Passive Solar Devices

Passive solar devices use little, or no other power source than sunlight collection. Something as simple as a sunroom attached to your house is an example of passive solar design. At any given time, the temperature in the sunroom is 10 to 20 or more degrees warmer than the rest of the house. In the winter, this can help heat the rest of the house on sunny days.
Another example of a passive solar design, is a solar water heater. The flat panel solar collectors are mounted on the roof of the building. The water to be heated circulates through tubes attached to the panels. The heated water is stored until used, or until it needs to be recirculated through the panels to be heated up again.
Passive solar technology is also being used by some state highway departments to operate temporary traffic control systems. Have you noticed those traffic signs in construction zones with the attached solar panels? The device has battery storage capable of operating the sign for up to 30 days without any bright sunlight to recharge it.
Advances are being made every day to bring this technology to homeowners like us. It is exiciting!