wood burning aluminum stove from Snorkle Stoves (which I will probably end up buying) and a wood-fired heater called "Thermofire" both of which will work but are both well over $600. Are there any good do-it-yourself ideas? Or maybe an idea that I might take to a metal shop to do a proto?A: Reminds me of a funny story. A friend of mine,...

    Ot: Handling Swing Flu

    Q: "The New Zealand foreign ministry has issued a travel health notice for swine flu in Mexico, California and Texas, and said anyone who has recently travelled to these areas and developed flu-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention." No doubt we'll get similar advice here in Australia before long. What form is this immediate seeking of medical attention supposed to take? A good many people would visit their GP. The rest would visit a hospital. Either way, if they're infected, and at the infectious stage, then they're spreading the illness to others who presumably have their own health issues. Given the limits on what the medical profession can do for...

    Passive Solar, High-temperature Heat-store Wall, Air-to-air Heat Exchanger

    Q: I would welcome comments on a new residential solar heating scheme documented at http://www.geocities.com/davidmdelaney/solar-ah-tm-he/ah-storage-wall... First paragraph: "The entirely passive residential solar heating system described here was conceived with particular attention to indoor air quality and earthquake hazard. The proposed heating system could provide all of the space heat needed by a well insulated house in a cold winter, even during a prolonged absence of electricity and other non-solar energy. The system, Fig. 1, consists of a solar air heater on the south wall, a high temperature heat store built into the south wall, and a passive air-to-air heat exchanger that separates the air of the heating system from the air of...

    Passive Solar Ventilation

    Q: Spent a day working on my boat at the dock her in NW Florida and nearly died of heat stroke while being down in the cabin even with all hatches and vents open. I dont have too many fans because I have no connection for shore power. There was an obvious temp differential 'tween outside and inside that got me thinking. So..... Make a long fabric tube, say 10" diameter and 15' long with upper end held up with the jib halyard and lower end in the forward hatch with edges around it sealed. Upper half of the tube is black and lower...

    Picbasic-l Solar Pool Heating

    Q: Just a thought about your pool heater -- I agree that timing might not be a needed complication. What you are interested in, really, is that there is some heat gain going on. That means that even with the pump running the outlet temperature must, by definition, be greater than the inlet temperature. The difference might be small, but if it is not there -- then you are radiating heat rather than absorbing it. Remember that heat always flows "downhill" so if the pipe is hotter than the air plus sun it will radiate just as well as it absorbs when the temp is the...

    Piecing A Solar Power System Together

    Q: I'm at the point that I'm ready to start planning my solar power system. I intend to put this system together a little at a time and yes, I'll be DIYing it to keep costs down. I thought I'd hit the group up for suggestions. Since one of my improvement projects here involves rewiring the house, this seemed the logical point to begin assembling the system. I'd like to put an inverter and charge controller in to be ready for up to 1200 watts in 24V panels. Any suggestions on equipment to use?A: First of all James, you have to get down here in the...

    Ping Neon John Agai

    Q: Remember that Ginger has solar panels. Many times when the sun is at optimum charging position, my battery charging exceeds my battery usage. This is one of the benefits of solar panels in that the coach batteries are never discharged more then 50%. My coach batteries are now 7 years old and still show good SG(specific gravity).A: Frank, your ability to charge faster than you can use the energy is simply an indication that you don't have enough toys. Ever hear of ham radio? Get into that and the forty foot solar panels that unfold as you set up camp won't be enough. ...

    Please Recommend A Backyard Hot Tub

    Q: I live in the north east and I am going to install a hot tub in my backyard. Please recommend a 3-4 person hot tub. My primary concerns are: Durabaility: Alot of things can go wrong with a hot tub, I'd like to buy one that runs reliably with the least maintenance. Good insualtion: to keep monthly electrisity costs low.A: I would buy an indoor Jacuzzi Bath Tub. Hot tubs are a hassle to keep the water clean and balanced. Heating the water is another story. I had a hot tub and sold it after 1 year. It had several problems but I learned that I don't want a...

    Pool Heating ?

