Solar Power Your Home For Dummies E-Book

Rik DeGunther

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 657

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

The bestselling alternative energy reference book in North America—now in an updated edition

Want to take advantage of solar power in your home? Whether you’re looking to save on your energy costs by adding a few solar components or you want to build a solar-powered house from the ground up, Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to put it to work for you!

This new edition gives you hands-on tips and techniques for making your home more energy-efficient though solar power—and helping the planet at the same time. Plus, you’ll get all the latest information on changes to federal, state, and local regulations, laws, and tax incentives that seek to make solar-power adoption more feasible.

• Expanded coverage of the technology that underpins full-scale solar-power systems for the home
• New small- and mid-sized solar products, projects, and applications
• Rik DeGunther is a design engineer who started his own energy consulting firm

Featuring ten of the easiest and cheapest DIY solar projects, Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition is the fun and easy way to meet your energy needs with this clean power source!

Leseprobe

Solar Power Your Home for Dummies®

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Playing the Energy Game

Part II: Understanding Solar — Just the Facts, Ma’am

Part III: Applications Aplenty: Projects from Small to Large

Part IV: Exploring Full-Scale Photovoltaic Systems

Part V: Buying, Selling, and Building a Solar Home

Part VI: The Part of Tens

Icons Used in This Book

Part I: Playing the Energy Game

Chapter 1: Helping the World through Solar Power

Looking for Sustainable Energy

Understanding Why Solar Is King

Reaping financial rewards

Erasing your carbon footprint

Enjoying solar’s unlimited supply

Exercising your legal rights to sunlight

Appreciating solar energy’s versatility

Gaining independence from fossil fuel sources

Eliminating peak power grid problems

Acknowledging the Dents in the Crown

Initial costs and falling prices

Reliability and timing

Red tape and aesthetically minded neighbors

Effort and upkeep

Unscrupulous contractors and wild claims

Small to Supergiant: Choosing Your Level of Commitment

Small- to mid-sized projects

Large projects

Designing a solar home from scratch

Chapter 2: Surveying Your Household Energy Efficiency and Use

Dissecting Your Energy Bills

Collecting the data

Divvying up costs, month by month

Checking out a sample electric bill

Accounting for anomalies

Adding Up Typical Energy Usage

Auditing Your House

Plugging leaks

Checking insulation

Minding the details

Analyzing your major appliances

Getting Professional Audits

Chapter 3: Making Your Home Energy Efficient

Conserving Energy without Reducing Quality of Life

Changing Habits and Equipment Is Hard to Do — Or Is It?

