Enough collector area for domestic HW and hot tub + heat exchanger questions

Posted by Elbie Yates on September 22, 2008, 01:21:37 AM

Enough collector area for domestic HW and hot tub + heat exchanger questions
Folks

I've been reading, drawing, and thinking. Last one is the scary part.

What I want to do it heat my hot water, and supplement the electric heater in my hot tub (approx 300 gallons), with solar. I am in Jacksonville Fl

What I was thinking of was an AET drainback retrofit kit, 2 4*10 AET MSC collectors, and a bunch of copper pipe. What I was hoping I could do was run the collectors, pipe down to the drainback tank (heat exchanger 1), bury a 30 foot run to the hot tub, hit hot tub (heat exchanger 2), come back through existing trench, and back into the drainback tank to begin the cycle over again.

I figured by doing it this way, I'll have my DHW first, and then I'll have a hot tub, hopefully heated with thermal energy that the drainback system didn't absorb. I'm trying to avoid having to put in two independent systems.

Anybody see anything glaring wrong in my plans?

I appreciate your help.
 

Posted by Thomas Allen Schmidt on September 22, 2008, 05:13:37 AM

Re: Enough collector area for domestic HW and hot tub + heat exchanger questions (Reply #1)
I am not really focused on looking for anything "wrong" with your ideas but, I am curious to know, what the benefits are and what the payback is. Is there a circulating pump motor? If so, what is the kWh cost over 30 days? Cost of materials, labor? I guess what I am really asking is, do you think it is more cost effective when compared to having two separate systems?
 

Posted by Thomas Allen Schmidt on September 22, 2008, 05:33:23 AM

Re: Enough collector area for domestic HW and hot tub + heat exchanger questions (Reply #2)
As if you didn't already have enough on your "plate."
http://www.toad.net/~jsmeenen/recovery.html
Here are other ideas to mull over.
http://climatewell.com
 

Posted by Elbie Yates on September 22, 2008, 09:11:58 AM

Re: Enough collector area for domestic HW and hot tub + heat exchanger questions (Reply #3)
Benefits, or at least benefits I'm hoping.... Maintain hot tub as close to 100 degrees as possible, and heat the DHW, without firing off 15Kw of electric heating elements...

Yes, I'm looking at a high head Taco circulating pump, to run the heat exchanger fluid through both heat exchangers and the collectors.

The cost of running the circ pump is $3 a month, or 10 cents a day, if my math was correct.

Labor I'm not too worried about, I've got me.. Materials I am. I am in a freeze zone, so if I were to put to independent systems in, thats two drainback tanks, 4 circ pumps etc etc.... I could buy each drainback system for about 1000, or, hopefully, just one will do and run piping to both heat exchangers....
 

Posted by Tom Mayrand on September 22, 2008, 10:45:15 AM

Re: Enough collector area for domestic HW and hot tub + heat exchanger questions (Reply #4)
Elbie, does the hot tub have a heat exchanger or does it heat the water in the tub directly? If it is indeed a heat exchanger then your idea will work. If it does not have a heat exchanger then you may have to rethink.
 You said you are in a freezing zone so I would think that you would use an antifreeze loop. If the tub has a heat exchanger, then do as you said. Send the heated antifreeze into the domestic hot water heat exchanger tank and then send the return water into the hot tub, then back to the panels. Install bypass valves for those times you do not wish to heat one or the other.
 If the tub does not have a heat exchanger then you may have to draw the water directly from the tub to be heated. It should have a drain somewhere. Pump the water from the drain into the panels and back into the tub using a hose so you have an air gap to prevent syphoning. Modifying components may void warranties.
 Using this scenario, you could skip the domestic hot water and only purchase the panels, pump and piping.
 If you do not use the tub year round, add a tank, flush out the piping and panels and switch over to solar hot water the rest of the year.
 
Forums | Design by Scratchmedia | Development by SMF.
© 2001-2005, Lewis Media. All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer and Disclosure

The Alternative Energy Store, Inc reserves the right, within its sole discretion, to refuse or delete any posting or portion thereof, or terminate or block the access to this forum.

The opinions and statements posted on this forum are the opinions and statements of the person posting same, and do not constitute the opinion or act of the Alternative Energy Store, Inc (AltE). The Alternative Energy Store, Inc does not endorse or subscribe to any particular posting. No posting shall be construed as the act or opinion of the Alternative Energy Store, Inc.

Need help selecting components?
Call Us Toll Free!

877-878-4060

Se habla Español

cart

0 items

 

top members