Using Solar Water to Heat Workshop

Allan Smits
1 Posts
Mar 6, 2010 02:07 pm
Using Solar Water to Heat Workshop

Has anyone out there used roof-mounted solar water collectors to heat a single room. I don't need it for domestic hot water, just thinking I could circulate it through baseboard exchangers along the floor using a PV pump.

I live in CT, so it would need to be freeze-proof. If possible, during the spring-fall, I'd like to use the collectors to heat my pool.

Any ideas on type of collector, and circuit layout to do both?

Thanks,
Allan
 
 
Amy Beaudet
22 Posts
Mar 8, 2010 11:14 am
Re: Using Solar Water to Heat Workshop

Do I ever have ideas!!!�  I am doing this in my house in MA, but it is a little more involved than what you are describing.�  Check out my gallery at http://www.altestore.com/gallery/Amy-Beaudet-gallery/v/9358727169/amys_water/.

Summary: I have a 760 sq ft house with full southerly exposure in the front.�  I ground mounted four 4'x8' collectors, they could have been roof mounted, but I had a perfect spot in the yard, and this leaves my roof free for some PV next.�  I have a 120 gallon storage tank with a heat exchanger to save up all of that heat that I'm collecting during the day, and when the tank is at least 80 degrees F, and the thermostat in the room calls for heat, 2 pumps turn on and circulate it through another heat exchanger into a wall mounted fan coil heater.�  On a sunny day like yesterday, I was able to keep the house over 66 degrees with just the solar (even with a couple of windows open while I was painting the walls, did I mention what a beautiful day it was yesterday?)�  Since I had it cranked, I did run out of heat for the night, so my backup heater did have to come on, but when I am careful with the heat, I can keep the house pretty steady around 62 all day and night.�  I'll be adding line graphs to my gallery tracking it all later this week.

Check out Turbonics at http://www.turbonicsinc.com/ or Myson at http://www.mysoninc.com/store.asp?pid=16794.�  They make fan convection heaters that run on low temps, around 120F, which is perfect for solar.�  Depending on your local codes, you may be able to run the storage water directly, rather than through a heat exchanger, simplifying it from how I did it.�  But my system can be used in the future to run through radiant floors as well.�  Regular radiators are generally designed to work at 180 degrees, so are very difficult to connect to solar.

The solar side of my system is similar to this kit, http://www.altestore.com/store/Solar-Water-Heaters/Climate-freezes-Closed-Loop-Systems/Closed-Loop-Systems-for-5-People/Closed-Loop-AC-Powered-w-Tank/AET-120-Gal-Tank-96-SqFt-Collectors/p4555/.

You can contact me at the AltE Store to discuss your specifics.

Amy
Solar Thermal Queen
AltE Store
amy� @� altestore.com
« Last Edit: Apr 14, 2015 05:26 pm by Amy Beaudet »
 
 
Tom M
462 Posts
Mar 8, 2010 11:25 am
Re: Using Solar Water to Heat Workshop

... you can also use some old cast iron radiators and pump hot water through them....or a concrete slab with a radiant zone...Antifreeze should be used in the heating loop if you are in a freezing climate. If you can ground mount the panels below the heat exchanger,(radiator), you may even be able to eliminate a pump and just use thermosyphoning.
 If they are on the ground then it would be easy to move them near the pool for summer heating. Just disconnect, rinse and hook up in series (or more likely in parallel depending on the water flow) on the line out of the filter heading back to the pool.
« Last Edit: Mar 9, 2010 11:00 am by Tom Mayrand »
 
 
Thomas Anderson
26 Posts
Mar 9, 2010 06:47 pm
Re: Using Solar Water to Heat Workshop

For such a small space, I would go with either passive solar if possible or a solar air heater.  No need for complex plumbing for just one room.
 
 
Tammy Wilson
7 Posts
May 8, 2010 08:35 am
Re: Using Solar Water to Heat Workshop

Quote from: Thomas Anderson on Mar  9, 2010  06:47 pm
For such a small space, I would go with either passive solar if possible or a solar air heater.  No need for complex plumbing for just one room.

Thanks for explaining this Thomas as, I was getting little confused in what should I opt for proper heating as, mounting solar air heater will also work accordingly.

I will get some more updates about the installation procedure.

Thanks

energyboom.com
 
 

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