Lighting

Appliances and electronics

Hot water

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

Structural changes: Windows and roofs

Swimming pools and hot tubs

Window Covers: Blinds, Awnings, and Shades

Blinds

Awnings

Shades and screens

Optimizing Operating Schedules

Controlling heating and cooling

Opening and closing windows and doors

Part II: Understanding Solar — Just the Facts, Ma’am

Chapter 4: Working with Solar Basics

Understanding the Nature of Light

Here Comes the Sun: Radiation Reacting with Matter

A bit of light interaction

Look! Up in the sky! Light through the atmosphere

Using Sunlight Converted into Heat

On the move: Modes of heat transfer

Keeping the heat where you want it

Converting Sunlight into Electricity: Photovoltaic Cells

Understanding Photovoltaics in More Detail

The basics of every PV cell

Looking at different module types

Analyzing module performance

Shining a light on PV arrays

Looking into the Future

Chapter 5: Evaluating Your Solar Potential

Mother Nature in Your Neck of the Woods: Climate

Plotting Your Sun Charts

Charting out the basic path of the sun

Adding skyline effects

Noting sunlight intensity

Collector Cross Sections

Mounting Your Collectors Optimally

Chapter 6: Calculating Payback on Your Solar Investment

Analyzing Solar Investments

Calculating net costs

Figuring out monthly savings

Putting the numbers together: Figuring payback

Analyzing risk

Accounting for the intangibles

Examining Real-Life Scenarios

Supplementing an existing water heater with solar

Putting money in a bank or stock market

Accounting for pollution

Reaping rewards of rising energy costs

Calculating for different rate structures

Appreciating a solar home’s increase in value

Financing solar investments with a home equity loan

Replacing broken water heaters

Diving in to swimming pool solar heaters

Blowing hot air

Working with solar in your home office

Chapter 7: Installing Your Solar System

Paying Attention to Your Pocketbook

The Best Projects for Do-It-Yourselfers

Considering the Best Overall Investments

Getting the Most Out of Your Equipment

Playing It Safe

Intertie PV-generating systems

Plumbing and electrical work

Solar panels

Water heaters

Batteries

Part III: Applications Aplenty: Projects from Small to Large

Chapter 8: Digging In to Landscape Projects

Building a Solar Fountain

Making a basic barrel solar fountain

Designing your own master creation

Lighting Your Yard with Solar

Planting Trees and Shrubs for Shade and Wind Control

Planting for your day in the shade

Directing the wind

Anti-solar Power: Using Awnings, Lattices, and Overhangs

Chapter 9: Jumping In to Small Projects with Big Results

Going for Gizmos, Gadgets, and More

Washing with portable showers

Shining light on solar flashlights

Doing yard work with solar machinery

Creating ambience with swimming pool novelty lights

Spreading holiday cheer

Coverings and Barriers: Letting (Or Not Letting) the Sun Shine In

Choosing locations for window coverings

Investing in blinds and drapes

Installing sunscreens for summer

Putting up radiant barriers

Securing Your Home

Hosing down your problems

Blasting the bad guys with light

Engaging in Small Power Projects

Battery power: Charging up your life

Small-scale PV systems: Using just a modest amount of power

Working with RV appliances

Going Off-Grid on a Piece-by-Piece Basis

Making your reading lamp go off-grid

Installing solar light tubes (tubular skylights)

Using tabletop solar fans

Cooking with the Sun

Making a solar oven

Cooking with a solar oven

Improving your next solar oven design

Chapter 10: Heating and Purifying Water

Exploring Water Heating Systems

Getting the Scoop on Solar Components

Collecting the sunlight

Pipe dreams: Setting up the flow of traffic

Completing the flow system with valves and monitors

Forcing the issue with pumps and thermosiphons

Directing traffic with controllers

Addressing mounting concerns

Deciding Whether to Do It Yourself

Weighing your options

Going it alone: A guide to the skills you need for different projects

Purifying Your Drinking Water

Chapter 11: Diving In to Swimming Pool Projects

Warming Your Pool With Solar Pool Covers

Understanding how covers work

Reviewing operational considerations

Getting the most out of your pool cover

Looking at the Pluses and Minuses of a Solar Pool Heater

Making Your Swimming Pool Efficient

Understanding a Simple Starter System

Deciding on the Size of Your Collectors

Installing a Complete System

Creating a Simple Homemade System

Chapter 12: Supplementing Your Domestic Water Heater

Looking at the Various Systems

Highlighting the most popular systems

Skimming through the lesser systems

Considering factors that dictate the type of system

Following Good Advice (Mine)

