Owners of country cottages often install solar panels to heat their homes. The popularity of this design is easy to explain: fuel savings and an environmentally friendly life support system. With the skillful use of solar, wind or water energy, it is quite possible to turn a small country house building into a modern eco-housing. But first, it’s worth figuring out how to do this and how beneficial such batteries are for residents.
Methods of use
The energy of sunlight has been used for a long time and successfully, so the technology is not an innovation. But this service is most often used by residents of hot countries and southern latitudes, since in warm climatic conditions Such an alternative resource can be extracted all year round. But the northern regions, where there is a lack of natural radiation, use solar heating only as an additional option.
Solar panels and special collectors are unique intermediaries between the sun and the mechanism that generates energy. Moreover, these elements may differ both in purpose and design. But the essence of their work is to accumulate solar energy for later use.
The batteries are presented in the form of panels, on one side of which there are photocells, and on the other - a locking mechanism. It is quite possible to install such a structure yourself, but you can purchase it already finished goods, sold in a wide range.
Solar panels for home.
A solar system is a device that is part of the heating system. It is a large thermally insulated box in which the coolant is built-in. Such a device, together with the batteries, is mounted on a raised shield facing the luminary. It is also possible to simply lay heating elements on the roof slope.
You can significantly increase the efficiency of your heating system if you place batteries on special dynamic mechanisms. These devices operate on the principle of a tracking system, that is, they turn in the direction where the sun's rays are directed.
The transformation itself is carried out in pipes that are located inside the box. It is quite possible to use solar panels to heat a house in winter, but only on the condition that there are at least two hundred sunny days a year.
Advantages and disadvantages
A system that allows you to heat a house with solar energy has a large number of positive qualities. Each of them is quite significant, which allows residents to experiment. The main advantages of batteries are as follows:
Heating from solar power plant
In addition to the positive aspects, there are also negative aspects. For example, to determine how well and efficiently a system operates, it is required long time(from 3 to 5 years). During this period, there should be enough energy and it must be used actively . The disadvantages of solar panels also include the following factors:
- high cost of components required to connect and launch the structure;
- the amount of heat produced depends entirely on geographical location and weather conditions;
- housing needs a backup source (gas or solid fuel boiler).
It must be taken into account that for efficient work It is necessary to constantly monitor the cleanliness of the installation, remove ice from its surface, and repair damage. If temperature regime in the region it often drops below 0 °C, then you will have to additionally insulate both the collector itself and the house as a whole.
It is also worth considering that such systems are not suitable for everyone. For example, in regions where sunny days are rare, the design is unlikely to justify itself. But, despite the high cost, the plates are very popular, so they can increasingly be seen on summer cottages and rooftops.
Main types
There are two types of batteries: small and large photovoltaic systems. The first type includes battery panels that operate on a voltage of 12-24 V. With their help, you can watch TV and turn on several lighting fixtures.
Large installations can provide electricity to the entire house, and, if necessary, completely heat it. But this applies only to small private cottages; they will not be able to heat multi-storey buildings.
As for the equipment, it may vary depending on the model. As a rule, the basic set includes:
- vacuum solar collector;
- a special controller that monitors operating efficiency;
- a pump that supplies coolant;
- tank with a volume of 500-1000 liters for hot water;
- electric heating element or heat pump.
How many solar collectors will 100% heat the house (12th type of 100% solar heating)
All these parts are necessary for the normal functioning of the system. Exactly how to install and use them is described in the instructions, which are also included in the kit.
When equipping a powerful home heating system using solar panels, you can additionally provide your home with hot water supply, as well as install a heated floor. A large photovoltaic installation can handle these functions quite well.
Before installing collectors, it is necessary to calculate how much power they need in order to fully satisfy all needs. When calculating, it is worth taking into account the area of a private house, the number of people living, as well as energy consumption. For example, for a small family of three people, an average month will require from 200 to 500 W/m².
If you plan to provide housing hot water, then energy costs will increase. For efficiency, you can make a combined version of the heating system. In this case, household members will be insured and will not be left without heating in emergency and unforeseen situations.
Solar systems are economically beneficial. Even taking into account the high cost, the initial costs, with all-season use, will pay off in 2-3 years. Solar heating systems for private homes are not designed to operate autonomously. Collectors compensate only part of the heat required for heating, allowing you to save up to 300 m³ of gas and up to 4 m³ of firewood during the heating season. If you use solar energy only for heating, the payback will be 6-7 years.
