It's already started and is becoming more noticeable as the days draw on. The sun is less and less visible and will soon be a rare sight for the more northern residences.
Here in Texas it's not that bad just a few hours less a day in the middle of winter but the trees loose their leaves and let what little light there is through for all of the solar applications. The drop in temperature also makes the wires more conductive and helps make up for the lack of light.
Soon it will be time to move the mirrors from the roof to the back fence. BBQ in the snow anyone, that is if it ever snows here....
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Nothing's free...
Who says nothing's free?
Did you know that all the money you spend at a tanning salon can be saved just by taking in a few rays of the sun? That's right, the sun can actually give you a tan. I know what you're thinking, "That'll kill me in about two seconds with it's cancer death rays!" Rest assured, there are no cancer death rays eminating from the sun. What comes from the sun is merely the same rays that the tanning bed shines at you but at a much cheaper rate. The only draw back is that you can't use it at night. So I guess for all of you night tanners, suck it up and spend some time in the sun. A really easy way to do this is merely park a little farther from the mall and walk in the sun. A little goes a long way.
Did you know that all the money you spend at a tanning salon can be saved just by taking in a few rays of the sun? That's right, the sun can actually give you a tan. I know what you're thinking, "That'll kill me in about two seconds with it's cancer death rays!" Rest assured, there are no cancer death rays eminating from the sun. What comes from the sun is merely the same rays that the tanning bed shines at you but at a much cheaper rate. The only draw back is that you can't use it at night. So I guess for all of you night tanners, suck it up and spend some time in the sun. A really easy way to do this is merely park a little farther from the mall and walk in the sun. A little goes a long way.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Mirror mirror on the roof...
Ok, so mirrors won't tell me I'm the fairest of them all. That's probably because they aren't human because then, well they probably still wouldn't.
What they have done for me is keep my house like five degrees cooler. Plug that into your calculators and that's a whole bunch of savings on my cooling bill.
I currently have eight mirrors on the roof right at the top so the rain doesn't do a lot of collecting between them and the shingles. They're also raised up about half and inch with ... well I'm really not sure what it is but there's no way I can get it off so it's staying there.
I plan to add six to eight more on another part of the roof to maximize the cooling in the back of the house where it gets the hottest.
What they have done for me is keep my house like five degrees cooler. Plug that into your calculators and that's a whole bunch of savings on my cooling bill.
I currently have eight mirrors on the roof right at the top so the rain doesn't do a lot of collecting between them and the shingles. They're also raised up about half and inch with ... well I'm really not sure what it is but there's no way I can get it off so it's staying there.
I plan to add six to eight more on another part of the roof to maximize the cooling in the back of the house where it gets the hottest.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Solar Panels
Talking to a friend about solar panels and their expense. I was informed about the tax breaks and credits from power companies. It only cost $13,000. I don't have that much either...
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Solar Plot usage
Your solar plot needs to be used and organized so that it does what you want it to do and minimizes waste. One big waste of your solar plot is heating your home in the summer.
Placing mirrors on your roof is probably not an accepted practice where you live but this would be a great way to redirect the light to more useful locations in the yard or just shooting it back into the air. Either way it keeps it from heating the atic and shooting up the electric bill.
Another way to do this is to plant a good shade tree to the south and keep it trimmed up off of the yard so the rest of the garden can still grow to it's full potential.
Placing mirrors on your roof is probably not an accepted practice where you live but this would be a great way to redirect the light to more useful locations in the yard or just shooting it back into the air. Either way it keeps it from heating the atic and shooting up the electric bill.
Another way to do this is to plant a good shade tree to the south and keep it trimmed up off of the yard so the rest of the garden can still grow to it's full potential.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Solar Panels 3
I went to Prairie Fest last weekend and talked with a group promoting solar power in north central texas. I asked them about the suped up panels where light was concentrated onto a small solar panel and asked, as I believed, if it would deteriorate the panel quickly.
They confirmed it as the heat would make the panel work worse. As you might know superconducters are kept COLD. Electricity works better this way.
They confirmed it as the heat would make the panel work worse. As you might know superconducters are kept COLD. Electricity works better this way.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Solar Plot Reclamation
I have finally cut down the Mimosa Tree and realaimed a portion of my solar plot. It was in the backyard and so doesn't affect the temperature of the house which faces south.
There is still a bit of shade around but I can now put at least three 4x4 gardening boxes in the area where the tree was shading. I already have a small mound where there is garlic and squash in front of the shed just this side of the remaining trunk. That is where another tree used to be and is a great place to grow things since the roots and ramains have rotted for some time and I have built a fire there a couple of times until the fire department said I couldn't. Who knew.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)