Doing yard work with solar machinery

You can buy a solar/battery-powered lawnmower — but you can’t store it in

a dark shed, or it won’t do much work! With a full charge, you can mow for

around an hour, which should cover even the biggest lawn. They weigh about

as much as a regular mower, but do cost more. They work the same way; you

have to sweat and grunt and groan and push them over every square inch, so

you may just want to pay a neighbor kid to the do the job for you.

You can buy a solar-powered leaf blower, which makes sense for small yards

where gas is overkill, electric power cords are a hassle, and conventional

rechargeable units have to be located near an AC plug. When not in use, you

can store a solar-powered leaf blower anywhere you have sunlight.

Creating ambience with swimming

pool novelty lights

Here’s my favorite toy: a clear plastic disk, around 6 inches in diameter and

2 inches thick that floats in a pool. During the day, a battery charges via a

PV module. At night, an eight-color LED display cycles through an evolving

pattern that shines down into the water so that the entire pool glows with

the color. These lights can sauce up your pool like nothing else. Static lights

create ambience, but moving lights create presence.

They’re cheap — and they should be because they don’t last long. But at $12

apiece, it’s okay. If you have a pool, you know $12 is nothing in the grand

scheme of things.

Use at least two lights at a time — they have the same patterns but different

speeds. Sometimes they get in sync. Four work best.

I recommend getting some for a party. Make sure that they’re in plenty of

sunlight before the party starts. Tell kids they’re spaceships, and they’ll

probably believe you!Here are some tips for handling some of the installation challenges:

 ✓ Don’t try to buy separate parts; get a complete kit, with however many

extension tubes you think you need. You may want to get an extra and

leave it in the box for return. Otherwise, when you find that you don’t

have enough extension tube, you’ll probably have holes cut in ceilings

and roofs, and you won’t want to stop everything and go to a store. And

Murphy’s Law says that when you get there, they’ll have just run out.

 ✓ The hardest part of the job is in the attic space, so plan your route up,

then your route over to where the work is going to be done, and then how

you’ll sit and stand when you get over there. Also, realize that you’ll be

toting tools with you; the best bet is a tool belt, but if you don’t have one,

use a sturdy bag. Of course, Murphy says that once you reach the work

location, you’ll discover that you didn’t remember a particular tool!

 ✓ You may want to look at the installation instructions before you buy a

unit for a list of tools you’ll need. If you’re going to have to buy one, or

rent one, add that to the cost of the project.

 ✓ Cutting through a typical roof takes more than a toy saw, so use a good

jigsaw with a sharp blade. Composite shingles eat jigsaw blades, so get

extras.

 ✓ Take extensive precautions to seal against the weather. (Use a good

silicon sealant, although most kits will come with appropriate sealant.)

If the elements can possibly get in, they will — maybe not this year, but

Mother Nature has infinite patience.

✓ You can botch a few things on this job and nobody will ever notice, but

you need to get the hole in your ceiling right. Measure twice; cut once.

 ✓ The key to a successful project is to locate the hole properly in your

ceiling before you start cutting. Installation instructions are very explicit

for this step, so follow them closely.

 ✓ You’re going to want to make sure that you have enough extension tube.

(Most solar tubes come with 4 feet of extension tube, with 2-foot exten-

sions as options.) Get more than you think you need, save the receipt,

and take back the extra. The last thing you want is to get halfway

through the job, with holes in your ceiling and roof and discover you

don’t have enough extension tube.The big chill: Avoiding freeze damage

Freeze damage is a major concern. If you have

no danger of freezing, you can use any type of

system you want. If your climate freezes a lot,

you’re limited, although your options are still

good. Here’s how to deal with the risks:

 ✓ In a process called recirculation, some

systems (active) turn the pump on when

the temperature gets low enough. Moving

liquid will not freeze nearly as easily as

stationary liquid. This method works well,

but it’s inefficient; the basic goal of a solar

system is to collect energy, not use it to pre-

serve the system.

 ✓ Drain valves, either manual or automatic,

may purge the collector and exposed pipes

of all fluids. This works, but in this context,

all means all because if any trace amounts

linger, freeze damage can still occur. This

works well, but once again, the process

takes energy, and this implies inefficiency.

 ✓ Closed-loop systems use antifreeze and a

heat exchanger. Water in the system can

ever freeze. These are the most common

types of systems installed on houses in

North America because they’re the most

versatile and reliable