    Q: Im looking at heating a 15ft circular pool depth 3ft, what is the best way to construct a solar box to heat the circulating water.A: What a coincidence - that is the exact same thing I'm going to try to do. I'm thinking of a solar setup. I have two 75 inch by 35 inch double pane insulated glass packs. They came out of a sliding glass door. I wanted to sandwich 1/2 inch copper in between one of the glass packs and a sheet of black painted ply wood. I may use the second glass pack in series if I have to. I had planned...

    (pools) Removing Old Flex Tubing

    Q: I recently fixed up some tubing around my pool filter, and I had a bit of a struggle removing some old flex tubing -- It seemed to be on quite tight. For this task I was able to take a small saw, and cut the tubing, but even then, I had to apply quite a bit of force to remove it. It got me to thinking that there must be a better way of removing the tubing -- some sort of trade trick that I don't know about. The reason I'm concerned is that my next task is to replace some tubing on the solar...

    Replacement Indirect Solar Water Heater Tank?

    Q: My house has a solar water heater installed by the previous owners. The tank is dying (leaking on my laundry room floor) so I will be bypassing it as soon as I have a free evening. Question is, I've been doing some looking around online, I can't seem to find a replacement tank that would make it worth my while to keep the system installed. Ones I've found are >$1K and I just don't think that it's saving me that much on my gas bills. I have a very shady lot and I haven't ever seen the output temp of the solar tank over...

    Save Money On Spa Heating?

    Q: I have posted this in another news group but with little feedback. Maybe you knowledgeable frugal persons can help. Query. I have a new L.A. Spa that holds approximately 350 gallons. It looks well insulated (spray foam) underneath and I have an insulated lid but my electrical bill shot up an extra $125 per month. The Electric Co. says I shouldn't be surprised but others have told me that it should only cost $30-40 per month. I had an electrician install the power (225V). Could he have done something wrong? I need input on what else I can do to heat my spa but conserve...

    Sealing Problem On Pe

    Q: I am working on a plastic solar collector. In this collector I am looking a way to seal a gab between a LDPE (Low Density Poly Ethylene) and an Aluminum Annodisised construction. The function of tis construction is to transfer heat from the Aluminum to the PE. Therefore I have to avoid air gabs between the materials. So I need a material to fill the air gaps between the PE and the Aluminum. Water is the best material but it will not sty permanently. I have done some test with cyanoacrilates adhesive without increasing the surface energy from the PE. It was to stiff. When the...

    Solar 1kw Installation; Inverter Rs232port

    Q: Many people (like myself) are installing 1kw grid tie inverter systems to take advantage of rebate system. I am happy with it except the solar installer doesnt have technical knowledge about interfacing to the rs232 port on the inverter for data logging etc. The inverter is a generic rebadged brand so cant contact manufacturer. cms-2000 http://www.aussiesolar.com.au/inverter_CMS-2000.pdf I am wondering if anyone has played with the serial port of their grid tie. What baud rate? Can you use hyperterminal that comes with xp. What command do you send to it?A: I suspect that the manufacturer may be Phoenixtec. They claim to be the leading UPS maker in Taiwan....

    Solar Air Conditiong?

    Q: are there any commercial solar thermal air conditioners? i'm thinking of actual refridgeration, not silly chimneys or anything like that.A: I have seen three types, solar steam turning a compressor, solar heat driving the heat side of a loop, and solar PV. Very expensive, however very large systems also produce a lot of heat that can be used in some commercial processes thus saving some energy costs. The simplest system I have seen is solar PV driving a 24 volt marine compressor with a small batt bank. This system ran a freezer (with holdover plates) and AC for a well built & shaded...

    Solar Air Conditioning?

    Q: I'm planning to setup a solar heating system for my home. Can the hot water be used to run an air conditioner in the summer? I know they have refrigerators that run on propane.A: I have seen references to air conditioning on the sites for evacuated tube solar heat collectors. I don't know enough of the thermodynamics of it, but I suspect you need the kind of significant heat differential that these collectors can produce to make air conditioning feasible. However, any heat differential can be used to motivate a heat pump. That's why you can have a propane fridge. The solar's work on the absorption...

