Re: OT: Hybrid cars make no economical sense
- From: aemeijers <aemeijers@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:49:31 GMT
gfretwell@xxxxxxx wrote:
On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 03:34:09 GMT, "olddog" <never@xxxxxxxx> wrote:That is why I specified 'passive' in my previous post. Most people do not have the knowledge, time, or interest to do the care and feeding of an active system, any more than they do the care and feeding of a simple gas-fired furnace. I still see a few abandoned collectors on roofs around here as well, but there used to be a lot more, prior to re-roofs. A pool is easy, if you aren't fussy about looks- a coil of black pipe on the garage or carport roof, and a more powerful pool pump with diverter valves. Household heat, not so much. Yes, you can suck more heat out of the sky with an active system, but at a higher up-front cost, and it requires more involvement by the homeowner. (not to mention finding HVAC companies, plumbers, and roofers, that have a clue how to deal with active systems.) For an existing house, having a sunroom added on south side, or maybe getting a couple of those window box things, is usually about as complicated as they are able or willing to deal with. Most people are not like the people who hang out here- they just want to go home at the end of the day, and have a dry warm place to sleep.
<gfretwell@xxxxxxx> wrote in message news:lvu8k4lbl2q93i4ie0j03k0vf92ou5temd@xxxxxxxxxxI built up my own from second hand collectors. A hint is to get themOn Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:48:52 GMT, aemeijers <aemeijers@xxxxxxx> wrote:I'd like to have one of those systems for my pool and spa but talk about expensive! I have a perfect spot for the panels on my south facing roof too.
'Power' does not always equal 'electricity' or 'oil'. The cheap and easyThe best use of solar is heating water, either for domestic
way to take advantage of solar is to use it in ways that don't involve
converting it to other forms, or trying to store it very long.
consumption, space heating or simply heating a pool/spa.
That gives you a real bang for your buck.
Olddog
from a roofer (or a tip of where to find them cheap).
Most people do not take the proper steps when installing them to keep
the roof from leaking and when the roofer blames the leak on the
collectors the customer will not usually want them reinstalled.
IMHO, architects and residential designers should be pitching appropriate passive solar during the design phase for new houses, and the people who write or guarantee construction loans should offer a money inducement to include passive features in the design. Or maybe put the inducement on the tax side, since conservation is supposed to be a national policy priority. I haven't seen much solar in new public or educational buildings around here, and that is a big shame. (A lot easier to have a unit in science class about energy conservation, if you can take the kids down the hall or down the street, and show them a system in operation. Get it in the back of their brains for when they grow up and build a house, etc.)
--
aem sends...
.
- References:
- Re: OT: Hybrid cars make no economical sense
- From: salty
- Re: OT: Hybrid cars make no economical sense
- From: aemeijers
- Re: OT: Hybrid cars make no economical sense
- From: olddog
- Re: OT: Hybrid cars make no economical sense
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