Are you using solar assist in your home?
BilljustBill
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
Are you using solar air heating, PV panels, or wind power to offset your gas/electric bills?
Did you build it or is it a commerical brand?
What brand works for you?
Bill
Replies
Heated with solar storage for 30 some years till DW got tired of hauling the carbon storage unit from the woodshed to the fireplace..<G>
Pop heated our house in the 40s and 50s via solar from the Peleoestine (or whenever or whatever sp) from the IL coal beds.
Heat now with heat from solar driven rain water in GSHP.
Or do you mean a method on the pc list?
Hi,
I use solar water heating and get some of my space heating from solar.
Also heat the shop with solar.
This is the stuff I use:
Space Heating:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/SolarShed/solarshed.htm
Water Heating:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Experimental/PEXColDHW/Overview.htm
(this is good for nearly 100% of our hot water needs)
Shop Heating:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/solar_barn_project.htm
and
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/SolarGarageCollector/garcol.htm
I like the build-it-yourself solar thermal stuff because its simple and cheap to build -- very short paybacks.
I plan to add an about 2KW PV system in the fall -- much longer payback.
Gary
yup... hot air heat since 1985
What does you solar heater system look like?
Edited 8/14/2009 12:34 pm ET by BilljustBill
like this..Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 8/14/2009 12:57 pm ET by MikeSmith
using solar air heating
Nope, it was 100º here today. Will not need heat until Thanksgiving, like as not.
PV panels
Too many trees on lot edges, even if the cheapest install would be in the $10-15K
or wind power
Again, too many trees--would need a tough variance to get a mast tall enough.
Now, that's my situation down here at a very specific location at 29.9ºN. Go a couple miles and there are very good places to install PV and wind-operated. Been helping folk find wind-powered pumps to raise irrigation water locally. Far better than PV-powered electrical pumps in some ways.
I could/should be using solar for hot water, but, that's really waiting on the roof, which is waiting on the plumbing which is waiting on the very needful electrical upgrades.
I am currently looking at a couple of PV applications. I want a direct drive solar PV pool pump and some attic vents. I would like about 2 KWH running with a KW or so storage to run a fridge and maybe a few small appliances. This would more for survival after a storm than anything although saving a few bucks on my bill isn't bad. I doubt it will really save anything in the long run.