Men and women building a DIY solar water heating panels is becoming more and more popular these days. The top reason it is becoming very popular is they can lower their power bills by warming up their own hot water. Some individuals lowered their power company bill by over thirty-three percent by making their own hot solar water heating system! Do you know of a better way in which you'll lessen your power bill by over thirty-three percent each month, and begin putting more money back into your pocket?

I know what you're thinking at this time, I have never built a DIY solar hot water heating system before? Don't get worried, they're actually not really that challenging to construct, you just have to take the time to create it. All you will have to do is stick to a plan, and have around one hundred to 2 hundred bucks to create your own; the costs will depend on the materials that you get. Now you might be asking yourself why make your own if you're able to just purchase one that's already manufactured? The reason why is the already made ones cost more than a a thousand dollars which will take more time for your investment to come back.

Building your own personal DIY solar hot water heating panel with homemade materials is the fastest method by which you can make your home more green. You will also be benefiting from using the light from the sun. Another reason why people are building their very own DIY solar water heating panels than buying an already manufactured 1 would be that the two hundred buck investment will be made faster, in mere weeks rather than several weeks. You are only investing 200 bucks to making a great system that will lower you electrical power bill by 33% or even more.

Now how much can a DIY solar hot water heating system generator for your house? The solar hot water heating system can typically make 50 up to 75 percent of your household needs of warm water. The 50 to 75 percent is what will usually happen at a typical climate, in the event you reside in a colder place you could make less, and when you reside inside a warmer location you could make more. This is a huge benefit for those who are sick of all of the pollution that's messing up this beautiful planet of ours.

As you can see you will have nothing to lose when you make a DIY solar water heating panels at home, expect some of your time and efforts. You'll be doing two things when you build a do-it-yourself solar hot water heating system; lowering your electrical energy bill, and lowering your carbon footprint. In addition, you'll be making your investment back of 200 bucks in weeks in comparison to month if you buy hot water solar panel that was already made. Discover you can build DiY solar water heating panels using supplies you can get at your locat hardware store.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    Solar power for hot water??
    what do u need to set up hot water via solar power? ive seen so much on websites and im getting confussed! boilers, panels, pv's, im lost!!!! i dont want advice on installers it is for research, what would i need?

    • ANSWER:
      There are 2 different systems used in solar thermal. 1st is having collectors on the roof and pumping glycol through the lines into a heat exchanger in the solar tank. The heat exchanger heats the water inside the solar tank, and then the existing hot water heater draws the hot water from the solar tank. The other way is with a strapon heat exchanger that is attached to the existing tank, utilizing a confined space. So if your just doing domestic hot water (water for shower, dishes etc...) you will need 2 thermal panels, a storage tank (80 gallon) copper pipe to pipe the glycol, pump, controller, expansion tank, ball valves, and a check valve. don't get to complicated, forget about boilers and pv. boilers are used in radiant floors only (residential of course). Some old houses may have old gas or oil boilers which you can tie the thermal panels into using the same method as a hot water heater. hope this helps.

  2. QUESTION:
    What happens to your energy/hot water if you are using solar power and it's cloudy for several days in a row?
    I used to have a solar water heater 15-20 years ago and it worked OK when it was sunny (of course!). However, if it was cloudy/rainy for several days in a row, there was no hot water when it was needed the most.
    Do modern systems work better, or is this still an issue?

    • ANSWER:
      Most solar water heating systems are installed as a preheater to a backup water heater. The collectors heat the water in a super-insulated storage tank. The hot water output of that goes to the cold water input of a backup heater; electric, gas, oil, whatever. So on rainy days, the tank is insulated so it doesn't lose much of the heat that it made, but it may send 90 degree water to your backup heater instead of the 50 degrees you get from the city or well. That's 40 degrees less that the backup needs to heat, but still always provides hot water to the house. But on sunny days, your backup heater doesn't need to turn on at all. Many people actually turn the backup off in the summer.

  3. QUESTION:
    Could solar power, hot water and heating be combined in one system in a way that's cheaper then fossil fuels
    for the same tasks in new or used homes no matter if there going to be or are powered by coal and oil or coal and natural gas etc...? Even if it used fossil fuels aslong as it was in only a night time and auxiliery role? Could this be done in a way that allows people to keep there existing power hot water and heating setup as that backup? Could it be bought on payment plans that garentee lower bills with no money down until there paid off so that companies that build them consumers that buy them and the environment that's saved a little bit with every purchase win?

    • ANSWER:
      Unfortunately solar photovoltaic systems are very expensive ways to generate electricity. The cost is generally 5 to 10 times the cost of purchasing electricity from your local uitlity.

      Solar hot water is a little less expensive. In most parts of the country the cost to heat water using solar power is approximately 20 to 30 % more expensive than heating with natural gas.

      Unfortunately it is not cheaper, and in fact it is more expensive to use solar power than fossil fuels as your energy source.

  4. QUESTION:
    A hot-water heater is operated by solar power. If the solar collector has an area of 6.0 m2 and the power deli?
    A hot-water heater is operated by solar power. If the solar collector has an area of 6.0 m2 and the power delivered by sunlight is 550 W/m2, how long will it take to increase the temperature of 1 m3 of water from 23°C to 61°C?

    • ANSWER:
      Rate of heat supply = 550 J/s x 6.0m² = 3300 J/s

      Heat energy required H = m.s.∆θ
      H = (1000kg)(4200 J/kg.ºC)(38ºC) = 1.60^8 J

      t = 1.60^8 J / 3300 J/s .. .. ►t = 4.84^4 s .. (13.4 hr)

  5. QUESTION:
    Solar Powered Hot water heat?
    I would like to power my hot water from solar power. I have the old base board hot water heated radiation heat in my home. How can i power 100% of my hot water heat bill by solar power alone? And what about tax credits?

