[Greenbuilding] solar heat collection

[Corwyn]

On 7/4/2012 3:36 PM, Clarke Olsen wrote:
>      Corwyn,
>      Thank you for your considered advice.
>       1. 1000 gal was the biggest (5'x10'x4' low boy concrete septic) tank that I could squeeze in the crawl,
>            before the house went on.
>       2. Bottom to top is obvious, though it seems that loops pulling heat out should be high in the water,
>           and one putting heat in could stay on the bottom.

You will get better stratification if the incoming water from the 
collector, is heating the warmest water at the top of the tank, it will 
also be a more efficient heat exchanger.

>       3. I have no calculation.

I suggest you get some.  You could probably give enough information to 
this list to get someone to do most of the heavy lifting for you.

>       4. My collectors will mount on ground level frames against the south wall, making adjiustments easy,
>           and inviting drain back.

My concerns are weight, and water connections.

  Tilting back to catch summer sun inceases the effective area by 50%.

Not really.  For my location, adjusting tilt by +/- 15 degrees, twice a 
year, gets me 5.05% more solar (804 kBTUs vs 765 kBTUs per square foot 
per year).

>       5. The house went through last winter with just the booster to heat the floor. Oh, yeah, and a wood stove.

Well, if you already have the booster, you might as well keep it, but 
controlling it is still going to be tricky.  I would expect to only use 
the wood stove for supplemental heat.

Thank You Kindly,

Corwyn

-- 
Topher Belknap
Green Fret Consulting
Kermit didn't know the half of it...
http://www.greenfret.com/
topher at greenfret.com
(207) 882-7652