Enter the Solar Age

Pictured for you here is the solar system, well, not actually the Solar System (which is substantially larger and much more complex), it is our solar hot-water-heater system, and it is installed and working, as I write. The system consists of the (from left to right) the Solar Photo-Voltaic (PV) collector as part of the system, in that the electricity that operates the circulating pump, is provided by this little unit. I put it in that cute little aluminum frame and angle mounted it to provide maximum solar gain (sunlight on-target). In this way, we use none of our own electricity ($0.48 / KWH) to power the system. If the sun doesn't shine brightly enough, the pump doesn't operate, but who needs a circulating pump if the solar Hot Water Collector isn't heating water? By the way, that big brown thing, about 4 feet wide and six feet lengthwise? That is the solar hot water collector, or, heater. The insulated feed hot water water pipe is shown entering the bottom of the collector at the right. After traveling through the collector, pushed by a very small electric motor, and so-called gravity feed, (where hot water flows uphill more easily) the heated water leaves the collector at the top left hand corner, and travels into an electric hot water heater / storage tank, in the utility room of the house. The electric, or utility power that feeds the electric hot water heater, is used for long periods of cloudy days (as if).