    • ANSWER:
      you should not do this period. im a solar tech, and we get customers who want to do 100% solar and its just not feasible. the panels simply cant keep up with the boiler, and you must pump some serious heat into those pipes in your baseboards to feel the heat. your better off getting a high eff. boiler to replace the (kerosene one?) old boiler. if you want to go solar, and you have enough space for storage, get a 2 collector system for you domestic hot water(2 col. based on 3-4 people). we install these systems for about 8 grand. remember, one collector is good to heat 50 gal of water per day. think about it, dont waste your money.

  6. QUESTION:
    Solar power for hot water use, worth installing?
    I have radiant heat throughout my whole house. My whole house is run off propane gas by a wall hung gas boiler. The amount that I am spending in gas per year is about 00. I live in Maine where winters can be long and cold. My house has great exposure to the sun from sunrise to sunset. It just seems to make sense to have a solar system installed to run my hot water and my heat and have the gas as a back up. I know the cost is somewhere around ,000 for a system. My question on here is does anyone have a solar system like I am describing and if so what are the pros and cons associated with it?

    • ANSWER:
      There is some confusion when we refer to "Solar panels" and even some who operate commercial installations may not be aware that "Solar panels" can be Photovoltaic panels that produce electricity and Solar thermal panels used to capture heat. While photovoltaic panels are more costly they are at best around 24% installed. Solar thermal panels are cheaper and may be up to 80% efficient. It makes no sense to use photovoltaic panels to heat your home.

      The numbers you give suggests a potential 2 to 21/2 year payback period on your investment. Most would consider this very worthwhile.

      Solar thermal panels are part of an active system and can be designed to produce hot air or hot water. In general the hotter your base operating system is the more likely is loss due to outside temperatures. Solar thermal flat panels are cheaper but radiate some heat back into the environment which lessons efficiency but gives an advantage in environments with a heavy frost or snow load. Solar thermal vacuum tube collectors are better suited to higher system temperatures, cloudy days, and higher extremes in ambient temperatures. Some systems will mix both types of collectors with the vacuum tube collectors in series after the flat panels.1

      I envy your choices. Radiant heating is the ideal distribution system for a solar heated system. It is ideal because it uses a lower distribution heat which may not be much hotter than your standard domestic hot water temperatures of about 120 deg F. As a good portion of any heating system is the distribution system you will have some savings in money there. If you had access to a pond or stream I would encourage you to examine geothermal heating as this is another system that works well with radiant heating and the water source makes it very economical.

      The main difference between your present system and a solar heated system is the type of energy storage. Propane is a fuel that stores energy. A solar heated system requires some energy storage and this is usually in the form of an insulated tank of hot water. Sizing the tank and the panels relatively to your heating demands is very important. The tank can be reduced in size using a slurry of phase change materials but this is generally considered more trouble than it is worth. The tank is normally pressurized to equal your domestic water pressures but it would also essentially be an atmospheric pressure insulated "pond."

      Systems that attempt to provide more than about 80% of the demand might include a ground loop. This is a loop in the Earth used to keep the solar panels from getting too hot in the summer. It may also be possible to generate electricity with excess thermal energy.2

      It is possible to air condition using solar thermal panels but the system is an absorption system not the typical electrical/compressor/refrigerant system that is common elsewhere today. It is not practical to simply cool the house using the same radiant distribution system as condensation can be an issue so some form of separate air handling is generally required. I have provided a sampling of material to digest below.

  7. QUESTION:
    Do people have solar powered hot water systems in China or is it all electric?

    • ANSWER:
      It depends on where you live, in Shanghai where I live my water is heated by gas, but if you got a little outside the city you will see solar heated systems on houses everywhere, I have never experienced them first hand but I have Chinese friends telling me that they are great and envirofriendly, I also know that there is a lot of electric water heating and it is not good at all, if you are "lucky" your hot shower will last 15 minutes

  8. QUESTION:
    Can I build my own Hot Water Solar Panels?
    I'm looking for some advice on hot water solar panels. I'm trying to save some money on electricity. A neighbor has been suggesting solar powered equipment for some time now, and I think he's right. It does save quite a bit of money in the long run. They're kind of expensive though, so I'm looking for cheaper alternatives.

    • ANSWER:
      Solar Power is great. I installed it myself about 2 years ago, and you really do notice the change within the first couple months. Building it yourself is actually pretty tricky without the right resources. Some of the guides don't have enough detailed information that you need when you start putting the project together.

      I was having a lot of trouble until I stumbled upon a site that was offering some great resources for solar DIY projects. I went ahead and added it to the sources section below. It's great and has everything you would need for putting your own solar projects together, including hot water solar panels. Hope this helps!

  9. QUESTION:
    why dont the people in dominican republic use solar power for hot water...?

    they have all kinds of sun. they more ways to use the sun for heating water than buying those expensive solar panels.

    • ANSWER:
      I think that we dominicans don't use solar power as much as we really should because of the costs involved.

      I recognize that in the long run it is less expensive than being connected to the electrical grid, but the up-front expense is just too much for the typical dominican to afford. There are usually much more important things to do with the money that trickes in, such as buying food and medicine for themselves and their families.

