Comments on: Low Impact Living: My Solar Hot Water Experience http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/ Reporting on Sustainably Built Environments from Bricks to Cities Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: solar thermal collectors http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-128652 solar thermal collectors Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:08:00 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-128652 Solar thermal systems are useful in many homes for several different options. There are many ways to get solar thermal systems to work in your home and it is important to look into available options that will help to lower the costs of energy consumption needed to heat water or a space. There are two main types of thermal systems that use solar power and those are the passive and active systems. Passive systems allow the heat to be absorbed and are naturally distributed amongst the system while active system will use different means to power the collected heat through the system by using pumps or other devices (which can also be powered by solar energy). Solar thermal systems are useful in many homes for several different options. There are many ways to get solar thermal systems to work in your home and it is important to look into available options that will help to lower the costs of energy consumption needed to heat water or a space. There are two main types of thermal systems that use solar power and those are the passive and active systems. Passive systems allow the heat to be absorbed and are naturally distributed amongst the system while active system will use different means to power the collected heat through the system by using pumps or other devices (which can also be powered by solar energy).

]]> By: wes http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-19911 wes Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:00:45 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-19911 hi there Kevin, I am looking to heat up a weddig hall of about 1800-2000 sqfeet,walls 14' high, with the least expensive method .someone suggested radiant heat from a wood/pallets burning furnace or solar panels. This project is in Europe where gas is very expensive and would like to know weather Solar panels could heat water in such a large space,or just use the panels for kitchen and bath.and then would radiant heat have the ability to heat this area or should I opt for hot water radiators.pallets are small capsule produced from saw dust that burn fairly eficient.olso the cost of the panels and life span. thanks. hi there Kevin,
I am looking to heat up a weddig hall of about 1800-2000 sqfeet,walls 14′ high, with the least expensive method .someone suggested radiant heat from a wood/pallets burning furnace or solar panels.
This project is in Europe where gas is very expensive and would like to know weather Solar panels could heat water in such a large space,or just use the panels for kitchen and bath.and then would radiant heat have the ability to heat this area or should I opt for hot water radiators.pallets are small capsule produced from saw dust that burn fairly eficient.olso the cost of the panels and life span.
thanks.

]]> By: wes http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-98187 wes Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:00:00 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-98187 hi there Kevin, I am looking to heat up a weddig hall of about 1800-2000 sqfeet,walls 14' high, with the least expensive method .someone suggested radiant heat from a wood/pallets burning furnace or solar panels. This project is in Europe where gas is very expensive and would like to know weather Solar panels could heat water in such a large space,or just use the panels for kitchen and bath.and then would radiant heat have the ability to heat this area or should I opt for hot water radiators.pallets are small capsule produced from saw dust that burn fairly eficient.olso the cost of the panels and life span. thanks. hi there Kevin,
I am looking to heat up a weddig hall of about 1800-2000 sqfeet,walls 14′ high, with the least expensive method .someone suggested radiant heat from a wood/pallets burning furnace or solar panels.
This project is in Europe where gas is very expensive and would like to know weather Solar panels could heat water in such a large space,or just use the panels for kitchen and bath.and then would radiant heat have the ability to heat this area or should I opt for hot water radiators.pallets are small capsule produced from saw dust that burn fairly eficient.olso the cost of the panels and life span.
thanks.

]]> By: Jim Miller http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-10761 Jim Miller Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:36:04 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-10761 Kevin: Next you will be doing radiant floor heating with solar heated water. By the way, as to the hot water reciculator, the PSI of the hot is the same as the cold and could not move from the warm side to the cold side without a pump. So how does the cirulator work. Please give me the law of physics on this solution. I owned a two story, 8 unit apartment and had a small cirulation pump installed with a 3/8" copper line running from the most distant hot water point, drawing hot water from that point back to the water heater. Jim Miller Kevin:

Next you will be doing radiant floor heating with solar heated water.

By the way, as to the hot water reciculator, the PSI of the hot is the same as the cold and could not move from the warm side to the cold side without a pump. So how does the cirulator work. Please give me the law of physics on this solution.

I owned a two story, 8 unit apartment and had a small cirulation pump installed with a 3/8″ copper line running from the most distant hot water point, drawing hot water from that point back to the water heater.

Jim Miller

]]> By: Jim Miller http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-98186 Jim Miller Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:36:00 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-98186 Kevin: Next you will be doing radiant floor heating with solar heated water. By the way, as to the hot water reciculator, the PSI of the hot is the same as the cold and could not move from the warm side to the cold side without a pump. So how does the cirulator work. Please give me the law of physics on this solution. I owned a two story, 8 unit apartment and had a small cirulation pump installed with a 3/8" copper line running from the most distant hot water point, drawing hot water from that point back to the water heater. Jim Miller Kevin:

Next you will be doing radiant floor heating with solar heated water.

By the way, as to the hot water reciculator, the PSI of the hot is the same as the cold and could not move from the warm side to the cold side without a pump. So how does the cirulator work. Please give me the law of physics on this solution.

I owned a two story, 8 unit apartment and had a small cirulation pump installed with a 3/8″ copper line running from the most distant hot water point, drawing hot water from that point back to the water heater.

