How much money do you need to start a mobile car detailing business/

Here is the answer to the question I have received from many readers of this blog over the last month or so.

The question people ask me about all the time is:

Did You Know? You can create energy efficient solar powered home even if you don’t know much about an alternative energy. Find out how.

In the present day world, most countries agree that concentration of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere has reached dangerous proportions. Hence, the need to reduce these gases is recognized by one and all. Since the traditional fossil fuel based power sources release vast amounts of these gases which contribute to global warming, countries have opined that only solar energy must be used to generate electricity. In the US considerable efforts are being made to introduce residential solar power in homes. For example, the “Million Solar Roofs program by 2017″, attempts to convince every home to opt for solar power by the year 2017.

How can residential solar energy be made available to homes? Two alternative ways spring to attention at once. The first is the traditional way of placing solar panels at such points so that they receive maximum sunlight for most parts of the day. These solar panels are generally made up of photovoltaic cells. Residential power can also be made available by changing the basic pattern of the construction of a house, in which the solar panels are present in the edifice. In case the traditional method of setting up solar panels is preferred, we need to look at the different varieties of their constituent photovoltaic cells.

The Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell panel comes with a plate glass surface that is transparent, a back layering of Tedlar, and uses, as encapsulate, ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA). These components are arranged properly by the exterior aluminum frame. Now, as soon as sunlight hits these solar panels, the organized structure of the atoms results in the sunlight being transformed to DC power. This DC output is then converted to usable 120 volts of AC electricity, by using inverters. The battery banks present in these panels help to store away any surplus electricity that might remain. This unutilized electric current can then be sold off to nearby utilities, provided the panel is grid-tied.

The Thin Film Solar panel, on the other hand, is a cheaper solar panel. Its lower price is mainly due to the lower amounts of semiconductor materials used in manufacturing them. The three basic working models of these solar panels (viz, the amorphous Silicon (a-Si), the cadmium telluride (CdTe) and the copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) ) all can function at high efficiency levels. These panels can be put up directly on the roofing shingles of houses, and this gives the modular design of the house a decided boost.

In order to obtain a two-fold yield (when compared to the traditional solar cells), a combination of the thin film technique and the crystalline silicon cells, termed the ‘String-ribbon’ is used. This solar panel makes use of a molten process, conducted at high temperatures, in order to generate residential solar energy.

The basic items of all photovoltaic cells are the solar panels. However, these cells also need a flexible, mounting structure because this helps ensure that the panels receive as much sunlight as possible. The sunrays are effectively trapped, and DC current is obtained as output. An inverter is kept in tow that converts the DC output to usable 120 volt AC electrical power, quickly and automatically. Any surplus amounts of electricity should be kept in reserve, so that they can be used at night. This is done by the storage appliances of the system. A charge controller, that can be easily used, is also provided, so that the battery performance can be maintained at the optimum level.

Those who use photovoltaic cell solar panels find grid-tied panels to be much more advantageous. Indeed, being connected to the utility network has a couple of clear cut benefits. Firstly, and very importantly too, all unused and surplus amounts of electricity produced by the cells can be resold to the utility (or, the grid). As a result, savings on electrical expenses receive a great boost. Indeed, it is not uncommon to find the entire charges on electricity being offset by the money earned by selling the surplus electric current generated by the solar panels. Secondly, these cells ensure that enough power is available even when the sky is cloudy (solar power generation is low) and during nights (when there is no solar power generation).

Off-grid domestic solar power also finds considerable usage, chiefly in homes at faraway lands, log cabins in forests as well as in tents set up in wildernesses. Usage of propane, diesel or gasoline can be made to power these engines as a last resort, when other options do not succeed. Considerable battery backups are required by these hybrid off-grid residential solar energy generators. This ensures that adequate power can be drawn upon, during the nights, as well as during a cloudy day.

Governments, both at the federal and the state levels, are considerably encouraging the usage of residential solar energy in all homes. Solar power uses a freely abundant raw material (i.e., sunlight). Nor are there any running costs of using solar energy. In view of all these benefits, more and more people are gradually starting to use solar power for domestic purposes.