  10. QUESTION:
    Would having a Solar PV, Solar Hot Water & Heat or Small Wind Turbine, SUCK or be GOOD?
    Do you think you can't afford this? Ever look at youtube videos about Solar Photovoltaic Electricity and how easy it is to get it installed. Have you gotten any local estimates? Small wind turbines on roofs. Just another simple, maintenance free appliance, live a TV roof satellite TV dish, but Solar are panels on your roof. Patches right into you electric company and the Electric company buys excess power during the date. Rebates make it very affordable. Get 3 quotes in your area. Investigate Solar Power, Solar Hot water, Small Wind turbines, Solar PV panels are warranted 25 Years. It's a long-term saving, but as prices rise so do you saving and payback. You don't know if it SUCKS or is GOOD unless you've looked into it. Many are surprise voltage goes up in colder temperatures. So you don't have to be in CA to benefit big time. Creates Jobs too for installers and manufacturers, etc. Give the question a try though, what do you think?

    • ANSWER:
      You are correct Peace . There are many ways to have small systems and even multiple small systems . There is nothing better than selling power back to the system ...

  11. QUESTION:
    Could I power my water heater with solar power instead of gas?
    I live in a house with A LOT of roommates, and we use a lot of hot water. Could we install a solar panel just for the water heater? We would like to install solar panels all over at one point but need to start on a smaller scale.

    • ANSWER:
      ABSOLUTELY! That is the best way to save money with solar. You won't be making electricity with the solar panel, it's a different kind of panel. You run fluid through the panels and it directly heats the fluid. That fluid then heats your water tank. You can heat up to 75% of your water for free!

      Take a look at this free video teaching you about solar water heating, http://www.altestore.com/store/Books-Classes-Educational-Videos/Educational-Videos/Educational-Video-Solar-Water-Heating-Basics/p6726/.

  12. QUESTION:
    I want to install a solar powered heating element in my hot water tank?
    I want to install a solar powered heating element in my hot water tank. I want a very simple system with out batteries or thermostat control. Basically convert solar power to electricity & send directly to the heating element which is fitted to my water tank.

    1] Has anyone any experience of such a set-up?
    2] Any advice on this system- what to do & what not to do?

    • ANSWER:
      The technology to convert solar power to electricity to heat water is very inefficient. Solar photovoltaic panels are expensive. You should think about using solar panels to heat water then circulate that through your hot water heater. There are dozens of firms in your town who can install a solar water system for you. If you are good at plumbing you can probably do this yourself.

      This might give you some information:
      http://www.solarexpert.com/Heatdhw.html

  13. QUESTION:
    what savings can i expect from solar powered hot water?

    • ANSWER:
      Depending on the current source of hot water and the season, your savings can be up to 70% of your bill. For example, if you currently use oil to heat your water, you will save about 25% of your bill.

      For more information on Residential Solar Technology, be sure to check out our easy-to-read white paper: http://www.moonworkshome.com/home-improvement-resources/Residential-Solar-Technology-Made-Simple/

  14. QUESTION:
    need to relocate solar hot water panels?
    i want to get solar power installed but ive been told that the installers have put my hot water panels in a really bad spot and that i would need to relocate them to another part of my roof. Is anyone out there able to give me a rough quote on what i am looking at to get it moved and who do i call for the job?

    • ANSWER:
      Probably the original installers put your hot water panels in a very *good* spot, that is, the spot that gets the most sun, and your new solar electric installer wants to put their panels in the same spot.

      Try looking in an ordinary phone book under "solar" and there should be a solar water heating company that can give you a quote on moving the existing panels. If you find a company that does both water and electric, they can give a quote on a full solution that is best all-around.

  15. QUESTION:
    For tropical countries around the world,would be possible to generate electricity by using solar power?
    Actually it's not the question I want to ask, I know it's possible, I'm using this to propose my idea on how to generate steam instead of hot water, using solar powered cells, and then using the steam in turbines to generate electricity for all countries, that could be enough for all Europe on a large scale. Is anyone interested?

    • ANSWER:
      There is a project in planning as we speak over in Australia. This guy plans to build a tower 2000ft tall.The base will be surrounded by mirrors elevated about 3 feet. At the base of the tower under the mirrors there will be wind generators The mirrors will trap hot air and since hot air rises it will rush up the inside of the tower pushing turbine motors at the top and produce enough electricity for about 100,000 homes.There are already projects in operation where they point mirrors at a tower that stores water up top. this produces steam to generate electricity.

  16. QUESTION:
    Solar Hot Water System?
    Would it be possible to have a solar panel drive a DC motor that drives an AC generator via a ratio gearbox to produce electricity to power a hot water system??

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, but it would be terribly inefficient.

      You can get hot water from solar energy in one step, skipping the motor-generator entirely.

  17. QUESTION:
    Are solar power water heaters obsolete? Some repairman said we should just replace it with a normal one.well?
    Our water boiler broke. It was a solar powered or heat powered one. It looked like there was some leaking in our garage. We called a repair man. He said that the pipe was leaking and so he replaced it. We still don't have hot water, so he said that we should replace ours with a regular boiler because he's been all around replacing solar powered water heaters all throughout the county.

    I honestly don't believe this guy. But is there some truth to what he said? Should I spend a thousand bucks for a new regular boiler because mine's obsolete? Or what

    • ANSWER:
      Ok
      Repair men are salesmen as well.
      we need to make money.
      but some take it to far
      this guy may not know how to install solar hot water
      so he will try to sell you anything he knows how to install. so he goes home with some money.

      (tip 1)
      I have never repaired a leak and the hot water stopped working

      (tip 2)
      solar hot water is available

      (Tip 3)
      look on top of your hot water tank and one side says cold
      turn the valve on because he may have shut it off to make the repair to the pipe and never turned it back on.

      (Tip 4) check all valves you can find (turn them on and off see what they do) so you know in the event you get another leak.

      well you have the internet
      and I have your back

  18. QUESTION:
    How much should solar hot water and radiant heat cost in Maryland, USA?
    I'm getting quotes for a replacement for our hot water heater. So far I've gotten 22K for materials and installation of a solar hot water heater (3-4 collector panels) with heat rejection and single zone open direct radiant heating to one floor (accessible through drop ceiling underneath). Both quotes include a backup hot water heating system; the expensive one would involve installing a new backup high efficiency heater by converting our propane tank to use for heating. This would be either the Polaris or 2 Takagi Jrs, one for the solar hot water and another to power the radiant heat.

