Does it have to be all or nothing????

[dbjc364]

Jim here. Finally, I'll be home today while the sun shines, so I can see it in action!

We've updated our slideshow on our website to show the final construction and mounting phases of the passive solar collector. Easiest way to navigate it is to click on the first picture, then click the  right arrow > at the top of the page for the next picture.

http://dbjc364.memebot.com/passive-solar-collector/

[dbjc364]

Regardless of the temps outside or the wind,,we are consistently getting 117* plus out of this collector on every sunny day. We look forward to building the collector for the living room this summer,but we will have to go the cheaper route temporarily and use 2 layers of plastic sheeting till we can afford to buy the better glazing panels.

[paul bunyon]

117 degree's? That is beautiful! I'm glad to hear that it's working well for you. I bet there will be lots of people that want to borrow that idea. Me included

[dbjc364]

 ::)Actually now that we've lived with it for a few weeks, I vote to move it to the kitchen wall, where I was going to put one this size anyways.  In its place build a bigger one for the dining room-as the square footage for that room is going to get a bit bigger anyways. Our woodstove came in, just waiting to chew up the rest of the oil in tank so we can remove the oil furnace. And by the way that is up for sale:"Cheap"...anybody need one for their garage-? or workshop? My goal is to heat this house for $1000.00 a year comfortably,or less-less being the better of course. By the way it looks that can be done. Jim finally had a chance to get the Wind Aneometer up on the trellis temporarily,once the snow goes,then he will mount it on a pole to the garage roof peak. The panel is inside the house so we can track all the data. We get some really good wind here.He put up a solar light in the tractor shed so he can see to plug it in at 4 a.m.,or just messing around out there,-that has a remote to it-pretty cool. And that light is bright. We dont have electric in the new garage hooked up yet,but he'll get that done this spring he says. We like using the solar lights as much as possible-so another will go out in the garden shed too.