Solar Hot Water Panels

What is Solar Hot Panels?
Solar hot water panels are a means to harness the sun's energy in a unique way. Like traditional solar panels, solar hot water panels are placed in direct sunlight, oftentimes arrayed on rooftops, like in the photograph below:

How Solar hot water panels work

A solar hot water array, often referred to as a solar hot water heater, uses the energy from the sun to heat a fluid, which is in turn used to move heat generated in the array to a heat storage vessel. The process starts by heating a body of sanitized water and storing it in a hot water cylinder. Next, solar hot water panels would be installed on the rooftop, each with a darkly-coated absorber plate complete with water circulation tubes.

The tubes carry the heated water from the solar water heater to a place where it can be used or stored. A heat exchanger released heat and circulates the cooled water back to the solar hot water array to be reheated. This cycle of heating, energy utilization, and cooling is begun anew with each sunrise and lasts throughout the day for the effective life of the solar hot water heater. These arrays are especially useful for businesses that utilize large quantities of hot water, such as the pictured laundromat.

Solar hot water heaters are composed of a several hot water panel units, and can be fully automated systems.

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Passive Solar Energy

What is passive solar energy? The use of energy from the sun without the help of photovoltaics is reffered to as passive solar energy. Passive solar energy methods are a great way to make use of clean and inexaustible energy from the sun. Methods of passively collecting solar energy include solar ovens and well-planned indoor heating techniques.
Solar Ovens

Solar ovens are much like conventional ovens, and are ideal when the food to be prepared does not need to be prepared quickly or heated to extreme temperatures. Solar ovens are extremely-well insulated boxes, which can consist simply of a clean cardboard box surrounded by layers of insulation and aluminum wrapping. These solar ovens make use of solar energy in very hot and dry locales. Solar ovens require long periods of expose to the sun, and cook foods at lower temperatures and slower rates than convention ovens, but this method of passive solar power use is very inexpensive and has freed many from total dependence on energy from the power greed for their cooking needs.

Solar ovens are also a great passive solar energy source for those on long trips that who are exposed to lots of direct sunshine. The use of solar ovens is an appealing alternative to eating cold woods when on long trips where electricity is not available.
Passive Indoor Heating

Passive Indoor Heating is an excellent way to make use of passive solar energy and cut down on one's energy bills in the wintertime. Passive Indoor Heating requires careful planning in home construction and foresight in regard to the advantages of passive solar energy. During home contruction, with a careful eye to the positioning of windows, one can take advantage of the wintertime sun to provide optimal warmth by shining through the windows for the longest fraction of the day as possible. It is also possible to take advantage of passive solar energy techniques in an already-established home by trimming trees that block sunlight from entering your windows. Keeping the house well-insulated and the doors and windows sealed can make good use of the sun's warmth passively and reduce one's reliance on electricity from the city.
Trombe Walls

Trombe Walls make use of sunlight to heat homes and places of business using the energy of the sun. Read more about Trombe walls here.

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About Solar Panel

The solar revolution of the last two decades has made solar energy an increasingly powerful force in the energy arena.Solar Panels use arrays of solar photovoltaic cells to convert photons into usable electricity. With solar panels, we are provided with clean, renewable energy from the sun. Click below to navigate through our general solar panel information guide and read more about how solar panels work, how they are made, and how they will help with your energy efficiency.

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Solar Panel Installation Tips

Solar Panels are typically installed on rooftops, building tops, or stand-alone facilities. It is vital to install your solar panel so that it gets the most direct sun exposure - you want to make sure your solar panel is maximally effective year round. To do this, there are several web-based solar resources to help you properly set up and install your solar panels by tracking the position of the sun in the sky over the course of the year.
Position your solar panel in direct sunlight

Solar Panels perform at optimum capacity when placed in direct sunlight. Try to position your photovoltaic array directly under the noontime sun for maximum efficiency from your photovoltaic unit.
Notice obstructions to sunlight

Remove all items unnessary items or trim branches that may be blocking sunlight to your solar unit. Trace the path of the sun in the sky to determine if an object is casting a shadow over your solar photovoltaic panels. If this is the case, then the operating efficiency of your unit will undoubtedly suffer.
Mounting your Solar Panel

Solar Panel Mounts are used to install photovoltaic solar panels. Solar panel mounts come in three main varieties: pole mounts, roof-ground mounts, and flush mounts. Using these mounts, you can install your solar panel onto an RV, on top of or against the side of a pole, on your roof, or even install them as a free-standing unit. You can learn more about installing solar panels using mounts in our mounts section.

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