Pleasant Ranch

The concept of living off grid has become very popular recently. One of the most important first steps in being able to live off grid is having the ability to heat water efficiently. This can be achieved by installing a solar photovoltaic panel kit. Solar energy is much more practical today than in the past, largely due to affordable home solar panel kits.

Many people don’t realize the number of options they have when making the switch to homemade energy. Solar panel kits can be built in your own back yard and used to heat your water.Before the water enters your home it passes through a series of pipes heated by the solar collector. You will also need a storage tank to help keep the water warm before it is used in your home.

The most common collector is a flat plate collector. It is designed to be a thin, flat rectangular box that has a transparent cover and it can carry fluid to be heated. The fluid can be water or it may be a solution, such as antifreeze that will prevent the water from freezing. Next the water moves through the tubes to an absorber plate. This plate is painted black to attract and absorb the heat from the sun. When the collector gets hot, it will heat the fluid that passes through the tubes. The water will then pass through the tubes and then to the storage tank. This tank holds the heated water. It is usually well insulated so the water will stay warm longer. Then the water flows into the home on demand.

There are two groups in which solar water heating systems are divided into, Active and Passive:

1. The active water heating system is quicker and more efficient making it the most common system. Relying mainly on a pump or some type of mechanical device, the water is moved from the flat plate collector to the storage tank.

2. Heating water by relying on gravity to feed the water from the flat plate collector to the storage tank is called a passive system. This system may be slow and difficult to keep up with demand. Having the angle correct on your flat plate collector and storage tank is also a must for the passive system to work properly since it relies on gravity.

Solar power is an efficient and affordable alternative for heating water and requires some knowledge and minimal efforts. You can take the first step to living off grid by choosing to heat your water using solar power.