Have alternative heating private country house there are disadvantages and advantages. Before purchasing and connecting, it is necessary to prepare a competent design and carry out thermal calculations.
Is it possible to heat a house with the sun?
Despite Hi-tech and innovation, full-fledged heating with solar systems is still not possible. The reason is simple. The sun shines only during the day. At night there is no solar radiation. Accordingly, solar collectors for heating will work exclusively during daylight hours. Although the solar panels will continue to work in cloudy weather, the heat transfer will be significantly reduced. Thermal efficiency is largely influenced by the intensity of ultraviolet radiation. In the regions of the far north, the power and heat transfer of the solar collector will be less than in regions with a temperate climate.
Solar heating is used exclusively as an additional heat source. The principle of operation of the collector is based on the conversion of ultraviolet radiation into thermal energy.
The resulting heat is sent to a storage tank, a buffer tank installed inside the building. IN air systems There is no coolant liquid. Heated air masses are pumped into the room using fans.
Considering that the efficiency of solar collectors decreases significantly in winter, heating system requires at home correct calculations. At the planning stage, experts recommend installing in the building a heat source using traditional energy sources (gas, wood, pellets, coal, diesel fuel, electricity), capable of satisfying the building’s heating and hot water needs 100%. The solar system will use solar energy and partially offset the costs with varying efficiency, depending on the month of the year.
To determine whether it is worth installing alternative heating private home, it is worth paying attention to the existing advantages and disadvantages of solar collectors. When compiling a table of pros and cons, you need to consider real reviews about solar systems left by users:
- Disadvantages - the main disadvantage remains the high cost (it is worth noting that with the advent of collectors Russian production, solar heating systems have become more affordable). There are a few more disadvantages:
- seasonality - solar collectors with vacuum thermotubes are effective up to temperature environment–50°С. The vacuum solar collectors will continue to operate until the antifreeze in the heat exchanger freezes. Solar panel collectors operate at temperatures down to –25°C.
- dependence on electricity- all-season systems operate with forced circulation of coolant. When the power is turned off, the coolant may boil.
- long payback- in case of heating, collector operation most carried out at negative temperatures. The thermal efficiency of the solar system decreases. Payback time increases to 6-7 years.
- Advantages - Record low temperatures are rare in mid-latitudes. There is no more than a week period during the entire heating season when the collectors stop working. At correct selection equipment and calculations will be able to select ready-made solution, capable of maximizing the heat needs of a residential building. For middle latitudes, compensation for energy costs reaches 20-30%. Additional advantages:
- service life from 30 to 50 years;
- there is anti-vandal and anti-hail protection;
- solar panels can withstand wind storms.
Types of solar heating
There are several types of solar panels. The main difference between solar collectors is the operating principle used. Types of solar heating are divided into those that heat water or coolant and those that heat air.The operating principle affects thermal efficiency, operating and connection features. Solar panels differ in their internal structure, piping, and functionality.
Heating using water collectors
The work is based on forced circulation coolant. Heating a private house with solar panels occurs in the following order:- the absorber accumulates heat;
- received thermal energy heats the coolant circulating in the pipeline from the solar collector to the heat exchanger of the storage tank;
- the coil inside the indirect heating boiler gives off heat to the surrounding liquid;
- heat exchange occurs, water for domestic needs and heating is heated, and the cooled coolant returns back to the absorber.
Heating is carried out by solar systems of two types. Each differs in operating features and technical characteristics:
- The use of solar tube collectors in heating systems- optimal all-season option in cold climates, suitable for water radiator heating and underfloor heating systems, meeting the needs for hot water supply. Heat loss is reduced due to the fact that the heat transfer elements are located in vacuum tubes.
Heating a house with solar vacuum collectors in winter is more efficient than heating using solar panels. Inside the collector flask, provided there is no heat removal, Maximum temperature reaches 280-300°C, controlled by a module that prevents boiling of the coolant.Read also: Vacuum solar collectors for home heating and hot water supply
- Heating a private house with solar panels- the solution is more suitable for middle and southern latitudes. In these regions, solar panels pay for themselves faster and are more thermally efficient. The heating principle is identical to vacuum collectors, only instead of flasks, solar heaters use a panel to heat water. The absorbent surface heats the copper or aluminum plate. Heat is transferred to the circulating fluid. The heating rate of the coolant is significantly lower than that of vacuum solar collectors.
