EcoRenovator  

Go Back   EcoRenovator > Improvements > Solar Heating
Advanced Search
 


Blog 60+ Home Energy Saving Tips Recent Posts Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-09-12, 10:15 PM   #31
Daox
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
Thanks: 1,162
Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts
Default

This past weekend I scored another free bit to the solar panel setup. I was helping my father in law move a concrete sink (WOW heavy!) and he had this sitting next to it. A contractor ripped it out of the basement and it still seems to work just fine. We pressurized the bladder and it seems to hold air... I'm sure the size is a bit overkill for the panel setup, but hey its free and it'll still work great.


Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	house002.JPG
Views:	1108
Size:	54.4 KB
ID:	2413  
__________________
Current project -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Daox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-12, 10:50 AM   #32
Daox
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
Thanks: 1,162
Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts
Default

I've been thinking about this project a lot lately and have been wanting to get started on it again. However, I have a few other things that I'd like to button up first. Still, with the amazing weather this weekend, I took some time to work on the panels themselves. About half of the panels have been washed and rinsed. I sprayed them down with the hose and also put water through them with the hose. Hopefully I'll have time later this week to start pressure testing them.
__________________
Current project -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Daox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-12, 04:27 PM   #33
Mikesolar
Master EcoRenovator
 
Mikesolar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 958
Thanks: 40
Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts
Default

That exp tank is not too big for 10 panels. In fact it might be a bit small and you will have to reduce the pressure in it somewhat. I would stick with a 650 gal tank and I would even look at making the panels on an 85-90deg pitch. IIRC your lowest sun angle in the winter is around 20deg and you don't want to deal with getting rid of hot water in the summer. Vertical panels will give you all the DHW you will need and make an efficient supply for the HP. All in all it looks like a fun project.
Mikesolar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-12, 08:33 AM   #34
Daox
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
Thanks: 1,162
Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts
Default

The mounting angle will be optimized for greatest heat gain in December. That does put it at about 20 degrees IIRC. I am hoping that the extra heat in summer won't be too big an issue.
__________________
Current project -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Daox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-12, 09:26 AM   #35
Piwoslaw
Super Moderator
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 960
Thanks: 188
Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Daox View Post
The mounting angle will be optimized for greatest heat gain in December. That does put it at about 20 degrees IIRC. I am hoping that the extra heat in summer won't be too big an issue.
Optimize it for when the sun just a bit higher than its yearly lowest, say for early Dec/mid January, since Jan/Feb are usually the coldest months.

As for the summer, I saw a house here yesterday which had half of its solar panels covered with a tarp.
__________________
Ecorenovation - the bottomless piggy bank that tries to tame the energy hog.
Piwoslaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-12, 07:58 AM   #36
Daox
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
Thanks: 1,162
Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts
Default

Yeah, that might have to be a yearly thing if my tilt isn't steep enough. We'll see when summer rolls around.

__________________
Current project -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Daox is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:18 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger
Inactive Reminders By Icora Web Design