Renewable Energy

People enjoy roaming in Recreational Vehicles (RV) with their families a lot. That might be because of its mobility as well as its functionality of a fully serving home with bedrooms, kitchen and everything. But still using electricity on an RV is not like the way you use it in your home.

Electricity on a RV Through Solar Panels

To achieve the freedom of using electricity freely can be achieved by installing solar panels on your RV and then using them to generate electricity for your RV. Of course the battery is the most essential part of a Solar system because energy produced by the solar system is first stored in the battery and then it is usable. These are some important aspects of the batteries commonly used in Solar systems.

Maintaining The Batteries of the System

Even the best batteries in the market require proper maintenance and without it they can dry up pretty quickly. Maintenance includes checking the connections of the battery every once in a while. It also includes wiping out the dirt on the top when it is required. The maintenance of a battery is not that difficult, however remembering to perform the maintenance is a difficult task. Read the full story

If the top of the pool is kept open great heat loss occurs due to evaporation. If the top is covered with a pool cover the evaporation does not occurs and water remains warm and clean. Solar poll covers are much better in functioning than the traditional pool covers. Solar pool covers not only provide an upper protective covering but it also acts like absorber, it absorbs the solar heat which heat up the pool water.

Money and energy saving option

These solar pool covers save you money that you spend in heating up the pool water time and time. The upper surface of the solar pool cover contains a film of air pockets or tiny bubbles those bubbles have appearance similar to the bubble wrap. The main function of these bubbles or air pockets is to collect the solar heat and retain it. These bubbles do not dissipate that heat in the atmosphere. They transfer that heat to the pool water in this way solar pool cover help in heating up the pool water.

Work best in sunny areas

Solar covers work in their full capacity in those areas where sunlight is available in high amount.  These systems keep your pool warm in the summer; these covers can help you in extending the swimming period beyond the summer. Solar pool covers have made it possible for you to enjoy swimming in cool climate. As during the night temperature drops so there are chances that loss of heat can occur from the pool, these covers provide a proper insulation to prevent heat loss.

Material used in manufacturing

Polyethylene material is commonly used in manufacturing solar pool covers; the material used commonly has dark absorbent colors such as black and grey. Read the full story

Unlike the passive system in active solar hot water system electric fans and pumps are used. These devices are used for transferring the heated water through the system and different parts of the home. The types of active solar water heaters are differentiated on the basis of the type of collectors and circulations system.

Flat-plate collectors

Flat-plate collectors are inexpensive; these collectors are used at small scale application. These collectors are most commonly used for the residential applications. For the prevention of solar heat loss the sides and bottom are insulated. Collectors usually look like flat and large metal boxes. Inside these metal boxes there are absorber plates made from copper or aluminum. These plates are covered with glazing and darkened for absorption of solar radiations. Under these plates there is a series of inter-connected pipe, through which cool water passes. That water is heated inside the box collectors. An electric pump circulates the heated water throughout the home. In the freezing climates, the transferring fluid used is other than water. The type is fluid is used that do not freezes inside the collector and continuous circulation is done in order to prevent freezing.

Evacuated tube collector

Using evacuated tube collector in the active solar water heating system can be an expensive option. But the efficiency of collecting solar heat is much higher than other collectors; it has the inability to reach the highest temperature. Evacuated tube has a glass tube inside the tube there are flat metal absorbers are installed. The metal absorbers used absorb the solar heat. Read the full story

Whether there is a need of spinning a turbine by steam which is created with the help of fan or the fan clipping on the hat, solar energy has power to turn these fans. Generally solar fans are considered as for solar power ventilation for homes. Exceptionally useful service is provided by the solar fans in home ventilation as home ventilation is very necessary for the comfort at home .Wireless ventilation is provided; therefore no charge on electricity bill is incurred. They are easy to install.

