What is included in the system
Solar panels. We wrote about how to collect them in this article (opens in a new window). You can buy a ready-made solar panel kit for your home, but to save money, you can purchase polycrystalline solar cells and assemble solar panels for your home with your own hands.
inverter. Solar panels generate direct current close to 12 or 24 volts (depending on the connection), the inverter converts it into alternating 220 V and 50 Hz, from which all household appliances can be powered.
Battery. Even their system. Solar energy is not generated continuously. During peak hours, it can be overabundant, and with the onset of twilight, its production stops altogether. Batteries accumulate electricity during daylight hours and release it in the evening/night. How to choose a battery for a solar power plant is written in this article (opens in a new window).
It's important to know. It is not recommended to use ordinary car batteries for these purposes - they become unusable after 2-3 years of operation (they are designed for such a service life). Controller
Provides a full charge of the battery and protects it from overcharging and boiling. We wrote about which controller to choose in this article (opens in a new window)
Controller. Provides a full charge of the battery and protects it from overcharging and boiling. We wrote about which controller to choose in this article (opens in a new window).
The cost of installing solar panels
The approximate cost of one panel is 90 rubles per 1 watt. That is, one module with a maximum power of 200 W will cost you 18,000 rubles. It is clear that one such module is not enough for the normal functioning of all networks and communications at home. I'll have to buy more than ten of them. Own power plant for a solar-powered home with a total capacity of 1 kW will cost you about 250 thousand rubles. not counting the cost of installation and additional devices (inverter, batteries, charge controller).
Solar panels based on monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon will ensure complete autonomy of your home from the central power grid, both during the warm period and during frost. The main thing is to choose the right photocells and calculate the required number of them, based on the area of \u200b\u200bthe house and the required power. It will also not be superfluous to take care of savings: replace light bulbs with energy-saving ones, insulate the walls and roof, install high-quality doors and window systems. Then your house will be warm and cozy, regardless of the weather.
Solar panel performance
Many people doubt the effective operation of these installations, because the weather in our country is not always sunny. And in winter, cloudy days are almost constant, and severe frosts contribute to the rapid waste of stored energy.
Today's solar power plants are very powerful (from 200 W for one module). They produce energy all day long, catching light even with thick clouds or precipitation. True, in bad weather, their power is reduced by almost half. Their advantage is that they are able to accumulate energy for future use. and with a shortage of sunlight, they will give back already accumulated.
In winter, the installations operate at full capacity, but their productivity is reduced due to the short daylight hours. A generation of batteries made from amorphous silicon doesn't even need to be pointed at the sun. they work great even in medium cloud cover. The disadvantages of this type of modules include the fact that they require a large area for placement.
The effectiveness of their work also depends on the region.For example, in St. Petersburg or Moscow, productivity will be slightly lower than in the southern regions. But, this does not mean that their use in the northern regions is not advisable. Moreover, they have long been used there all year round and quite effectively.
Greenhouse heat accumulator
Fans of growing vegetables and fruits at any time of the year should understand and know that there are additional products, including a heat accumulator for greenhouses and greenhouses, thanks to which this activity becomes easier and brings real pleasure.
What is a greenhouse battery?
This is a unique, very useful energy storage device, but not the one that everyone confidently uses in vehicles, boilers, and also in many other devices that need to be provided with electricity for a certain time. This is a kind of device that can accumulate energy from the sun, and then distribute it to the right places.
Greenhouse heat accumulator: how it works
The heat accumulator for greenhouses has its own principle of operation, which is characterized by simplicity and convenience.
If we are talking, for example, about a water accumulator, then it is necessary to pour plain water inside one or another device, over time it heats up from the sun, and at night the heat accumulator for greenhouses gives off heat to the beds with plants, thereby providing them with heat around the clock and simplifying the process of growing zucchini and other vegetables and fruits in a greenhouse.
If you are wondering how a greenhouse heat accumulator works, then you should understand that there is nothing complicated in this process. It is worth considering only the factor that the device must be dark in color, because it is dark colors that attract the rays of the sun as much as possible.
What are greenhouse batteries?
Of course, among the most effective options that can be used to heat a greenhouse structure is a stove, as well as a certain heating parting. But, it is worth noting that not every person has the opportunity to use such devices, because the greenhouse may not be located near the house, or even far away in the country.
Thus, among the large number of products provided on the market, there are special ones that are made from black films with a thickness of about 250 microns. Water is poured into the product and it starts to work.
