My new garage has pex radiant heating loops in the floor, and since it is a detached structure, I would like to add some solar panels and keep it heated with solar heated hot water. The demand for dhw is almost zero, so the system is a closed loop. I don't know how to calculate how big of a water tank I will need to make it work, any ideas?
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Solar radiant heating for garage
- Thread starter rimrock
- Start date
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Let me ask a few questions.
What is your other heat source? NG, electricity, propane?
How much of the heating load do you want to produce with solar, how much money are you willing to invest?
What kind of solar panels are you thinking about? Evacuated tube, a manufactured box collector, or a home built design from builditsolar.com? Number of panels?
Insulation levels? Have you done a manual j calculation? Do you want a constant set temp or just keeping things from freezing?
What's you location? Do you have a clear view to the south at low inclinations? Is the south face a gable end? Eve overhang?
Are you trying to save money, or trying to be environmentally conscious?
There are so many variables in you question it's impossible to answer without some info
What is your other heat source? NG, electricity, propane?
How much of the heating load do you want to produce with solar, how much money are you willing to invest?
What kind of solar panels are you thinking about? Evacuated tube, a manufactured box collector, or a home built design from builditsolar.com? Number of panels?
Insulation levels? Have you done a manual j calculation? Do you want a constant set temp or just keeping things from freezing?
What's you location? Do you have a clear view to the south at low inclinations? Is the south face a gable end? Eve overhang?
Are you trying to save money, or trying to be environmentally conscious?
There are so many variables in you question it's impossible to answer without some info
BadgerBoilerMN
Well-known member
We would first have to know your location.
toplessHO
Well-known member
thought about water sourced heat pump to heat the radiant hot water?
you can make a hybrid system to even add the solar collectors.
you can make a hybrid system to even add the solar collectors.
Why do you need a tank if you have concrete for storage. I suppose you have nothing to circulate at night but... I'd be more concerned about How much collector you need.
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Because when you have a lot of sun, you typically have less heat demand. So you want to store that heat rather than just heat up the entire garage.
I'm in Maine I've never over heated my shop but it depends on collector area which I don't have enough of. Keeps it from freezing, generally mid 40s to 50 in dead of winter without any other heat going
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wed4life
Active member
Looking for BadgerBoilerMN.
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David
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David
kj_mustang
Well-known member
Click on his name in the post above, choose send email from the menu.
TheEquineFencer
Well-known member
I've seen a few pictures of a solar hot water heater built from one those old huge satellite dishes. It tracked the sun. The dish was lined with Mylar and the focal point was a smallish SS tank with with two SS lines for water in and out. It used a thermosiphon to move the water to the insulated holding tank, from there he pumped it where he wanted it if it was below the tank level.