    Another quote is for 12K for only the solar hot water and heat rejection using the Velux system.

    Are these really high? I've already contacted 3 companies but it doesn't look like too many people are installing them in Maryland yet. I'm still waiting on a quote from one final company. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      Without information of how big the footprint of the house is, and how many people the domestic hot water (DHW) is for, it is hard to say.

      You said you got a quote for 3 -4 collectors, so I'm going to make some assumptions based on that. Four 4'x8' collectors = 128 sq ft of collector. A general rule of thumb for space heating with solar is 1 sq ft of collector for every 5 -10 sq ft of house footprint (depends on heat storage, heat loss in the house, climate, etc). So, if we say 1200 sq ft house, 1200 / 10 = 120; 128 sq ft of collectors could work (again, depending on above variables). Depending on the brand, each flat plate collector could cost about 00, so 00 for the four collectors (evacuated tubes cost more). You then need a controller, storage tank, pumps, heat exchanger, plus all of the copper pipes and fixtures. Then a couple of days for a plumber to install. ,000 installed seems about right without the backup heater. Here's a heating system that costs that just for the equipment http://www.altestore.com/store/Solar-Water-Heaters/Climate-freezes-Closed-Loop-Systems/Combined-Solar-Hot-Water-Space-Heating/Heliodyne-Solar-Hot-Water-Space-Heat-1500-sqft/p6731/.

      Note, gas on-demand water heaters like the Bosch Aquastar make great backup heaters for solar http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/HeatingProducts/WaterHeating/AquaStar1/aquastar1600psmain.asp. I don't know what size you'd need.

  19. QUESTION:
    Is there a smart controller for a solar hot water electric booster?
    I've just had a solar HWS installed with a manual electric boost switch. I know you can get timer switches, but I'm looking for a "smart" switch.
    I've had it for a month without having to boost at all. A timer would have been wasting power.
    If there is such an animal as a "smart" controller, it would be a combination of timer and weather station.
    Any ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      My system has it built in. When it isn't sunny enough to heat, the electric comes on in time for the daily use. The "smart" isn't in the controller, it is in the use of a standard timer from your local hardware store, and the the element in the tank...

  20. QUESTION:
    Solar hot water panels.?
    Need digram or info on how to build a solar hot water panel without the use of electric power. Plenty water but no power here!.

    • ANSWER:
      All you have to do is search "solar hot water" on any search engine.
      With passive solar hot water you are in luck with your wish of no electricity being used, because a vertical looped system will naturally circulate when water is heated at one end. Also as long as you have cold water coming in under pressure, moving up threw the PASSIVE (means no electricity - thermomass absorption of UV radiation) hot water panels - then to a storage (insulated) tank and or back up to the hot water panel, unless you call for it to wash dishes or shower. No electricity needed.
      Building your own is easy and cheap enough, but the new manufactured vacuum tubes (no electricity either) are far more efficient at obtaining hot water from limited UV sources, plus the return on the investment is very short and pays for itself generally in less than 5 years, with an estimated life cycle of around 30 years, so it pays for itself 5 times over.

  21. QUESTION:
    When should 'new build' residential & industrial roofs have solar power? By legislation if necessary?
    Solar hot water or photovoltaic.
    Lots of homes have solar power to assist what is already there. It doesn't take a lot to have water hot enough to do a bowl of washing-up / have a bath.
    Technology for photovoltaic is going to improve in the next 5 years.
    Thirty or forty years ago, who would have thought mobile phones would have been possible or as common.

    • ANSWER:
      Solar only makes sense when the solar output can be reclaimed on a constant basis. In the US, even, this is only possible in the most Southern and Western states. Too much cloud cover does not enable the current solar voltaic converters to produce enough energy in the majority of the population centers of America.

      While it is true that some spectrum's of solar energy can penetrate cloud cover, todays cells are not currently efficient enough to warrant their cost. It is true that great strides have been made recently in the efficiency of these collectors/converter cells, and in a few years there may be a system efficient enough to recover and convert cloud penetrating radiation into viable amounts of electricity. Just don't hold your breath waiting for this to hit the market.

      Legislation can't convert blocked sunshine into electricity.

  22. QUESTION:
    looking for a comp in Rajinder place, geyser heating water without electricity gas or solar power, pls help?
    this unique water heating geyser was showcassed in India International Trade Fair two years back, they were located at Rajinder place, New Delhi. It heats water without using electricity, gas or solar power has magnesium rod (I think) in this cold water comes in and hot water comes out instantly when it comes in contact with the rod. Easy to handle just has a nozle which can be just attached to a tap. if anyone has any information regarding this company please email me.
    Thanks and regards
    Johnsn_j
    I need to gift it to some people who are migrants from a different state, who dont have access to hot water and they are taking bath in cold water, i am worried they may contact pneumonia or be sick and i want to help them.
    I really want to help them and the sites are not of any help.

    • ANSWER:
      http://www.eindiabusiness.com/indian-exporters/heaters-heating-equipment.html
      That should be able to get you there.

      http://www.eindiabusiness.com/search.html or that.