Installation Of Fan

The purpose of solar gable fans or solar attic fans is similar to that of solar ventilation fans. There is a huge variety of applications of the solar ventilation fan. In order to draw air up and out of the attic, the solar ventilation fans are attached on the rooftop of the houses. There is a big advantage when the fan is placed in the rooftop because when it is placed at the highest position in the attic, it ensures a very little air is being trapped underneath the peak of the roof. Solar ventilation fans are safe and very easy to install as compared to other traditional electric fans is also used in boats, RVs and mobile homes. Wireless ventilation is provided by solar ventilation fans, it is very useful up near the roof because there is always a risk of water leakage.

Design Of The Fan

There is square, rectangular, or circular solar panel in most of the designs of solar ventilation fans. these panels are mounted over fan housing. The motor of the fan is powered by the solar panel directly. Read the full story

Hot water systems have been in use since quite a few years now. There are two types of hot water systems, passive and active. Passive systems are, however cheaper and easy to maintain. That is because of the fact that they do not require any controls and pumps for operation. Also, they last longer as compared to active hot water systems.

Types Of Passive Hot Water Systems

There are further two classifications in this.

Type 1:

The first one is integral collector storage systems, commonly known as ICS.

How Does This Work?

The procedure in this system starts from the collector, which heats up the cold water and then it flows into the houses from the collector. These systems are only feasible for warmer areas, since the water gathers the solar heat itself, so sunlight is only available in day time or evening.

Colder regions will not make this system functional. People can also build their own ICS systems to store small amounts of water for personal use at homes.  Generally, these systems can store up to 50 gallons of water, but this amount of storage requires a strong system for the support.

ICS Systems’ Ideal Conditions

The ICS systems are best for households that need just a little amount of water to be heated. Read the full story

It may be true that electricity is not the basic necessity of life but its deprivation can cause us difficulties in accessing the basic necessities of life. Where there are no power lines life becomes quite difficult to spend, but now thanks to the sun we can now take benefit of solar energy.

Solar pumps are a clean and very simple alternative to fuel-burning generators and of course windmills. Solar pump has the ability to produce more water as compared to a windmill or generator even in the harsh climate. Solar pumps are basically designed in such a way that they utilize DC power supply from the panels consisting of photovoltaic cells. Solar pumps can also be modified to operate on AC power supply.

Solar Pumps

Solar water pumps are designed in such a way that they only use DC electric supply from a panel consisting of photovoltaic cells. They must operate at low power during the low light conditions. They must not be stalled or over heated.

Low pumps utilize low volumetric mechanisms due to which the water is sealed in the cavities and forced upward. Where there is a need for high volumes of water then centrifugal pumps are used.

Surface pumps are mounted on the ground level, whereas submersible pumps are lowered into water. Submersible pumps are quite common in deep water wells.

Pump Controller

Pump controller is also known as the current booster. It is an electronic device utilized by most of the solar pumps. It works like an automatic transmission device.

It helps the pump to start and preventing it stalling in case of weak sunlight.

Solar Tracker

Solar pumps are also fitted with solar trackers. Solar trackers adjust the PV array according to the position of the sun, thereby increasing the energy gain up to 55%.Where there is availability of more peak sun hours then overall cost can be reduced by employing a smaller pump and a smaller power supply.

Tracking is efficient most when the weather is clear and sunny, at the same time it is less effective as the weather turns cloudy and cold.

Storage

The most important part is that of storage. Storage depends upon the climate and the usage of water. It may be possible that only three to four days storage may be required. For the sake of simplicity and economy some systems use water storage rather than batteries. A float switch is fitted in the pump which turns the pump off when the water tank is filled, so as to prevent the overflow and wasting of water.

Advantages Of Solar Pumps

Comparison of a solar pump and a windmill is quite meaning less as the solar pumps are quite easy to install and maintain as compared to the windmill and also they are less expensive.

Livestock Watering

Solar pumps are used for watering the livestock. Cattle ranchers enthusiastically use solar pumps. Read the full story