Heating Things Up in Your Old Hot Tub

Installing an ICS Batch System for Mild Climates

Installing a Drainback System for Most Climates

Installing an All-Weather, Closed-Loop Antifreeze System

Taking a Quick Peek at Radiant Heat Floor Systems

Chapter 13: Breezeway: Directing Wind within Your House

Capitalizing on Natural Ventilation

Catering to the prevailing winds

Letting the heat rise: Chimney effect

Optimizing air movement

Dealing with seasonal variations

Choosing and Using Your Fans

Viewing fan efficiency and operation

Considering fan types

Directly Powering Tabletop and Ceiling Fans

Installing a Solar Attic Vent Fan

Opting for solar

Choosing the best location

Selecting the type of fan for your application

Building a Solar Space Heater

Chapter 14: Solar Pumps, Wind Power, Hydro Power, and Batteries in Applications

Directly Powering Pumps and Motors

Water supply systems

Swimming pool pump systems

Working with PV Systems with Batteries

Assessing your power needs

Powering remote and mobile locations

Wind and Water Solar Power

Blowing with the wind

Using water resources for your power needs

Chapter 15: Glass Houses (and Plastic, Too): Greenhouses and Sunrooms

Choosing a Type of Solar Room

Growing green things

Basking in the sunroom

Exploiting Natural Effects

Understanding the greenhouse effect

Up, up, and away with the chimney effect

Taking a Quick Look at Typical Projects

Getting the Most Out of Your Design

Anatomy of a solar room

Following design and building tips

Part IV: Exploring Full-Scale Photovoltaic Systems

Chapter 16: Taking a Close Look at Photovoltaic Systems

The Benefits of Powering Your Home with PV Systems

Looking at the Basic Components of a Intertie System

Various types of panels

Mounting equipment

DC-to-AC inverters

Tracking mounts

Disconnect switches

Wiring and fuse box connections

Utility power meters

Installing a PV System

All the things you need to do: The process in a nutshell

Contractor or DIY? Things to think about

Working with kits

Safety

Chapter 17: Is a Full-Scale PV System Worth the Investment?

Why an Intertie System Makes Financial Sense

Exploiting every bit of energy your system generates

Understanding net metering

Determining System Size

Predicting System Production

Panel types

Inverter type

Tilt angle

Azimuth

Shade levels

Distance from the roof

Rated DC and AC output

Expected energy output

Calculating Monthly Savings

Types of rate structures

Analyzing monthly savings in detail

Calculating the Cost of a System

Chapter 18: Divorcing the Grid: Going Solo with Solar Power Systems

Understanding Off-Grid Ramifications

Considering higher costs and maintenance

Looking green

Surveying Off-Grid Solar Options

AC or DC

Understanding Batteries (Familiarity Breeds Contempt)

Battery types

Capacity and efficiency

Maintenance

Lifetime

Risks

Specifying and Pricing Your Systems

Peeking In on a Real-Life Scenario

Calculating needs

Checking out the complete system

Chapter 19: Do It Yourself or Contract Out?

Design and Installation Issues That Can Influence Your Decision

Getting Good Information

Being Realistic about Codes and Regulations

On the honor system: Choosing to follow code

Passing code

Hiring a Contractor

Knowing what a contractor can do

Getting bids

Comparing bids

Interviewing a contractor

Contracting

Working with a contractor after the job begins

Chapter 20: Finding the Cash to Get the Job Done

The Different Types of Subsidies

Rebates

Tax credits

No property tax increases

Incentives for home-operated businesses

Net metering

Tax-deductible home equity loans

Researching All the Subsidy Options

Getting a Loan For Your Solar PV System

Borrowing money the old-fashioned way

Using an energy-efficient financing program

Pursuing energy efficient mortgages

Thinking about other mortgage options

Considering Alternative Financing

Leasing solar equipment

Buying an energy-producing plot of land

Working with Banks (Their Way or the Highway)

