Solar Water Heating in Conjunction With a Tankless Water Heater

How does a Solar Water Heating system work with a Tankless Water Heater? First let us a take a look at how solar heating works. In general there are solar collectors that capture the sun's heat and transfer it to some liquid medium. That liquid medium can be the hot water used later or a special liquid that transfers the heat through a heat exchanger.

The solar collectors can be made from different materials. Copper and Glass are common. If you look at your car's radiator you'll see fins attached to a series of pipes. Here the engine's heat is transferred through antifreeze or other liquid to the radiator. The radiator will then RADIATE the heat to the surroundings and therefore cooling the engine's cooling fluid. The fins provide added physical radiation area for faster cooling and smaller radiator.

Now, Solar Water Heating works just like that, only the process is reversed. The fins or other surface expanding area is used to capture the sun's heat and heat the water or some other fluid inside it. All solar water heating systems have a storage tank and circulation system. The water is heated in the solar panels and then stored in a storage tank that looks like the regular storage water heater tank. The solar tank is much better insulated and retains the heat better since it doesn't have a venting flue like the traditional tank.

In a direct solar system the water in the storage tank is then circulated through the panels to be heated when exposed to the sun and return to the tank again. This system can work without a pump or with a pump, depending on the system's design.

A temperature controlled mixing valve will then mix the water from the tank with fresh cold water to get the desired temperature that is set to. There are various safety components to control the pressure and temperature in the panels and the tank and prevent over heating of the components.

Combined with Tankless Water Heater

The tankless water heater's computer always measures the incoming fresh cold water temperature and adjusts its gas burner so the set hot water temperature can be achieved. The measurement of the outgoing heated water and the incoming water happens many hundred times a minute. The computer then regulates the gas supply to the burner and measures the burner's efficiency and regulates the oxygen for optimum combustion.

The incoming water to the tankless water heater can be of any temperature, almost. The computer can normally vary the combustion from approx. 5% to 100%. A simple example without consideration of water volume is if the hot water temperature is set to 120 deg. F and the incoming water temperature is at 60 deg. F the combustion would be set for 100%. If the incoming water temperature is 120 deg. F then the combustion is set to 0% and the burner would not be fired up. The tankless water heater is able to "pass through" the incoming water if it is approx. equal to its set hot water temperature but it CANNOT cool the water.

A solar water heating system can easily be used with a tankless water heater. It is one of the most economical ways of heating water. The outgoing heated water supply of a solar heating system can be the incoming water supply to the tankless water heater. Anytime the water is below the desired hot water temperature the tankless water heater would heat it to the set temperature and if already at that temperature it would simply "pass through" the hot water.

If such a system is designed and sized properly it can be run with a small tankless water heater that will act only as an auxiliary heater to the solar system provinding hot water in cloudy days and be very cost effective and energy saving.

Autor: Al A Sagafi

Al Sagafi is involved in Energy conservation and renewable energy production at companies at Just Tankless and Allied Solar for Photovoltaic Solar.

Added: February 5, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Build Windmill Power - Can I Get Off the Grid?

There is a lot of talk about "going green" lately, especially windmill power. This has raised a lot of questions about how to build wind power, such as, is it even really possible? The short answer is yes but getting off the power grid is not a walk in the park.

• Why Is Windmill Power So Great?

Windmill power is such a great energy source for the simple fact that wind is free. Notice that I said wind is free, not the creation of wind power. Creating windmill power will take some expense and some upkeep but can be quite lucrative eventually.

• What Don't They Tell Me About Windmill Power?

Nobody talks about the downside of harnessing the wind. The reality is that you can only harness so much of the power from the wind and it isn't very efficient. No windmill, no matter how well built can capture more than about 60% of the energy created from the wind. This is a physical law of nature that can't be broken. The speed and consistency of wind also cannot be controlled and thus will tremendously affect the production of energy. Last but not least, windmill power can be quite noisy and obtrusive looking in a residential neighborhood.

• Does That Mean I Shouldn't Consider A Residential Wind Turbine?

A single residential wind turbine or even a couple wind turbines will not necessarily get you off the power grid. It will likely cut your electricity bill down significantly but unless you live in an area that has high winds year round, you better stay plugged in. You will save money and do something great for the environment but completely disconnecting from the power grid is not likely for most people. Some advocates push a combination of solar panels and wind harnessing to get off the grid but that is a more in depth process. If you are new to the idea of wind power, be satisfied by lowering your bill and helping the planet.

Autor: Tanner Eisley

If you are tired of your local power bill, want to do something good for the environment and are looking to eventually get completely off the grid - Get accurate, up to date information on how to build wind power, residential wind turbines, homemade windmill power and all other aspects of wind power generators at http://www.buildwindmillpowergenerators.com

Added: February 3, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Magnets 4 Energy Review - Simple Energy Production Technologies

Have you ever looked at the soaring costs of energy and wondered if there was something you could do about it? Magnets 4 Energy puts the future of energy generation directly in your hands. This comprehensive kit will teach you how to build your own magnet powered generator that is powerful enough to run your whole house, yet doesn't cost a dime to operate. You can free yourself from the powerful energy companies and use your money on the things you want and need instead.

1. The Truth Behind Magnet Technology.

Magnets 4 Energy will show you that magnet technology is real, and it has been around for several years. The creator of this energy information kit was once employed by the Pentagon and he has seen government agencies and the military put magnetic energy creating technology to use several times. His guide explains why the government wants to keep this powerful technology out of the hands of consumers, even though it could have a substantial impact on the depletion of the Earth's natural resources.

2. You Can Create Your Own Power.

You will learn through the Magnets 4 Energy guide exactly how to build your own magnet powered generator. The guide includes details that teach you how to adjust your generator to get more power when you need it and less when you don't. It also explains how you can make sure that the power company reimburses you for the excess power that you generate. This guide really does put energy production directly into the hands of the consumer.

3. Plans Are Easy To Follow.

Even if you've never held a hammer, you will be able to build your generator using the simple instructions in Magnets 4 Energy. It includes lists of supplies and suggestions for places to buy them. It has diagrams and drawings that show you what your device should look like through all stages of building. The guide's easy to read, step by step details will give you the confidence to build your generator quickly and put it to use right away. Magnet power is the energy of the future, and Magnets 4 Energy is how you can achieve it.

Autor: Thomas K

Is Magnets 4 Energy a scam? Visit http://www.millionsreview.com/magnets-4-energy-review.html to read a FREE report and find out the truth about this Magnetic Generator before you order!

Added: February 2, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/