Congratulations Professor Yates!!

hot_rod

I see from reading my RPA newsletter that Dave Yates is now a certified RPA instructor. Congratulations PAH, I look forward to teaching with you and learning from you.

See you in California...

ME

hot_rod

As Alan would say - paying it forward.

Last night's phone call about a screwed up radiant system only served to confirm that sharing the information on how to set the stage for systems that provide the comfort and economy, that only well designed radiant systems can offer, is the right thing to be doing. There are far too many contractors and homeowners who blindly follow the mantra that radiant requires little or any degree of knowledge and expertice. And I'm not just thinking of internet wallet suckers. We'll never overcome the human desire to believe there can be a difference of many thousands of dollars between bids and that there is no difference in the quality of the work, but we can make a difference.

Education is the key to moving this niche market forward and maintaining its status as the cr

Jackchips

Mass tried

solar in the 70's and 80's with huge grants. When the grants died, solar went with it. What are the improvements, Dave to make it better now? We have had the sun for about 8 hours total in the last 15 days here in Massachusetts.

Congrats on the certification.

hot_rod

Certifiable, that's me!

Thanks Jack. Took my instructor's exam first & followed that up with the designer/installer test.

Why is Solar poised for a come back? Simply put, it's the energy thing. Our baby-boomer age group is graying and coming into a time when many are seeing the wisdom of investing in their future comfort and fuel savings. The radiant hydronic industry has been paramount in demonstrating that consumers will spend their tightly held dollars for systems that deliver comfort (foremost) and fuel economy. Solar simply falls right into line with that philosophy.

Agreed that the industry died a very quick death when the feds withdrew the funds. That sucked a bunch of air! I've always liked the concept and have patiently awaited a return to the common sense approach of utilizing the sun's energy - both for hydronics and electricity.

Seems to me that the time is right; that the looming shortage of energy reserves is becoming clearer; that discretionary spending is up and that this is an emerging nitche market potential worth investigating. No doubt my family will become subject to yet another experiment or three in the next year or two.

Solar collector technology seems to be ripe for improvement - both fluid and electronic. Look at the incredible advancements we've seen in hydronic radiant products/methods within the past ten years!

I looked at fuel cells, but their overall efficiencies lead me to believe they're a long, long way from becoming viable unless it's for a job that can't tolerate any deviation from a narrowly defined tolerance.

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hot_rod

Everthing I've learned from PAH..........

I can fit in a 16 oz. beer glass. Alright, maybe two (g). Congratulations, Dave! The RPA has another fine teacher. Now, I'll take a seat in the heckler's row, please. ;-)

Are you still going to ISH?

hb

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Jackchips

I fully understand

your thinking Dave, but I'm definetly a contrarian with this issue. Iraq has 12 billion proven reserves of oil and they are only the second largest known supply. Oil and gas are going to be around for a long time and if there is ever peace (Please Lord, let the "Evil One" see the light) oil will drop dramatically in price.

Without peace and the Middle East turning more toward Democracy I'll be one of the first in line with my 100 foot, ranch house, roof line for solar panels.

hot_rod

Yavull mine herr!

ISH is my wish(G). Three times I've wanted to go & three times I've had other things come up that prevented the trip. This time I said to hell with everything & I'm going! I vill be brushink up on my cherman frum hoch-schule, zo I vill. Und I vill be rehersink Du Du Liebst Mir in Hertzen!

Which is why I'm not at ASHRAE this time around. My boss wouldn't let me go(G).

You can fit everything I know into a thimble or else on the head of a pin! The rest is pure BS.

I expect you'll be sitting in the hecklers row with Riles at the RPA bugs breakout session. Loaded for bear, I will be(G).

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hot_rod

And.....

as I sit at the traffic light and ponder my next no heat call......, I can't help but think about how many cars and homes there are on the surface of this planet that are sipping (ok, some are gulping) steadily away at these underground finite resources. I respectfully disagree on the extended time frame and wonder aloud if we, as a society of humans, are not simply burrying our heads in the sand.

Saudi Arabia is rapidly depleting their aquifers. They have no rivers. All around the globe the ever increasing shortage of potable water tightens the noose around the neck of survival for entire countries. They can drown in their oil while dying of thirst!