Using a heat accumulator, solar panels connect to low temperature heating systems country houses(warm floors). Average heating temperature is 40-60°C. Non-boiling solar systems are not suitable for radiator heating.Read also: Flat solar collector - design and principle of operation of a solar panel system
An integral part of panel and tubular solar collectors is an indirect heating boiler. There are two coils inside the container. The main heat exchanger is connected to the boiler. The second coil of the heat storage tank is designed for the solar heating system.
The BKN or heat accumulator uses the principle of indirect heating. The main source of heating the water in the buffer tank is the heating boiler. Solar collectors supplement a certain heat supply. When the set temperature in the tank is reached, the supply of coolant for heating stops.
Heating with solar air systems
The operating principle differs in that hot air is used as a coolant. Internal organization The air collector is in many ways reminiscent of panel-type solar systems. The exception is that the absorber is not connected to the heating circuit. In fact, this is an ordinary air heater or convector. Air is directed into the room through fans and corrugated ducts.Heating in a private house using air collectors has a quick payback and high thermal efficiency. The only disadvantage is that the hot water supply cannot be met from an air-heating system. Although there are several technical solutions to this issue, all of them have low efficiency.
Read also: Air solar collector for home heating
One of the modern developments: a house with passive heating or a “solar wall”. The absorber in this case is outer wall building, protected from the external environment by glass. The wall accumulates heat throughout the day and then releases it into heated rooms at night. This solar installation looks modern and has good heat transfer.
Thermal storage is used not only for heating, but also for cooling rooms. In the summer, the fans operate in air conditioning mode thanks to solar panels.
What is more effective - an air collector or a water one?
It all depends on what goals the owner of a private house sets for himself. A comparison of solar water heaters with air-heating convectors will show the following:- Efficiency in winter- panel and vacuum solar systems are designed for heating DHW water and heating. After the onset of cold weather, the thermal efficiency of collectors decreases.
Panel systems stop heat accumulation at –25°C. Tubular ones, although with minimal efficiency, continue to work down to –50°C.
Air manifold primarily intended for heating rooms. In winter, the air-type solar system continues to heat the building. The absence of coolant fluid allows the collector to operate at any temperature. - Cost - solar air-heating solar systems are cheaper, installation does not require large expenses and the use of additional expensive equipment. Tubular and panel collectors are expensive. Used in harness storage tank, controller and other expensive equipment.
How to make solar heating in your home
To begin with, it should be taken into account that the solar system is not installed alone. For normal heating of the building, its simultaneous operation with the heating boiler will be required.It is necessary to initially install the main heat source - the boiler, at the rate of 100% coverage of all heat costs of the building. Only after this they begin to calculate the collectors.
Solar system calculation
The heat transfer of water heating vacuum and panel collectors, as well as air heaters using solar energy, is different. Accordingly, there is no unified payment system. For convenience, you can use special online calculators.Examples of independent calculations:
- Air solar systems- will provide 1.5 kW of thermal energy for every 1 m² of collector surface. A 100 m² house will be fully heated using 4 air heaters with a total area of 8 m².
- Vacuum Tube Manifold- 15 tubes will give a total of 4.8 kW/hour. For a comfortable stay of one person, 2-4 kW/hour of heat will be required. Further calculations are made based on the number of people living in one house.
Storage volume (l)
Collectors area (m²)
Storage temperature (°C)
The cost of Russian-made collectors starts from 15 thousand rubles. Analogues manufactured in EU countries often reach 40-50 thousand rubles. (the price of the set is indicated). Taking into account the total price, it is necessary to take into account that in order to automate solar heating from panels and tubular water heaters, you need to install a control unit, a temperature controller, connect an indirect heating boiler, and make a piping that allows the boiler and collectors to operate simultaneously. The final turnkey cost will depend on the overall configuration of the heating system.
Installation of a solar heating system at home
There are several general recommendations, facilitating the connection of solar collectors:
- Efficiency in winter- panel and vacuum solar systems are designed for heating DHW water and heating. After the onset of cold weather, the thermal efficiency of collectors decreases.
When construction of a private or country house begins, important point, which also requires quite a lot of financial investment, and even more attention, is heating system and insulation of the structure. And instead of the usual systems and traditional types heating all more people turn their attention to alternative heating - solar heating of a private house.
