digitalmaster wrote:
wrote in message
...

In alt.solar.thermal Rod Speed wrote:

What matters is the cost TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

The individual considering which way to go with hot water
gets no say on what the state chooses to do with nukes.

Nor do I have any input as to whether various rebates and incentives are
the right way for the community at large to go. I can only look at the
impact that the programs have on my situation.


You sure you're paying 30c for offpeak ?

http://www.pge.com/rates/tariffs/ResTOUCurrent.xls
The baseline rate is only $0.08. That rate is very stable, but also is
not
very much energy per month, varying by the season and location.


And what matters is the OP's offpeak power rate, not yours or mine.

As always. The local conditions for that person are all that matters.
Solar insolation, utility rates, Tax laws, appraisal patterns, cost of
labor, cost of materials, construction codes, etc. It's hard enough to
make comparisons across different utilities in the same state, much less
the 50 states here, or to a different country.


Mine is completely integrated into the house design,
7 8'x8' patio doors on the north side of the house which
is 100' running East/West. I'm in the southern hemisphere.

I saw a house recently built that looks like all doors on the long side.
I
thought that was for the view. I hadn't pondered the orientation. A look
at Google Earth makes me think all those doors are Southwest exposure, but
that should be hot in the summertime, without deciduous tree cover.


6' eaves all down the N side, calculated with the sun angles
to let all the sun in in winter and none in the summer.

That is sorely lacking at my house. Stubby eaves at a steep angle, so I
can't even add additional cover in a pleasing fashion.

I might have a closer look at that house with no trees. Maybe it has long
shallow eves.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5

In the summer the sun is more directly overhead so the extra glass on the
south side should not make the house hot.in the winter the sun is lower on
the horizon so it shines in through the glass more.



The rub to this argument is - more HOURS of daylight in the summer.
This fact coupled with higher outside temps, WILL MAKE A HOUSE WITH
SOUTH FACING WINDOWS WARMER IN THE SUMMERTIME THAN A HOUSE WITH NO SOUTH
FACING WINDOWS!!!