solar water heat sink

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in General Solar Power Topics #1
I'm planning a barn renovation and we are going to make a living space in the barn. We are getting the site ready for a concrete slab with radiant floor heating.We'd like to put some solar water panels on the roof and run glycol in them, we're in Maine . My heating guy recommended placing a 1000 or 2000 gallon water storage tank(insulated) either under the slab or elsewhere. Do you agree with that? He also recommended a gas tankless water heater for backup.
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: solar water heat sink

    sounds like it should work. we are in maine also but what we do is run the glycol into the slab when the domestic hot water is happy we have 120 gallons of storage for domestic hot water. we did pour a thick concrete slab to act as a large heatsink for the solar collectors. we made our own collectors and so far have had great success for the money
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #3
    Re: solar water heat sink

    When you say you run the glycol into the slab and have 120 gallons of storage what does that look like,what are the parts of the system. We'll have to come check out your system,we're in central maine,too.
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: solar water heat sink

    yes you are welcome to come look and check it out probably much easier then me explaining it. shoot me a pm or a email i will get you a phone number to call me sometime email is rstankevitz at hotmail dot com
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: solar water heat sink
    hambone wrote:
    I'm planning a barn renovation and we are going to make a living space in the barn. We are getting the site ready for a concrete slab with radiant floor heating.We'd like to put some solar water panels on the roof and run glycol in them, we're in Maine . My heating guy recommended placing a 1000 or 2000 gallon water storage tank(insulated) either under the slab or elsewhere. Do you agree with that? He also recommended a gas tankless water heater for backup.

    What type of plumbing lines will you be embedding in the slab? Copper ? PVC ? What's the option for leak repair in 15 years ? How stable is the ground - will the slab crack in 10 years and break a pipe ?
    These are ?'s I'd ask.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #6
    Re: solar water heat sink

    I'll check on what the radiant tubing is made of. What are the options for large storage tanks?
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  • Roderick
    Roderick Solar Expert Posts: 253 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: solar water heat sink

    My father-in-law's house had radiant floor heating. After 40 years, there was a leak. Surprisingly, a plumber was able to locate it quickly with a stethoscope, break into the concrete, and repair it. I would have thought it would be horribly expensive, but I was told the fix was fast and relatively painless.
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