Part V: Buying, Selling, and Building a Solar Home

Chapter 21: Building a Solar Home from the Ground Up

Following the Basic Rules of Home Building

Location, Location, Orientation

Evaluating local building codes and regulations

Considering the solar potential

Designing Your Solar Home

Taking advantage of your lot’s features

Getting the basic principles right

Starting on the design from the outside

What living space works best where

The Devil’s in the Details of Fabrication

Floors and windows

Appliances and utilities

Roofing and ventilation

Time to Start Pounding Nails

Chapter 22: Buying and Selling a Solar Home

Buying an Existing Home with the Intention of Installing Solar

Dwelling on the pros

Considering the cons

Getting the information you need

Buying an Existing Solar Home

Checking out the home

Determining a solar home’s value

Selling Your Solar Home for Big Bucks

Part VI: The Part of Tens

Chapter 23: Ten Best Solar Investments

Nurturing Mother Nature with Landscaping

Installing PV Systems to Offset the Most Carbon Pollution

Using a Solar Swimming Pool Heater

Putting a Cover on Your Swimming Pool

Harnessing the Sun to Heat Your Water

Lighting Your Yard All Night Long

Redecorating for Functionality and Appearance

Putting Up Overhangs to Make Your Home More Comfortable

Increasing Your Living Space

Banishing Hot Air with a Solar Attic Vent Fan

Chapter 24: Ten or So Best Do-It-Yourself Projects

Using Just About Every Tool in the Box to Install a Solar Water Heater

Literally Going Green with Landscaping

Venting Your Attic and Cooling Off the Entire House

Sheltering Living Spaces from the Sun

Warming up the Water with an Off-Grid Solar Swimming Pool Heater

Providing an Endless Source of Purified Drinking Water

Now You’re Really Cooking

Charging Your Batteries the Solar Way

Reading Under the Sun at Night

Pumping Water to New Heights with a Solar Fountain

Getting Creative with a Solar-Powered Sprinkler

Chapter 25: Ten Cheap Solar Projects and Devices

Landscape Lighting

Portable Showers

Sunscreens with Roll-up Mechanisms

Solar Fountains

Sun Tea

Battery Chargers

Solar Cooking

Solar Hat Fans

Solar Lamps

Solar Flashlights

Chapter 26: Ten or So Worst Solar Mistakes

Installing Like Curly, Moe, and Larry

Opting for a Solar Swimming Pool Heater Rather Than a Solar Cover

Going Out of Your Mind by Going Off-Grid

Relying on Solar When You Rarely See the Sun

Cheaping Out on Water Heater Systems

Your Eyes Are Bigger Than Your Stomach

Skipping the Groundwork

Going with the Cheapest Bid Because It’s the Cheapest

Ignoring Murphy’s Law

Solar Power Your Home For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

by Rik DeGunther

Solar Power Your Home For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Author

Rik DeGunther attended the University of Illinois as an undergraduate and Stanford University as a graduate student, studying both applied physics and engineering economics (some of this education actually stuck!). Over the course of an engineering career, he worked as a project engineer, project manager, and product designer. He holds several United States patents and has designed a wide range of technical equipment, including solar power systems, military radar jammers, weather measurement equipment, high-powered vacuum tubes, computerized production hardware, golf practice devices, digital and analog electronic circuits, unmanned aerial vehicles, guitars and amplifiers, microwave systems, explosive devices (strictly by accident), cloud height sensors, fog sensors, furniture, houses, barns, rocket ships, dart throwers, flamethrowers, eavesdropping devices, escape routes, nefarious capers, and you name it. He’s one of those nerdy guys who likes to take things apart to see how they work and then put them back together and try to figure out what the leftover parts are for.

Rik is CEO of Efficient Homes, an energy efficiency auditing firm in Northern California. He is actively engaged in designing and developing new solar equipment, including off-grid lighting systems and off-grid swimming pool heaters. He writes weekly op-ed columns for the Mountain Democrat, California’s oldest and most venerable newspaper. He has also written a golf book (on putting) and spends most of his free time attempting to improve his relatively impressive but objectively droll golf handicap, usually to no avail. Sometimes the urge strikes him to play a very loud guitar, of which he owns a collection with far more intrinsic quality than the playing they receive. His hearing has been faltering the last few years, so he rebuilt his amplifier to go up to 11.

Dedication

Of course, this book is dedicated to Katie, Erik, and Ally. Without them, the sun would not shine at all, and this work of art wouldn’t exist.

