| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
JEMASCOLA
Tar Sands
![]()
Joined: Feb 06, 2006
Posts: 44
Location: United States
|
 Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 1:16 am Post subject: Question About Solar Homes |
  |
|
| I'm thinking about investing in a solar house in the next few years (say 5-10 years). I have a question: should a solar house have a lot of windows or not? Would windows interfere with heating and the path of sunlight, or does it not matter much? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
omgwtfbyobbq
Tar Sands
Joined: Jul 10, 2006
Posts: 79
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 2:02 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| What do you mean by solar house? Solar electricity generation? Regarding the windows, it depends on climate. If you're really warm most of the time you don't want to let any direct sunlight in, if you're really cool you want to let as much in as possible. If you're in the middle then you place windows such that they let in more light in the winter to help with heat, and less in the summer to keep it cool. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
JEMASCOLA
Tar Sands
![]()
Joined: Feb 06, 2006
Posts: 44
Location: United States
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 2:03 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| Yes, I was referring to solar electricity, and I'm considering it for heat, too. Thank you for the reply and information. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
omgwtfbyobbq
Tar Sands
Joined: Jul 10, 2006
Posts: 79
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 3:10 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| Np. If you're considering solar heating, you might want to tie it in to a gas, propane, or electric system so you can have on demand heating while using free heat from the sun when it's available. I would also mount the system on wood or metal off of the roof but still in direct sunlight and protected from the elements, dealing with maintence on your roof can be a PITA. As for your solar electric setup, I'd suggest mounting the panels such that they can track the sun with the help of a sensor, this will insure you maximize electrcity generation (efficiency falls off as the sun moves from directly above the panels) and not suffer from lapses in a system designed for however many kilowatts. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ludi
NeoMaster
Joined: Dec 27, 2004
Posts: 12559
Location: zombie horde wonderland
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:56 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
If you're planning a solar home, you need to do a LOT of research. For passive solar ideas, I suggest the book "Solviva" by Anna Edey. She designs houses which use 80% less energy to heat and cool than conventional homes. She mainly designs for cold climates such as Massachusetts, but her designs might also work for warm climates.
_________________
No original ideas are contained in this post. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Frank
Heavy Crude
Joined: Dec 15, 2004
Posts: 429
Location: Maine
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 7:13 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| It all depends on where you live. THere's tons of material out there; I commend you for your interest. ANYTHING you can do to reduce your outside (non-solar) energy consumption will be valuable in the future and will be a benefit to your lifestyle. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
brobak
Heavy Crude
Joined: Apr 06, 2005
Posts: 103
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:41 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| check out www.sunplans.com and you can learn a lot about passive solar home layouts and plans. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
grabby
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Nov 08, 2005
Posts: 1328
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:44 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| JEMASCOLA wrote: | | Yes, I was referring to solar electricity, and I'm considering it for heat, too. Thank you for the reply and information. |
It is better to use passive solar to heat water, and allow sunlight directly into a sun romom ro heat the house,
Solar panels will all dbe destroyed from a N blast within 20 miles of your home. Or from high altitude EMP blast , you can bet there are going to be a lot of those all at once, all panels will be toast.
_________________
___________________________
WHEN THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND...GET OUT OF THE WAY!
Using evil to further good makes one evil
Doubt everything but the TRUTH
This posted information is not permissible to be used
by anyone who has ever met a lawyer |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PeakOiler
Light Sweet Crude
Joined: Nov 18, 2004
Posts: 1090
Location: Central Texas
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| JEMASCOLA wrote: | | Yes, I was referring to solar electricity, and I'm considering it for heat, too. Thank you for the reply and information. |
I created an Excel spreadsheet that estimates the cost of a stand-alone 12V solar electric system. You list the power rating of each appliance you want to power, the number of hours the appliance is used each day, your utility's electric rate (to estimate a payback-time), the watt-rating of a solar panel, the cost of each panel, the cost of each battery and it's amp-hr rating, the average number of sun-hours at your location, the cost per rated amp of an inverter, and it will return an estimate of the cost of the system.
An assumtion in the spreadsheet is that all the appliances are operating at the same time in order to return the maximum needed rating of the DC/AC inverter.
Large electrical appliances (heaters, ovens, electric dryers) usually require a battery voltage greater than 12V, but that would require editing the formulas in the spreadsheet. Those items are usually not powered using solar electric since there are better methods for some of those appliances, such as a clothesline... 
As I mentioned, the spreadsheet returns just an estimate, but it's value in just performing an energy audit of your power needs (or wants, as the case may be) will open your eyes.
Send me a PM and I'll send you the spreadsheet.
Edit: I sent an early version of the spreadsheet to SpecOp last year, and it made him mad.
Sorry Spec
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
JEMASCOLA
Tar Sands
![]()
Joined: Feb 06, 2006
Posts: 44
Location: United States
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 2:07 pm Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
Thanks everyone. The design for my house is not very large, and its architecture style is planned to be modern (with a boxy, sharp appearance), which is mainly why I asked about the windows, because many modern style houses have big windows.
Another question, would flat roofs be okay as long as I propped the panels up at an angle because flat roofs are also usually another theme to modern architecture. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
WisJim
Expert
Joined: Jan 03, 2005
Posts: 1185
Location: western Wisconsin
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:11 pm Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| grabby wrote: |
It is better to use passive solar to heat water, and allow sunlight directly into a sun romom ro heat the house,
Solar panels will all be destroyed from a N blast within 20 miles of your home. Or from high altitude EMP blast , you can bet there are going to be a lot of those all at once, all panels will be toast. |
Active solar is generally used to heat water, and passive solar is the use of sunlight directly heating a room through the windows--and can also be more complex.
A combination of active and passive solar will heat a home and the water used for washing etc., in the home, quite well here in Wisconsin.
The basic premise of Passive solar heating a home in a temperate climate includes:
-lots of properly installed insulation (to keep the heat that you have or collect), and weatherstripping etc to ensure a tight house,
-adequate south-facing (or northfacing in the southern hemisphere) windows,
-roof overhangs or other shading devices designed to shade the windows in summer and let the sun in in the winter.
Lots of good references out there. If you need some, let me know and I will check my book shelves. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Frank
Heavy Crude
Joined: Dec 15, 2004
Posts: 429
Location: Maine
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:03 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
| JEMASCOLA wrote: | | Another question, would flat roofs be okay as long as I propped the panels up at an angle because flat roofs are also usually another theme to modern architecture. |
Absolutely - if you live in the right climate. If you have snow loads flat roofs usually aren't appropriate. My ideal new house would be sunk into the south side of a hill so that the earth would help moderate temps and would incorporate as much passive and active solar as possible. I hope you consider rainwater collection as well. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pops
Moderator
Joined: Apr 03, 2004
Posts: 6570
Location: My Grandkids' Farm
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:14 am Post subject: Re: Question About Solar Homes |
|
|
One more consideration for passive heating/cooling is thermal mass to absorb daytime heat gain for release at night. Lightweight concrete, stone/ceramic/masonry/plaster and even additional thickness of drywall provide a thermal flywheel effect to smooth day/night temperature fluctuations.
But by far the greatest consideration is sizing, orientation and proper shading of windows.
_________________
Make a plan and work it: |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
News
Discussions
Resources
Members
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
