Solar Power For Home

Archive for the ‘Solar Power’ Category

Question by Mostafa: how big should be the solar cells to power an office cool/warm water dispenser?
I want to design a solar powered water dispencer and it also cools and/or warms the water for drinking.Is it practical to install a 1square meter solar cell?

Best answer:

Answer by roderick_young
I just checked our water cooler, and it has a maximum draw of 144 watts. There is a type of cooler that dumps transfers heat from the cold side to the hot side, and that might do what you want. But I would not expect boiling water for tea, just warmer than room temperature, and chilled on the other side. A solar panel of 1 square meter could do this, but you would have to charge NiMH batteries to power the compressor, as the power draw is on and off, and you would not want to waste the energy of the solar panel when the compressor is off. The reason I say NiMH is that lithium would be expensive, and any kind of lead-acid, even sealed, is inappropriate for a food appliance.

You would want to heavily insulate the hot and cold reservoirs, and I assume that warm and cool water is not a critical application, so if the sun doesn’t shine or the batteries run out, there’s no harm.

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Question by Noob Top: Making my own Hydel and solar power source?
I need to make a Heydel Generator from motion of the water and solar power panels. How can I make one?

Best answer:

Answer by J.
http://www.builditsolar.com

Don’t waste your time with hydro if you do not have velocity AND volume to drive it.

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Question by Jacob hmmmmm: Should I get a solar power system or wind turbine to reduce my electrical bill?
I live in west Texas where wind turbines are huge so I am considering either a personal wind turbine or solar system to reduce my electricity bill. The power company says we use 4000kw per month. Which system is best and what model should I consider

Best answer:

Answer by Mike1942f
Because of your location, you have a slight chance of wind being feasible although solar should also work. You need to look at the economics, especially whether you can sell excess back to the power company (not forced by the state in Texas as it is in Wisconsin, as far as I know)
You are not using 4000 kw per month, you might be using 4000 kwh (kilowatt hours) Based on my usage in Dallas (535 in winter), you are using a healthy amount, but you have to be aware that both both wind and solar are going to fail to give full service because if winds dying at night and it going dark. You will have to pay for battery backup or use the Grid as backup. If you are paying a premium summer rate for daytime Air Conditioning power, cutting this down with either one will pay back better than just using average numbers.
Among other things, you need to discover your peak usage (the power company may know this for billing)

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Question by xtrapoints: How does solar power affect the environment?
Do the solar power plants affect the environment?
If so, how?
Oh, and a source wouldn’t hurt

Best answer:

Answer by JENK
solar power does not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and is completely renewable. solar may be the only energy source in the future

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Question by PLDGOR: How much power can Solar Power give?
I’m wanting to write a book. In this book, I am thinking of having a Solar Tower, covered with Solar panels. Would this be enough to generate enough power for a small city or town?
Also, what else would I need? Wind power? I’m thinking of having it set on smaller islands near England, and they need to be self sufficient.

Best answer:

Answer by Logan
sounds really cool!
you should probably make the solar tower extremely high…
and you should have lots of wind power too. in reality, the tower would be near impossible to create, and supply maybe a house for everyday electricity, but nobody really knows that in real life.
self sufficient is the way to go (you don’t need to tell readers about the ‘only supplying a house’ thing because most people are oblivious when it comes to solar power. just say that it supplies an entire city and they’ll believe it!)

good luck!

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Question by Mitch Rawlings: What are advantages of solar power harvesting over wind?
What are the advantages of solar power harvesting over wind?

Im putting together a project, mostly on a future perspective from an investment point of view, but I would welcome any information or ideas you have about solar technologies benefits vs Wind harvesting technologies

Best answer:

Answer by Jessica
its eaiser to store and can be stored longer, it also is eaier to obtain and wont kill birds

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Question by Dame Fran: Can I power my electric air conditioner with solar panels?
Do I have to buy a solar air conditioner to power it with solar power, or can I use my regular electric air conditioner? The solar a.c.s are crazy expensive, so I want to use what I have. Is that possible? And if so, how do I do it?

Best answer:

Answer by peltonwheeler
Just open a window and let in some fresh air -it costs nothing .

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Question by java_user: How to get solar power continuously and without any interrupt?
Gas prices are bound to increase , I think will never come below . Only solar power is the guaranteed clean,affordable ,low prices alternative option.Only problem is it is not available at all time, Can we build a system that can be placed above the clouds and supply us the solar energy on the ground continuously? Any thoughts?

Best answer:

Answer by Larry Lawrence
“Only solar power is the guaranteed clean,affordable ,low prices alternative option.”

Clean? How are they manufactured?
Affordable? Why don’t we all have them?
Placed above the clouds? Hmmmm…..would this increase the cost? Does it get dark above the clouds at night?

Keep thinking!

Check your facts, Mr. 357. Listen to “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd. Especially the very end.

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Question by Tasi: A hot-water heater is operated by solar power. If the solar collector has an area of 6.0 m2 and the power deli?
A hot-water heater is operated by solar power. If the solar collector has an area of 6.0 m2 and the power delivered by sunlight is 550 W/m2, how long will it take to increase the temperature of 1 m3 of water from 23°C to 61°C?

Best answer:

Answer by JullyWum
Rate of heat supply = 550 J/s x 6.0m² = 3300 J/s

Heat energy required H = m.s.∆θ
H = (1000kg)(4200 J/kg.ºC)(38ºC) = 1.60^8 J

t = 1.60^8 J / 3300 J/s .. .. ►t = 4.84^4 s .. (13.4 hr)

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Question by : With some solar panels in hand, what are the other tools you’ll need to build your own power plant?
Electric bills are rising! In order to make up for it, i’ll build my own power plant!

With that huge solar plant up and running I’ll never need an external power source. And I can even sell energy and make my own solar power plant capable of producing power that of nuclear power plant.

I’m also thinking about a Fusion Reactor but that is another story…
Thanks for the advice I’m just getting started…

Best answer:

Answer by readupmore.
You need the frame to mount the panels. You need a regulator to control the dispersion of electricity to the power grid. You need batteries to store electricity for night. You need a power inverter to change DC to AC.

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