Author’s Acknowledgments

Many thanks to all those who have contributed to the material in this book, whether wittingly or not: Dick and Betty DeGunther, Professor Mitchell Weissbluth, Professor A. J. Fedro, Professor Lamb, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Leland Stanford, Mike Pearcy, Jordan Cobb, Eric Micko, Vikki Berenz, Connie Cowan, Betsy Sanders, Jim DeGunther, Sarah Nephew, Freddie Mercury, and Dave and Gary Romano of Sierra Valley Farms. Thanks to Robin Harp (Rik Manes and Reuben Veek) and the crew at Solarecity in Roseville, California, for educating me on the tricks of the solar trade. Thanks to Dr. Keith Kennedy and Watkins-Johnson Company for showing restraint above and beyond the call of duty. And thanks to John Steinbeck for making me understand what’s important and what’s not, and in the same vein, Derek Madsen.

Thanks to Mike Baker and Tracy Barr from Wiley and to the technical editor Greg Raffio for his excellent and well-received insights and for generously giving his time to this project. And thanks to Stephany Evans at Imprint Agency for getting all the ducks in a row.

Last but not least, thanks to all the For Dummies fans out there who have made the series what it is today.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

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Introduction

Solar Power Your Home For Dummies, 2ndEdition,can help you turn your solar inspirations into reality without losing your shirt or your sanity. With this book — and with some good, hard work and perseverance on your part — you can achieve the laudable goal of installing solar power equipment at your home.

About This Book

This book provides you with an ample solar knowledge base and lets you apply that info through do-it-yourself projects — or through hiring others to do the work for you. I use plain English to the extent possible, breaking down complex technical concepts into bite-sized pieces. But my goal is always to help you navigate the maze of solar technology as efficiently and sensibly as possible.

Every house is different. Climates are different, even in areas separated by a couple of miles. Markets are evolving, suppliers are changing, and technology is constantly evolving. Sometimes you’re going to have to make your own decisions, and I can give you only the pertinent information you need to make the best one. Or in some cases, all I can do is point you toward the information sources you need to consult. But you can find the essentials here, tailor them to your own situation, and get a solar system that really works for you.

Conventions Used in This Book

For simplicity’s sake, this book follows a few conventions:

Italicized terms are immediately followed by definitions.

Bold indicates the action parts in numbered steps. It also emphasizes the keywords in a bulleted list.

Web addresses show up in monofont.

When this book was printed, some Web addresses may have needed to break across two lines of text. Rest assured that I haven’t put in any extra characters (such as hyphens) to indicate the break. Just type in exactly what you see in this book, pretending as though the line break didn’t exist.

Foolish Assumptions

Here are some things I assume about you:

You want to add a solar component to your home. I assume that you’ve already decided to move but aren’t really sure which is the best direction or the best speed. You want to make the right decisions, and you understand those decisions are entirely yours to make.

You have some do-it-yourself skills. You — or whoever’s helping you install the equipment — can handle a screwdriver and power drill. You may know the basics of plumbing or electrical work.

You want to get things done as efficiently and sensibly as possible. (Note I didn’t say quickly, because that leads to errors in both judgment and facilitation.) You don’t necessarily have an engineering degree, and you don’t want to know every technical detail concerning the various solar technologies.

You need working knowledge of a project so that you can hire professionals and discuss matters with them. You don’t plan on handling a major project yourself, but you want enough information to make informed decisions.

You’ve got the right attitude for tackling projects. Projects rarely, if ever, go the way you envision when you were drawing up the plans. As a lifelong practitioner of projects big and small, I’ve learned to be patient and enjoy the road every bit as much as the destination. When you run into problems — which you will — smile and take a step back and come up with a witty joke. The harder a project is, the more rewarding it’ll be when it’s finished. I can pretty much guarantee that you’re going to find out precisely what I’m talking about.

How This Book Is Organized

This book has seven parts. Without further ado, here are the parts of the book and what they contain.

Part I: Playing the Energy Game

In this part, you find info on doing a home energy audit so that you can understand exactly how and where you use energy in your home. I also give you a guide to making improvements in your house so your energy consumption’s more efficient.

Part II: Understanding Solar — Just the Facts, Ma’am

For most users, this part may be the most difficult to read because the technical and financial concepts can be elusive. Hang in there — understanding the nuts and bolts can make it easier to make the right decisions later on. After you get through the preliminaries, I help you decide which direction is best for you, and then you’re on your way.