Using solar energy for heating
The spread of solar heating systems for private homes is constantly growing, as it innovative technology using solar energy. Today, absolutely every owner of a private or country house can install such a system. Note that you will only need to invest financial resources in the purchase of equipment that will be needed to accumulate heat, but you will get the energy itself for free.
If you are going to equip your home with solar heating for long-term operation, then the choice of system should be taken seriously. It is necessary to correctly calculate the system area, power, select a good place for installation.
Note that installed system can serve you for more than 25 years, and it will pay off in about 3 years if you use it constantly.
Heating a house from the sun can be of two types:
- Based on solar panels.
- Based on solar collectors.
Solar heating has many advantages:
- Significant savings on fuel costs.
- This is a completely environmentally friendly system.
- Ease of use.
- Prices for photocells are falling, so the cost of equipment and system installation is also falling.
Among the disadvantages are the following:
- When the day is cloudy, significantly less energy will be generated.
- Equipment and installation of such a system is expensive.
- The uninterrupted operation of such a system requires special attention: accurate calculations and correct installation of all elements.
Solar heating
In essence, solar panels are photogenerators of electricity. As the laws of physics tell us, sunlight forms D.C., affecting semiconductor elements. And voltage appears in the solar battery circuits, which is then supplied to objects. A special battery stores energy, which can then be used on cloudy days.
Heating a private house with solar energy using batteries is best placed on the south side of the roof, and the roof angle should be at least 30 degrees. Experts also recommend taking into account the presence of additional interference - for example, if there are structures or trees nearby, which could subsequently interfere with the functioning of the system. The flow of sun rays should be taken into account: 1000 kW/h per 1 sq.m per year. In this calculation, the solar energy you will receive will be equal to using 100 liters of gas.
Some powerful solar panels with an area of approximately 4 square meters can supply an average family of 3 people with hot water. The energy generated will be 2000 kW/h per year.
The solar battery consists of the following elements:
- Transparent top panel, water or air will circulate inside it, made of glass or plastic.
- A blackened metal surface that absorbs heat from the sun.
- A water tank or a special storage tank where heated liquid or gas goes, after which it enters the batteries.
Solar heating systems for a private home include the following elements:
- Ordinary converter.
- DC to AC converter.
- A sensor that regulates the level of charging and discharging of the battery.
- Battery.
- Power take-off system.
Solar heating of a country house using batteries is used mainly to generate electricity. Therefore, it would be best to install such batteries where they are used. electric heating, electric heaters or heated floors. When you install heating solar panels high power, it will be possible to supply your home with hot water.
As for the efficiency of such a system as heating a house with solar energy from batteries, this indicator depends on many factors, the main one of which is the incoming solar energy. If your home is located in the northern latitude, then it is best to use combined types of heating, where solar energy will only be an addition. The same applies to those areas where there is frequent cloudy weather, since at such times the battery power will be very small.
Heating with solar collectors
Heating a country house from the sun using solar collectors is based on the same principle: solar energy is collected and converted. However, in this case it is not converted Electric Energy, and thermal. Thus, the coolant that circulates in the collector heats up under the influence of the sun's rays and then transfers its heat. Productivity here also depends on the amount of sunlight.
There are these types of collectors:
- Operating on water or antifreeze. The first type of collectors are flat-plate collectors, which consist of an absorber that absorbs solar energy, a transparent layer and a coating with thermal insulation.
- Operating on air masses and providing airborne solar heating of the house.
Do-it-yourself solar heating is real
Today, there are several ways to do solar heating at home with your own hands. For example, you can use plastic film or plastic bottles, however, such a system will not work effectively for long.
That's why the best option purchase of ready-made equipment will be effective and profitable. In addition, its cost pays off in a short time.
Building solar heating for a private house with your own hands is not as difficult a task as it seems to the ignorant layman. This will require welding skills and materials available at any hardware store.
The relevance of creating solar heating for a private house with your own hands
Gaining complete autonomy is the dream of every owner who starts private construction. But is solar energy really capable of heating a residential building, especially if the device for storing it is assembled in the garage?
Depending on the region, the solar flux can range from 50 W/sq.m on a cloudy day to 1400 W/sq.m with a clear summer sky. With such indicators, even a primitive collector with low efficiency (45-50%) and an area of 15 sq.m. can produce about 7000-10000 kWh per year. And this is 3 tons of firewood saved for a solid fuel boiler!