  23. QUESTION:
    Is it best to turn a hot water system on and off or leave it on continually?
    We are running a 125 litre hot water heater for only two people. Its 15amp and single element I think. When we had solar heating, we got into the habit of turning the booster on and off accordingly. I'm wondering now, if we are energy saving by turning the current system off during the day and only flicking it on at night for a time? Or would it work out less expensive to let the thermostat regulate a permanent hot water temperature and in so doing, be using less energy overall? Its a balancing or juggling act I know but over a period of time, which approach makes more sense as far as costing less in power? Hot water usage is generally fairly conservative too and we don't really need the scalding temps when its on all the time, even in the middle of winter. (Thermostat not adjustable)

    • ANSWER:
      I think its best to leave it on, because if you turn it off, the water will get cold again and then take more energy to heat it up again... just a thought.

  24. QUESTION:
    Using solar and wind to produce power from steam as needed?
    How practical would it be to store near boiling hot water - kept hot from solar and wind - and use small amounts of grid electricity to produce steam from this on demand .
    This steam could drive a steam turbine to produce green power for the grid- and supply power at high demand periods - at a profit!
    This would simplify linking multiple wind turbines and solar panels- and the hot water could still be utilised for showers and hydrothermal home heating.

    • ANSWER:
      Collecting solar energy and producing steam to drive turbine generators is a good idea. There have been many experimental plants doing this over the years. There have also been many experiments done on the best medium to use for storing the heat during the night. My understanding is that the most favorable system at this point in time is using a large array of parabolic mirrors focused on a collector which has a salt slurry or other solution which circulates to a boiler to produce the steam. I followed one test plant in the 70's, and it worked, but finding a good heat absorbing medium that would not corrode the pipes and boiler was the biggest problem. Maybe they have resolved that now. I also understand there are some large scale plants now in service and more planned.

      Wind turbines are another matter. They are passive in that they (the wind generator) just turns when the wind blows over about 8MPH and produce electricity directly.

      Both are great sources of power, but also both depend on nature and weather cycles. Sometimes the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine. Many areas of the world are not well suited for these forms of power, and there is a limit to how far you can transport power over wires, so other more reliable sources will also be required for the 24/7 reliability we require.

  25. QUESTION:
    How do I make home made power?
    How do I make home made electricity with solar power or a wind generator? I've been looking into using wind and solar energy to power my home, reduce electricity consumption and lower my carbon footprint. I've looked into solar hot water systems and home wind generators, but what's the most efficient way to reduce my energy consumption?

    • ANSWER:
      Wind generators and solar panels can be expensive, and can take years before they pay for themselves. Often it uses so much CO2 to make a solar panel or wind generator that they can actually increase your carbon foot print, not reduce it. I've found that the best way to create home made power is from home made equipment, it's actually surprisingly straight forward and a fraction of the cost. I used this guide: http://tinyurl.com/ljyok7 to create a simple wind generator which has seen my energy costs drastically reduced.

  26. QUESTION:
    Is it possible to use hot asphalt parking lots to generate solar power?
    I once heard that some companies were doing research on using hot asphalt to generate electricity (by having underground water pipes that move a turbine). As of now, has any company successfully made such a system?

    Could you please list a reliable academic source?

    • ANSWER:
      In Death Valley, the ground can get hot enough to boil water, but in general, to get steam temperatures, you need insulation and something to cut off airflow. Concentrated sunlight doesn't hurt, either.

      That's a clever idea, using asphalt that's going to get hot, anyway. It might make an economical water heater in a place like Hawaii or Florida. The downside in other places is that the asphalt won't get very hot all year round, whereas a water heating panel with glass could function even with freezing air temperatures.

  27. QUESTION:
    What temperature can a typical solar panel for producing hot water heater reach?
    I know that concentrating mirrors can produce extreme temperatures for power plants but what is the expected maximum temperature achievable without concentration by mirrors?

    • ANSWER:
      I think the following article has provided the typical solar panel for producing hot (boiling point) at the temperature of 130-350 C through the heat transfer and exchange process.
      http://www.pasolar.ncat.org/lesson02.php
      It can help to advance your knowledge in solar panel system by visiting the following website with good pieces of articles.
      http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=solar%20systems%20for%20domestic%20boilings

  28. QUESTION:
    Is your hot water heater electric, natural gas, oil, propane, or solar powered?
    if it is natural gas, oil or propane powered does it vent through a wall roof or chimney

    • ANSWER:
      I have electic, gas and some propane. most vent through the roof, but some are wall.

  29. QUESTION:
    which dishwashers work best on solar power and gravity fed rain tank water?
    Hello everyone,
    I am curious if you have any experience of energy and water efficient
    dishwashers?
    I am buying a dishwasher to work with my own solar power and gravity
    fed rain tanks. Bosch, LG and Fisher & Paykal all tell me they no
    longer make any dishwashers with hot and cold inlets - because it made
    their energy ratings worse!!??! However, a technician told me to plumb
    the hot water into the only inlet, have it at a minimum of 65 degrees
    Celsius, and that it needs water pressure of at least 35 kpa, which
    equates to 3 meters of head when only gravity fed. So this may work,
    but I am keen to hear of anyone else's experience around this.
    All the best, Andy
    Thanks J,
    I assume my septic tank can handle the load as I wash up quite a few times a day already with kids at home, so I think one load of a dishwasher will be economical on water.
    I hope the 65 degree water inlet means the machine does not need to use electricity to heat the water more; and I hope to disable the drying cycle and just open the door and let the dishes dry as they would normally on a rack.
    my solar system generates 3.5 kw; the house is wired for 240 Volts from 24 V batteries. I can monitor the power levels by a meter.
    I appreciate any other advice. There must be others who have done this?
    yours, Andy

    • ANSWER:
      I'm not sure how you are producing your hot water, but the output pressure in that system is probably going to be different than the input pressure you are assuming from the rain-tank height.