    Solar Battery Charger

    Q: If you have a solar battery charger hooked up can you start the engine and leave it hooked up. Will anything get damaged?A: Extremes are possible. If it is incredibly cheap and there is no diode in the line to prevent discharging when the battery is higher than the output of the panel like at night and your voltage regular is bad and over charging you might also fry your solar panel. You might fry the diode anyway if its that bad. There is no point in keeping it plugged in though unless your charging system is bad. Its been a long time since...

    Solar Collector (homebrew) For Solar Pool Heating

    Q: No correct nick. For any given system flow rate you either have to increase the surface area or raise the solar radiated temperature. Increasing flow rates decreases efficiency. It takes longer time in the pipe (reduced flow), or greater surface (through diameters or linear footage) to increase efficiency. I'm talking efficiency of the heat exchanger taken as itself.A: I had put my orifice in the return line, restricting the outlet flow. I had to have some way to purge the water during the winter. The coils were full at all times with the restriction on the exit end. I remember a place over in...

    Solar Collectors(metal And Fabrication Content)

    Q: Has anybody built there own solar panels? I googled around and found some info but wanted to hear from RCMs. I also posted to alt.solar.thermal and alt.energy.homepower and got no replies. I have a bunch of sheet copper and thought I could braze or solder it to 3/8 tubing and paint it black, place in an insulated box .....The goal is to supply my domestic hot water or at least reduce the amount of fuel oil we use. As always I'd like to do most of this myself but if building panels doesn't make sense (efficiency wise) then I'd look to fabricate and install...

    Solar Controller ?

    Q: Hello all ...I just purchased a 15 watt or so solar cell and am interested in building a suitable controller. I have the one article from the 89 handbook. Does anyone have any experience or favorites ??A: Several articles in 73 amateur radio today on solar controllers from the simple to the sublime. Check December index-to-articles back issues to the 80s. I pulled two of my favorites but don't have access to them at this time as they are nearby in trailer and I'm not ambulatory for another week or I'd get them, scan them in and e-mail or fax to you....

    Solar Energy

    Q: Back in the 1970's, Democratic President Jimmy Carter had installed solar panels on the White House roof. But he was defeated by Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1980, and one of the first things that Reagan did was to remove those solar panels. He did this because all the oil companies that financed Reagan's campaign were offended by the White House display of solar independence. It's not possible to push progess backwards, although the Republicans certainly do thwart, delay and impede it, time and time again. But progress, nevertheless, moves on. One more reason why we should invest in solar energy, because the rest...

    Solar Grid Connect 1kw Questions

    Q: Solar Grid Connect 1kW questions Why does making a valid observation imply that he doesn't have a life? Isn't that how our system works? My point was that the government hands out money to various businesses for dubious reasons and I've noticed a distinct lack of protest about that.A: Section 10 of this ELECTRICITY FEED-IN (RENEWABLE ENERGY PREMIUM) ACT 2008 allows the Minister to make a determination of what the premium tariff will be for the following financial year, so they can adjust the tariff once a year as they think fit. The premium of 3.88 is only set for the 1st year. As this Act is supposedly...

    Solar Heat-gain

    Q: I finished TMY (Typical Meteorological Year) conversion and normalization routines to compile the 239 reporting station's data into summary records for each station, the idea here is to select a location based on the closest station to use that station's summarized data elements to drive calculations within for spread-sheet. I also finished the porting of NREL's solar.c/h to VB for use in the spread-sheet which along with TMY station data summaries should provide (among other things) solar heat gain on any opaque or through and glass construction surface. So my next step is to focus on the application of all this in the spread-sheet. The general calculation I have...

    Solar Heated Houses

    Q: I've been contemplating solar heating for houses for a while, in fact, solar heating in all its forms. I have heard or read that solar thermal is economical as long as : (a) low temperature heat is needed (b) the heat is used as it is produced (no storage) (c) the system is large enough (to pay for the pumps, the piping , etc) I read somewhere that PV is already economical in some areas if you use roof-integrated panels and consider the money saved on shingles. I have also read somewhere that upgrading your windows will have a payback period of about 5 years. If you...

