A journey to becoming green

A Journey to becoming green

Hello,

I started this blog to inform myself and others about renewable energy technologies and green building resources. It has been a long, fun, and arduous road for me. I started almost ten years ago when a couple of college friends and I were studying tropical agriculture at U-H Hilo. We wanted to start a biodiesel co-op, so we transformed an old shed into a lab and asked restaurants for their used veggie oil. Not only did we figure out how to transform clear veggie oil, through trial and error we learned how to transform thick gunky oil. We recycled old 55 gallon drums for reactors and washing tanks. We used two 4x8 pv panels to charge deep cycle battery for powering our electrical needs. After alot of gunky results, we started transforming old smelly oil into clear amber biodiesel. We all bought old Mercedes and watched white, smelly fumes pour out the exhaust pipes. I have to admit, watching people smell the fumes for the first time was fun and rewarding. I remember folks often said, " It's just like french fries". Except for changing my primary fuel filter every two months, the fuel was excellent and proved better than diesel #1 or #2. The lubricity is so high that it increased the engine's efficiency and cleaned the injectors, fuel tank, and fuel lines. As a bonus, it was fun working with like minded people recycling veggie oil one gallon at a time.

From 2001-2010, I have installed photovoltaic (PV), solar hot water panels and solutubes. I took a class from NCSU in advanced Photovoltaic, and am preparing to take the NABCEP installer exam. Because government policies, tax credits, and solar technologies are changing so quickly, it's difficult for anyone to make an informative decision about which renewable energy systems will work for them. This blog is dedicated to helping others understand different types of clean technologies, how to install different types technologies, and what types of forms for tax credits and tax rebates are available. I will also discuss certification and license issues to help homeowners and business owners find competent renewable energy companies. Most of all I hope to show pictures and short you-tube videos of some of my work.

Quote of the Week:

"May you be remembered by what you left on your roof, not in your closet."

anonymous

Solar Hot Water System can be messy!

It was exciting this week, we installed two solar hot water systems in one day. I was amazed about how complicated it can be. We started out with four recycled panels, all four dimensions were 4'x8'. Me and my buddy did the roof part and this part will be the only one discussed. As soon as I learn the technical part, I will post it.

First, we measured the area we would need for two 4'x8' panels mounted with a 22 degree tilt. So we, measured out a 5'x10' area, and laid out the eight feet roughly in the middle of the panels. I personally believe the rack should be no less than 1' from the end, which meant ours was as close as possible to 1' and 7' of the panels. keep in mind, the joists are space ever 18" on center, so our best bet was 18" and 90". Also, due to the venturri effect, all panels should be 3' away from the edge of the roof. This is also require by OSHA, in any case of fire emergence and the fire dept. need to service the roof, the panels must be 3' away. This will prevent heavy wind loads and possible blow-outs.

Find the first joist and locate the first row of four penetrations by using a hammer. Then use a 1/16 " long bit and drill. If you miss have a person go into the roof and search for the bit. Personally, I like to locate the joists in the crawl space first, spot drill, and land. Roof penetration is the most structural risk of the job, be sure and not sorry. If a blow out occurs, fix it, immediately.

Next, set up the racks, make sure the open side faces out and use the outer bolt hole for securing the feet to the roof. Use a power drill and make sure all eight are fastened well. After the racks are secured well, its time to bring up the panels.

Be safe, never sorry! Depending on the roof, pitch, and covering this challenge will vary. Setting the panel on the racks will demand two people. Measure the distance from both ends to find center. Follow the same procedure for the top. Do the same for both panels. Now securing the panels to the racks is another step that will vary.

Most all new panels 2008 and up will have a lip on the aluminum that will be clipped. S-5 clips are excellent and sturdy! They work beautifully. However, older models like the ones we recycled did not have that option. So we had to use brackets that secured to the rails. We drilled three holes on one side, then used SS self tapping to secure it to the panels. We caulked all the holes to prevent heat lose.

Next, we ran the copper 1/2 inch from the tank to the panels. This was difficult due to the fact that we penetrated roof twice. We heated both and bent them toward their connections. We ran the cold and hot. Naturally, the cold goes in the bottom and runs to the top. Therefore, the hot line had a PRV and we soldered the end with a 1/2. We used soft flex copper. We shaped it and cut our pieces, then soldered them. This is not easy and would not recommend an amateur, any leak will result in pressure lose and leaks.

Finally, we put insulation over the lines. It looked great I have posted some pictures labeled Solar Hot Water.

OH, has anyone thought about recycle-reuse opportunity!!!