Radiantec solar system

[NickR]

I picked up a link to this company on this forum. The cabin I am building in Maine will be empty for a few months of cold weather (probably Feb-May) and their system looked to be a good way to maintain a minimum temperature while I'm gone as well as radiant heat and DHW. Has anyone here done or seen one of their Solar Option 1 systems? Thanks, Nick R.

 

[BrownianHeatingTech]

What sort of heat demand does the cabin have?

Joe

 

[NickR]

I don't have numbers but this is new construction Katahdin cedar log home with insulation package and probably premium windows (Marvin?) Full basement, 900 sq. ft main floor, 300 sq. ft. loft. Should be pretty tight. Nick R.

 

[BrownianHeatingTech]

I don't have numbers but this is new construction Katahdin cedar log home with insulation package and probably premium windows (Marvin?) Full basement, 900 sq. ft main floor, 300 sq. ft. loft. Should be pretty tight. Nick R.

Should be somewhere in the 40-50kbtuh ballpark (for keeping it from freezing, not for heating it to living temperatures)

That's certainly possible with solar. If you have enough money and physical space for panels.

Joe

 

[webbie]

My opinion only, but solar water heating is a tough nut to crack in the winter in New England. I have installed and used a number of systems in Southern NJ, and even there it was tough to really count on them during the colder and shorter days. Even brute force (lots of panels) cannot make up for no sun or snow covered panels.

Perhaps in combination with a on-demand tankless LP or other heater it might be better.