Renewable Energy - Solar Thermal (Hot Water)

This video was created by Bowdoin College students www.bowdoin.edu in cooperation with the Maine Energy Investment Corporation www.renewmaine.org.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Renewable
• environment
• maine
• energy
• solar
• thermal
• green

[TheDudeRulez09]

@SolarCoordinates what you see in the video was an uncompleted unit, if you read some of the comments I have posted on some of the videos you will see i have since completed and closed in the units, the pvc piece was only for heat testing in that video alone, it failed at 140 degrees, I have since converted it to a glycol heat transfer system which gets freaking hot!!! I know looking through posts are not the most desirable thing to do, but they are there..

[SolarCoordinates]

@TheDudeRulez09 I caved in and watched a few of your videos... it's slightly better than most DIY solar hot water, but still nowhere near good. In the video titled "Solar Water Heater build 4," you said that you're attaching a PVC fitting to your collector, but the maximum operating temperature of PVC is 130-140F. I hope that was for some silly testing purposes and that you're not hooking this thing up to PVC or a garden hose long-term.

[SolarCoordinates]

@TheDudeRulez09 I took a look at your system. It's unglazed (no glass), which means it won't produce in winter. You said it thermosiphons, but I'm not sure you know what thermosiphon actually means since I can see no storage attached to your collector. Is that just because you're testing it out in the yard or what? I sincerely hope you have storage hooked up to it because storage is the #1 most important factor that determines how much a solar hot water system will save a customer.

[TheDudeRulez09]

@SolarCoordinates I am sorry you feel that way, I understand you speak from a standpoint of making money, I do not, the DIY systems I have made heat up to 150 degrees and thermosyphon without issue, the glycol systems I have made heat up to over 200 degrees, I am 100% positive that the human body cannot withstand water heat over those temps, so say what you will about to protect your obvious money making venture, but I offer my proven designs for $15 bucks and materials cost a about $200.

[SolarCoordinates]

@TheDudeRulez09 DIY solar hot water doesn't come anywhere close to competing with a well-designed solar hot water system.

[SolarCoordinates]

@torotoz Solar hot water systems don't last forever. Copper flat-plate drainback systems will last 100+ years, but you'll still have to replace the tank and pumps and clean the heat exchanger. Inferior components and systems, such as evacuated tube collectors or this glycol system will last anywhere from 5-40 years. ETCs lose their vacuum and break in golfball-sized hail, and glycol turns into acid, eating away at system components. This isn't a "bad" system, but it could be better.

[SolarCoordinates]

@ligmania Flat-plate collectors like these shed snow pretty well, although it does take a while for the snow to leave the bottom 1/4 of the panels. Even in snowy conditions, my panels have been @ 130F despite being about 40% covered with an inch of snow.

[ligmania]

How does the system work if there is snow covering the panels ? Do you have backup for the winter ?

[MrBluesrules]

Tiered utility billing ought to get people thinking about Renewable Energy systems for their homes. Renewable Energy systems are the best way to lock in your utility rates. There's no doubt about it, The Sun gives us more energy faster than we can use it. It is renewable, and sustainable. It Cannot be outsourced. Remember, There's no NO in Renewable. Install one NOW before another Fossil Fuels disaster.

Call Skylight Specialists in Englewood, Co. 303 761-2200

[X9Intelectual]

I would first get me a much better, and good looking house with a large area, and then buy the solar system because i got to enjoy the view.