    Solar Heat Gain

    Q: I am planning a move (hopeful my last) to retire, I think I'll be ok financially if I do as much of home improvements as possible myself, which after 30 years in front a computer, I'm looking forward to. Over the past year I've created a bunch of small single-purpose spread-sheets to study different aspects home energy needs and now I'm combining them all into one spread-sheet to study their inter relations. I have a sheet that to calculate R-Values for envelope design elements which are then combined for top, bottom, right, left, front, and back for 1? Heat-Loss Per-Day for each of the six envelope sides using...

    Solar Heating - Some Main Questions

    Q: Hello All, These questions apply, generally, and are not just for DIY. There seem to be 2 main types - Flat panel and Tubular. 1. What are the Pros and Cons for the 2 types ? 2. Has either an advantage in terms of a. Effective power for a given roof area ? b. Effective power for a given active area ? c. Cost of panel for a given power. I am thinking about the fact that some tube systems...

    Solar Heating?

    Q: Does anyone have good or bad experiences with any UK Solar Heating suppliers/installers.. This is not really a DIY project but the total house energy project is really DIY with, and often without, the help of professionals. Any recommendations or people I should avoid?.A: Have a look at http://www.navitron.org.uk/ - I had a system installed by one of their recommended installers a few months back and the quality of the product and installation are both excellent. The system has delivered a surprising amount of energy, (better than I was expecting) and even on cold days like we're getting now pre-heats the HW cylinder so...

    Solar Heating System Scenario

    Q: I recently read an article on the www.homepower.com website where they profiled Roy Tonnessen's self-installed solar hot water system. The parts cost him aroun $900US. It seems like a simple enough design that could be improved upon and/or maybe built for less. Now here's my situation: My brother is planning on building a house. I, being the electrical engineer and a RE enthusiats, am trying to come up with some RE ideas for his house. First of all, it will be heated/cooled by a geothermal system. I see that some companies use their geothermal heat pump to heat up the hot water for the house. So my first...

    Solar Heating System To Be Built Into Housing In Canadian Community....

    Q: when is the uk government going to lay down adequate energy requirements in the uk..... i hear our socialist government is claiming to provide 1 million houses for ownership..... if it is not more bullshit....then here be a real opportunity to do something useful and serious.... http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30220/story.htm "Under the scheme, solar panels mounted on garage roofs will collect energy from the sun and store it underground. Come winter, the thermal energy will heat homes through a central district heating system." regards...A: The current government is far more concerned with car hatred than it is with genuine environmental concerns....

    Solar Hot Water Heater W/internal Heat Exchanger

    Q: I'm trying to help a friend with his leaking 120 gallon solar hot water heater. He wants the same design that has served him well for the last 20 years. It was made by "Ford" and had the heat exchanger inside the tank. There was a warning with the tank to use glycol with a brightly colored dye to warn if the heat exchanger developed a leak. I suspect that design died a horrible, litigious, death. He's tried several dealers and I've spent some time searching the WEB. About all we've found is that quite a few people are looking for the same thing. Considering the breadth of expertise...

    Solar Obseerving Advice

    Q: I have a Celestron 8SE with the required filter for solar observing. I am having trouble, however, getting the sun in the field of view. I removed the finder (red dot) because I don't want the sun to burn through it, nor do I of course want to look thru the finder at the sun. I've found the solar tracking menu in the telescope's hand controller, so I'm good there. Here's the problem: With no finder, and the extreme darkening from the filter (a good thing, I have no wish to go blind!) I'm finding it impossible to to get the sun...

    Solar Panel ? (novice Needs Help)

    Q: I will need to figure out how to charge my sailboat bateries this season. I have 2 maint free wet deep cycle bateries connected in paralell (12 v). Each about 100 Ah. The boat will be used during weekend only and probably 2 weekends per month or so. I don't have to crank any engine. (Elbow grease is used) I would like to ask the following to those who know. What solar pannel setup should work to charge my bateries (1.9, 2.5... Ah/Day)? How should I set them up. Would I need a charge controller? Can I set it up in a way that the overcharge will never happen,...

