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Posted by Evans D. Smith on January 15, 2010

Solar Energy; The Real Facts

Posted under Home Improvement

Most power plants in the U. S. and all over world are using normal fuels to operate and generate electrical power. Fossil fuel has been used as a source of energy so long as man has learned to generate power. Fossil fuel has been about for ages and when man began to use this power sources nobody though about the effects. Carbon-based fuels will run out and there’ll be a shortage of it in near future. This deficit in fossil fuel will have its affect on our daily live and numerous industries. Today we see a number of these has effects on already, fossil fuel prizes are raising and electricity is starting to become dearer. Though normal fuels are way more shocks, to want for carbon-based fuels will continue to be here and won’t fall in near future. To resolve this lack of normal fuels we’re going to need to have a look for other possibilities for our energy demand.

Fortunately, alternative power sources are growing in fees. As an example, locations with high water falls are experimenting on building a hydro-electric power plant, which turns out to achieve success. Other locations with high wind speed utilize a power wind mills that may convert wind energy into electricity. Also thermal and tidal powers are good choices.

Solar energy is also one of the sources of energy that’s gaining in charges. Solar power has steadily been growing. Today solar power is employed generally in the USA and the benefits are common. Our solar power source, the sun, its life-span is reckoned to be another 4.5 billion years. It is fair to claim that this power source is kind of unending.

Rate of power from the Sun

The sun’s radiation reaches a certain unit of area in space in the area of the Earth’s orbit and is predicted to be at 1,400 watts per square meter. Out of this, photovoltaic cells ( AKA solar cells ) can capture nineteen to fifty six watts per square meter ( for 15% potency ) or an equivalent of 0.45 to 1.35 KW an hour ( kWh ) in an once a year nighttime and daytime average.

Therefore, if there would be more area that’ll be covered by many solar panels, these panels can produce a little more energy in the shape of electricity than what’s now available from oil, gas, and other energy sources mixed ( presuming 8% solar cell potency ).

Conversion of Solar Energy

There are 2 ways of conversion of solar power. First is the direct solar energy which involves only one conversion into a serviceable form. For example :

Sunlight hits the solar cell, converting it into electricity. Sunlight hits the absorber surface of a solar thermal collector, converting into thermal energy which can be used to heat homes during cold season.

The second is the indirect solar energy which involves more than one conversion to reach a usable form. For instance:

Plants use photosynthesis to transform solar power to chemical energy, which can be burned later as fuel to generate electricity ( AKA bio-fuel technology ). Hydroelectric dams and turbines are indirectly supplied by solar power thru its interactions with the Earth’s atmosphere.

Pros and Cons of solar power

Just like every other sorts of energy resources, solar power has its bits and bobs.

Pros:

Pollution-free. Solar facilities can be run with tiny additional input or upkeep. It is abounding. As discussed earlier, almost all of the inhabited areas here on Earth can be reached by daylight.

Cons :

Although it is abundant, non-tropical locations can receive tiny daylight. So , power that’ll be produced in these locations is a minimum. Only during daytime therefore unavailable during night time. Photovoltaic cell technologies generate direct current ( DC ) power which must be converted to AC ( AC ) power utilized in distribution grids.

Once huge development of the utilization of solar power is materialized, expect that each household or industry in the world will now be powered by solar power. It isn’t just a dream, it’ll be a waking dream.

What you just learned about Solar Pool Heaters is just the beginning. To get the full story and all the details, check us out at Best DIY Solar Power House Guide.

Posted by Christina Starkits on June 2, 2009

Going off the Grid with Solar Energy

Posted under Home Improvement

Americans spend tremendous amounts of money on electrical capacity, and moving electricity from a power plant to the home involves a lot of transmission waste, waste that you’re paying for. You’re also paying for the hidden environmental and sunk costs on power generation plants as well. Learning how to save electricity will get more of your hard earned dollars back in your bank accounts while learning how to capture and use solar energy in your home.

Energy star certified appliances are a great way to start “going green”, just by replacing your old appliances with more energy efficient ones you can easily see a drop in your electrical bills. Simple upgrades around your home can amount to great savings in your bank account. Since saving money is such a priority nowadays with the cost of living being so high, there are a great number of kits available on the market to make the load on your wallet a lot lighter.

