WTU Solar Hot Water System Video #2
Have you ever wondered exactly what’s going on inside the flat plate collectors of a solar hot water system? In this video I provide some insight into that question during our training session for NAVFAC. If you look inside a typical flat plate collector, you will see individual black plated copper fins. Manufacturers have different methods for […]
What’s the COP of a Solar Thermal System?
COP is a term that is used to refer to the performance of heat pumps. Coefficient Of Performance is the ratio of the energy to drive the compressor versus the energy transferred. For any solar thermal system there is a “COP” which refers to the energy gained vs the energy to run the system. More […]
Upcoming Solar Thermal Engineering Course
Hey Gang! I’m excited to announce that the North Carolina Solar Center is offering a professional-level one-day course on commercial solar hot water systems. Here are the details… “Designing Durable, Low-Maintenance Commercial Solar Thermal Systems” Friday, September 9, 2011 8:30am – 5:00pm Holiday Inn Express at NCSU 3741 Thistledown Drive Raleigh, NC 27606 Or Attend Remotely Using Elluminate […]
Murphey School Solar Hot Water System
I went to check our solar hot water system being installed on the roof of the Murphey School Apartments in downtown Raleigh yesterday. Our friends at Peak Steel were installing the structural support upon which the array of fifteen solar hot water collectors will be mounted. I prefer to have my systems mechanically attached to […]
Installing Solar Hot Water Collectors at WTU
Another important step in the construction of the solar hot water system for the Warrior Transition Unit occurred yesterday as several crates containing solar hot water collectors manufactured by Alternate Energy Technologies were lifted to the roof by crane. Thanks to the skillful work of our installers at AEC, this project is moving forward smoothly […]
‘Going Around Your Elbow to Get to Your Thumb’ in Solar Water Heaters
Every once in a while someone will ask me if it makes sense to collect solar energy with photovoltaic panels and then use that electricity to heat water. The answer is a rather emphatic NO. The reason is very simple. Photovoltaic (PV) systems have efficiencies in the 10-15% range and solar thermal systems have efficiencies […]
The little old lady in the mountains of Virginia
I got a phone call one day from an elderly lady in the Blacksburg area of Virginia. She got my phone number off the company sticker on her solar tank. When I answered the phone, she introduced herself, said she was 80 years old and had one of my solar hot water systems, and it […]
“How durable is solar equipment?” – Some Testimonials
Over the years, customers from all over the country have called or emailed me for a replacement solar hot water system part, whether a pump, or control, or corrosion inhibitor for the tank. The following email is from one such person in Massachusetts. I got a chuckle from the comment at the end… “Ben, In […]
“Solar energy is free, right?”
“Solar energy is free, right?” Update 12-31-14 Yes and no. Sunlight is free, unless your neighbor builds a 40 ft building next to your solar system, but that’s another story (see history of solar article). Yes, sunlight is free, but the equipment to capture and distribute it is not. That means solar is basically a […]
“I want 100% solar!”
“I want 100% solar!” Update 12-31-14 I frequently get asked if a person can get 100% of their heating and hot water from solar. I always answer with a story. Let’s say you need 500,000Btu (500kBtu) on Sunday for heating and hot water in the dead of the winter. So, we size a solar system […]