Who has expieriences with solar power?

[Vincent]

Hi who has equipped his heating system with solar collectors or is using photovoltaic?


Today we have sunny day and a lot of fire wood could be saved.

Who has experiences with home build collectors?

Cheers

 

[Moss Man]

My friend had a solar hot water heater installed in back in June, he loves it.
7-9 year pay back period and that is after the Federal and State rebates you get for installing one.

This is the company that installed his, there is alot of info on their site on solar power and hot water:
http://revisionenergy.com/index.php

 

[ericjeeper]

Vincent

First off what part of Germany? I have quite a bit of family near Stuttgart, town of Neuffen.
I have six hot water panels up that aid in my heating system.
http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/solar&page=all

 

[Vincent]

to Eric

Hi
we live near Frankfurt-Main.



Electricity is expensive so I want to make some savings by water heating with the sun.

Thanks for feedback

 

[ericjeeper]

My father and I visited family there back in 04

http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/germany&page=all
Germany is a beautiful place without a doubt.

 

[Techstuf]

The best bang for your buck, depending on availability, are evacuated tubes. They can be had in the states on Ebay occasionally, quite inexpensively....very efficient and perform surprisingly well, even on cloudy days.

http://www.beyondoilsolar.com/solar_water.htm


TS

 

[Scrapiron]

Great links!!

Just today whilst cleaning out the OWB, my daughter asked when we were going to hook up the 4' x10' solar panels that the previous owner left. I said probably in the spring, I need to do some research.

All the electronics are there (there's a separate solar panel in the house), just need to mount the panels and hook them into the water lines.

 

[carvinmark]

Great pics Eric, thanks to all for the links.

 

[HD-tech-NH]

Great topic! I have been interested in solar electric to run my circulator pumps if the power goes out. I was thinking a couple of small panels a controller an inverter and some batteries. But with the cost of these parts I could buy a generator and run the whole house! I love the green technology but hate the cost!

 

[fletcher0780]

these would be cool: http://www.solarbotanic.com/nanoleaves.php

 

[November Wolf]

Heres another option with a wind generator. I have been seeing quite a few of these around here. http://www.skystreamenergy.com/

 

[dancan]

Here's a site I found the other day , good basic info .
http://www.greenpowerscience.com/

 

[Billy_Bob]

Actually Germany is the world leader for energy saving designs and renewable energy systems. So interesting you are asking here!

Anyway there was a story in the New York Times this morning about some of the things they are doing in Germany (which you might find helpful). Then below that is a story about Marburg Germany.

No Furnaces but Heat Aplenty in ‘Passive Houses’...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/world/europe/27house.html?_r=1

First Solar City in Germany: Marburg City Council Approves Law Requiring Solar...
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/first-solar-city-germany-marburg.php

 

[Orange Hill]

Great topic! I have been interested in solar electric to run my circulator pumps if the power goes out. I was thinking a couple of small panels a controller an inverter and some batteries. But with the cost of these parts I could buy a generator and run the whole house! I love the green technology but hate the cost!

I have been looking at these too as we have a remote well that is currently powered by a generator. One thing to check into is if the pv cell will produce power if it is partially obstructed. Most solar cells will loose almost half of their output voltage if a single cell is shaded. Make sure where ever you mount the pv to eliminate any shading of the cells or you will get a minimal return.

 

[PatrickIreland]

PV systems don't really have a payback time - the panels will die before they pay for themselves, and even the manufacturers admit this. Good for living off-grid, good for reducing carbon emissions, but otherwise a gimmick. The big manufacturers estimate 4 years before their cells will be competitive with grid electricity. Even then, you will be talking a big investment with a 15 year payback.
Hot water systems are well worthwhile though, and if you live in a windy area buy a big turbine and can sell back to the grid, then they work OK as well. I would stick with water heating - cheaper, and has a proven, relatively short payback time.

 

[Vincent]

Good post

to Patric:

Oil Companies have taken a lot of patents and know how.
It is all in their drawers.

They have the panels with high degree of efficiency.

And when the time is ripe you can buy everything you want.

Cheers

 

[PatrickIreland]

Vincent - half my living is designing this stuff, working out payback periods and the like. There isn't a company in the world who will guarantee you cheaper PV electricity than the grid - 4 years ago they told me 7 years, 3 years later they are telling me 4 years. That adds up. PV cells, unless you pay massive amounts for them for a small output are simply not doable.
Hot water heating is VERY doable.
Yes, the companies have the technology in their pockets - but until it is fully developed and proven, it would be foolish to release a commercial product.

I use PV panels myself, to keep the batteries at my cabin topped up during the winter - but not for power, just to keep the batteries (standard LA wet) charged. I don't try and use them to charge the batteries nor for direct power. I charge the batteries before I leave, and hope that the panels keep them from dying during the winter! No drain on the batteries during winter, the whole power system is switched off except for the charging. And it rarely goes below freezing here.

to Patric:

Oil Companies have taken a lot of patents and know how.
It is all in their drawers.

They have the panels with high degree of efficiency.

And when the time is ripe you can buy everything you want.

Cheers

 

[sloth9669]

solar hotwater

ok i have a boiler with a super stor hot water tank. the heating system runs off the boiler into a air handler and from there it is forced hot air. question is would the solar hot water olny do my hot water tank or would it also feed the air handler and help with my heating bill as well ??

 

[Billy_Bob]

Solar hot water heats the water. Some come with a solar electric panel to also power the controls and pump, but that is it.

To power anything else electrical, search for "net metering". With this, you generate power with solar electric panels and if you generate more power than you are using, power flows out onto the electric grid. Your meter runs backwards and in some states, the electric company buys the excess electricity from you.

You can do the same thing with wind power - sell the excess electricity to the electric company.

This of course takes special equipment called a "grid tie inverter" which synchronizes the electricity you generate to the power grid. These cost around $1500.00 and up.

And an entry level grid tie solar electric system can cost around $10K. But there are plenty of tax credits and rebates. Different for each state/power company.

Check your state here...
http://www.dsireusa.org