Jim Miller

]]> By: Kevin Hughes http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5520 Kevin Hughes Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:40:55 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-5520 Thanks for the positive comments, to answer a few questions raised Scott, Keeping both tanks means that the propane tank can act as a backup if there is no sun, and when this is the case propane is cheaper than electricity, plus it is already there, I am adding more insulation to the propane tank. Cynthia, My aplogies to your husband!! Martin There is no heat exchanger, the flow of water through the system means that none is still for long, no more so than a normal hot water tank, the whole system is copper and there are anode rods in the tank so corrosion is not a problem Uncle B Unfortunately the panel is over the garage so no savings on cooling, but i am thinking about a solar thermal project to generate electricity which will be over the living area, and I am hoping this will cool the house somewhat. Kevin Thanks for the positive comments, to answer a few questions raised

Scott,
Keeping both tanks means that the propane tank can act as a backup if there is no sun, and when this is the case propane is cheaper than electricity, plus it is already there, I am adding more insulation to the propane tank.

Cynthia,
My aplogies to your husband!!

Martin
There is no heat exchanger, the flow of water through the system means that none is still for long, no more so than a normal hot water tank, the whole system is copper and there are anode rods in the tank so corrosion is not a problem

Uncle B
Unfortunately the panel is over the garage so no savings on cooling, but i am thinking about a solar thermal project to generate electricity which will be over the living area, and I am hoping this will cool the house somewhat.

Kevin

]]> By: Kevin Hughes http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-98185 Kevin Hughes Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:40:00 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-98185 Thanks for the positive comments, to answer a few questions raised Scott, Keeping both tanks means that the propane tank can act as a backup if there is no sun, and when this is the case propane is cheaper than electricity, plus it is already there, I am adding more insulation to the propane tank. Cynthia, My aplogies to your husband!! Martin There is no heat exchanger, the flow of water through the system means that none is still for long, no more so than a normal hot water tank, the whole system is copper and there are anode rods in the tank so corrosion is not a problem Uncle B Unfortunately the panel is over the garage so no savings on cooling, but i am thinking about a solar thermal project to generate electricity which will be over the living area, and I am hoping this will cool the house somewhat. Kevin Thanks for the positive comments, to answer a few questions raised

Scott,
Keeping both tanks means that the propane tank can act as a backup if there is no sun, and when this is the case propane is cheaper than electricity, plus it is already there, I am adding more insulation to the propane tank.

Cynthia,
My aplogies to your husband!!

Martin
There is no heat exchanger, the flow of water through the system means that none is still for long, no more so than a normal hot water tank, the whole system is copper and there are anode rods in the tank so corrosion is not a problem

Uncle B
Unfortunately the panel is over the garage so no savings on cooling, but i am thinking about a solar thermal project to generate electricity which will be over the living area, and I am hoping this will cool the house somewhat.

Kevin

]]> By: Uncle B http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5512 Uncle B Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:15:53 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-5512 How much do you save in air-conditioning due to the shade from the solar hot water collector? Also: Do you have much 'sky' left for solar-voltaic collection? and: Have you oriented your house for solar heating? Next: Do you still have room for a green house to grow GMO 'Super-Veggies'in for survival case of a huge depression? Also: do you conserve water? This is a great article - do more like it! How much do you save in air-conditioning due to the shade from the solar hot water collector? Also: Do you have much ‘sky’ left for solar-voltaic collection? and: Have you oriented your house for solar heating? Next: Do you still have room for a green house to grow GMO ‘Super-Veggies’in for survival case of a huge depression? Also: do you conserve water? This is a great article – do more like it!

]]> By: Uncle B http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-98184 Uncle B Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:15:00 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-98184 How much do you save in air-conditioning due to the shade from the solar hot water collector? Also: Do you have much 'sky' left for solar-voltaic collection? and: Have you oriented your house for solar heating? Next: Do you still have room for a green house to grow GMO 'Super-Veggies'in for survival case of a huge depression? Also: do you conserve water? This is a great article - do more like it! How much do you save in air-conditioning due to the shade from the solar hot water collector? Also: Do you have much ‘sky’ left for solar-voltaic collection? and: Have you oriented your house for solar heating? Next: Do you still have room for a green house to grow GMO ‘Super-Veggies’in for survival case of a huge depression? Also: do you conserve water? This is a great article – do more like it!

]]> By: Martin in Thailand http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/07/09/my-solar-hot-water-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-5442 Martin in Thailand Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:15:24 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=516#comment-5442 It's not possible for me to see on the pictures if you use heat exchangers or not. Since also your excellent description does not mention it, let me add that important aspect. The hot water in the solar panels, and the hot water in the heat storage tank, and the hot water in the hot water recirculation system should be separated by heat exchangers. One reason for that is that you avoid corrosion in the solar panels if the water in there is a closed circuit. Same is true for the hot water storage tank. That water should not leave the tank, but receive its heat form the solar panel water circuit through heat exchangers, and pass the heat though another heat exchanger to the hot water recirculation system. Another reason is that warm water, especially standing warm water, is a breeding ground for bacteria. Separating the water circuits with heat exchangers minimizes the possibility for these bacteria to breed and to get passed on to the consumer. It’s not possible for me to see on the pictures if you use heat exchangers or not. Since also your excellent description does not mention it, let me add that important aspect.

The hot water in the solar panels, and the hot water in the heat storage tank, and the hot water in the hot water recirculation system should be separated by heat exchangers.

One reason for that is that you avoid corrosion in the solar panels if the water in there is a closed circuit. Same is true for the hot water storage tank. That water should not leave the tank, but receive its heat form the solar panel water circuit through heat exchangers, and pass the heat though another heat exchanger to the hot water recirculation system.

Another reason is that warm water, especially standing warm water, is a breeding ground for bacteria. Separating the water circuits with heat exchangers minimizes the possibility for these bacteria to breed and to get passed on to the consumer.

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