Westmorland, NB
Downtown Moncton
Keywords: active, dhw, passive, pv, urban
This project is to preheat the domestic hot water for the upstairs apartment using the Thermodynamics ltd. 'solar boiler'. The project's aim is to lighten our dependence on the grid and note cost-savings
Really no statistics yet - by next fall there should be some information. The estimate for payback is 5-7 years.
Downtown lot, 50' by 75' deep, east to west on street,, 120 year old house, faces south. Many windows on southern exposure, 4 windows on north.
The house was constructed around 1880. It faces south and has many windows for passive solar gain. Doors to two apartments are on the west end facing the street to pick up the breeze for natural ventilation. The two hydro-solar panels and the two smaller photo-voltaic units all sit together on the lesser-sloping roof for maximized use in summer. The two hydro-panels were home constructed by Inuk Simard, Fredericton (forester by training), as was the heat exchanger in the basement. Temperature resistant Plastic 1/2" pipes conduct plumber's non-toxic anti-freeze from panels to heat exchanger in basement from there to 1st hot water tank from there to rented NB Power tank. The pump circulates the pre-heated liquid from roof to heat exchanger and then to hot water tank.
Inuk Simard, friend and Bricoleur, built the two water panels and the heat exchanger with a variety of used and new materials depending on availability and cost. I supplied books and costs. Sharpe's Solar
Inuk Simard installed the system. Also a plumber was hired for a day and followed Inuk's design and instructions. Chris Sharpe supplied advice!
I'm planning to install a windmill in the future to complement the solar (active and passive) energies.
Panels on the roof can be seen at Botsford St. For a thorough viewing of the system, call 854-6377 and ask for Beth.