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solar space heating

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hot_rod
hot_rod Member Posts: 22,271
in THE MAIN WALL
of one of the solar design software programs. I like F-Chart. T-sol, PolySun, and Maui Solar are a few others.

RET Screen is a free downloadable software out of Canade (large file) It also has a demo version.

Really about a 30% solar fraction for heating loads is do-able. Rare to see a 100% solar thermal heating system in these parts. Not with that kind of load.

Here is the quick calc from the www.valentin.com (t-sol) website. Upper left hand corner is where you find this demo calculator. 3000 sq ft of home, 20% SF 22,800 BTU/ hr solar.

Did you get Dan's monthly newsletter. Some unique solar homes in there.

hr
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream

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  • radmix
    radmix Member Posts: 194
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    solar space heating

    I would like to know if there is a formula for sizing solar for space heating. I have a house that is 6300 sq ft all low temp radiant. A heat loss of aprox. 100,000 btu. what would be the sq ft of solar panels and size of storage tank. I am also going to try a drain back system for the first time.

    Rich
  • Mike Dunn
    Mike Dunn Member Posts: 189
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    sizing

    How many floors is the house including the basement?

    How much sq ft per floor

    Mike Dunn
  • radmix
    radmix Member Posts: 194
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    mike

    there are 3 floors in the house including the basement, the basement and first floors are 2700 sq ft and the third floor is 900 sq ft.
  • Wayco Wayne_2
    Wayco Wayne_2 Member Posts: 2,479
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    I have a solar contractor

    friend who uses 25,000 btu's per panel a day as a guessamite. This only works when the sun is out. :) A good panel on a Summer day may get you up to 40000 btu's a day but who needs heating in the Summer? It's all supplemental to the boiler and the more panels you add the more you have to handle when the excess load in the Summer exceeds household showers and laundry. :O I have mine wired to activate my sidewalk snowmelt to dump heat at 170 F storage tank temp. The mind twister is figuring out how to control and maximize your available solar generated heat in the Winter. I actually have a timer on my boiler that shuts it off during the day so the solar has a chance to shine.(pun intended) Of course on days when there is no sun the house has to play catch up at night and radiant floors need a little time to build heat in the thermal mass. D'oh! Another friend has put in a solar photo sensor to let the boiler run on those dark days. I havent seen the need yet. WW

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