Solar Install- Paul P

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

i plan to add some thermmax panels in the spring. keep up the good work Paul, we have to get this solar thing figured out. bob

Paul Pollets

Solar PV and DHW

We're installing a solar DHW system in conjunction with a solar PV array using BP crystalline silicon panels. The solar DHW will use (2) 20-tube Thermomax vacuum tube panels and a Viessmann 92g Solar indirect tank with 2 HX coils. Thermomax built a special SMT controller for the project with data port capability. We intend to feature this home with real time data, available by web access, on both energy production and usage. The home will be capable of selling back electricity to Seattle City Light. Today we laid out the PV panels and started the base rail installation. I'll put the solar DHW tubes in after the PV is finished. The owner of the residence (see solar3 on right) is a chief technology officer for a .com outfit that didn't bomb. The home also has waste recovery heat exchangers on the plumbing DWV. Rainwater will be collected in a concrete cistern for non-potable use. The home is radiant floor heated with Viessmann/Wirsbo products. I'll post pics of the setup as we turn on the solar DHW in 2-3 weeks.

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Unknown

Very high end work

state of the art . Is the homeowner going to use solar for some electricity too ? Good luck with the install Paul . I was looking into trying solar at my house , but the prices are astronomical . I wonder if there is a subsidy for installing solar now , like they had in the 80s ? We seem to be taking out more leaky solar tanks and abandoning the panels , rather than updating the equipment .

One question you might know about - do they make a dual use solar heat / electric panel for people with limited roof space facing the sun ? Thanks .

heatboy

Very cool, Paul!

Since there is not an over-abundance of sun in Seattle, what will the fossil fuel side be? Do you plan on heating the radiant with this also or just DHW?

hb

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Paul Pollets

Tax credits

I know of only one state..Oregon, that is currently offering tax rebates for alt. energy systems. I'm not aware of any dual use panels. The PV panels each have an output of 160watts. There will be 30 of them. The DHW uses (2) vaccuum tube panels.

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Paul Pollets

Fuel

There's a Vitogas 100 (nat gas) providing the heating side and DHW backup. Had the Vitodens been available, it would have been my choice. The VT panels are capable of generating output even when it's cloudy. The PV panels will also generate in cloudy weather, and have battery storage, as well. The boiler runs the radiant only and the backup coil on the VitoCell 92

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Paul Pollets

I think it's

been figured out. The panels are expensive, as is the PV interface and the DHW setup. The costs will make great economic sense if there's a tax credit available. It seems like a no-brainer to offer alternatives to oil and stimulate this economy with technology that saves and conserves, rather than wastes fuel.

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Jackchips

\"If there's a tax credit available\".

That was tried after the energy crisis of the 70's here in Mass. You couldn't install solar fast enough. The day the credits ended, so did solar.

One question Paul, how do the units still work without the sun?

On a related issue-two groups here in Mass are trying to solve the fossil fuel problem with wind. Now the environmentalists insist that they are intrusive and interfer with, in one case, their view of the mountain and in the second with boating off Nantucket. In the second case it's the Royalty of Mass, the Kennedys, who are spearheading the opposition.

I guess in a perfect world, like another post seeks, we would all live in peace, harmony, 70 degress and 50% humidity.

Paul Pollets

The sun

is still in the sky emitting waves of energy, even with clouds obscuring. The panels and vaccuum tubes can extract the energy, despite the clouds. Yes, clouds reduce output of the panels, but the system is designed to work 100% from the PV panels and 70% from the DHW panels, regardless of clouds.

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Rene

solar

Last summer I conceived together with my partner a solar panel system for service water warming. In Germany the goverment supports the utilisation of regenerative energy sources. So our customer didn't need our persuasiveness to install this solar system. (www.solvis.de). Everything worked out perfect.

Ron Huber

Solar

This Viessmann system pumps out the heat, even here in NH with an average of 56% sunshine. System was installed in 2000. Tax credits help in some ways, unfortunately, without the infrastructure to back it up (installers and reputable sales people) the sudden rush of business can bring in a lot of shoddy work.