Saving electricity and learning how to be more efficient is the first level. Creating solar energy on your own is the next level. Solar cells are increasing in popularity and are becoming more proficient at a much lower price. In the past, creating your own solar energy would have been a multi thousand dollar job but today it can be achieved for a few hundred. Furthermore, some governments are now offering tax credits to those that are creating their own form of power.

Most people know Albert Einstein as one of the smartest men of all time but few know what earned him his Nobel Prize. Photo-electric effect is the reason Albert recieved his Prize which is also the basics of how solar enerergy is generated. Also refered to as the photo voltaic process, this is basically the process of converting the suns rays (including ultra violate radiation) into usable energy.

Solar panels are not only known to use sunlight and convert it into usable energy, but can also store extra energy for use at later time as it is needed. There are plenty of new systems out there that are not only used as a single system to convert energy but also duel systems to serve multiple purposes that can all save a lot of money. A lot of this information is new to the average individual but with a little research people are becoming more open to the ideas and realizing it can be done for a relatively inexpensive price.

These solar power systems are considered to be an investment but consider this, how quickly will this investment pay for itself? The answer is suprisingly under a year! These systems are so effective at saving cash you will wonder why you didnt make this investment years ago.

Obviously in this article we are just hitting the basic points of solar energy. The benefits are countless and this is just a quick overview of how easily you can be profiting from creating your own resource for energy rather than the electrical companys profits from you! Furthermore, you are getting mental satisfaction of knowing your doing something great for our planet and your children will thank you for it!

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Posted by Steven Karback on April 14, 2009

The Lawn an Important Part in the Landscape Picture

Posted under Home Improvement

It’s March and this means that lawns in the Midwest are in need prompt attention. No other element in the development of the home grounds adds so much to their beauty and attractiveness as a good lawn. It is the lawn which carpets the open spaces and gives a proper setting for the house and garden. A good turf prevents erosion in rainy weather and keeps down dust in times of drought. Surely the well-kept lawn is a source of pride and joy to the owner.

A lawn means grass. So far there is no substitute. It may vary from poor to excellent and still be a lawn. Most folks have learned that nature will provide a green cover for the lawn area and are content with that arrangement. About all this kind of lawn needs is an occasional good, close mowing.

Some folks are not so easily pleased. They consider the lawn as a thing of beauty, a green, uniform, well-kept carpet, which plays an important part in the landscape picture. Such a lawn is not possible unless certain definite rules are followed.

Thus far, Kentucky bluegrass is our best lawn grass, because of its fine texture, good color, freedom from disease and insects, manner of growth and extreme hardiness. A good bluegrass turf cannot be established in one season, but two or three years are required even under proper management.

Early fall is usually a better time to sow bluegrass seed, but with most lawns brown at that season or taken over by crabgrass, people easily put off the job until spring. If the lawn is above the average now and has a fairly good stand of bluegrass, sow only lawn bluegrass seed; but if the lawn is just average, use a mixture of five parts bluegrass, three parts redtop and two parts domestic rye grass. For spring seeding, five pounds of white clover may be added to 95 pounds of grass mixture if you want to cut expenses on lawn seed fertilizer.

White clover, redtop and rye grass germinate quickly and will soon cover the bare spots and serve as a nurse crop for the slower germinating bluegrass. The present high price of bluegrass should be an incentive for folks to use less seeds than the customary two or four pounds per 1000 square feet and to do the job more thoroughly and more effectively. Four pounds of good bluegrass seed would have around 8,000,000 seeds. At the rate of four pounds per 1000 square feet, we would be seeding around 8000 seeds per square foot or 55 seeds per square inch. If all these seeds germinated and grew, certainly the stand would be so thick that weak, spindly plants would result.

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Posted by Theodore Cartman on March 21, 2009

How CD Storage Units Can Help

Posted under Home Improvement

CD storage units have become very popular these days. They are available in the form of bins and racks. Out of these CD owners generally prefer racks because they can be mounted on walls easily. They can blend with the room’s dйcor without looking odd. They do not require any major readjustment of room settings. They are available in various shapes, colors, sizes and materials like polyester, wood and plastic; they make great decorative furniture in homes.