      The reason that having a cold-water input ruins manufacturer's efficiency ratings is germane to your usage. Dishwashers have a heating element that assures proper water temperature. Cold water input would need to be heated. Even with proper inlet temperature, the heat needed to bring the dishes up to good cleaning temperatures needs to come from somewhere - and that somewhere is an electrical heater. You do pay a price in energy usage for this, but hot water does a LOT better job of cleaning and sanitizing your dishes. Unless your other electrical usage brings you within about 10% of your battery storage limits, don't sweat the system load.

  30. QUESTION:
    Is not having hot water in the apartment a health code violation?
    My landlord uses solar powered water heater to provide hot water for the apartment. When I signed the lease, he mentioned that some days I just can't take long hot showers but other wise it's fine. But after I moved in, I found out when the weather is cloudy, or just any early morning, there isn't any hot water at all. So during the storm season, there is no hot water period. My neighbor and I have both talked to the landlord about the issue but he keeps giving us excuses and that he's working on it but it's been two months and nothing has happened. Is this against some health code we can hold him against? There are other problems with this apartment. I would love to find something that can get me out of my lease.
    I live in a house converted to 2 rental units. I live in Hawaii, so when it's sunny there is no problem at all, but when there is no sun it's just room temperature cold water. And it's not that hot here right now, if it's the summer I can stand cold showers.

    • ANSWER:
      well i think it would be ilegal in some way but i dont think it would be a health volition. i think it would be only if ur getting sick from being forced to take freezing cold showers but if u say its no problem that good

  31. QUESTION:
    Do all dishwashers use a heat element, or can some be connected to hot water?
    I would like to purchase a dishwasher, but all the dishwashers i have found use a heat element. I am currently running on solar power, and the dishwashers i have found use too much power. So i was wondering if there was a dishwasher that could be connected directly to a hot water system? If you do not know what I am talking about please tell me. Thank you!

    • ANSWER:
      The temperature needs to be at a particular temperature (140 minimum) in order for the detergent to activate and properly clean the dishes. Otherwise you could end up with white film or granules everywhere. If you simply use the hot water from the tap it will not be hot enough since most people do not keep their hot water tanks on that high! I think you're best bet would be to handwash if there is no way to connect the dishwasher to a generator.

  32. QUESTION:
    RE: Why won't the solar-powered hot tub come on?
    We have a solar-powered hot tub that seats four people. We have not used it as often lately as we did during the winter, more because of time constraints than anything else. We have had the water tested regularly, adjusted chemicals as needed, etc., but all of a sudden the motor that filters the water will not turn on. The jets will not work either. We have flipped the breaker, unplugged it and plugged it back in, and pressed the reset button on the power cord. Any suggestions? The previous homeowners put the hot tub in and are not available to ask anything right now. I'd love to avoid a service call.

    • ANSWER:
      If you have a volt meter, check to see if you have power going to the motor. Sounds like it may be froze up. If you don't have a voltage meter, go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy a "Non-Contact Voltage Detector". It costs about 10 bucks, looks like an ink pen, and all you have to do it hold it next to where the wires go into the pump and it will let you know if you have voltage there. If you do, then the motor is bad. If not, then check for voltage at the outlet the same way. If you don't have voltage there, then go to the breaker, turn it on, and put the voltage detector on the breaker. By doing this, you'll be able to figure out what is bad and then you'll know rather or not you can fix it yourself. Good Luck!!!

  33. QUESTION:
    pensioners having their welfare payments docked if they make money from selling solar power,?
    A spokeswoman for Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin on Monday said Labor's rebates for the cost of installing solar panels and hot water systems were not counted as income for social security purposes.But if a pensioner sells off their excess power and receives cash payments or a rebate on their power bill, that is counted as income and their welfare benefits could be reduced.HOW SILLY IS LABOUR BECOMING ON PENSION REPORTING ?

    • ANSWER:
      If you are on welfare, that means the tax payers are paying for you to not work and do nothing. why should you make money? People on Social Security worked and paid into the system until they retired.

  34. QUESTION:
    built in water heater in washing machine?
    My previous washing machine has no heating element so I have asked the plumber to re-route my solar powered water heater so that my washing machine can get hot water supply.
    Now I am planning to buy a frontload washing machine and I've notice all of the models come with built-in heating element.
    My question is there any way I can use my hot water without using the built-in heat element?

    • ANSWER:
      Leave it as is and allow the internal heating element to do it's job. It will only act as a "booster" to your solar heated water. You will still reap the savings of your solar heat and only pay for the added boost in water temperature, if there is any. You will still be able to get clean clothes on cloudy days.

  35. QUESTION:
    Solar power question?
    We have a solar hot water system, as well as a 'booster switch' in our laundry, which allows us to heat the water by electricity. I'm wondering whether by turning the booster switch on, the water will be heated by electricity all the time it is on, or if it only 'kicks in' if there is insufficient sun to heat the water? At present I leave the switch on all the time, but I don't want to waste money on electricity or add to greenhouse emissions or whatever unnecessarily, but also don't want surprise cold showers!! Can someone help me with this?

    • ANSWER:
      yes it is on all the time, heating your water up to what is set by the thermostat, to cover what the solar panel can't do.

      I have heard of many people having it switched off all year around,
      So the booster only kicks in if there is insufficent sun to heat the water, or the sun isnt bringing it to required temperature. If you switch it off, it just means if you use up all your hot water tank, say at night, it wont heat up until the next day when the sun is shining again.(The tank is pretty well insulated so it will stay hot at night time)
      Also it may not cover or heat up enough during winter usage.

      I would recommend doing it though, as a lot of people have told me they have it switched off their back up years ago.

      With almost every solar hot water system sold it is a requirement of law for them to be installed with a booster.
      Depending if it is flat panel or solar evacuated tubes, I would switch on booster for hot water if its flat panel during winter and it should run all year around with evacuated tubes.