    Solar Panels In Outer Space

    Q: It sounds like an idea drawn from the wilder shores of science fiction: a set of solar panels in outer space that would beam enough clean energy back to Earth to power half a million homes and could one day potentially help save the planet. But a leading American power company is hoping to turn the stuff of speculative fiction into reality by supporting a project that would put solar panels into orbit. Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which serves San Francisco and northern California, has agreed to buy electricity from a startup company claiming to have found a way to unlock the potential power supply in space. The initial...

    Solar Pool Heating

    Q: I am interested in purchasing a small ( 10' x 30") pool for my grandchildren, but the cost of heating it concerns me. Does anyone out there have experience with using 2 or 3 hundred feet of PCV pipe to absorb solar radiation.A: we have an 18' circular pool. 4' deep pool. between the sun hitting the pool, and the 30' black hose going to the pump, the pool stays at 80F in summer. tho not wi a pool. Water sitting in the pipe took about 40 minutes to go from cold to steaming hot. I was using half inch green garden hose. More relevant tho,...

    Solar Pool Heating In Sc

    Q: I am beginning to do some research on solar pool heating techniques and equipment. I have a 16' x 32' in ground pool that is split depth (4' shallow end, 8 ' deep end). It holds somewhere between 18,000 gallons and 24,000 gallons of water. My property is located in the upstate South Carolina region and we have mild winters with long spring/autumn seasons and a hot summer. The lot that my house and pool are located on is on the slope of a hill that goes down as you go north. My house is to the south of the pool....

    Solar Pool Heating Recommendations

    Q: Has anyone had any experiences with solar heating for your swimming pool? I'm considering buying a system from a company called Heliocol (sp?) that ties into my pool's filtration system. The filtered pool water is pumped up onto the roof of my house, where there are 8 solar collectors, and then the heated water flows back down into the pool. The pump would need to run during the day instead of at night. The system would cost $3995 and I would get a 25% tax credit from the state of Arizona. The system would extend the swimming season to be from mid-March through October. I'd like...

    Solar Pool Heating. Using Existing Technology

    Q: I am curious. As a solar professional for 18 years (motivated by environmental concerns) I am perplexed by the lack of acknowledgment of commercially available solar pool heating products. Judging from some of the posts you would think we were living 30 -40 years in the past - before dedicated solar pool heaters were invented. Why the need to re-invent the horse? Does doing it "low-tech" earn one points, even if the low-tech result if very inferior in durablitiy and performance when compared to most of the solar pool heating panels on the market? Am I missing something here? Please reply to the newsgroup.A: Perhaps you have had a run...

    Solar Powered, Um...

    Q: We caught an Earth Day fair downtown yesterday, lots of electric vehicles on display, many of them conversions (including a darling vintage VW Squareback Wagon) to electric. There were various booths offering sustainable this and recyclable that, and a lot of kids activities like making bird feeders from pine cones, seeds and peanut butter. And live music, mostly bands playing covers of much-loved 70s tunes. I liked it all. Near the band was a large solar panel, perhaps 8'x5', and an associated electronics package, all mounted on a trailer. A thick extension cord ran from the panel to the band. So I was curious. ...

    Solar Power Home Heating

    Q: Hi anyone help me here, to set or build a home heating system based on Solar Power.? Is it feasible first? The hypothical house with living area of 100'x50' (5000 sq. feet). My take is to charge an array of battries on the basement or garage and then use that power to run an hot air fan or electric base board or a oil-filled radiator. The circuit should be able to protect the battries from draining beyond its recharing capacity and be able to switch to regular power untill the battries are charged back. Appreciate for any helpA: Yes, it's feasible and the size of the house...

    Solar Tank Water Heater

    Q: I have started to build a solar tank water heater and have a few questions now that I have started. I have removed the tank from an old gas water and am going to paint it black. I have inspected the anode and it still looks ok. In this setup, does it even need the anode? I am also curious as to how far away from ones house this will work as in my current situation, to get the most sun (without putting it on the roof), I would have to place it farther away from the in house water heater or lose all the west...

    Solar To Stop External Cold Water Tank Freezing In Winter ?

