Solar Water Heating in Reno

[Billy]

WashoeGreens.com member Dave Baker not only drives a Prius to reduce carbon emissions, his roof holds a solar water heating system.

Let's start an online interview.

So Dave, what do you think of your system? How long have you had it and how's it working out?

[Billy]

In the meantime, here's an interesting article on tankless water heaters.

[Mike Jamieson]

I have friends in calif. using that system. last i heard, there was some sort of glitch. (this is after many, many years of being aok, so I will check with them for details on the glitch.)....btw, they also have a regular hot water heater, but they don't have the power switch on that too often. in the past, they've mostly relied on the roof's solar water heating system.

[Dave Baker]

Been too busy to check this site, Billy--I would have joined the "discussion" days ago. I'll have to subscribe, I guess.

The system has been operational since about November '07. I think it's been the one of the best investments I've made--ALL my domestic hot water is heated by the sun FREE OF CHARGE. When the house was built in '95, oil was the best choice (BTU/$). I'm not sure what fuel is best now, but I don't have to use dirty heating oil to do the job any more. With the price of heating oil likely going up, this is one renewable energy project that will pay for itself in just a few years. And I don't have to worry about any fuel shortages, should any occur. It's nice being self-reliant for heating water.

The system includes an 80 gallon storage tank with electric back-up if the sun doesn't shine, but I haven't had to turn that on yet. I'm amazed that even on overcast days it will still get hot enough to heat some. Right now, at 10:30 am, I've got 80 gals of 135 degree water (scalding hot), the panels are at 160 degrees, and the daily heating cycle has just started. Bottom line--I love it.

[Craig Bergland]

We put in our HWsystem in 02 or so, and it has paid for itself in under 5 years. Saving probably $50 a month. It is backed-up by electric (which we turn off about 7 mo's a year), and provides 'softer' feeling hot water. It's true.
Our circulating motors do use some KW, but the EROEI is pretty good.
Incidentally, the $700 B bailout of wall street could have put a solar water heater on every American home, as well as a 1KW photovoltaic array. If my figures are correct. Well, heck, that's gone now....
Also, I've built 7 solar air heaters to supplement our home, and hope to help others build some after Nov. 4.
Please check my wine box solar cooker on webpage, www.votebergland.org. It's a nice project for either the kids, or curious adults, and will cook 20 oz. of rice in an hour and a half.
Thanks
Craig

[Craig]

Solar hot water heating in Reno is like dichotemy, what
when most of you still depend on public grid electric power, where you have good solar and wind energy

Dave, '' overcast days'' is what hours per day of full sunshine, and how you factor wind ?
and the average solar insolation ? with what barrel capacity do you heat 80 gals of 135 degree water , the panels at 160 degrees ?

i ask you because here in Shandong , haze, wind 大风 unpredictable, hard to calculate

average isolation is 3.5 KWh/m2/day [compare with 5.3 at Las Vegas]. but i need pyrometer to be sure

here every block 单位,大高楼 rooftop system has solar . works well, the full load in summer 2 months.
but now is backed up ( primary) by electric heated boilers .. powered from coal burning plants, or nuclear
.. that really stinks

[Dave Baker]

Hi Craig,

I haven't calculated hours per day of full sunshine, but according to the Western Regional Climate Center, Reno skies are 80% (or more) cloud covered for 114 days per year. The Renewable Resource Data Center data shows Reno averages between 5 and 6 kWh/m2/day. I don't think the wind is much of a factor since there is no evaporative cooling taking place, but I could be wrong.

I don't understand your question about barrel capacity, sorry.