LouiseSJPP
New Member
I've been kicking around ideas for a pv array, driven largely by the fact I need to roof a log store and pv panels are about as cheap as any other roofing material. But the onward equipment is costly and the complexities considerable. Realising that in the end, the main use I had for the power generated, being an island system, would be to heat the water in the spa pool, I'm now wondering if I should be looking at direct solar water heating instead.
The spa, 4 to 6 person, is wood-fired, but given the forest setting (northern Spain) I think that the convenience of the spa being at temperature through the summer and the lack of worry about sparks created by the log burner would be good.
I have a roof facing south, angle 22°, 7m x 2.5m. What are my options for solar water? I guess I start from the black hosepipe panels covered with a sheet of plastic and go through to some kind of blacker-than-black solar panel. Evacuated tube I can rule out due to cost and poor load match: I couldn't add enough heat over winter to maintain the spa and I have lots of logs!
The spa, 4 to 6 person, is wood-fired, but given the forest setting (northern Spain) I think that the convenience of the spa being at temperature through the summer and the lack of worry about sparks created by the log burner would be good.
I have a roof facing south, angle 22°, 7m x 2.5m. What are my options for solar water? I guess I start from the black hosepipe panels covered with a sheet of plastic and go through to some kind of blacker-than-black solar panel. Evacuated tube I can rule out due to cost and poor load match: I couldn't add enough heat over winter to maintain the spa and I have lots of logs!