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Solar DIY Analysis Tools and Data

Analytical tools for solar work
Climate and solar radiation data
Properties for materials used in solar projects
Wire and pipe tables
Reference books on solar engineering
...

This page is being phased out -- here is a more complete (and orderly?) list of solar tools and references.

Note: Also check the References->Solar Suppliers page for data and tools on supplier sites.

General Engineering Reference Sites
The Engineering Tool Box http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/	A wide ranging engineering reference site. Material properties, Fluid Mechanics, Piping, HVAC calcs, ...
Software Tool Lists
Interactive Evaluation Tools for Small Wind, hydro, water heating, space heating, pool heating... http://www.eere.energy.gov	List of Interactive Evaluation Tools for renewable energy sources. From the EERE DOE site.
EERE Energy Software Tools Directory www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/tools_directory/	DOE EERE site list of software tools for a wide renewable energy applications. Some free.
Solar Position and Radiation Tools
Sun Charts http://solardat.uoregon.edu/SunChartProgram.html	A Sun Chart for your area is a must have tool to determine how much of the time sun will shine on your collectors. See site survey for how it works.
NREL Solar Radiation and Climatic Data http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/pubs/redbook/	Average weather conditions and solar radiation of collectors at various orientations for many US cities. Based on 30 year weather records. Try downloading the pdf version for your state.
Surface meteorology and Solar Energy NASA http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/sse/sse.cgi?na+s01#s01	Solar radiation and solar geometry data from derived from satellite observations. Provides data for anywhere in the world.
Sustainable By Design Solar Tools http://www.susdesign.com/design-tools.html	Some very well done (and free) tools for designing overhangs, determining sun position, ... The overhang design tool is very good.
Radiation On Collector Gary	A tool that provides radiation levels on a flat plate collector for sunny days as a function of collector location (lat and long) and orientation. Use to answer questions like what if I can't aim my collector due south?
Windows and Glass
Efficient Windows www.efficientwindows.org/index.cfm	Good information on choosing windows for your exposure, climate, aims... Try the "Window Selection Tool".
http://www.pnl.gov/fta/13_glazings/13_glazings.htm	Good write up on spectrally selective glazing.
Pilkington Glass http://www.pilkington.com	Good technical data on a wide variety of glasses and some useful calculators.
Home Heat Loss/Gain and Passive Solar Home Design Software
HEED http://www2.aud.ucla.edu/heed/ Additional documentation: http://www2.aud.ucla.edu/energy-design-tools/papers.html	This is very easy to use, yet very capable simulation software for estimating the energy/thermal performance of a passive solar or conventional home. Weather files for over 500 worldwide locations. While it initially appears almost too simple, by using the "advanced tab" it can handle a wide variety of situations. It uses a one hour simulation time step, and weather files that cover a full year of typical weather. It has been carefully validated. It is limited to 1 zone, and does not handle sunspaces. It is a free download.
Resfen http://windows.lbl.gov/software/default.htm For precompiled Resfen data on many window types for many locations, use the "Window Selection" tool here: http://www.efficientwindows.org	Resfen allows detailed analysis of window choices for a wide variety of windows. It is a full hourly simulation, and offers weather files for many locations. Easy to use.
Energy10 http://www.nrel.gov/buildings/energy10/	ENERGY-10 is a PC-based design tool that helps building designers quickly identify the most cost-effective, energy-saving measures for small commercial and residential buildings. It supports rapid comparisons of energy saving strategies. Limited to 2 zones. Cost is $300, or $60 for students -- just think how much energy would be saved if this program was made free!
Infiltration Heat Loss http://coloradoenergy.org/procorner /forumulas/air_infiltration.htm	Estimating the saving for reducing infiltration heat loss.
Energy Savings Calculators
Infinite Power www.infinitepower.org/calculators.htm	A good calculator for calculating the cost saving for installing a solar hot water heater.
Solar Collector Design
CoDePro -- Flat Plate Collector Design Program http://sel.me.wisc.edu/codepro/new_codepro.html	Program develops the efficiency curve given inputs on the collector glazing, absorber, insulation etc.
Piping and Plumbing Analysis and Properties
Endot Industries http://www.endot.com/support/installation.asp	Specifications, material properties, application data, pressure loss tables, ... for various flavors of Polyethylene pipe.
Pipe Loss Calculator http://www.connel.net/freeware/flowcalc1.shtml	Calculates pressure losses, velocity, ... for water or water/glycol flow in pipes.
Copper.Org www.copper.org	Search for "The Copper Tube Handbook" -- 7mb of more than you will ever need to know about copper tubing/pipe size, geometry, ratings, ...
Boedeker Plastics Plastics properties and selection guides http://www.boedeker.com/mtable.htm http://www.boedeker.com/mguide.htm	Material properties and selection information for a wide variety of plastics.
Vanguard Piping Systems http://www.vanguardpipe.com/paltechdata.htm http://www.vanguardpipe.com/litlib.html	Lots of data on PEX tubing, including some test results.
Heat Exchangers
U in Heat Exchangers Download pdf (287K)	Thermal conductivity coefficient for various heat exchange circumstances
DTL Tube and Shell Heat Exchanger Sizing Guide http://www.thermo-dynamics.com/download.html	Sizing guide for tube and shell heat exchangers for DTL
Pumps and Solar Pumping
A Graphic Guide to Solar Water Pumping Windy Dankoff www.homepower.com	Home Power Magazine article, issue 46 Very good article on designing and selecting the components for a solar electric water pumping system. Covers a wide variety of pumping head requirements, flow requirements, and system types.
Dankoff Pumps Solar Pumps for Space Heating Guide http://www.dankoffsolar.com	Information on pumps used for space heating fluid circulators.
Solar Pump Selection Guide http://www.thermo-dynamics.com/download.html	PV powered pump sizing information.
HVAC
Duct Sizing Calculator http://www.connel.com/freeware/airduct.shtml	Duct sizing calculator -- calculates pressure losses for various types of ducts
Free Calc -- a variety of HVAC calculators http://www.freecalc.com/	Duct losses, fluid flow, heat exchangers, ...
Pipe flow and Duct Flow Calculators Mike Rocchetti http://www.connel.com/freeware/index.shtml	Calculators for pressure loss in pipes and ducts, steam tables, and a Psychrometric Calculator
Refrigeration
Optimum Refrigeration Temperatures for Foods http://www.glacierbay.com/Foodstoretemp.asp	Chart compiled by Glacier Bay Inc provides ideal short and long term storage temperatures for various foods.
Electrical
Wire Current Tables http://www.teicontrols.com/ampacity.html http://www.teicontrols.com/conduit.html Wire Table	Maximum allowable current in wires as a function of insulation type. Maximum number of conductors in conduit as a function of wire gauge and conduit size. Another wire table for AWG that includes resistance per 100 ft and much more.
Electric Motor Current Draw
http://www.teicontrols.com/motoramp.html	Approximate motor current draw at full load.
Units
Online Units Conversion http://www.onlineconversion.com/	Online calculator to convert units (eg metric to English)