      This is also why many people use instant gas boosters with their systems as it provides hot water on demand and they are the most environmentall friendly way to heat your hot water if anyone has the option to have a gas connection.

  36. QUESTION:
    Can I have a 100% fully solar power home without making any compromises on energy usage?
    If I build a house or convert an existing house, even if i have to fill the whole roof with solar panels, is this possible? I mean, heating, hot water, TV, appliances, Washer, Dryer, PC and all the electricity I need, even floor heating, absolutely zero compromises and zero usage of any other source but solar panels, even if I want to put floor heating in the whole house, is this possibly or is it just me dreaming?

    • ANSWER:
      In theory, yes - on a clear day we get around 1000W per square metre in the UK so a large enough array of solar panels for both electricity and heat, plus a massive storage battery system, could run a house.

      In practise, the cost would be astronomical as you have to guarantee sufficient storage capacity to run the house for days at a time during bad weather, and have enough generation capacity to recharge the system quickly as well as running everything.

      Most energy efficient buildings use mains electricity and use the grid as the 'storage' system; you are paid for power you produce when there is excess, which offsets the cost of electricity when your (small) storage system is depleted.

      Re. the underfloor heating: The best system is an integrated air conditioning/heating system using a reversible heat pump setup with an underground 'heatsink'. You dump excess heat several metres underground from the air conditioning, then pull it back for heating.

      You get roughly 3KW of heat transfer for 1KW of power to the heat pump.

  37. QUESTION:
    How much Solar power could I get with 00?
    I want to put my 00 first-time homebuyer refund toward taking some of my house off the grid. How many KWh will I be able to generate and use with -10K?

    I think I would spend maybe K on panels and the other k on inverters and wiring. I'll probably do solar hot water at a later date.

    Has anyone out there spent this much on solar lately? How many KWh did you get?

    Thanks!
    BTW, I am NOT interested in doing this to save money (or even to be cost effective). My preference is to work toward living sustainably, no matter the initial cost.

    I also plan on new appliances, once I sell the existing ones.

    In my view, supporting solar panel manufacturers now allows them to develop better products for the future.

    • ANSWER:
      A "grid tied" system is much cheaper and cleaner. You don't have to buy batteries full of lead and acid and then dispose of them in 5 years after they wear out. You sell power back to the power company when you make more than you use and run off the grid at night or cloudy days. If your system makes enough power you can use 10 KWh every 24 hours and make 11 KWh during daylight so that you end up giving back more power than you use in a day.

      The source has some prices.

  38. QUESTION:
    Is solar power an answer to my high electric bill?
    I live in the state with the highest electricity cost (.24 per kWh). Last month I turned the electric hot water heater temperature down down, bought a new energy efficient clothes washer, I didn't use my clothes dryer, I have a gas stove, I don't have air conditioning, and I didn't run any fans in the house. I just received my bill. It is over 0.00 again! Could a solar electric system really help save me money?

    • ANSWER:
      the initial hit to the pocket book is still staggering but is going down. eventually it will pay for itself. tv's computers use alot of electric if left on all the time. as well as all the lights on in the house hope this info helps you :0)

  39. QUESTION:
    What Are Benefits of Green Solar Energy?
    You must understand the way to harness solar energy in order to rightly understand the benefits of green solar energy. Solar power is divided into two types. It is thermal energy and light energy. Thermal energy is known as passive solar. This type of solar energy is harnessed through the design and materials used to build a construction. With integrating south facing windows and heat-retained materials like brick and stone, you can reduce your energy needs and make an efficiency energy structure. Also, the thermal energy is used to make water heat for solar hot water systems. The rays of the sun also create radiation and light which is captured by solar panels to produce electricity.see more www.greenflexter.com

    • ANSWER:
      The benefits are; clean and conservative. The start-up costs are out of reach for most but if one is "handy", much money can be saved by labor costs and even assembly costs. As time goes on the costs will decrease for start-up because the present costs are out of reach for most home owners. New technology like "The Bloom Box" is a good example of developing clean energy and more inventions will come.

  40. QUESTION:
    What type of energy does Hot Topic use?
    Energy like solar power, or water power, or other things. The Hot Topic i am refering to is the Hot Topic store in the malls and stuff that sell punk nnd goth and other types of clothing.

    • ANSWER:
      Dark energy! Mwahahaha! Honestly, They probably use the same kind of energy as the stores around them (I assume this Hot Topic is in a mall).

  41. QUESTION:
    metal or fiber glass roofing meteral. witch would be the best & why?
    solar power hot water. yes or no? why? cost?
    also solar for electricty. yes or no? & why? cost?
    i live in alabama.

    • ANSWER:
      Metal roofing is more expensive (much more), but lasts a lot longer. Fiberglass shingles are the standard option & come in 20 yr, 25 yr & 40 yr. The difference is the thickness & supposed durability. In Alabama you are in the tornado/hail belt, so your roof wil NOT last as long as the names would imply! The metal would be resistant to the hail, so that would solve one problem.

      I'm not as familiar with the solar options, but from what I have heard, they drastically reduce your ongoing energy costs.

  42. QUESTION:
    How do I set my cabin up for running hot water?
    I have a cabin where there is no electricity, however, I do have it wired for a 3000 watt generator. We have a well, which brings the water about one foot below ground level under the cabin. I'm trying to find the best way to set it up. Should I have a regular water pump/tank and hot water boiler, would the generator handle this with other things on? I heard about rigging it up with a 12 volt water pump with solar power as well. Also, what about winter months where freezing could be a problem as I have no electricity and will be away from there for periods of time. Any suggestions would be much appericeated!

