Solar radiant
user-901114
| Posted in General Questions on
Has anyone on the site tried to do solar radiant heating with a collector and pex in zone 6? I’m trying to avoid using propane in the house and I’m wondering how/if radiant solar works in a cold climate. I just need some supplemental heat for my wood stove and electric baseboards..
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Search it for a few weeks and learn. Use search, it works. You won't find a solution. You will find discussions.
Stephen: Are you familiar w/ builditsolar.com? I think they will have some good info, too.
Stephen,
It sounds like you already have two types of space heating, and you are thinking of installing a third.
Solar thermal space heating equipment has a very long payback. Instead of spending $10,000 or more for PEX, solar collectors, a big insulated tank, controls, and pumps, I strongly advise you to spend the same money on air sealing details or insulation.
If you ignore my advice and install solar thermal equipment, I hope you live in Colorado rather than Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine. At least Colorado gets some sunshine during the winter.
AJ. I have used search. Sometimes I want unbiased, current perspectives of how other theories have played out in practice. So I come here and ask.
Stephen, I meant search GBA. The search box is above. You will find Martin's and others advice.
Stephen, I'm with Martin - if you already have two sources of heat, and want to offset some of your footprint, I would look into PV to offset your electric baseboard, or, depending on the efficiency of your envelope and your climate, upgrading your electric baseboard to mini splits. How are you heating your hot water?
Greg, My bedrooms and bathroom are wired for baseboards but I have not purchased them yet. So there is time to make a change. The water is heated by an on demand electric tankless system. The home will not be occupied full time as it's a vacation home. R70 attic. R50 rafters. R30 walls. Passive solar on all three levels. It is in New Hampshire.
Hmm, not familiar with PV success in New Hampshire, or incentives, but I would think that would be a way to invest. I built a home not long ago with similar situation. Part time residents with wood stove and electric baseboard, with a (going from memory here..) 2.5kw PV array. Not quite the insulation package you have, but very tight. Good southern exposure, etc.. Costs them next to nothing to keep at running temp. Does have great southern exposure though, in Central Colorado - lots of sunshine - so PV panels are almost always producing in the daytime, and snow melts fast. If you are not there to remove snow if needed, really cuts down on efficiency of panels. Any solar guy worth his weight will tell you in one visit if it could be done.
Thanks for the tips Greg. I do have great southern exposure and there must be some incentives because I'm seeing a bunch of PV arrays going up. Will have to look into it.