I like the rebel appeal of chucking off the yoke of dependence upon utility companies and people who hate us. Perhaps it's my Woodstock hippie days or the thrill of that first solo driving experience after passing my test. (Can you tell we've got a 16 year old in the house?) Whatever it is, I feel compelled to venture forth into the sun once again. Just think, if there's no gubbermint freebies this time around and there's a fledgling market for solar emerging - then the underlying desire for this has to be widespread. If not, then I'll have a great journey and a lot of fun exploring a wide open market of solar opportunities.

Then again, maybe the Koreans who've developed the Quietside boiler will decide to ignore the neuclear treaty and turn those little condensing beasties into minerature 3-mile island units.

It's a topsy-turvey world we live in!

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hot_rod

Ya know...

I don't think that a lack of oil will be the main reason for solar having a come back. I think it will be based on its' environmental friendliness....

The RPA solar course is being taught my Mike Tierney, a master at his trade.

Wish I could go:-(

ME

hot_rod

Think outside the box!

You can - all you need to do is join up with that Cloneaide relegious nut group. They claim to be cloning humans as we speak. If you'd do that, there'd truly be a mini-ME(G). Oh, behave.

I am looking forward to basking in Mike's radiant glow and being a spongebob squarepants - soaking up all available knowledge - cheerfully!

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Eric Taylor_3

Did Somebody Say Fuel Cells?

I've been inside a couple of 'em. One thing you all can be sure of is that they ARE here and lots more are coming very soon. They are having their problems starting out, but we all know that is the way new technology goes.

Electrical efficiencies of over 40% have been achieved. Combined heat and power applications (CHP)are in the high eighties and rising.

They provide that heat as steam and hot water!

Who gets to install 'em?

You do!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

hot_rod

What I like about fuel cells....

is the idea of billing the utility company for what's going back into the grid.

Let's see:

Dear Met-Ed

Your statement for this month (actual read);

* Fuel cost $45.00

* Fuel surcharge $2.3778954

* Fuel Cell tax .oo5767%

* Power Grid switch gear minimum monthly maintenance $5.00

* Transportation cost $1.99087

* Cost to interpret your billing - priceless(G).

And I look forward to receiving the billing call inquiries! "If you know your parties extension - press 1, if you know your parties last name - press 3......................"

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Eric Taylor_3

Billing

I doubt that you will get to bill the utility at all. You will most likely have to do things on their terms and they will only pay you the generation cost. Net Metering. We will be very lucky to get a nickel per kWh, but the real savings comes from not buying power from them at all. I have watched as almost 2.5 Gigawatt hours has come from these two units, and because we are off-setting the utility and using the power in an industrial complex, we get almost 15 cents per kWh.

Eric

hot_rod

A lot of interesting

solar projects are going in as we speak. Both thermal and electrical. Subscribe to Solar Today magazine for some good "wins"

Many schools and commercial buildings are being retrofitted with modern solar equipment. Passive solar design is also finding it's way into new school design and construction.

Solar doesn't get a lot of press, none the less it is a very exciting and growing industry again.

Kudos to Watts Radiant for sponsering the Crowder College entry, at this years Solar Decathlon. www.solardecathlon.org

I hope GW pledge to fund fuel cells research generously, was sincere, last night, and the money makes it to the right hands!

hot rod

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Jackchips

The Presidents

comment about Hydrogen for cars was also encouraging. No fossil fuel for vehicles would also bring down the cost.

Let's see, hydrogen cars and solar heating, who needs 20,000 year old dinosaurs?

Eric Taylor_3

Still need fuel

Fuel cells do run on hydrogen, but you have to get it from somewhere. You won't be filling you fuel cell car with hydrogen because it is difficult to store it without cryogenics. You can't pressureize a gas cylinder and get a liquid state untill the pressure gets very high, so you can't put very much hydrogen in a gas cylinder. Cryogenic liquid storage requires constant venting as the liquid absorbs heat and boils off. Every car parked in the mall garage would be venting explosive gas. Another bad idea.

The plan is to do onboard reforming of hydrocarbon fuels and make the hydrogen as needed. You will still be pumping fuel, but it can be gasoline, diesel, methanol, or moonshine. The fuel cell car will be double the efficiency of an engine with almost zero emmissions. That is where the attraction is.

The residential units will run on natural gas or LP and provide heat as well as electricity to the home. These units will be available very soon (2-3 years).

Yes, you can use electric solar panels to get hydrogen from water and then make water again in your fuel cell. It is being done, but alot of panels are needed for anything significant and the payback on an investment of that size is very slow.