# Solar space heating



## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

I have my outhouse completed.(well minus the tin on the roof..) and my poles set for the solar water panels.. Now to get the framing and bracing completed.
I took the afternoon off due to the high temps.. (meaning my butt is dragging)here are some pics.. I have three more post set since the pics last night
http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/image/61985443.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/image/61985466

I will post more pics as the project continues.
I plan on digging a hole 4x8 feet adding six inches of styrofoam insulation and a pond liner and using it as a storage tank. will hold approximately 600 gallons.. with a concrete lid and the outhouse sitting directly on top. to serve as a mechanical room. to hold an expansion tank and pump and the controls.for the solar.


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

well I have put off completing this task due to hot weather.(can you say hard to get into a heating mood in 90 degree weather?)
But I have most of the materials purchased now. I am going to be right at 3,000 US dollars complete.That is all the supplies for building the hot water storage tank. 15 sheets of 2 inch R-10 insulation. That will give me three layers at an R-30. Then I will line this tank with a PVC pond liner. bought on clearance for 99 bucks. 
I am pouring the concrete lid for the tank today.Tank will measure 4x4x8, Inside dimemsions will be 3 feet by 7 feet by the full four feet deep.
I will try to take pics as I go along.


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

oops


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

I only got five panels up I cracked a pice of glass on the sixth, darnit..
http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/image/66245852.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/image/66245877.jpg


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

I got the tank installed today

http://www.pbase.com/ericjeeper/solar


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

the solar panels will heat the water in the tank.. the water in the tank will heat the house using a heat exchanger. The house has tubing in the concrete floors.. But the water in the tank will never leave the tank.. Only used as a storage media. heat exchanging loops of pex will flow through the water.


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,

Looks really good.

Can you explain how you are building the tank? 
It looks like you are using the walls of the excavated hole as the sides? With a rigid foam board insulation and a water proof liner? The liner is poly? or EPDM?

I am at about the same point on my system, and wondering if you ran into any difficulties in building the tank?


Gary


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

Is there a connection between the outhouse & the solar setup, or are they 2 seperate projects? I think you are leaving us a bit confused. Either way, nice looking work, just not sure the direction of the solar unit....

--->Paul


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## Ozarkguy (Aug 13, 2003)

.

You GO guy! Looking good. I'm for ANYONE trying ANYTHING when it comes to solar or alternative energy.

Did I miss where you got the plans or ideas for hooking all this together?

Also, why your choice to use water rather than oil or some other medium?

Anyone else have ideas to share on this? 

Thanks for any replies and keep up the good work Eric. 


gotta love those hills.....

Ozarkguy









.


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

You GO guy! Looking good. I'm for ANYONE trying ANYTHING when it comes to solar or alternative energy.

Did I miss where you got the plans or ideas for hooking all this together?
well I just found as many used panels as I could come up with.

Also, why your choice to use water rather than oil or some other medium?

As to using the water in the tank.,. it is cheap. 500 gallons The water just stores the heat that will be brought in and rubbed off from the 500 feet of tubing that is closed loop inside the tank.
and the other 500 feet will pick up the heat, and bring it into the floor system.
My glass should be in tomorrow. I will try to go pick it up and get the last panel up in the air,.Then I can begin soldering all of it together. The concrete lid for the storage tank has 17 days of cure. should be safe to lift it and carry it to the tank. Then I can place the outhouse onto the tank and begin to plumb it up. Then figure out the controls.
Anyone else have ideas to share on this?

Thanks for any replies and keep up the good work Eric.


gotta love those hills.....

Ozarkguy


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Ozarkguy said:


> .
> 
> Also, why your choice to use water rather than oil or some other medium?


Water stores/carries more heat energy per volume than other fluids, is cheap and is readily available, so it is the fluid of choice, even if some anti-freeze needs to be added for freeze protection. Oils of various sorts are expensive, and don't have the heat capacity, so to do the same heating job, more panels would probably be needed, along with more storage, to equal what he has for water as a medium.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Im impressed,thats very nice,kudos.

BooBoo


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