| Everyday we are slammed with higher costs for living. | | | | conditioner coils. Discarded aluminum frame windows |
| Fuel goes up. That drives the utility costs up. The | | | | make glass covers for the collector box at a low price. |
| ultimate consumer winds up holding the bag for all of it. | | | | Info for solar hot water systems is readily found with |
| We just don't have any place to pass the costs on. | | | | an internet search. |
| You wonder what are some of the homemade | | | | Solar heating systems are the third type of solar |
| energy devices that you could build to at least strike a | | | | energy for the homeowner. Although usually included |
| small blow toward the juggernaut of industry that is | | | | during the construction of the dwelling, retrofitting a |
| threatening to crush us. | | | | home for solar heat is not impossible. Solar heat can |
| Some categories of homemade energy fall into the | | | | be either passive or active. |
| production of electrical current. | | | | Generating systems range from a homemade gas |
| Solar | | | | powered generator using a car alternator and |
| Sunlight is abundant and free. It falls without fail most | | | | batteries, to wind and hydroelectric generating |
| days of the year. Why not at least use a little of it for | | | | systems. |
| you own power needs. | | | | A simple gas generator for emergency power is |
| Solar electrical generating systems are available in | | | | possible using a discarded lawnmower engine and a |
| many different sizes. The basic components are solar | | | | car alternator with a built in regulator to charge some |
| panels to convert sunlight into electrical current, a | | | | storage batteries. Adding an inverter will allow some |
| charge controller to regulate that current, a bank of | | | | small electrical appliances to be powered in a power |
| storage batteries to store the current, and an inverter | | | | outage. |
| to create the 120 volts to power your life. | | | | Wind power generating systems can be installed by |
| This type of project is a major expense to install a | | | | the homeowner in areas where the zoning laws don't |
| workable system and is not beyond the do it yourself | | | | conflict and wind current is available on a regular basis. |
| category. There are many companies that advertise | | | | Building your own system involves special electronics |
| on the internet that provide information about size and | | | | and woodworking skills but is not beyond the well |
| equipment prices. Some searching for solar power will | | | | equipped do it yourself craftsman. |
| turn up a wealth of information. | | | | Micro hydroelectric power generation is feasible if you |
| Solar Hot Water Heaters lend themselves easily to the | | | | live near a fast running stream with a constant flow of |
| build it yourself category. The major components of a | | | | water. Again, charging a bank of batteries and using an |
| solar hot water system are the collector box, heat | | | | inverter to power the home is standard procedure. |
| exchanger, and storage tank. | | | | All of these different systems can be researched on |
| These may be adapted from existing hardware such | | | | the internet. The information is available both in free |
| as copper tubing, old refrigerators coils, or air | | | | and more complete book form. |