These did serve a great purpose for their time. Their quality was relatively good but they were subject to scratching and thus jumping when being played. They were also bulky as we mentioned making it difficult to store them adequately without damaging them.

CDs have almost completely replaced the 18 inch vinyl records which were bulky and difficult to store.18 inch vinyl records were also easily damaged by scratches that caused music to break when the record was played. The small size, portability and higher quality of music of CDs caused them to take the place of vinyl records which were too cumbersome.

CDs have become so popular that many CD clubs have emerged world wide. These CD clubs sell music CDs at very low prices ranging from a few pennies to a few dollars. These CD clubs are a favorite haunt of music lovers. They buy all their favorite music CDs from these clubs and create impressive home CD libraries.

CDs have a small size unlike the bulky vinyl records. So they tend to get lost easily. Another issue with CDs is that they are not scratch resistant or indestructible. Heat and tear damages the music stored in the CD as digital numbers. Once the CD is damaged the music might jump and break. Sometimes the entire CD becomes useless.

To ensure the long life of CDs and save them from damage by heat and scratches it is important to store them in CD storage units. These CD storage units also ensure that your collection of CDs doesn’t get lost. It will also be easier to keep track of your CDs accurately. CD storage units have become absolute necessities for music lovers who have a huge collection of CDs in their home CD libraries.

CD storage units are made of various materials like wood, polyester and plastic. CD storage units of various types, shapes and sizes are available in the market. CD racks and bins are the main types of CD storage units sold. Racks are the better option because they can be easily hung on walls. They decorate the room and compliment the room’s decor. By choosing a rack of the right color and design you can ensure that it does not look jarring in the room; you can use it without changing your room settings.

Compact discs have truly revolutionized the music realm; the way we store and listen to music has gone digital with the advent of CDs. When we consider the amazing features of CDs we can’t help marveling the advancement that has come about in technology.

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Posted by Kenneth Carlson on March 5, 2009

Time of Dahlia Flowering

Posted under Home Improvement

It is not possible here to give more than a general outline of the principles underlying timing, but as an approximation it can be assumed that a burl is formed on a giant decorative approximately six weeks after stopping, provided the plant at the time is in a fit state to be stopped, as explained earlier in the chapter, and that it will take a further four weeks for this bud to expand to the maximum sized bloom.

It follows that it is advisable to take plants struck at different times if a wide variation in blooming period is required, and to pinch the tops out at varying times. This will ensure, not so much that a bloom on a particular plant will be ready at a certain date, but that blooms will be available at that date, rather than a big flush of blooms all within a few days of each other, which might he at a period when there is not a suitable show.

It is also possible by careful timing to ensure that the majority of plants can be induced to flower around a given date, by stopping plants of one variety at intervals of a few days, but to apply this system effectively it is essential to build up a considerable knowledge of the potential of all varieties grown.

The second is the removal of all pests. The dahlia is peculiarly susceptible to attack at this time; earwigs and slugs in particular will completely ruin a plant in a matter of days if allowed complete freedom. Slug bait should be used and the plant dusted or sprayed at intervals with Gamma B.H.C., or a similar insecticide. B.H.C. is recommended because this is also effective against aphides. There are a number of branded insecticides on the market containing this.

Although this may seem a great deal of trouble, it is better to take such precautions than to have the heartbreaking sight of a strong healthy branch broken off later in the season, particularly on a plant well thinned out for giant blooms of exhibition quality. For the same reason it is essential to tie in the branches as these develop, and this is a task that must never be neglected.

But the danger here is the tendency for the whole plant to swing in a circular fashion around the stake during high winds.

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Posted by admin on June 27, 2008

Why Choose BestHousePainter.com

Posted under Home Improvement

greenlight.jpgYour place would feel like home again after you hire a San Diego home painter or a local painter near your region. Many people rely on professional painters and contractors for their painting needs, whether they want a new look for their homes for their own haven or if they want it to gain appeal for prospective buyers.

How could you hire a San Diego exterior painting expert then? It starts by being on the right site. I suggest that you check out BestHousePainter.com and see all the easy ways you can reach the most qualified and reliable painters near your locale. One easy step is entering your zip code. You will then have access to their local painter affiliates. You can view their page in the site and compare their services to other providers. They will contact you in less than a day to discuss the matters in detail with you.              In the entire United States of America, there is a growing number of homeowners availing of painting jobs from the painters from the Best House Painter. You too can hire a San Francisco exterior home painter or the one you prefer.

