EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Solar water preheater project based on builditsolar $1000 system

strider3700 · 10-18-11, 08:44 PM

I think I've made some decisions today.

First off was panel placement. I used a piece of polyiso the size of 1 pane of glass that I have. It's 76"x34" or 18 sqft. My original plan was to build 4 identical panels and run them in a standard riser design side by side.

Here is what 1 of them would look like

Not the most stealthy and that's a big black wall with 4 side by side.

here's if I lay it down however

much more stealthy in my opinion. I could then lay two of them end to end as 1 big 152"x34" hizer design panel. at only 36 sqft it's not a great amount of collector but it's better then nothing. I also happen to have enough copper to do it.

That location gets the most sun of anywhere in my yard short of the front roof which gets perfect exposure 365 days a year. This location loses a bit at the very end of day due to the fence. It's not a loss worth worrying about.

The tank location is likely to be in the carport where it's been sitting waiting for install for the last 2 years now. It will easily be drainback from the panels but it definitely won't be to inside the house and the heat exchanger. I still need to figure that out. Really in the original location I wanted it wouldn't have been drainback either just the amount of pipe needing heavily insulated was only a couple of feet.... Nothing that more insulation can't fix right?

<edit> I forgot to mention that the tank works out to 150ish gallons. this puts it on the large side for this amount of collector and the the 36sqft of collector on the low side for my family. I can always figure out how to add two more collectors in the future if need be. </edit>

10-18-11, 08:44 PM	#67
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	I think I've made some decisions today. First off was panel placement. I used a piece of polyiso the size of 1 pane of glass that I have. It's 76"x34" or 18 sqft. My original plan was to build 4 identical panels and run them in a standard riser design side by side. Here is what 1 of them would look like Not the most stealthy and that's a big black wall with 4 side by side. here's if I lay it down however much more stealthy in my opinion. I could then lay two of them end to end as 1 big 152"x34" hizer design panel. at only 36 sqft it's not a great amount of collector but it's better then nothing. I also happen to have enough copper to do it. That location gets the most sun of anywhere in my yard short of the front roof which gets perfect exposure 365 days a year. This location loses a bit at the very end of day due to the fence. It's not a loss worth worrying about. The tank location is likely to be in the carport where it's been sitting waiting for install for the last 2 years now. It will easily be drainback from the panels but it definitely won't be to inside the house and the heat exchanger. I still need to figure that out. Really in the original location I wanted it wouldn't have been drainback either just the amount of pipe needing heavily insulated was only a couple of feet.... Nothing that more insulation can't fix right? <edit> I forgot to mention that the tank works out to 150ish gallons. this puts it on the large side for this amount of collector and the the 36sqft of collector on the low side for my family. I can always figure out how to add two more collectors in the future if need be. </edit> Last edited by strider3700; 10-18-11 at 09:15 PM..