Solar charged battery system providing electricity for audio system

[AudioDoctor]

I have a feeling that a solar charged battery, perhaps with some wind to help as well, will be the future as we move to a more sustainable form of energy. It has the added benefit of decentralizing the power grid too, making it more secure.

[AudioDoctor]

I’m very interested in an off grid house using solar and wind as power sources alongside a gas (propane) tank and good old wood burning fireplaces. 

[AudioDoctor]

11 hours ago, Jud said:

 

The wood burning fireplace is (a) a romantic idea, and (b) something I personally love to see.  But it also (a) requires cleaning vs. a gas fireplace (Jotul makes very nice gas fireplaces - they have furnace-rated blower systems that can keep a floor of your home from freezing if the rest of the heating system goes on the fritz), and (b) is energy-inefficient enough that I think I remember you can have trouble getting something like a LEED certification if you have one.

 

We have propane for in-floor radiant heat and hot water (one small - probably 2' x 2' x 10" or less  - tankless boiler supplies both), electricity for the rest. Use less than 400 gallons of propane a year (maybe $30/month averaged out), but then our winters are nothing like MN.  Got down to about 12F for the low one day this winter (we're at 5700 feet), and that's as cold as it's been in 2 years.

 

While yes a wood burning fireplace is romantic...  I think it is also an important safety backup in a Minnesota winter. Having an empty tank of propane and 4 feet of snow on the roads preventing a fill up is a real concern.

[AudioDoctor]

47 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

 

which one is Sven, and which Ollie?

I’m Sven wife is Ollie. 
 

😂

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, Jud said:

 

Because we only use about 60% of our 500-gallon buried tank's capacity per year due to the relatively mild winters and a well insulated home, we have the luxury of only filling once annually but never letting the tank go below 30%. (Fills don't go past 90% to leave room for expansion.)

Lucky. 
 

Pellet stoves and things like that are more efficient than just a fireplace would be. For example. 

[AudioDoctor]

4 hours ago, barrows said:

Indeed, same here at 9,300' in Colorado!  As well, sometimes there are power outages, and my boiler is electronic ignition, so it will not run if the electricity is out.  So a wood burning stove is an essential backup heat source.

I have actually seen emergency vehicles unable to go anywhere due to snow fall and freezing to death isn’t my preferred way to go...

[AudioDoctor]

2 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

I meant wood vs. propane...

haha, well I showed you...

[AudioDoctor]

On 8/15/2019 at 3:35 PM, Jud said:

 

Having a couple of backups is great, in some climates essential.

 

In terms of the primary system, I like the in-floor radiant because each area has its own zone (total of 6), with each zone controlled by a Nest thermostat. All I had to do was adjust the temperature a couple of times, and they've got a nice little algorithm on their chips that keeps everything within about a degree F of what we like. (Can also set to allow lower temps when you're away, but with in-floor radiant the associated thermal mass means changes take hours, so for us that setting isn't worthwhile unless we're on vacation.)

 

Don't have to think about or fuss with anything, which is the way I like it.

 

My parents have radiant floor heat in their house now as well, I like it a lot. They have a separate water heater than provides hot water for the system embedded in the cement.