[randen]

Mike & AC Hacker

Have both brought up some interesting thoughts. AC Hacker mentioned about the solar insolation of your area of the planet. My thoughts didn't encompass the amount of solar energy that was avalible to you. HMMM

Here in southwestern Ontario I'm a little disappointed at times with the amount of sun I receive some seasons. When I was going though the thought processes I was marking a calendar for the days of winter we received full sun. That season I marked more than half with a usable amount. I found this attractive. Also: (1st) I already had in-floor heat. (2nd) Solar PV was still quite costly and Solar Hot water I could fabricate myself. Other details was I have an abundance of south facing wall unencumbered. and we were in need of replacing faulty windows and stucco finish that was installed improperly. It was an episode right out of Mike Holmes on Homes. We went forward with the project.

I must caution you that the amount of sunlight you receive there in Victoria may leave you disappointed.

I will leave with some further food for thought. What about Solar PV augmenting some heat-pumps with electrical energy. PV panels will still make some watts in obscure sunlight that can help power some heat pumps. Were as Solar hot water will fall on its face. Your climate would work well with air to air units. Heat pumps or spilt units can provide as much as 3.5 times the amount of heat energy for 1 unit of electrical energy.

Solar PV are a bargin now and I believe B.C. has some nice incentives that could work in your favor as well.


Or better Hack a couple of HP for air to water for the big water storage tank. During the day the HP can purr away warming that water storage tank with some watts offered up from the PV. After the sun is set and you've made it in the door and settling in for the hockey game. It would be totally up to you to light a fire or not. The heat-pump may have heated the tank to 50 Deg C that could keep the whole home warm through the night. Or a fire to heat the tank further to 60-70 Deg C so the HP wouldn't even run the next day.

I think its so cool that our technology of today can have us thinking like this. Twenty to thirty years ago it was either gas oil or electric resistance heat.

Opps almost forgot about my friend Mikesolar. If you go the route of solar hot water use the best materials you can. This DIY stuff can last for decades dropping huge amounts of BTUs into your tank. The last thing you want is plastic getting soft and fittings slipping out. Copper will go the distance. Drain-back, you will offset the cost of a bronze pump without needing the cost of antifreeze and a heat exchanger. In fact pure water can carry more heat than a mixture of antifreeze and water.

Your going to save money by doing everything DIY use that money on good materials don't be frugal here!!

Randen