Suburban Conversion Project

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Comment by Karl Buesching on November 25, 2008 at 8:02pm

Oscar,

That's exactly how I saw it in Mother Earth News decades ago. The mirror was mounted directly bellow the collector. Great for northern winters!

Comment by Oscar on November 25, 2008 at 4:51pm

This old house is just another project. I move in and remodel. I didn't like the dust coming down since it has been about 15 yrs since I had to live in my own dust. So I built the barn and plan to move into it so I can work on the empty house.

Anyway, I have thought about the reflect method of solar. The evac tube collector perched on the roof pretty much vertical is the way I intend to set it. I have an east/west ridge so with the collector vertical it will absorb nearly all day and look like a really weird cupola.

Comment by Eric Koch on November 24, 2008 at 12:42am

Ah yeah...the servo reflected array meets the 4x8 sheet...that's pretty neet!...should instantly pop into my head should a real word app demand..

problem is ,like Oscar, i'm broke too...sept i don't even own a house.
Kudos on the evacuated tube system..your way ahead of most.

I grew up in a 150 or so year old farm house...10 year construction zone..oh my poor mind...anyway, after ya get so much work into something it becomes impossible both mentally and emotionally to even think of having to redo it.
And so I need everyone here to understand that's not what i'm asking of anyone.

i live in my mom's basement right now....i've talked to her about a conversion... her eyes rolled back and i could feel her pain...she went through the farm house...that got passed to my sister...she worked hard getting this one the way she wanted....then she finds the tag that says: will not work without oil....not so much the house mind you but the way it's packed in with a bunch of other houses all attached to the same grocery store umbilical....so we got problems.

she's put the house up for sale...i think the thought of someone appreciating her work is the only thing keeping her from coming unstitched....I'm proud of all her achievements,but more so this one...knowing when it's time to start over.

at 43 i'm fairly vibrant and my mom is actually focusing on achievable sustainable goals.....she's gone from glum to chipper (bit of a drawn out letting go process)....but yeah she's got a snap in her step and a smile going on now.... and i think the change will do her good.

Comment by Karl Buesching on November 23, 2008 at 9:50pm

Eric,

This might be a good way to increase your solar gain. Thought you might like it. Check it out.




"A heliostat is a device that orients a mirror to reflect sunlight continuously onto a desired target. Heliostat technology has been used for commercial power plants of 10MW and more and occasionally on a residential scale for water heating applications. Two years ago I had the idea to utilize the same technology to provide direct home heating and lighting by reflecting sunlight continuously into north facing windows. Such a heliostat might..."

Full article:
http://www.createthefuturecontest.com/pages/view/entriesdetail.html?entryID=1659

Comment by Oscar on November 23, 2008 at 8:33pm

I have a 150 yr old house. I am a project person so I really hate the place. That is what keeps me working on it. I added a barn though and when the new business quits bleeding me dry, I'll be able to get back to it. Winter is setting in so I don't care. I hibernate. I have an evacuated tube solar collector in the barn. In the barn not on the barn. Darn. I still need to get the rest of the parts. Tanks, exchangers, differential t'stat, etc. I have insulated piping running to and from the house so I can have solar water in the barn and the house. The barn is getting radiant heat with a backup powervent w/h and also preheating a tankless for water. Similar in the house except there is a boiler in the house with radiators. Changing that to radiant and tapping the solar into that system. I figure I can preheat the system and run a 2nd t'stat for the solar that will circulate until the 1st t'stat (set lower) calls for heat and starts the boiler. If the solar system is not big enough the evac tube system is easy to expand.

Comment by Eric Koch on November 23, 2008 at 11:39am

anyway....i think it's becoming more clear to people that we are running into times of energy instability...i think the benefits of the suburban conversion project are clear...* a new lease on life for sub-par housing*Local jobs*year round fresh local organic produce*local stability in an increasingly unstable world* reduced demand for NG ,and* cost effective sustainable solar heating and earth cooling implementation for our harsh climate.

i would be willing to do my best to help advance the project in any capacity... including passing the ball to more qualified individuals.

the aspects of gaining audience for the concept are not my strong point... although i'm sure if it were to be pursued it would sell itself.

Comment by Eric Koch on November 23, 2008 at 11:39am

sorry, forgot to mention the glazing and north roof angles are in relation to level on a north- south orientation.....( i'm sure you are all capable of assessing your own capabilities and will know too ask questions or conduct further research in your efforts to bring your situation into real numbers)

Comment by Eric Koch on November 21, 2008 at 9:59am

Bev and Ryan,

here is a link to a multi wall polycarbonate supplier.

https://www.sundancesupply.com/index2.html

the site is a little clunkie but the "meet the owner" seems the best page to start...so there is that.
if someone finds a more local supplier please post it here it would be much appreciated.

you don't have to use multi wall poly carbonate if your in a rural area where visual acceptance is not as much an issue.... layering clear plastic on a frame gasket sandwich works fine.

remember to insulate all other exterior walls and north roof slope. "flanging" or laying insulation flat around the perimeter of the pit helps expand your thermal ballast ...also an insulated roll up nite blind (to help trap the heat at nite) helps...the aluminized mylar bubble wrap insulation works well for this.

the south facing angle (your lattitude+21 degrees) is also important ...as is thermal ballast( water drums and or earth berms) this is the solar thermal "battery" that will carry you through the cold months.

framing starts at calculating your glazing angle...Bev, your going to be around 66 or 67 degrees..Ryan is right there with me at 65 or possibly 64.

being that you want the ridge angle at 90 you subtract the glazing angle from 90 to get the north roof pitch angle....that's the thermally "solid" method anyway as you want to minimize surface area and maximize solar gain...but parameters are slop-able with varying results.

have fun with it ..and thank you both very much.

Comment by Ryan P. on November 21, 2008 at 7:32am

The south side of my house is thoroughly blocked by a giant pine tree...but I just finished a new shed that has a wide open south side...and that's right about where my wife wants to dig in a garden for next year anyway. Just might have to run something like this by her.

Comment by GrammaBev on November 21, 2008 at 5:59am

After reading everything here I'm really interested in a pit greenhouse. Found this link: http://peacecorps.mtu.edu/resources/studentprojects/Solar_Greenhouses.htm

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