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 07-20-17, 09:29 AM   #1
Geo NR Gee
Journeyman EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Seattle
Posts: 326
Thanks: 109
Thanked 23 Times in 18 Posts
Default Repurposing a 180 evacuated tube solar hot water system

About a month ago, I replied to an ad for a large evacuated tube solar hot water system. It was at a brewery that went bankrupt and the new brewery wouldn't be using them and it was needing to be removed. It was originally used for heating the water for the beer they were making. The system originally cost over $70,000 to purchase and install just about 5 years ago they said.

We have spent almost 2 weeks removing everything. Today is the probably the last day and time to remove the tanks.

The system consists of 6 Thermomax HP200 30 tube collectors, Hamilton EVO boiler, 2 insulated 370 gallon insulated storage tanks, pumps, Badger meter units, remote control units and sensors and lots of pipe.

I am not sure what to do with the system. Should we use the system to heat water and store in the hot water tank(s) for floor heating, DHW, forced air heating. I can easily use 3 sections on my property (90 tubes).

Maybe put the heat in the ground during the summer months and pull it back out with a geothermal heat pump during the colder heat demand months? I have two new two ton geo units, pipe and drilling equipment waiting for installation.

Or should I just sell it and buy photovoltaic?






Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	evacuated solar tubes.jpg
Views:	1697
Size:	50.7 KB
ID:	7828   Click image for larger version

Name:	solar collector2.jpg
Views:	1610
Size:	23.4 KB
ID:	7829   Click image for larger version

Name:	solar collector3.jpg
Views:	1740
Size:	20.2 KB
ID:	7830   Click image for larger version

Name:	solar collector.jpg
Views:	1625
Size:	15.1 KB
ID:	7831   Click image for larger version

Name:	20170707_123004.jpg
Views:	1696
Size:	469.5 KB
ID:	7832  

Click image for larger version

Name:	solar collector1.jpg
Views:	1619
Size:	22.9 KB
ID:	7833  
Geo NR Gee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-17, 10:35 PM   #2
pinballlooking
Super Moderator
 
pinballlooking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SC
Posts: 2,923
Thanks: 172
Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts
Default

Wow cool setup
__________________
Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build

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

Solar Install 12.5 Kwh-
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Mini Split installs -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

EV Chevy Volt -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
pinballlooking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-17, 08:11 AM   #3
randen
Uber EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Strathroy Ontario Canada
Posts: 657
Thanks: 9
Thanked 191 Times in 129 Posts
Default

Geo NR Gee

Have a look at the Drakes Landing system in Canada. If you can drill holes and have the right soils== have a look

Randen
randen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-17, 10:12 AM   #4
Geo NR Gee
Journeyman EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Seattle
Posts: 326
Thanks: 109
Thanked 23 Times in 18 Posts
Default

Thanks Randen, I have been studying the Drake's Landing Solar Community and here is a good .pdf on the project for those who don't know what Randen is referring to.
http://www.hpbmagazine.org/attachmen...rta-Canada.pdf

I must admit, that I am not a good planner and usually just wing it. In my possession are almost all of the supplies and tools to install a system like what is at Drake's Landing although in a much smaller scale. However, I am hesitant to do that here and have stepped back to ask the good folks here for some input.

Like AC Hacker and others have said before, start with the insulation and tighten up the home. We have already upgraded the insulation in the attic last year and have shown improvements on the energy used to heat and cool the house. The windows should be upgraded, but that is not in the budget at the moment. They are vinyl and only 19 years old, and there are better more efficient ones of coarse. The house was built to "Good Cents" energy efficiency standards in 1998, but it surely could have been built better. The exterior walls are mostly 2x4 construction and the insulation under the floors joists was minimal. That will be upgraded this fall after the underfloor heating gets installed and insulated.

We can install the solar evacuated tubes, dig the boreholes, install the tanks and heat pumps, but without a proper sizing of the system or plan, I am worried it may be a huge disaster.

My initial thoughts are to do a manual J analysis on the home. Another door blower test. Drill some boreholes to test for soil conditions. Possibly upgrade the windows and walls with better insulation.

Help.......... please!
Geo NR Gee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-04-17, 06:57 PM   #5
Mikesolar
Master EcoRenovator
 
Mikesolar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 958
Thanks: 40
Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts
Default

In case you don't know, EVO has a huge failure rate and for all I know they could be defunct as a company. None of my wholesalers sell them any more. Thermomax is defunct too so getting tubes will be difficult. The old importer is not in business anymore. Ya pays your money and takes yer chances. I wouldn't.

Go PV. It is too cheap not to these days.
Mikesolar is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Mikesolar For This Useful Post:
jeff5may (09-04-17)
Old 09-04-17, 11:23 PM   #6
Geo NR Gee
Journeyman EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Seattle
Posts: 326
Thanks: 109
Thanked 23 Times in 18 Posts
Default

Hmmm. I don't know if you know it or not, but I got all of it for free. Only cost my family members and I some time to disassemble.

I contacted Solarmax in the UK. They were still in business when I spoke to a sales agent in July. The vendor in the US is not in business I was told.

As far as the EVO, I also spoke to them and as far as I know they are also still in business, but I planned on selling the unit anyway. Don't see how it would fit into my simple plans.
Would love to go solar voltaic, but that is not in the budget.
Geo NR Gee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-17, 05:37 AM   #7
Mikesolar
Master EcoRenovator
 
Mikesolar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 958
Thanks: 40
Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts
Default

The UK company is still in business but people in North America don't seem to know how to use the highly efficient tubes very well and maintain them. The failure rate of tubes especially the Thermomax/Solarmax/Viessmann is quite high when you have a high solar fraction, ie: try to get more 50% of your annual load supplied by them.

The summer temps just get too high and it is hard on seals and other components. This is why I stay with flat panels. For you, it is different as they are free so i would say to go for it but make sure you can extract that heat in the summer for any longevity.
Mikesolar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-17, 08:08 PM   #8
dhaslam
Lurking Renovator
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Co Tipperary, Ireland
Posts: 21
Thanks: 0
Thanked 11 Times in 11 Posts
Default

I have a fairly similar size system. There are 90 tubes plus three flat plate panels. There is a separate system with sixty tubes for hot water. My system heats an overground clay store with straw bales for insulation. There is about 180 litres of clay and rock and the stores about 100 kwh per degree centigrade. It is just used to preheat water for a 3 kW heat pump but I now have a ground loop so I am planning to use the panels for heat in spring and autumn. There is a store in the attic with about 860 litres capacity or about 1 kW per degree. The panels can generate about 7 kW when the sun is shining so the main store would be needed in summer.

Because most of the piping in the store is plastic circulation is limited to 100C. This can happen after power cuts. The panels can take the heat but then clear skies are quite rare in Ireland, five days out of six are cloudy.
dhaslam is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to dhaslam For This Useful Post:
Geo NR Gee (09-13-17)
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 06:40 PM.


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