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DIY Solar PowerDIY solar power systems are generally used for heating water. They can save you a lot of money and are great for the environment. They are composed of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir or tank for heat storage and subsequent use. These residental solar power systems may be used to heat domestic hot water, swimming pool water, or for space heating. The heat can also be used for industrial applications or as an energy input for other uses such as cooling equipment. Performance Of A DIY Solar Power System In many climates, hot water solar panels can provide a very high percentage (50 to 75%) of domestic hot water energy. The more progressive solar water panels have an overall efficiency of almost 80%, they are much more efficient than electric photovoltaic solar panels (efficiency of 7-15%). And if we compare them on a like-for-like basis, the price of a DIY Solar Power Water Heater is around 30p/watt (compared to £6+/watt for solar photovoltaic panel). In April, an overcast day without any sunshine hot water solar panels are still able to heat a 210 litre hot water cylinder to 40°C with our vacuum tubes. A sunny day in April will warm the cylinder as high as 60C using our DIY solar power panels. Unscrupulous Dealers Because the passive solar hot water industry has been a closed shop for so long, the cost of hiring a company to install hot water solar panels like this can be expensive (£3000-£5000). There are a lot of cowboys ripping people off with vastly inflated prices. This is the only disadvantage of solar energy I can think of. So be careful and shop around! And some of these so called solar power dealers try the hard sell, bullying people - especially the elderly - into signing up to their ridiculous offers. However, installing solar energy in homes needn't be a costly exercise. If you have ever scratched your head wondering "how do I go about converting my house into solar energy without it costing ME the earth" then read on... Convert Home To Solar Energy Basically, if you have a basic grasp of diy then you can easily build your own solar energy installation. Where can I purchase such kits You can source these materials yourself or you can buy ready-to-go diy solar heating kits here. OK OK, this is an unashamed plug for my own diy solar heating kits. But i tell you something.....its hard to beat on price and quality. I sell full ready-to-go kits at a fraction of the price of others. Why? Because I'm on a mission to get as many people on solar energy as possible! I am UK based but will deliver anywhere worldwide. I sell these diy solar heating kits on eBay. Check out my eBay feedback on solar goods. Useful resources For more information on the plumbing side of things go to my plumbing section. To see how you would install such a system go to the alternative energy sources photos for a step by step pictorial guide. To return to our solar energy wasted page. To return to our solar energy home page.
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