Solar Hot Water
Practical Approach
Don't pay too much for your home power! People want cheap energy for their homes. They want to reduce their utility bills. They are looking for alternatives; cheap solar energy and solar heating water technology are some of the options.
You see, our family is no different than yours. We are just regular people who wanted to make a difference. We wanted to lower our electricity costs. It is getting very expensive out there, and in so doing we figured out how to help others do the same thing.
When I was very young I did not think twice about energy or where it came from. In the winter time I jacked up the heat and in the summer time I increased the air conditioning setting. But now each year I read in the paper about how critical energy demands have become and how our environment is changing rapidly.
I began to look for alternative energy.
I have my own reasons, Cheaper Alternatives ...
Checked my mails in the post box, lots of envelops, mostly bills. Hydro bill scourging to $300. Next is Gas bill, well it is $250 or so. I am going to do something about it. I mean, it was not more than a few years ago that the total of these bills were about $50. OK, I understand the cost of providing energy has gone up. But I believe there has to be other alternatives.
At that point I realized I had to do something about it.
I Searched and ...
I learned, Solar Photovoltaic Panels or PV is the way to go. Everyone is talking about it. It works and it is practical. I even purchased a solar panel for about $800 and tried it out. I figured that I needed a lot of these panels to have a reasonable money saving system. You do the math. It is going to be a huge expensive project. I want to save money without investing a lot. PV Panels work, but I cannot afford it. Again don't take me wrong, I encourage people to install photovoltaic panel systems, however in my case I am looking for a cheap solar system for my home.
I should admit that it was a good start. I learned a lot by experimenting with the technology. It is definitely exciting to see the batteries are charging without spending any money.
I wish there was another way to achieve the same results.
Later on, I found that There Is Another Way.
Then I Tried Something Else: Solar Heating Water System
Harvesting solar to heat up water sounded attractive. After days of research I found a supplier of panels that would heat up the water as it passes through. Would that be an answer for my long awaited curiosity to cheap solar energy?
In our side yard, I built a shed, and installed two solar heating panels (each 4' X 8') on its roof. I ran copper tubes underground to supply the glycol treated water through it. I ran the copper tube carrying solar heated water through a 5" diameter pvc pipe. A word of advice; please use a larger diameter PVC tube and life would be much easier! Glycol and water would act as a medium to transfer the heat into our hot water tank via a heat exchanger.
The pump that circulates the mixture is powered by a small PV panel and it works like a charm.
I spent almost 2 months to finish the project. Months later in winter time when the temperature was -10 degree C, I measured the circulating water temperature. It was 30 degree C. It was amazing and unbelievable.
My maximum saving per year was about $500. Again, I didn't consider that as a noticeable saving amount, but maybe enough to save the planet.
A cheap solar system is a combination of passive and active components. What I mean by passive is: how well your house is built considering insulation, and air tightness. Factors as how many windows your house have and are they facing north or south plays a major role in energy saving and idea of cheap solar home.
Solar technology is advancing all the time, and one day maybe every house hold would be able to generate its own energy.
To have a meaningful and positive impact on the environment, we need to encourage each other in saving energy for the purpose of saving the planet. Let's be a leader by setting a good example.
Regards
John Wilson