It is good to find a reference manual on residential solar power because this comes in as very handy. Such a manual will include details regarding how to install a residential solar energy system, the ideal part of the home to do so, and the ways to get hold of free batteries and relatively cheaper accessories that are required in the system. The manual would also explain the wiring mechanism and provide adequate safety advice too. Armed with all this information, you are sure to find it very easy to set up your residential solar power system and use it too.

A car wash in Ohio contacted our office, seeking a new lighting system for their drive through areas and building edifice. Like many car washes, this facility featured a “drive through” design that required as much light as possible. Local wind zones had to be taken into account, and occasional heavy snowfall in the winter was a factor to consider as well. Lighting for the car wash had to be evenly distributed throughout all areas of traffic and also around the building in such a way as to make the entire facility visible from the neighboring roadway, regardless of weather conditions.

This was the client’s primary concern, in fact, due to the fact that the winters in Ohio can be severe, and falling snow can obscure the visibility of average parking lot lights. This car wash needed light that was clearly visible in order to continuously advertise its presence.

Design Considerations

Both our experts and the client were all in agreement that the basic design of the car wash lighting system should follow the architectural “flow” of the facility itself and the movement of vehicles through the drive through area. The car wash features a single entrance at the front that opens into a drive through area where the cars are actually washed. Past the drive area, there is a separate detailing area where the cars are dried and polished.

The client specifically requested that we use a certain amount of decorative lighting to add aesthetic to their facility. The main areas that needed this extra affect were the building façade itself, which faced the street, and the sign near the entrance that advertised the business.

Photometric Analysis Software Helped Us Develop A Custom Car Wash Lighting System Unique To This Challenging Environment

The client sent us a detailed set plan in CAD. Using data from this site plan, we assessed various angles of incidence and foot candle options for the car wash. Lighting calculations were made based upon elevation of buildings, total area of the parking and drive through areas, and the entrance. Using the 3D rendering capability of our software, we were able to experiment with different hypothetical scenarios until we developed a system that enabled us to accommodate client tastes, light the car wash with luminance that was more than adequate for even snow and rain conditions, and utilize the most efficient lighting technology available.

Final Lighting System Proposed

We chose 25′ poles to meet the local wind zone requirements for the community surrounding the car wash. Lighting fixtures had to concentrate light onto the detailing area and throw some into the entrance drive and exit. We used Type V, 400W shoebox fixtures for this task. For our client’s decorative lighting requirements, we used gooseneck lights. All gooseneck lights were building mounted in a low profile position that minimized their own appearance and emphasized the building edifice. For the sign near the entrance, we used a linear fluorescent floodlight designed for energy efficiency and low profile uplighting.

Quality assurance is an important element of the used car business, and your methods should be explained in your business plan. Used car dealers must be able to know that the cars they sell are sellable to keep a positive reputation in the community and to avoid any legal entanglements.

Lemon Laws

First, a used car dealer should know the so-called “lemon laws” of the state he operates within. Lemon laws protect customers who have been sold a car which does not meet standards of quality and performance. Know your rights and responsibilities as a used car dealer and what kind of due diligence is required.

Car History

You should look into the history of the car, provided by the previous owner and verified by you. Carfax and similar services should be able to verify that the car has not been stolen and to look into its inspection history. A trusted mechanic should check the condition of the car and write a written report about it. By building a long-term relationship with such a mechanic, you can be more assured that they will be honest and thorough in their work, and not leave out issues, for example, on the hopes it will bring more work to them when a part fails down the road.

Show the Costs

As the process of securing these reports and meeting the requirements of the law will all add extra costs to your business, explain those costs in your plan as well as how you will price cars properly to cover those costs. Showing the costs of this work is another way of explaining the activities and operations of the company. If readers see quality assurance mentioned in the text of the plan, but see no expense associated with it, they may think it is simply window dressing and that you have no sense of actually doing the work or even researching the costs involved. Show you are serious about this requirement by putting a number to it.