Heat Transfer Analysis Methods
The Thermal Wizard -- A variety of heat loss calculators http://www.thermal-wizard.com/tmwiz/	Heat loss calculators for a variety of gas and liquid flow conditions.
Watlow - Reference Engineering Data http://www.watlow.com/reference/refdata/	Data on heat loss from surfaces, material properties, ...
Materials Specs
Boedeker Plastics Plastics properties and selection guides http://www.boedeker.com/mtable.htm http://www.boedeker.com/mguide.htm	Material properties and selection information for a wide variety of plastics.
Specs for a wide variety of plastics http://www.interstateplastics.com/specifications/	Specifications for a wide variety of plastics: Acrylic, Nylon, PVC, Polycarbonate, HDPE, ...
Material Specs on High Temperature Plastics http://www.texloc.com	Material specs on some high temperature plastics, including PTFE (Teflon).
Emissivity of many materials http://www.electro-optical.com	Emissivity of many materials (paints, metals, plastics, ...)
Pollution and Emissions Calculators
Infinite Power www.infinitepower.org/calculators.htm	Calculators to estimate carbon dioxide and other pollutants generated by activities like driving, using electricity etc. Lot of other good renewable energy information on this site.
Energy Conversion
Heat Content of Common Fuels Fuel BTU	Heat content in BTU for common fuels
Fuel Energy Equivalence Calculator SHEC labs http://www.shec-labs.com/calc/	Compare fuels for energy content.
Heating System Efficiency Furnace Efic	Efficiency for various types of heating systems and fuels.
Books and Publications Technical reference books that I have used and like, or have been highly recommended by others. Sites with an extensive library of solar publications.
Solar Thermal Engineering Peter Lunde	Covers a wide selection of topics, well written, practical, manageable math. 1980, 600 pages Out of print, but available used at Amazon.com and the like.
The Passive Solar Energy Book -- Expanded Professional Edition Edward Mazria	Covers all the basics, very readable, very little math. 1979, 700 pages Out of print, but available used at Amazon.com and the like.
Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes, 2nd Edition John Duffie and William Beckman	Very complete -- widest coverage of the books listed here. 1991, 900 pages
CANMET Energy Technology Center -- Buildings Group -- Publications www.buildingsgroup.nrcan.gc.ca	Outstanding list of publications on solar and renewable energy. Canada government site.
Solar Air Heating Systems Steve Kornher with Andy Zaugg Excerpts from this book	This is a fine book on designing and building solar air collectors and solar air heating systems of many types. Very good on design, very good on construction. Covers both active and passive air collectors. The book is out of print, but available at Amazon.com used books for less than $10 -- highly recommended. The link provides extensive excerpts from the book courtesy of Steve and Andy -- Thanks!!
Pumps and Turbines Arthur Williams	Nice combination of understandable physics and sensible economics. 2003 ITDG Publishing
Design: Solar Heating Of Buildings and Domestic Hot Water MIL-HNBK 1003/13A www.ccb.org/docs/UFC/3_440_04.pdf (1.6mb pdf)	170 page mil handbook on solar heating -- starts with general descriptions, but goes on to cover solar space heating and water heating in some depth -- and its free.
Active Solar Collectors and Their Application Ari Rabl	A great engineering reference on solar collectors of almost all types.