- on average by square meter devices account for 900 W;
- to increase the water temperature, it is necessary to spend 1.16 W;
- taking into account also the heat loss of the collector, 1 sq.m can heat about 10 liters of water per hour to a temperature of 70 degrees;
- to provide 50 liters of hot water needed by one person, you will need to spend 3.48 kW;
- Having checked the data of the hydrometeorological center on the power of solar radiation (W/sq.m) in the region, it is necessary to divide 3480 W by the resulting power of solar radiation - this will be the required area of the solar collector to heat 50 liters of water.
As it becomes clear, effective autonomous heating exclusively using solar energy is quite problematic. After all, during the gloomy winter season there is very little solar radiation, and it is impossible to place a collector with an area of 120 sq.m. on the site. it won't always work out.
So are solar collectors really non-functional? Don't discount them in advance. So, with the help of such a storage tank you can do without a boiler in the summer - the power will be enough to provide the family with hot water. In winter, it will be possible to reduce energy costs if you supply already heated water from the solar collector to an electric boiler.
In addition, the solar collector will be an excellent helper heat pump in a house with low-temperature heating (warm floors).
So, in winter the heated coolant will be used in warm floors, and in summer, excess heat can be sent to the geothermal circuit. This will reduce the power of the heat pump.
After all geothermal heat is not renewed, so that over time an ever-increasing “cold bag” forms in the soil thickness. For example, in a conventional geothermal circuit at the beginning heating season the temperature is +5 degrees, and at the end -2C. When heated, the initial temperature rises to +15 C, and by the end of the heating season does not fall below +2 C.
Construction of a homemade solar collector
For a master who is confident in his abilities, assembling a heat collector will not be difficult. You can start with a small device to provide hot water in your dacha, and if the experiment is successful, move on to creating a full-fledged solar station.
Flat-plate solar collector made of metal pipes
The simplest collector to make is a flat one. For its device you will need:
- welding machine;
- pipes from of stainless steel or copper;
- steel sheet;
- tempered glass or polycarbonate;
- wooden boards for the frame;
- non-flammable insulation that can withstand metal heated to 200 degrees;
- matte black paint, resistant to high temperatures.
Assembly of the solar collector is quite simple:
- The pipes are welded to a steel sheet - it acts as an adsorber of solar energy, so the fit of the pipes should be as tight as possible. Everything is painted matte black.
- A frame is placed on the sheet with pipes so that the pipes are facing inside. Holes are drilled for the inlet and outlet of the pipes. Insulation is being installed. If a hygroscopic material is used, you need to take care of waterproofing - after all, once wet, the insulation will no longer protect the pipes from cooling.
- The insulation is fixed OSB sheet, all joints are filled with sealant.
- On the adsorber side, transparent glass or polycarbonate with a small air gap is placed. It serves to prevent the steel sheet from cooling.
- You can fix the glass using wooden window beads, after applying sealant. It will prevent cold air from entering and protect the glass from shrinking the frame when heating and cooling.
For the collector to function fully, you will need a storage tank. It can be made from plastic barrel, insulated from the outside, in which a heat exchanger connected to solar collector. The heated water inlet should be located at the top, and the cold water outlet at the bottom.
It is important to place the tank and manifold correctly. To ensure natural circulation of water, the tank must be located above the collector, and the pipes must have a constant slope.
Solar heater made from scrap materials
If with welding machine It was not possible to establish a friendship, you can make it simple solar heater from what is at hand. For example, from tin cans. To do this, holes are made in the bottom, the cans themselves are fastened to each other with sealant, and they are seated on it at the junction with PVC pipes. They are painted black and placed in a frame under glass in the same way as ordinary pipes.
Solar house facade
Why not decorate the house with something useful instead of ordinary siding? For example, by making a solar heater on the entire wall on the south side.
This solution will allow optimizing heating costs in two directions at once - reducing energy costs and significantly reducing heat loss due to additional insulation facade.
The device is incredibly simple and does not require special tools:
- a painted galvanized sheet is laid on the insulation;
- stainless steel is laid on top corrugated pipe, also painted black;
- everything is covered with polycarbonate sheets and fixed with aluminum corners.
If this method seems complicated, the video shows a version made from tin, polypropylene pipes and films. Much easier!
