Heating Help

ESOP

Viessmann's ESOP program is comprehensive and only costs $99. see: http://www.viessmann.ca/en/products/Solar-Systeme/esop.html To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Solar Spreadsheets

Does anyone have or use a spreadsheet when presenting a proposal to a potential solar thermal customer. The spread sheet would be able to do a comparison of two or more types of systems( Flat Plate vs. Evac Tubes) (Glycol vs. Drainback) (Storage tank with coil vs flat plate) Etc. I am working with a customer/energy conservationist to help our company get Solar Thermal going for our local community. We are working on a way to present this technology to customers. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

F-Chart

There is a bit of a learning curve with F-Chart but it will provide data to do the comparisons you want to do. The manual for F-Chart is pretty good. You can download a demo version that is fully functional without the local climate data in order to try it out.

Their manual is pretty good? ReallY? Maybe if you already know solar ;)

Hmmm

Then I take it back. ;-) F-Chart is not the most intuitive piece of software to use. It could definitely use some sort of graphical interface. My bar is probably set too low for good manuals.

RetScreen software

I have been using a free download software that was developed by the Canadian Gov./US & NASA. It very comprehensive and FREE. Check it out. Did I mention it was FREE? Oh yeah it also does not cost yo anything and will help you get the next job (for free) http://www.retscreen.net/ang/g_solarw.php Capture the rays! Eric

T-sol

Retscreen is OK. i also use T-sol from Valentine.. Poly sun is also a solar Programme..

Climate Data

I looked at these programs a while back, and I seem to remember climate data for a whopping 9 locations in the US? Is this correct? I think F-Chart is overpriced, but what other program offers the same features?

TSOL

Been using TSOL Pro since 2003. Newest version comes with roughly 140 USA weather sites. You can input weather sites from NASA data. PolySun is similar. Graphics are great for presentations and nearly everything is imperial units. You can switch back and forth between metric to imperial if you so wish. F-chart is a calculation program where TSOL and PolySun are time step analysis programs.What this means is, F-Chart carries out static simulations with monthly values only, whereas time step simulation programs allow more dynamic evaluation in a particular time cycle (hourly or even shorter resolution). TSOL is not hard to get familiar with. Does not simulate drainback at this point but I'm sure they will have an upgrade in the future. All the best to you guys educating yourself on solar thermal.

I can't get retscreen to work with Vista.

Take a Class

Like with any Tool: Owning it is only half the battle. Using it is something that someone needs to show you how too or you can just "struggle" and try to figure it out without guidance...So a good Teacher is Allways welcome.. Back to Retscreen: About 7 Years ago i "monkeyed around" with it.... I just went to a class on it this Saturday and must say that with some guidance of Bob Kingston (because it has some weird things/setting) it is a good program for "Payback" information.. I Still prefer the T-sol The "Design Tool" which Eric Anderson has Thought me how to use, but the Payback/Financing/Maintainace part is not as user friendly or shall i say i maybe need some "German" guidance on it! Maybe it is time for a trip to Berlin for a class or the Valentin group need to launch a N.American tour.. So for now i guess i will be jumping between the both BTW Retscreen works with Vista but you must change some of your Macros settings.. Good luck Richard..

retscreen vista problem

I have vista home premium and my version works, but the first time I tried to install I did have several problems. This last time worked fine. I then had to go into my excel security options and allow the publisher of the excel macros that are used for the software to work properly. Been great, but a little bit of a learning curve.