Hi

[floydster]

Hi, Floydster here.

Just joined and looking forward to picking your brains.

I'm in central Scotland and have about five acres of land around the house which I've been trying to hand back to wildlife as well as keep a little aside to grow food, badly so far.

I also have a small PV setup, solar water heating and I'm planning to erect a small wind turbine soon. I'm no eco-warrior but I figure the more energy I can save and food I can grow then I can give up full time employment before everyone around me, selfish or what?

Floydster

[ina]

Hi Floydster, welcome to the Ishers!

How do you manage with solar water heating in our climate up here? I'd been thinking of that, but after this summer I think it would have made more sense to run a fridge off the "heated" water...

[Shirley]

Hi Floydster!

Welcome aboard. Very interested to know how well the solar performs in Scotland.

[Annpan]

Hi Floydster,

Well I was planning for solar water here, and never thought twice about the scottish climate being a problem

Welcome to ish, look forward to seeing you around

[red]

hi Floyster.. welcome

[Chickenlady]

I'm no eco-warrior but I figure the more energy I can save and food I can grow then I can give up full time employment before everyone around me, selfish or what?

Floydster

Sound like a very sensible person to me! Welcome.

[floydster]

Thanks for the welcome.

The solar water heating works well between early April until the end of September, even although the summer was rubbish the system maxed out at over 60C quite a few times. We've oil fired heating and the boiler was only used for the occasional 10 minute top up during summer. The water's been at over 40C twice this week so it only needs a short boiler boost if you want it hot enough for a bath.

The great thing is that you can make a tank of really hot water last for a couple of days. Because you need so much more cold to cool what you use therefore refilling the tank with less cold and cooling the remaining hot water less than you would with water heated by your gas/oil boiler. Make sense? I think I've just confused myself

Here's some pictures of my water and PV setups. I've just received some low energy 12V lighting for the PV system so I should be able to replace the old inefficient setup I have at long last.

Hope I haven't bored you all

Floydster

[Millymollymandy]

Make sense? I think I've just confused myself

Er no, not at all (talking to the wrong person here), but welcome anyway!

[Thurston Garden]

Ahoy frae Sunny Dunny!

[ina]

Hope I haven't bored you all

Floydster

Not at all - how else would we learn from others! It sounds encouraging - will have to have a closer look into that (60 degree is too hot for a shower anyway!).

[hedgewitch]

Hello and welcome to the ishers!

[Thomzo]

Hell and welcome.

Zoe

[yugogypsy]

Hi and Welcome

Lois

[floydster]

Thanks for the welcomes. Plenty of local folk here, maybe we'll meet up some day.

Floydster