Hi Mike,

Thanks for your comments.
My air vent is a manual vent.. ball valve just cracked open.
I tested the sytem both ways.. with and without the vent and the return water actually DUMPS right back into my drainback tank with the air vent just cracked open.. as in barely open.

After I installed the vacum release valve I did not need to leave the air vent open any longer because all water 'was' draining right back just not as fast as if I left the air vent cracked open.. so I decided, being it's winter time I cracked the air vent open again just because the water literally dumps right back in quickly.

I feel much secure that nothing is going to freeze in my pipes but well appreicate your input and technical knowledge for sure.

So far so good on the insluation.
Nothing melted all summer long which I was surprised a bit.

Using the foam self stick stuff but wrapped the pipe exiting the collector with fiberglass wrap insulation prior to putting the foam over that.

The fiberglass is protecting the foam for the first 5 ft leaving the collector where the water is the hottest.

I almost forgot to do that when I was installed the foam stuff.. then remembered last minute.

so again..
so far so good..

Just wish I had about 4 more evac tube collectors during winter cuz it's hard to bring the water temps up very much with so little sun during later Nov thru end of Jan.

what are the low temps you see in your domestic tank in winter?

I love the idea of hot air collectors.. Wife hates it.. :(
 

I'm saving your hotair pdf for any Just-in-case.
One never knows when oil prices might shoot up to $15 a gallon.

I would be love to have a few collectors heating up my basement.
But, since the south side side of my house is the front, facing the street..
My dream of a warm basement is destined to remain a dream..

I don't think backyard collectors would be very effective,
since I would have run the in/out ducts about 95' to the house,
and they would have to be underground..

Sky, this the first 'start to finish' winter for my system and I don't have my 'preheat tank' hooked up yet. It's in the works but not done.

Right now my temps range from 70 to 100 degrees this time of Nov.

Once all the leaves fall off my neighbors giant oak tree I'll get some temps above 100 now and then as long as it's full sun.

I'm trying to pull a lot out of my 2 collectors too.
Feeding collector water to 2 seperate tanks isn't what a lot of people do.

If I was just doing hot water for domestic use.. using one tank I believe my temps would be a lot better.

Xringer,

Time to get creative.
Maybe build a nice big glass porch on the front of your house and use 'collectors' instead of 'lattice' to close in the bottom front section.

The glass will heat the front wall of your home and you could put the ductwork from the collectors right under the porch and pipe em into your basement.

WHALAHH! You're good to GO!

Thanks. I took a look at that south wall at mid day, and it was sad. I will start watching things, but my feel for it is, the big trees are making oxygen with my solar.

Okay Pat.. I've been thinking about one of those greenhouse things for years..
http://www.greenhousenation.com/imag...o-cw-6x8-1.jpg
http://www.smgardensheds.com/media/c...unroom6x10.jpg

I wouldn't grow anything or sit out there, but I would fill it up with some thermal mass to heat up, and vent inside the house! :)

There ya go XRinger,

Their a bit expensive but what the heck.. You've got it right!

Wow, those are some large pictures!

We get some solar gain during the day, from the windows.
But if I could increase the capture area, it would be really helpful.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...NCL/roofed.jpg
Not that many square feel of windows..

But, my wife doesn't like the look of extra stuff on the house.
She thinks what people 'think' about her house is more important
than saving the planet.. :p (She does drive a Prius).. :rolleyes:

So, if I could sell her on anything, it would have to look very nice..
Like a nice modern looking greenhouse/sun-room thing.?.

We have opposite problems. My wife is good with the look, but I don't have good enough sun on the house. :D

I'll ditto myself XRinger..

Those things cost a few bucks for sure.
Gotta look at your l o n g r a n g e ROI

and Sky..
Only thing I can think of is build em.. stick em in place cuz they're great projects then if ya don't get enough sun you can always get out there with a hair dryer or something to get em cranking! Ha!

but seriously..
You have to check the amount of hrs you get sun on that side of the house and just go from there..

If you can get 4 to 5 hrs of sun in the winter.. that'll work.

I tell people all the time.. these are supplemental heat to help you save a few bucks on heating fuel.. They're not going to heat your whole house less you have no trees for at least 2 house lots away and tons of glass on the south and southwest side of your home.

Isn't anything better then bright sun shining thru the glass all day long.
no fans.. no collectors.. nothing but great heat from the sun.