These are efficient devices that can be easily placed on the beds in the required order to ensure complete heating. In the daytime, such devices heat the air temperature up to 25 degrees, when it is even 5 degrees below zero outside. This suggests that the seedlings will not be able to freeze in any way.
Do-it-yourself heat accumulator for a greenhouse
You can make such a device on your own. In order to make a heat accumulator for a greenhouse with your own hands, only the means that are at hand are used.
The main requirement is that the product be able to independently take in water, as well as give it away in conditions of lower temperatures. In such cases, no metal containers are used, since this material heats up very quickly, and gives off heat elements only for a short time.
Thus, a do-it-yourself heat accumulator for a greenhouse can be made from the following materials:
Everyone has seen that in the summer, stones quickly gain temperature, and heat can be given off for a long time.
That is why it is important to think about how the selected device can store energy. As an example, we note heating stoves that are made of steel, brick
By the way, the last kind cools down for a very long time.
It is important to understand that the larger the diameter, the better it will serve. Usually, you can find devices with a diameter of 50, as well as 100 mm
One side of such a product must be sealed, which will ensure that the risk of water leakage is eliminated.In specialized stores, special plugs of one or another diameter are sold, with the help of which the pipe is securely fixed.
The other is also characterized by tightness, but you should not close it tightly, because it is in this side that water should be poured, and the liquid level should also be controlled. There are a lot of options for implementation, including the use of simple plastic bottles.
Types of greenhouse batteries:
- Water
- Stone
- Ground
We have already talked about the water version, we also figured out the stones. Now let's consider the situation when it is the soil that can act as an energy accumulator.
This is the cheapest heating method, but it has a small effect and is significantly inferior to the two above methods.
The soil is characterized by low heat accumulation, so it is worth using certain mechanical devices for heating the greenhouse.
Alternative sources of heating and prospects for their development
Among a large number of different types of heating systems, a special place is occupied by alternative energy sources. In addition to traditional sources such as gas and electricity, today all possible methods of heating are used. Among them are the following types of alternative energy sources:
- solid fuels - today, most heating systems use energy derived from the combustion of solid fuels such as wood and coal. Such systems are able to solve all problems related to heating and hot water supply;
- a heat pump that uses the energy of soil and water bodies is a very promising system that often requires large financial investments;
- wind generators that use the power of the wind. In some countries where this issue is decided at the state level, such systems have great prospects and are already working quite effectively;
- solar panels that work, as you might guess, on the energy of the sun. The design of such systems, as a rule, is of great interest. In some countries, such as Germany, solar panels provide entire areas with heat and hot water.
Solar heating system
Before you imagine how the coolant is heated, it is worth considering what a solar battery is and what is the principle of its operation. A solar cell is nothing more than several photovoltaic converters combined into one unit, or a semiconductor device that uses sunlight and converts it into electricity. Everything happens in close connection with the basic laws of physics, which make no sense to consider. Today, solar energy attracts not only the views of scientists, but ordinary people are also trying to conquer it, who are trying to solve, in this way, the problems associated with water supply and heating.
Do-it-yourself solar-powered heating system
Today, the production of solar panels is already reaching the industrial level, but anyone can assemble a solar battery that can meet the needs of a small housing construction. Making solar panels with your own hands today is not much more difficult than assembling a simple electrical circuit. But for this you need to have everything you need, namely the solar energy converters themselves (monocrystalline solar cells), the necessary hardware, silicone sealant and soldering equipment. After that, you need to arm yourself with a soldering iron and get to work.
Before starting work, it is necessary to assemble the frame in which the solar cells will be located. It is a sealed box. For this purpose, you can order a metal-plastic double-glazed window made to the desired size. Then we proceed directly to the preparation of solar battery elements for assembly.To do this, contacts, or current-carrying tracks, are soldered to each of them. Then the system is assembled, consisting of four rows of nine elements in each row, a total of 36 elements. The distance between the assembly elements should be 5 mm.
During assembly, one condition must be observed - each adjacent row must be rotated 180 degrees, which will allow you to assemble all the elements into one single chain. After that, it is necessary to attach a diode to each bundle, consisting of six modules, although it is preferable to do this for each individual element. At the output, another common diode is installed, which is supplied with single-crystal diodes. After that, the final bonding of all contacts is made, and all voids are filled with silicone.
At the end of the assembly, the inner surface is processed. To make the device work, you can cover the device with aluminum foil. Naturally, it is necessary to convert the received energy in order to obtain the necessary voltage. To do this, the energy of the sun is accumulated with the help of a charging controller and a 12V battery is charged. After that, by means of a special inverter, this voltage can be converted to the required 220 volts. As a result, 36 elements, 0.5 volts each, ultimately allow you to get the necessary voltage.