    Q: Despite living in the South of Spain, we still encounter some cold winters (including -8c a couple of years ago). I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are regarding the use of a solar panel hooked up to a small portable heating element (similar to the small 12v water boilers used in car cigarette lighter sockets) into my cold water deposit tank (located on the roof of the house), not to provide hot water, but so as to keep it at a temperature just sufficient to prevent freezing during the winter months. Obviously I could add a battery solution to ensure that the heating element could continue to work...

    Solar Water But Missing Cylinder.

    Q: Our current house has a solar water heating system put in by a previous owner. Or rather, it has half a system. We have 8 large evacuated tubes on the side wall, a thermostatic mixer in the loft and a modulating combi boiler.. ..but there is *no* preheat cylinder. As far as I can see, this means the only benefit we get is that when we actually draw water the boiler gets really hot water from the underworked tubes (temperature limited by the mixer valve). So, not much help at all, really. No storage. Has anyone else come across this setup? Is it worth fitting a dual coil cylinder to...

    Solar Water Heater Tank...

    Q: I've posted before about this. I have an indirect solar water heater in my basement, it appears to be basically a Rheem electric water heater fitted with a coil of copper tubing around the tank which has an antifreeze fluid circulated through it by means of an electric pump. It's toast. It's 20 years old, rusty, and leaking. I've searched online and it appears that the only product currently available is one single model of tank (from various suppliers) which runs about $1000. Question: Could I simply purchase a new electric tank of approximately the same size, disassemble it, reuse the existing copper...

    Solar Water Heating

    Q: When I was at the homeshow, one of the things that interested me was the solar water heating that a few people were pushing. Does anyone have one installed. What sort of savings did you get out of it?A: Probably at present not enough to pay for itself, however electricity is rising in price and that looks set to continue. The biggest problem is the short life of the units, you just about cover the cost of buying one and it fails and either needs repairing or replacing, negating your gains. In reality if the payback extends over 5 years its probably not economic to purchase. Where do...

    Solar Water Heating And Washing Machines

    Q: We had solar water-heating panels installed on our roof last year and as a result the hot water in our tank frequently reached as high as 60C in the summer. (We have always kept the boiler thermostat set lower than this, originally to prevent children from scalding themselves and then in order to save energy.) In consquence we actually ended up with an embarrassment of hot water; we fondly supposed that the washing machine drew its supply from the hot water pipes it was plumbed into, but discovered by trial and error that it was instead filling with cold water and sitting there using electricity to...

    Solar Water Heating Consent Fees?

    Q: What does your local council charge for consent fees for a solar water heating system? Ours charges "--up to $1,000--" although they are graciously re-considering this and it will probably be reduced to a flat-fee of $485. I understand this is one of the highest in the country, and the average is somewhere about $150-200-ish and a few are in fact free. This figure is outrageous, and seems to actively discourage energy efficiency, even at $485 it's about 10% of a solar heating installation. They obviously don't care about power consumption and generating capacity, wetbacks and air pollution, and the like. It's also very hard to see...

    Solar Water Heating System Value

    Q: I know that's what you said. Nevertheless, http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/solar/apps/sdhw/dhwsave.htm says it IS what families use.A: However your maintenance estimates are probably a bit optimistic. Circulations pumps can and do fail. Some can go the 20 years other don't I see no reason why this would not be broadly similar to CH pump reliability. So let's say 50% of system will need one new pump within the 20 years. The comparator electronics, I imagine these would be similar to the reliability of say a an electronic time switch? Anyway: It looks like the answer to my original question is A few hundred quid system should pay for itself. Differing systems and...

    Spa Heating

    Q: I'm considering trying to solar heat my hot tub. The heating requirements are a bit odd. It needs to reach about 101F for perhaps 20 or 30 minutes a day, usually after dusk. The rest of the time it doesn't really matter what the temperature is. It's about 500 gallons of water. With these parameters, it seems like conventional pool and spa heaters don't really do the job. They might keep the tub warm all day, rather than reaching a high temperature for a short period of time. I'd still need to fire up the gas heater to get to operating temperature. I'm thinking perhaps the thing...

    Spa (hot Tub) Renovation - Gas? Solar?

