Solar Water Heater
More and more homeowners are realizing that a solar water heater can lead to big savings on their electricity bills. But how much money can you really expect to save?
Well, the good news is quite a lot. Most people see a saving of around 33% on their electricity costs after installing a solar heater. That’s because solar hot water systems will supply an average of 80 or even 90% of a home’s annual water heating needs.
It’s pretty cool to be able to knock a third of your bill every month as well help the environment.
How Solar Water Heaters Work
There are two types of home solar heaters, active (also called pumped) – which use pumps and controls for circulation – and passive (also called compact) which don’t. Both types have a solar collector and storage tank.
The collector is mounted on the roof or on a wall that faces the sun and is used to heat a working fluid. In active / pumped systems, the fluid is pumped around while in passive / compact heaters the fluid moves on its own by convection.
In both types of heater, the heat is then passed to the hot water heaters. Some are two-tank systems where the solar water heater preheats the water before sending it to the main water heater. In a one-tank system, the two separate tanks are combined into one.
Solar Water Heating Kit
Although designed to deliver hot water most of the year, there may not be enough solar heat in winter to heat the water fully so an electric or gas booster is also used to provide a heating boost. That means you’ll also have hot water, regardless of weather conditions.
Bear in mind that active / pumped systems need more maintenance than passive / compact systems but active solar water heaters will probably only need to be looked at once every 3-5 years.
Prices for home solar water heating kits vary enormously – you’ll see kits prices at anything from a few hundred dollars to one of two thousands dollars. That said, there’s a number of excellent kits at a more affordable price.
One of the best is the 2 Panel Hybrid Solar Water Heater Kit from Heliatos Solar, currently selling at less than $500. For that you can a complete kit for self-installation that connects to your existing water heater (electric or gas). It’s even part pre-assembled. Check the full details here.
The DIY Solar Water Heater
DIY Solar Heater Book
3 of the Best Solar Security Lights
Fulcrum LED Solar Porch Light
First, there’s the Fulcrum Motion Sensor LED Porch Light
The motion sensor can detect movement with a 25-foot range and stays on until no motion has been detected for more than 30 seconds. Each Fulcrum lighting unit is self-contained – no need for wiring – and the whole unit can be angled round by 100 degrees to shine into otherwise difficult to light parts of the garden or yard. Mounting the unit is no more complicated than two screws.
Dorcy LED Solar Security Light
– in many way it’s similar to the Fulcrum but a little more sophisticated.The main difference is that the light unit comes with a four-way swivel allowing it to shine into deeper, darker corners around the outside of your home. The beam is brighter too, with a range of 350ft. There are actually two levels of brightness available so you can prolong battery life. The manufacturers say the Dorcy should run for a year without needing a change of batteries.
Like the Fulcrum, the Dorcy is simple to attach and you can set the motion sensor to switch off the security light after 30 seconds or two minutes.
Maxsa Innovations Solar Panel Light Kit
– another motion activated security light, the Maxsa unit has two swiveling lights that give excellent lighting over a very wide area.The motion sensor on this solar security light is another notch up the sophistication scale because you can adjust the reaction sensitivity to keep the light off if a passing squirrel wanders through your garden but activate the light if a vehicle pulls up.
Because the solar panel is separate and not built-in to the main light, installation is a little more involved but nothing too major and it does have the advantage that you can angle the solar panel exactly in the direction that works best, regardless of the direction the two lights are pointing.
Final Verdict: If you’re looking for the cheapest solar security light go for the Fulcrum Porch Ligh
Solar Powered Rainbow Maker with Swarovski Crystal
Spread some colorful light and joy into your home with the Kikkerland Rainbow Maker.
Attach the rainbow maker to your window with either a suction cup or wire hanger (both included) and cast a cheering rainbow effect through your room. This solar light unit refracts like through a genuine Swarovski crystal.
Ideal for brightening up winter days.
Sunsei 71015 SE-24000 400-Watt 16.5-Volt Solar Panel Generator
The perfect solution for backup power in remote locations like cabins, cottages, RVs and boats.
Provides reliable 400-watt 16.5 volt solar power – a popular alternative to expensive (and noisy!) diesel, gas or propane generators. This state-of-art solar charger produces 400 watts of power for multiple batteries simultaneously.
When used in mobile situations, the aerodynamic design comes into its own – reducing both drag and vibration. Multiple panels can be connected with needing tools or fiddly rewiring. The full Sunseu solar kit comes complete with three crystalline solar panels, three 10-foot 12-gauge power cables, connector wires, 36 mounting brackets and two expansion kits.
Comes with a two year warranty.
ECONOSWITCH T1071 Programmable Lights Timer Switch
Save money by making sure your lights only come on when you need them.
The Aube by Honeywell is a seven day programmable wall switch that works with all types of lighting – both indoor and outdoor. The Aube is designed to fit flush against a standard wall plate so it will fit perfectly with your existing lighting system.
Works with incandescent, halogen and fluorescent lighting and motors
Seven day timer with up to 14 events per week
Switch effortlessly between manual and automatic modes or random modes for use as a indoor security lights. Automatic mode turns lights on / off at sunset / sunrise and adjusts for daylight saving (no need to reprogram). You can also set your own times that lights should come on or go off.
Easy installation & programming
Backlight for easy reading in low light areas.
Comes with a 3-year warranty.
Brunton Portable Solar Panel
Lightweight, foldable, portable solar panel using next generation CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide) – the most efficient thin film solar panel technology there is.
With an output of 26 watts it’s ideal for charging laptops, digital cameras, cell phones, satellite phones, etc. Only 11 x 8.5 x 1 inches when folded and weighs only 28 ounces.
Comes with Storage Sack, Vehicle outlet cable, Multi-link cable, Battery clamp cable and a full One-Year Warranty.
Scosche SolBAT II Solar Powered Backup Battery and Charger
Beautifully designed and can charge most devices including, iPhone, iPod, Blackberry and MP3 players and other devices. The internal 1500ma Lithium-Ion battery stores power for when you need it and can be recharged by solar power or by using the included USB cable.
Comes with windshield mount cradle & universal carbineer mount.
Sunpak Sc-2800 Solar / USB NiMH 2800 mAh Battery Charger
The Sunpak Sc-2800 Solar / USB NiMH Battery Charger (2800 mAh) can be used to recharge NiMH batteries by solar energy or via USB port on your laptop or computer. Solar charging takes 8-10 hours for a full charge, a full charge using USB takes 3-4 hours. A lightweight, portable solar charger – just over 8 Oz.
