EcoRenovator - View Single Post

Xringer · 03-08-10, 02:26 PM

LOL! I'm not a rich hot-tub guy.. (I would like one out on the deck)!

My dream is to heat the hot water in my oil burning boiler.
This boiler heats my house (forced hotwater baseboards) and has a loop inside for domestic hot water.
(I also have a Sanyo heat pump for heating, but it's not working right now).
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/projec...l-project.html

The infernal boiler burns oil all year round. So, If I could hook about 440 watts
of PV power to a heating element in the boiler, that would put 1500 BTHh
of heat into the water (when the sun was bright)..

I'm sure it will save me some oil and perhaps even pay for itself in 1 to 3 years..
Saving a gallon a day is about $960 a year.. (Heck 2 quarts would be nice).

I may be able to get 4 of these big clunky panels for about $930...
Kaneka Thin Film Solar Panel 110w

Anyways, I worry that Iran is going to be problem some day and oil prices will skyrocket..
My wife calls me a worry wart, but I'm just an old DIYer..

~~~
Tracking the sun with optical electronics can be a problem.
I just turned down the sensitivity of my tracker because some shadows were making it seek back-and-forth a little too much.
But, they are cheap ($40 to $140), whereas a timer will involve
some CPU type hardware and may need it's own AC supply etc.

Plus, you can buy optical tracker kits, already to solder & Plug-n-Play..

Cheers,
Rich

03-08-10, 02:26 PM	#22
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Oil prices going up or down? LOL! I'm not a rich hot-tub guy.. (I would like one out on the deck)! My dream is to heat the hot water in my oil burning boiler. This boiler heats my house (forced hotwater baseboards) and has a loop inside for domestic hot water. (I also have a Sanyo heat pump for heating, but it's not working right now). http://ecorenovator.org/forum/projec...l-project.html The infernal boiler burns oil all year round. So, If I could hook about 440 watts of PV power to a heating element in the boiler, that would put 1500 BTHh of heat into the water (when the sun was bright).. I'm sure it will save me some oil and perhaps even pay for itself in 1 to 3 years.. Saving a gallon a day is about $960 a year.. (Heck 2 quarts would be nice). I may be able to get 4 of these big clunky panels for about $930... Kaneka Thin Film Solar Panel 110w Anyways, I worry that Iran is going to be problem some day and oil prices will skyrocket.. My wife calls me a worry wart, but I'm just an old DIYer.. ~~~ Tracking the sun with optical electronics can be a problem. I just turned down the sensitivity of my tracker because some shadows were making it seek back-and-forth a little too much. But, they are cheap ($40 to $140), whereas a timer will involve some CPU type hardware and may need it's own AC supply etc. Plus, you can buy optical tracker kits, already to solder & Plug-n-Play.. Cheers, Rich