A quick look at the Solar Water Heater
The concept of a solar water heater is simple: use the sun to heat up the water. Black tubing is very good at absorbing sunlight. We just need to pump the water through some black tubing. Of course, that tubing takes up a lot of space, so I prefer to put it on the roof, so [...]
Lily Pad Pool Warmers
For the past year and a half we’ve been heating our pool with a solar water heater. It pumps the water to the roof, where it runs through black tubes, which absorb as much warmth from the sunlight as possible. This solution has raised our pool temp by about 8˚F. But, it does nothing to [...]
Solar, taking the short and long view
Now that I’ve realized it’s physically possible for me to actually install solar panels at my house, I now need to figure out the best combination of panels and inverter to meet my needs. Inverters are the devices that convert the DC from the solar cells to the AC of my house. There are many [...]
Making the Solar Plunge, One Toe at a Time
I’ve always been a big fan of solar electricity. Put some panels on your roof and free electricity pours down the wires each and every sunny day. I live in Southern California where the sun is bright, yet the electricity prices are steep. A great combination to make solar economical. But, I had no idea [...]
Planning out a Solar Water Heater
The place I moved to in San Marino has a swimming pool, a deck, a grill, outdoor couches, and a kegerator. Everything one would need to throw great summer parties. But, whenever we throw a party, few people jump in the pool. Why? Because it’s much too cold! The beautiful oak trees that shade our [...]
