| Getting our energy requirements for the sun is not | | | | move the warmed water to the storage tank. |
| new; we have been using the suns energy to heat | | | | Collectors: |
| water since the 1800s. What is new though is the fact | | | | There are several types of collector, many can be |
| that solar collectors have become economically viable | | | | acquired in kit form or made from plans available from |
| for us to use them in our homes and factories on a | | | | commercial Solar Energy suppliers and on the internet. |
| scale only imagined then. | | | | |
| Solar power can possibly meet all your home power | | | | 1. A simple kind of solar collector is the flat plate type. It |
| needs. Where you live, the design of the system and | | | | might consist of copper pipes in a rectangular painted |
| collector size will all influence the amount of energy | | | | box. As solar energy falls on the box it warms the |
| that can be provided to heat or light your home. | | | | water in the pipes before it is transferred to the |
| Solar heaters come in a variety of styles, | | | | storage tank. |
| configurations, performance levels and of course | | | | 2. The evacuated tube collector is another type where |
| complexity and costs. To heat water they may have | | | | the tubes are enclosed in structures similar to vacuum |
| a back up in place like gas or electricity for the times | | | | flasks to minimise the loss of heat from the system, |
| when there is little or no sunshine as well as the | | | | increasing the efficiency and cost savings. |
| collector, storage tank, circulating pump and controls. | | | | 3. There is an all in one solar energy for homes |
| Types of Solar Energy for Homes Systems: | | | | collector that also stores the heated water ready for |
| | | | use within the collector. Also known as a batch water |
| 1. There are basically two types of heating system, | | | | heater, they are great for smaller houses and warm |
| both use solar collectors, both have storage tanks, but | | | | climates where there is no risk of freezing. |
| the forced circulation system will need a pump to | | | | Most solar collectors are mounted on the roofs of |
| circulate the heated water to the storage tank. Most | | | | buildings, out of shady areas cast by trees and tall |
| domestic systems are like this. | | | | buildings. Solar energy water systems can be used for |
| 2. A passive system uses the fact that hot water | | | | all domestic hot water needs, including domestic, pool |
| rises so generally the storage tank is above the solar | | | | heating and industrial needs. |
| collector, using the natural convection of water flow to | | | | |