Going home could not be as relaxing and comfortable with a new look for your homes. Make it refreshed and calming!

Posted by admin on April 15, 2008

CCTV Camera – Do-It-Yourself Installation Guide

Posted under Home Improvement

This guide is written for those who do need video security and can’t afford costly installation services, or if the CCTV installer is not available in your area – the later is more common than one could think. We will cover most common security equipment types, as it is virtually impossible to go over such a wide rang of different security cameras and recording/video processing equipment available on the market.

I assume anyone considering do-it-yourself CCTV installation has basic knowledge of wiring techniques and practices. I am not to be held responsible or liable for damages to the equipment due to mishandling or misuse. Remember; during the installation always pay attention to safety. Working at heights and using tools can be dangerous, please follow all safety practices. Lets jump right to it now.

Planning: First step of any camera installation is to plan camera and monitoring equipment locations. When planning for camera locations please take in consideration light condition, never install cameras in low light room pointing straight into the sunny area it will add glare to the picture, even if your camera has back light compensation it will not be enough. Use infrared cameras for very dark conditions and/or B/W cameras with as low LUX number as possible. I am not going to discuss proper equipment selection, as this was subject of my last article.

Selecting the best possible camera locations is not easy, and will directly impact the camera views. Besides light conditions, the distance to the monitoring object is equally important. There are many different types and focal lengths of lenses; your selection will depend on light condition and distance from the camera to the monitoring object. In small rooms around 500sq. ft. cameras with standard 3.6mm lens should be OK. Keep in mind that most bullet and board type of cameras come with 3.6mm lens, the greater the distance to the monitoring object the longer focal length of the lens will be needed. There is no ease way of judging lens selection, you can eider guess or buy professional lens selector tool.. Alternatively you can start with your lens selection and if needed get longer or shorter focal length lens later. Other option as far as lens selection goes, is to use variable focus lens, which is very versatile approach and takes the guess out of the lens selection process. For those who do not know what variable focus lens is, it’s basically adjustable focal length lens that will allow to change the focal length within specified range, fore example: 2.6mm – 8mm or 5mm – 50mm.

To maximize cameras coverage and get the most out of the CCTV system for least amount of money minimize number of it by placing cameras in strategic places, unless complete area coverage is needed. Avoid overlapping camera views, do not install them with source of light directly in front of it and do not place infrared cameras pointing at each other to eliminate risk of overexposure. These are the most common mistakes that need to be avoided. After the initial camera locations are predetermined, lets look at cable placement. Make sure that it is actually possible and practical to run cable to each location, if running the cable to any camera location is for some reason impossible opt-out for alternate location.

Wiring: The most time consuming and important part of any camera installation is wiring. Plan your installation carefully to minimize cable lengths and insure good quality video signal. Never run cables alongside high power electrical lines, at least 12″ spacing between video cable and power lines are recommended. Keep the cable lengths below 400ft and use good quality cable, most people take the cable for granted, but it is actually very important aspect of any installation. The CCTV system is only as good as its weakest component. I usually stick with RG59U with power Coleman cable (YES it is US made) sometimes called Siamese type cable. It is combo cable and will transmit video and power, as an alternative it is sometimes possible to use less expensive RG6 standard coax cable with separate run of 18/2AWG for power.

The Siamese cable is less bulky and easer to run, distribution power supply is recommended with this type of cable as power will be supplied from common place right next to monitor and recording equipment. Using Siamese cable makes for more clean and neat installation, as only one line is required for each camera. Running RG6 cable with separate run for power is the likely solution if power outlets are available near each locations. In this case individual plug in power supplies are used to power them with power cable running as separate and independent line to the camera. Both types of cables are available at dvrexperts. When running the cable it is good practice to leave couple of loops of extra cable at both camera and monitoring locations. This extra length of cable is needed if in the future monitoring or location will have to be moved slightly. After the cable is in place, the labor-intensive part of installation is over, now we can get to the fun part of installation.