Part III: Applications Aplenty: Projects from Small to Large

This part dives into solar power projects that you can start with right now. I describe a lot of interesting and useful little gadgets and small systems that can make your life easier and more fun. Regardless of how ambitious your solar aspirations may be, this is a good place to start. Greenhouses and solar rooms have some fundamentals that are consistent with all projects that you need to understand, so I cover the basics of what you need to know.

Part IV: Exploring Full-Scale Photovoltaic Systems

Part IV gets into photovoltaic (PV) projects. I describe the different types of equipment that are on the market, and how best to choose the right equipment for your particular application. I give advice on deciding whether to do a project yourself or to hire a contractor, and I give advice on how to hire someone. I also detail how to specify a large-scale PV system and how to find and hire a contractor to do the installation for you. Financing is important because PV costs a lot; I give some useful advice on how to work with subsidies and rebates, and also banks and lending institutions. For those who want to go off-grid, I tell how best to do it and under what circumstances it’s merited.

Part V: Buying, Selling, and Building a Solar Home

In Part V, I give a broad range of advice on how to value a solar home, whether you’re on the buying or selling end. And I tell you how best to find a bare lot and develop your dream of building your own solar home.

Part VI: The Part of Tens

Like every For Dummies book, the Part of Tens includes quick resources that provide plenty of information and sage advice compacted into few words. Above all, this part demonstrates that you aren’t alone. Gain wisdom from other solar energy enthusiasts’ trials and errors.

Icons Used in This Book

The icons in this book can quickly steer you to the information you need. Here’s what they stand for:

The Tip indicates a paragraph that elaborates on a nifty little shortcut or frustration-saver.

This icon highlights important information to store in your brain for quick recall at a later time.

This icon should never be ignored. It points out things that can potentially harm you or your project. Remember: A successful project relies on many factors, both economic and practical, but the most important gauge of a successful project is that nobody gets hurt!

The Technical Stuff icon lets you know that some particularly nerdy, technoid information is coming up so you can skip it if you want. (On the other hand, if you want to read it, you don’t actually have to be a nerd — just able to read.)

Part I

Playing the Energy Game

In this part . . .

You may be ready to go solar, but first you need to take a look at how you use energy in your household and how your energy bill is measured and calculated. Solar investments can save you money and make your life more comfortable, but part of the process is understanding exactly what types of solar investments you should make — and how big they should be. Here, I show you how to systematically dissect your energy bills and how to look around your house to find all kinds of energy conservation measures to reduce your energy bill even before you invest in solar.

Chapter 1

Helping the World through Solar Power

In This Chapter

Investing in solar energy

Looking at the benefits of solar power

Solving for challenges

Producing energy can be dirty work. Carbon emissions, coal slurry, nuclear waste, and other pollutants can wreak havoc on the environment, cause health problems, and make people hopping mad. And many energy sources are in limited supply, particularly fossil fuel sources that have traditionally dominated the world’s energy usage. Not only does that drive prices up, but it also leads to political conflicts when people decide they’re not willing to share. You’re probably not ready to go completely unplugged, but you do want to play your humble part to save the environment, help the country become less dependent on foreign energy sources, and save money. Tall order? Maybe not. Above all the energy sources in use today, solar shows the most long-term promise for solving the world’s energy problems. Solar power works well on both large and small scales, and it is possible to start using solar power right away. You can start small, and work your way up.

On any given day, 35,000 times the total amount of energy that humans use falls onto the face of the Earth from the sun. If people could just tap into a tiny fraction of what the sun is providing each day, society would be set. Of course, some problems do crop up, but they’re solvable, and going solar can be well worth the effort.

To understand the role solar energy can play in your home, you need to have a good understanding of where your own energy comes from, where it’s used, and how much pollution each of your energy sources generates. In this chapter, I explain how solar fits into your day-to-day life — and why it’s such a good energy option.