    Q: I've just inherited a working 8' wide spa (AKA hot tub), fiberglass body in a foam-insulated wooden frame with an insulated lid, holding about 700 gallons. We're going to install this outside on what was a small (non-reg.) basketball court, and put up a windbreak around it. My county's building code requires a separate circuit to feed the 200A 240V draw of its control panel (AKA 'pack'), dual-stage pump and electrical heater. Installing that circuit, and the new panel it would require (as the existing panel can't handle it) will cost $2,400, as per two estimates from reliable electricians. A hot tub manufacturer's website estimates it will...

    Tankless Water Heater

    Q: Can anyone tell me if they have had experience ( good or bad) with the 125 series AquaStar by Bosch tankless water heaters. They look real good on paper. Also does anyone know how they handle extremely hard water. Bosch say just remove exchanger, soak in vinegar, and re-install. Do this every couple of years.A: I'm interested in experiences with various tankless/solar hot water systems. Ours just burned out (Myson tankless) after the vent was buried in snow. I might try to fix it, but I'd like to know what the other experiences with Aquastar, Paloma, etc are. We are a family of...

    The Best Brand Of Solar Hot Water Heater

    Q: Evacuated Tubes vs Standard Copper tank Anyone got any comments I am going to be installing one soon and want to know which US available brand is the best for the money need something to handle 3 bathrooms - as a preheater I suppose Evacuated tubes vary. I don't know what you mean by "standard copper tank", so it's not very standard. The "standard" hot water panel would be a flat pate collector, and they vary too. One of the good versions (or several, depending on how much water you draw in your 3 bathrooms) should do you fine in Savannah, GA most of the year. What's good,...

    The Secret Radar Pixels Of Venus / By Brad Guth

    Q: Are we being afraid of whatever's dark and scary, or in the case of Venus being bright and a little hot from the inside out?A: I don't have the programs to do what you suggest. How about just posting the images so I can take a look. When I get the right program for my new Mac I'll try to duplicate. So what do you say??? Apparently, perfectly natural but impressive looking geological features that exist nowhere else in our solar system, along with more than a few extremely artificial looking items of a most likely bridge, a definite tarmac, nearby township or merely commercial/industrial looking structures,...

    Things That Go Drip In The Night, Or The Economics Of A Solar Water Heater

    Q: this has been discussed here before, mostly because I expected this thing to crap the bed years ago, but every time I got close to replacing it suddenly my floor was dry for another year or so. I have an indirect solar water heater in my basement, and I think it has, for real this time, reached the end of its useful life. My inner greenie says, of course, to replace it, but I'm not thinking that that is really an economically good idea... my gas bills even in the winter are never over $200 a month; in the summer it's practically nothing....

    Thinking About Solar

    Q: I am on the main grid in Sydney, Australia. I have been thinking about using solar to help reduce my power bill which is around $2,500 per year. I run a massage clinic and use lots of heating and dries for towels etc. I found a build your own solar cell plans at http://www.fuellesspower.com/ and was wondering if these actually work prior to spend $20 to find out. Has anyone here build solar cells with silk screen methods as mentioned in the above address. My neighbour runs a large silk screen printing business and may be able to help me here. Any comments or thoughts welcome.A: You...

    To Dave Paxton - What Happened With The Wind Generator?

    Q: I believe you were the person who posted here early last year that you were refining a "new design" of wind-powered generator for backwoods use, that you would be soon marketing. I don't see any results at your web site - what's the status? Did you get something in production/drop the idea/still working on it? I've built my own in the meantime, and bought two commercial units, but always interested in what another experimenter might be accomplishing. Also interested in hearing from other like-minded folks interested in alternative power ideas. Does anyone have solar panels on his/her home? Hopefully, in the next few years, my husband and I will be...

    Trombe Wall Variation

    Q: Was watching a "green" show that had a Trombe wall and started thinking that if properly modified, a design might include little niches where you could plant sun tolerant plants. This could serve two purposes. The plants might help absorb heat and they would probably help clean indoor air. Are there any serious problems with my thinking? I can see that proper watering and maintenance might present a problem, but not insurmountable.A: That Wiki looks very suspect to me. It states "The principal mechanism of heat transfer in multilayer glazing is thermal radiation from warm surfaces to cooler surfaces" That is rarely true, unless the gap is evacuated, eg a Thermos flask. As I understand...