    • ANSWER:
      3000 watts is about 30 amps on 110 volts or 15 amps on 220 volts. Your not going to run a pump and tankless hot water heater on that. Best off looking into a propane hot water heater.

      As for freezing, you will have to drain back the water when you done and fill the toilet with antifreeze from the RV store. Same goes for the traps under the sink and shower if you have them.

  43. QUESTION:
    How many galleons does a 5/8" Dia. x 50'L water hose have?
    I am not a mathematical man, so here is a chance at some easy points. I want to know how many gaollens of water a 5/8" Diamentor, x 50' Long water hose holds. I am building a solar powered hot water heater by winding up water hose's in a box, but I need to know how to calculate the galleons to get what I want out of it. (it's not drinking water, cause of water hose)

    • ANSWER:
      I assume the 5/8" is inner diameter.

      The hose may be regarded as a cylinder of radius (5/16)" and height 600".

      The formula for the volume V of a cylinder is

      V = π r²h

      For your values,

      V = (π)(5/16)²(600) ≈ 184 in³

      There are 231 in³ in a U.S. gallon, so in terms of gallons,

      V = 184/231 ≈ 0.7969 gallon

      or just over 3/4 of a gallon.

  44. QUESTION:
    Central Heating using an electrical hot water cylinder - can that be done?
    I know nothing about heating systems, so forgive my ignorance, please - but I want to install radiators all over my house, connect them with pipes, install an electric pump somewhere to pump the water through, and have the water heated electrically by an ordinary hot water cylinder. In the long run, I want to feed in power generated with solar panels on the roof of the house and by wind turbines. I live in a climate that's very windy and extremely sunny, but chilly (30 to 60 Fahrenheit every day, some frost), and my house will need about 10 radiators and living space covers around 150 square meters of miserably insulated, 100-year old wood construction with single glazing.
    Does this sound like it can be done, and may even be a good idea, or should I do something else (would be grateful for alternatives if so).
    Cheers.

    • ANSWER:
      Passive solar.
      It will supplement the heater and allow for lower KwH use.

  45. QUESTION:
    Why doesn't Australia use Solar Power only for electricity Since most of Australia is a hot sunny desert?
    All you need for a solar power plant to generate electricity is a lot of mirrors
    (mirrors that a central computer rotates throughout the day to reflect the sunlight from the best angle to heat the water tank) to reflect the sunlight onto a huge water tank to heat the water that turns the generator.
    all you need for solar electricity is about 100 mirrors Maximum
    How expensive can it be

    • ANSWER:
      The Coal industry would hate that since they will be out of business. Any attempt to design a solar power plant will be criticised by the powerful coal industry.

  46. QUESTION:
    Is it possible to turn my unused detached garage as a huge solar collector/power plant for my home?
    I live in an older neighborhood, and we have a garage that we never use because it's small and inconvenient. It sits about twenty feet from the back of our house. The garage is masonry block construction, about 18' x 18', and has a hipped roof. It faces due south, and is level with our daylight basement, where we have our hot water heater and gas unit for heating and cooling (newer model). I'm wondering if it makes sense to super-insulate this garage, fill it with water storage tanks or some other material that will hold heat, and add roof windows or solar panels on the south-facing side. I know next to nothing about storing solar energy, or methods of getting the warmed air into the house, but I will definitely do the research and try this if it sounds feasible and worth the effort.
    BTW, I don't have a car anymore. It got vandalized, was a total loss, and one of the best things that's happened to me. I started riding the bus and walking to everywhere I was able, and recently purchased an electric scooter. I don't plan on replacing my car.

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, it has the right location. Make sure no trees cast shadows on it in the afternoon. I have a similar two garage car port that support my four second generation copper solar panels.that heat my 200 gallon solar hot water system. I have a delta-T control system. If you can install the solar hot water tank above your panels by at least a foot you would not need any pump to circulate the water from your solar panel to your tank. I believe it's call a thermal siphon system.

  47. QUESTION:
    is solar power really only 110?
    i currently live in south america and am building a home. i would love to use solar power for my heat and hot water but am told that it is only used for 110 volts, we are 220 here. can someone help me

    • ANSWER:
      For solar heat and hot water, you don't need a solar panel that delivers electricity. These are more expensive and not as efficient as a water heating solar panel.

  48. QUESTION:
    can i run my whole home on solar power with the use of batteries and inverters?
    my home has electric heat and electric hot water heater.can i plug into my main power line from my power pole after my meter and before my breaker box in my home with my batteries and my inverters any help would be great thanks

    • ANSWER:
      You can but it will cost you a nearly astronomocal amount of money to do so and you want to run your entire home from it.

      Just so you get an idea of the amount of money, view this:

      http://www.americanpv.com/pdf/res_on/prices.pdf

      ,000 without incentives and that is in Arizona, where they would be just about the peak of efficiency. This is not including the cost of batteries either and then lets not forget the ,000 or so it will cost you to replace those batteries in 5 or 10 years.

  49. QUESTION:
    solar power 110 or 220?
    i currently live in south america and am building a home. i would love to use solar power for my heat and hot water but am told that it is only used for 110 volts, we are 220 here. can someone help me

    • ANSWER:

  50. QUESTION:
    how many solar panels would I need to power my home?
    or how many watts? i dont use much electricity. i have on a couple of lights and a computer, sometimes the tv. how many solar panels would i need to power those constantly throughout the day, and maybe charge batteries for night? the air, refrigerator and hot water heater i would still use regular electricity.

    • ANSWER:
      Solar panels produce DC electricity, not AC. So, they would have to charge a bank of batteries, then you'd need an inverter to convert DC to AC.

      You need to find what your peak wattage is (consumption) and how long you want to run things for and work backwards from there.

      Suffice to say, a roof-full of panels probably won't be enough.