Camera mounting: Most s come with mounting screws and bracket included, attach the bracket firmly and remember that in some cases different brackets than the ones supplied with the cameras could be needed.

Attach the camera to the bracket and adjust the position approximately at this time, we will come back to it later. Typical security camera is powered by 12VDC or 24VAC and power input type is screw or push terminals or 2.1mm plug. Power connection will differ for each type of power supply and input style. Most cameras are 12VDC, in this case it is important to observe polarity or you may damage the camera. The power cable has two conductors and in most cases it will be red or white and black cable. Use the red or white for positive and black for negative terminals. If it has screw or push terminals power input connect the cable directly observing polarity, if it is 2.1mm plug, a special 2.1MM Female DC Plug with Flying Leads have to be connected to the cable again keep attention to polarity. The 24VAC connection is very similar, with one major difference – polarity is not important.

Next step will involve some special tools and accessories. We will attempt to go over installation process of BNC crimp-on video connector, I will post video demonstration of BNC crimping techniques shortly so please check the web sites mentioned in this article often.

Steps: 1. Remove about 1/2-inch long outer jacket from the end of video cable exposing braid. 2. Slide the crimping barrel onto the cable with the larger diameter facing end of the cable. 3. Pull the braid backwards exposing the inner isolator material and remove 3/8-inch of it so you have now core conductor exposed. 4. The main part of BNC connector has a small hole on one side; push the exposed core conductor of the cable into that hole as far as it will go. 5. Push all the braid folded backwards in step 3 onto the BNC connector and spread the braid evenly around connector. 6. Push the crimping barrel onto the BNC connector all the way. 7. Using crimping tool, squeeze the crimping barrel onto the BNC connector, now the cable braid is compressed in between crimping barrel and BNC connector assuring secure connection.

BNC connector is on, lets hook it up now and repeat the steps for each camera, if you have purchased 16 camera system you may want to get some coffee first.

Monitor and recorder connection:

Cameras are on, its time to make final connections. I will focused on standard CCTV monitor, standalone DVR recorder and distribution power supply, as this is the most popular and likely solution for most CCTV installations.

First we have to install BNC connectors on this side as well – its time for that coffee again. It is good idea to make room for monitor and recorder now and setup some type of desk, shelf or rack to place all the equipment on.

We need the monitor and recorder in place so we can determine proper power supply location. Power supply should be mounted within couple of feet from the DVR video inputs. After power supply is secured separate the power conductors from the Siamese cable, and run it to power supply. Like we did with the cameras if 12VDC power is used, we need to watch the polarity, each terminal on the power supply is marked, so there should not be any doubt. Make sure the power supply is not plugged in to the power outlet yet.

Connect video cables to the DVR video in ports. We need one video cable to connect the DVR with the monitor, if you do not have one you may cut piece of Siamese cable separate the power conductors from it and install BNC connectors on both ends, you now have the cable. Connect the DVR monitor out port to monitor video in. We are almost ready to power up everything; there is only one more thing to take care before we do that.

We need to protect the equipment from power spikes by plugging it into power conditioner or better yet, buttery backup unit. If the installation location is experiencing frequent power outages, the backup unit is strongly recommended. To extend the backup time only plug the DVR and camera power supply to the backup unit and the monitor to regular power strip, this way if we do loose power for some time the DVR and cameras are still functioning as normal while monitor is off. Turning off monitor will not affect DVR and cameras in any way; it is actually good habit to turn the monitor of if not used to extend its life.

Power on and final adjustment: Yes… we are now ready to power it up for the first time, if this is your first installation it may be nerve-racking experience. Start with turning the cameras power supply on, turn the monitor on as well followed by DVR system. The stand-alone DVR, after self-test will show cameras or setup menu on first power up depending on your model.

To setup the DVR refer to the manual for proper settings. Go over each camera view to determine if the view is actually what you want, hardly ever it will be without additional readjustments. To properly and easily adjust the positions, the test monitor will be very handy if not essential tool. Go to each camera location and connect the test monitor to adjust the position to your preferences, if satisfied secure camera bracket adjustment screws – we will not go back to this camera anymore.

Conclusion: Congratulations! You have just completed your most likely, very first installation of CCTV system. Visit our store fore more information on surveillance cameras, DVR recorders, tools and accessories.