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Don’t let the wind turn your solar thermal collectors into airborne kites
Another day — another question on mounting solar collectors. Like I said in an earlier post, it’s definitely a penetrating issue. Here’s the question I received: How do I ensure the collectors are...
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New HTP app saved me a climb down the ladder
See update on this post here The first time I used the new HTP app, I was standing on my roof with a tape measure. I had been preparing to install a new flat-plate solar hot water collector next to my...
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Sizing solar thermal for a dorm: Here’s an example
The question I am most often asked is how to size a solar hot water system: How many collectors, size of tank and pump, etc. Here’s one of the recent examples. I’ve reprinted here my email exchange...
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Extra large solar tanks now part of our lineup
Large volume solar tanks are now the order of the day at HTP – that is to say, HTP now has them for order. HTP now offers large-volume solar tanks This is a great addition to HTP’s price list, brought...
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Take a peek at my own system’s live data
NEW! NOW TWO SYSTEMS ARE ON LINE FOR YOU TO FOLLOW LIVE DATA MONOTIRING. CLICK HERE! My favorite new hobby is using my smartphone to check the live data logs for my home’s solar thermal system. I’ve...
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Dear 1970s: Solar design has long since passed you by, get with it in 2012
So, what’s wrong with this solar hot water system? Heck, it’s got an engineering drawing laying it out: three 30-tube solar collectors, preheating water for two 119-gallon storage tanks and a large...
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More bad designs: Kicking solar in the shin
The enemy of solar thermal is poor system design — designs that are overcomplicated; designs that promote excess and useless products, designs that don’t actually utilize solar. Because I’m a...
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Drainback vs. pressure: A question for the ages
Pressure verses drainback. That’s probably the question I get asked more than any other: Should I choose the more popular pressure-glycol system, or go with a drainback system? Here’s the answer: It...
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Flat plate vs. evacuated tube: Which is the winner?
By Tom Scheel Red vs. Blue. Tastes Great vs. Less Filling. Kirk vs. Picard. Epic battles for which there really are no right answers. Enter into that pantheon the great debate between flat plate vs....
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Back the right horse: Solar’s ROI just right for this big barn
This interesting job came across my desk last week. It’s for a horse barn on New York state’s Long Island. I come from a farm-horse, not race-horse, background, and so for the first time in my life I...
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This design for a light commercial thermal system is effective, simplified
Template for a drainback solar hot water system for light commercial, with three flat-plate collectors and a Solar Phoenix I’m asked, more and more, to provide a solar hot water system design for light...
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Extra large tanks are great for low-temp solar storage
In most solar thermal systems, the conventional way to store solar-heated water is in high-temperature tanks, which allow you to store energy in a relatively small space. But a high-performance solar...
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Drainback solar system at airport gains every drop of energy from sun
Out with the old (over complicated, expensive solar). In with the new (better and more efficient solar at lower cost). Case in point: the Minneapolis- St. Paul international Airport’s cutting-edge...
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As temperature rises, so does interest in solar for pools
It’s the season to begin thinking about how to heat your pool. Already, I’m receiving lots of questions about sizing solar for this application. Here’s a typical question: How many collectors do I need...
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Piping commercial pressure glycol or drainback solar projects
It may seem that piping a large number of solar collectors would be easy – just connect one to another, right? However, there are multiple factors to consider. For example: • The maximum number of...
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