Replies to post #395 on Alternative Energy (ALTNRG)

[Bob Zumbrunnen]

Too late for me to edit my previous post.

A separate 158-volt generator wouldn't be needed. That's what the Honda's electric motor is. If I had diesel torque to work with, I'd just change the profile of the programming that governs when the motor becomes a generator.

[Toofuzzy]

Hi Bob Re Collector

Getting back to my cost vs efficiency. Black plasting sprinkler pipe on the roof is the way to go for pool heating. Much more heat for the COST of materials.

Re copper plate to coper tubing:

Take a 2 x 6 and nail two 2x4 to it (all parallel) with a gap between the two 2 x 4s just big enough to fit the copper tubing between.

Place copper sheet over that and pound a steel pipe the same size as the copper tubing into the gap.

Remove steel pipe and copper sheet (which now has pipe size grove in it)

Soder or heat transfer caulk copper pipe into sheet.

If you were going to put it into a box with recycled sliding glass door glazing I would build the whole piping and header structure first and then put on the fins.

Talking about fins, you could use baseboard radiator pipes (with the fins) maybe even painting the fins black with stove paint.

REGUARDING curved reflector: Having one large box with multiple curves would be more eficient (and less shading) that multiple thin boxes. But you don't need high heat anyway, just lots of heat, so back to my hose on the roof

OR: Use your pool as the heat sink for a ground source heat pump if your home air conditioner dies.

Toofuzzy