However, hearing it is one thing, but seeing it with your own eyes is quite another. In this case, a lot of questions that usually arise after reading any material will immediately disappear. In the presented video, the process of assembling a solar battery seems to be very understandable and intelligible. Many people can make a solar radiator if they have at least some skills in electrical engineering.
Technical and electrical parameters of the units
- high resistance
- Efficiency from 20%
- Strained glass
- Hull water permeability
- Resistant to bad weather conditions
Most often, an electrical system is used to heat a house that receives energy from solar modules. But, sometimes they also carry out water heating. which is connected to the electric boiler. The scheme and installation of heating in this case differ only in that additional space is needed to accommodate the batteries and the DC converter.
When using solar energy, it is more efficient to heat large areas (for example, underfloor heating) to small values. In such a system, it is easier to change the temperature. if the weather has changed, and it is easier to mount it. than others. In addition, bulky radiators will not spoil the appearance of the interior.
Water solar collectors for greenhouse heating
For a number of reasons, water heating of greenhouses is more preferable, although the cost of such a system is much higher than the cost of an air heating system. In essence, the solar water heating system of the greenhouse is no different from the solar heating system of the country house itself.
The differences are only in the shape and location of the heating elements. In greenhouses, instead of the usual heating radiators for a room, pipes are laid along the walls in which warm water circulates. Pipes are also laid in the earthen floor of the greenhouse at a depth of 30 to 50 cm. This ensures both air heating and soil heating in the greenhouse.
Scheme of solar water heating
In a water heating system, the coolant can be heated both in flat-plate collectors and in collectors on vacuum tubes. In a flat collector, a flat coil is attached to the absorber, for the manufacture of which a copper tube is needed. This copper tube is first filled with salt, and only after that it can be bent without fear of creases.
When the tube takes the desired shape, the salt is easily washed out of it with running water. The coil is attached to the absorber and painted black with heat-resistant paint.The inlet and outlet pipes are brought out, and the holes through which they were brought out are sealed.
Scheme of a flat solar collector
Collectors built with the use of vacuum tubes, which are connected with their tips to the pipe of the coolant circuit, have a different design. Vacuum tubes are a glass cylinder, inside which is placed a copper tube with a low-boiling liquid. The upper end of the copper tube is slightly expanded and sealed.
Air has been evacuated from the space between the outer and outer tubes to create the highest possible thermal insulation. The liquid inside the copper tube heats up under the influence of solar radiation and evaporates. The steam rises to the tip and heats it up. Giving off heat, the steam cools, condenses and flows down the walls. The temperature at the tip can reach 270°C – 300°C.
Diagram of a vacuum tube
vacuum manifold
The liquid heated in solar collectors is supplied by circulation pumps to the heat exchanger installed in the boiler. The water heated in the boiler enters the heating system. This tank must have powerful thermal insulation to retain heat in the dark.
To prevent excessive cooling of the water in the boiler, another heating element of the backup heating system is provided. This system turns on when needed at night and can be powered from the batteries of the solar power supply at home.
Solar energy is becoming more and more integral to our everyday life. Its possibilities are inexhaustible. The sun gives us light, heat and electricity. And it would be simply unforgivable not to use this source of free energy. published by econet.ru
Where to begin
Calculation of electricity costs. To determine the required power of a solar panel system, you need to calculate how much electricity you consume. A lot in this matter depends on whether a private house is used constantly or only as a summer residence in certain seasons of the year. To calculate, take your electricity bills for the year and set the total number of kilowatts used during this period, then divide by 12 (the number of months) - you will get the average monthly electricity consumption.
Calculation of the average monthly consumption of electricity consumed
As experience and feedback from real consumers show, in central Russia, the result obtained must be multiplied by a factor of 16 to obtain the required battery power in watts.
Consider an example. For the year you spent 1625 kW, divide this figure by 12 months and multiply by a factor of 16 - it turns out 2166 watts. Those. a solar panel system will provide such a house if its power is at least 2200 watts / hour
DIY greenhouse heating ideas
Many summer residents install greenhouses or greenhouses on their plots in order to grow seedlings in them and get an earlier and richer harvest. But if such a structure is equipped with a heating system, then you can harvest vegetables, herbs and even strawberries all year round. But to make heating in a greenhouse, you will need preparation and some building skills.
Greenhouse heating methods
There are several types of indoor heating for growing vegetables all year round. Each of them has its pros and cons.