    Water Heater Inquiry

    Q: Hello all, I need to replace my water heater and I?m weighing the options... I?d like to consider a solar water heater, but first I?d like to know if anyone has any experience with them and if so, are there any covenant guidelines/restrictions on their use/placement (of the solar panel) for Swanton Hill. Many thanks.A: My experience with solar water heaters is that they work really well when the sun is shining, and when installed on the southern facing side of your roof. You would still need to have a back-up water heater to heat most of the water you would use during a typical day. You may want...

    $/watt Cost Of Vaccum Tube Solar Collectors

    Q: Does anyone have a figure for how much vaccum tube solar collectors cost relative to their output, say in full sun? Thanks, I see. Does anyone know their cost per unit area then? I was thinking whether it would be possible to use these for a solar A/C by driving an absorption chiller, or whether it would be better to use PV panels connected to a conventional chiller.A: A pure "$/Watt" figure (or just Watts) is problematical for thermal systems because there's nothing "pure" about it - to give the maximum watts out, you heat vast amounts of water (or air, or other working fluid) a...

    Wbs & Material List

    Q: I uploaded our combined WBS and a Material List based on what projects we will be tackling. I also emailed these files to Roya, so we're set for our deliverables tonight. If your project is not listed, that's because another team has it in their scope (solar panels, faucets, etc.). Graham, it looks like the Electrical team has the solar panels on their material list, so we don't need to include it on ours but we should help them try to get the panels donated. Does everybody still want to try for the solar water heater for the hot tub? It would be a nice feature but could...

    Where Republican Efforts Should Be...

    Q: Republicans are wasting their time if they go down the "Let's take our country back" line. For one, there won't be a country to "take back" after Obama and the Democrats destroy it. Republican efforts should focus on regional secession, providing survivalist techniques for people after the government collapses, and a setup of an underground railroad for people wishing to escape the country for the time when the repression is implemented and the borders are closed by the Democrats. The theme should be, how to survive tyranny.A: The wheels came off of the financial gravy train long before Bush left office, Crusty. ...

    Which Solar Controller Cost The Best ?

    Q: I am looking for comments on selecting "Solar Controller" for my small system which total output is 160 watt and 1 to 2 units of 100AH batteries. All the comments for the best value controller on high effeciency and protection and where to buy them will be much appreciated. Thanks for all the assists and attention.A: i STRONGLY recommend the Trace C30A. I have sold hundreds of controllers over the past 9 years. it is the most reliable and you should be able to get one for around 100 dollars. for 30 amps and reliability, you can't do better. IMO, the...

    Why I Don't Believe In Man-made Global Warming

    Q: Will Spencer wrote: Something really weird and incomprehensible, But that's AGW believers for you. Climate and Earth's Energy Budget by Rebecca Lindsey January 14, 2008 The Earth's climate is a solar powered system. Globally, over the course of the year, the Earth system--land surfaces, oceans, and atmosphere--absorbs an average of about 240 watts of solar power per square meter (one watt is one joule of energy every second). The absorbed sunlight drives photosynthesis, fuels evaporation, melts snow and ice, and warms the Earth system. The Sun doesn't heat the Earth evenly. Because the Earth is a sphere, the Sun heats equatorial regions more than polar regions. The atmosphere and ocean...

    Wilderness Survival Techniques And Tips

    Q: Wilderness survival techniques and tips Generalized awareness of the skills needed to survive in a wilderness situation. Whether you are simply going camping at a commercial campground, taking a short hike, or backpacking into a pristine wilderness area... be prepared. Never leave to chance those few articles that may become lifesavers. Above all, always let someone know your itinerary and the time you plan to return. The following is a list of items that should be included in a basic survival kit: 1.Waterproof matches (stick matches in a 35mm film container) or a disposable lighter. 2.Fire starter 3.Rigid blade knife (Preferably serrated on one side of the blade) w/ sheath 4.Folding...

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