Anyone here messed with any solar panel construction/use?

2/9/2010 4:20:32 PM

Can't say that I've done anything more than look into it, but the NCSU Solar House is a great resource and the people there are very knowledgeable, if you're in this area...

2/9/2010 4:36:30 PM

My uncle uses a solar hot water heater, which to me is way more efficient that the weak solar collectors for household power. His system goes through the heaters on the roof of his garage (a secondary structure), down through a wood burning stove (to supplement heat in the winter) and then underground into his house. There it's pumped through a heat exchanger (for hot water in showers and stuff) and then through radiant heat (via radiators, underfloor heating - which is 10/10, etc.)

His calculations are claiming around a 80% efficiency compared to ~10-15% you'd get piping power from high-cost cells on your roof. Plus the wood is basically free; but his system is setup where it could go through a natural gas or propane heater instead.

2/9/2010 10:10:31 PM

Once they get those cells that can collect more than just infrared mainstreamed to be cost effective I will certainly look at supplementing if not completely redoing my energy plan for my future home. I am definitely going with a solar powered hot water heater though and possibly an instant heating system as a backup.

2/9/2010 10:29:53 PM

I'm currently looking into some aux power for an outdoor shed. Enough to power lighting and maybe a radio or so...

http://www.goldengadgets.com/solar-power/45w-solar-backup-power-and-lighting-system.html

Harbor Freight has them too.. pretty neat! You just cable it to some batteries and you're off!

2/10/2010 12:11:35 PM

I put in a solar water heater for my pool this past summer, put in 80sq ft. of panels with an automated controller.

This summer I am going to put enough electrical solar panels to at least run a small charging station/outdoor lighting.

With kids, i am going through batteries like they are going out of style, and it would be nice to have a solar powered station to charge them all with. It will also be nice to switch all my outdoor lighting to being run off the batteries from the solar system.

Havent started planning though, so I am not 100% sure on my wattage/power requirements.

2/10/2010 12:46:48 PM

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90599

on sale for 199.99!

can handle recharging batteries and running some low power lights...

2/10/2010 9:42:02 PM

Ive been looking at that one for a bit, and they said they would take my 20% off coupon on it too.

For $160, that might not be a bad starting place.

2/10/2010 10:05:48 PM

how difficult would it be to convert a standard hot water heater (mine's the usual 55 gallons) to solar? i'm trying to decide if i'd rather convert it or replace it with a rinnai inline system

2/11/2010 9:55:58 AM

go inline. I got a chinese inline for $338 from ebay with a 1 year warranty and added 3 more years with squaretrade for $45. saves me a TON of money (went from tank water to gas tankless). the cost of the panels alone would outweigh the cost of the tankless water heater.

2/11/2010 10:03:56 AM

unfortunately, i don't have gas, just electric, which is what, twice the operating cost? should still be less than the tank, though

how difficult is it to hook up? since it's electric, i would assume the most difficult part would be wiring (unless it has a plug, which i wouldn't think it does)...the space under my house where the hot water heater is located is big enough for me to stand up, so i'd just as soon keep the inline inside since there's no gas hookup

2/11/2010 10:15:35 AM

Man I'm drooling right now:

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1C1CHMA_enUS350US350&sourceid=chrome&q=whole+house+backup+generator&esrch=FT1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2208713315638286327&ei=dCp0S9TvCY-WtgfIjf2uCg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCQQ8wIwAw#ps-sellers

2/11/2010 11:06:28 AM

The other catch is to the tankless is that most of them cant have anything but copper pipe connected to them, and for 18-36" from them, so if you have PEX or something, you need to swap out for copper about 3 feet away from the tankless unit.

Easy to do, but something to consider.

2/11/2010 11:19:34 AM

ah, i do have PEX (which was a PITA when i put in my water softener, let me tell you)...definitely something to think about, so thanks for the heads-up

2/11/2010 11:44:06 AM

[Edited on February 12, 2010 at 11:21 AM. Reason : nm, i'm getting off-topic...i'll post a new thread or find an existing one]

2/12/2010 11:14:07 AM