Heating Help

In the Morning News.... 1st Solar Car Wash!!

NOT!

Here's alink to the article
http://www.solarserver.com/solar-magazine/solar-news/current/2011/kw17/first-solar-thermal-car-wash-in-united-states-goes-operational.html

(Thanks Dan. I look forward to your email every Thursday morning)

I have no idea where these guys got their information, but back in about 1976, the Colorado Solar Energy Association did a formal survey of all operating solar thermal systems in Colorado, and I know for a fact that there was a solar powered car wash (I'm not even sure IT was the first one....) in Arvada Colorado that had the whole roof covered with FP solar collectors.

I know this, because I was the volunteer surveyor who was on the roof measuring and counting the collectors when a gust of wind blew my aluminum extension ladder down...

I spent an hour yelling at the top of my lungs, trying to get the customers attention in the car wash bays below to put the ladder back up so I could get down. The roof had a mansard gable on it, so I really couldn't get to the edge, in view of the users, to get their attention.

I eventually got the attention of the maintenance man by yelling down the back up boilers vent stack, and he reset the ladder for me so I could get back down...

I think I may have set a record for the LONGEST solar survey...

ME

That's Still Better

than setting the record for shortest survey...................and nobody got hurt!

facts have no place in marketing...

It is pretty surprising that they'd make a claim like 'first solar car wash' when a google search for that phrase brings up about 4 Million pages.

here is our recent solar car wash:

http://www.revisionenergy.com/blog/black-dog-car-washs-new-dover-location-shines/

but it isn't thermal, it's PV. Because apparently around here, most of the car washes use cold water in the summer, which makes solar thermal a bum deal.

~Fortunat
www.revisionenergy.com

I stand corrected!

And not just by you, ME. I got bombarded with e-mail. I think those guys may have meant the first in their state, but now I don't even trust them on that.

Sure is nice to know so many folks are reading my Thursday musings, though, and writing back. What a bright audience this is! And it's more than 5,000 strong now. Thanks.  ;-)

hardly the 1st

Back in the early 80's I worked for AHS, (Alternative Heating Systems) a subsidary of Novan Energy of Boulder, CO. and we installed a thermal system on a car wash in Colorado Springs. It was located at the corner of Hancock and Delta and was owned by a guy named Louie and we did a DHW system on his house as well.  Last time I was in the Springs I drove by and the panels were gone. Oh well. I've always thought laundry mats were an ideal application.