Possible types of heating and their advantages:
- Stove heating is characterized by high efficiency, simple construction technology, fuel availability and the ability to control the temperature. Installing a furnace or boiler does not require large financial costs.
- Air heating can quickly heat any area, while the technology of its construction is quite simple.
- The water system is reliable, safe and temperature adjustable.When using such devices in the greenhouse, there will always be air humidity suitable for growing plants.
- Solar panels are a natural, affordable, simple and cheap heating process. On a sunny day, heat transfer from them is gradual.
- Gas heating is distinguished by practicality, relatively low cost, fast and uniform heating when using a heater.
- Electric heating of greenhouses and greenhouses is practical, simple and effective. Devices can be used around the clock, and portable equipment can be installed in any convenient place.
But each of these heating systems has its drawbacks. Among them:
- Stove heating requires constant monitoring.
- In an air system, the heating process must be constantly maintained.
- Hot water heating may require electrical water heating equipment or even the installation of an entire boiler room. It's all worth it.
- Solar panels are effective only in good sunny weather. When using them, it will not be possible to regulate the air temperature.
- The gas system requires constant monitoring as there is a risk of ignition. Its installation requires the permission of special services.
- Electrical equipment requires a power supply, dries the air and is quite expensive to use (energy costs).
For each building, a specific heating system is suitable. For example, for standard greenhouses with a small area, you should not choose expensive equipment. And in large industrial greenhouses, infrared heat carriers, heat pumps and other advanced technologies can be used.
Heating greenhouses with a solar air collector
Such a collector is the main element of this heating system. Depending on the location of this collector, heating can be carried out either by natural air circulation in the system or by fans.
In the first case, the outlet pipe of the collector should be located below the socket of the inlet in the greenhouse. Then the air heated in the collector, according to the laws of convection, will rise through the duct and enter the greenhouse. The displaced cooled air through the return duct enters the collector, heats up and returns to the greenhouse. This cycle is continuous, lasting the entire daylight hours.
In the second case, the location of the solar collector does not matter, since the air circulation is maintained by fans installed in the greenhouse at the warm air inlet.
With this method, a uniform distribution of warm air masses throughout the heated volume is ensured, and, which is very important, uniform heating of the soil.
Naturally, air ducts (especially hot ones) must be covered with thermal insulation so that the air cannot cool down quickly. In the dark, the air in the greenhouse without hot make-up can cool quite quickly. Therefore, to maintain the thermal regime, it is necessary to provide a backup heating circuit. It can be fan heaters, heaters.
The air solar collector itself is an extremely simple design. You can assemble it yourself from improvised materials in less than an hour. This is a sealed wooden box 10 - 15 cm high. The bottom is made of fiberboard. For strength, the side walls are connected with wooden blocks with a section of 5x5 centimeters.
A heat insulator is laid on the bottom - polystyrene foam or mineral wool. An absorber is placed on top of the heat-insulating layer, for example, galvanized iron sheet. To increase the heating area, additional ribs can be attached to this sheet.
All seams of the inner part of the box are carefully treated with Sealant, after which the box is covered from the inside with black heat-resistant paint.Depending on where and how the collector will be installed, pipes for air inlet and outlet are built into its sidewalls. After all the preparatory work, the box is closed with tempered glass, the joints of the glass with the body are sealed with "Sealant".
Solar Air Collector Diagram
It remains to put the collector in place and connect it with air ducts to the greenhouse. In this case, the outlet pipe of the collector must be located above the inlet pipe. The dimensions of the collector are determined only by the dimensions of the metal sheet and glass. Depending on the size of the greenhouse, there may be several such collectors.
The air in such a collector warms up to a temperature of 45°C - 50°C. Heated air not only maintains a comfortable temperature for plants in the greenhouse, but, giving off its heat, also heats the soil, which creates the most favorable conditions for the development of the plant root system.
The principle of operation of solar panels
Modules that capture the energy of the sun are generators of electricity that work on the basis of photovoltaic reactions. The receipt of electric current occurs according to the principle of emission (emission of electrons) of heated bodies. The basis for the panels is silicon. The efficiency of one such module is not too high - about 30% at power up to 300 watts. To get better results, the developers combined several dozen solar cells in a circuit.
And this method gave a better result, some installations can fully work even with medium cloudiness. To create a comfortable temperature all year round in a house of 30 square meters. m. in the middle lane of our country, the total surface area of the modules should be at least 100-120 square meters. m. Inside the house there must be a room for batteries and distribution equipment.
