House power requirement

[steveR]

I always fancied building a house into a hillside so only the windows were exposed. It would help cut heat losses as it never freezes below about 12" in the UK. It would also be cool in summer without needing active cooling.

Combined with controllable sunshades I reckon I could get energy requirement well down.

It'd be really cool to live in a genuine Hobbit House as well....

Been a couple of "Grand Design" type houses like this I recall.

 

[renewablejohn]

Way better than plastic I imagine at conduction Pretty sure I saw someone putting slinkies into a brook and pinning the pipework down 10 years ago. The advantage of plastic is less corrosion issues I guess...

Copper will outlast your lifetime and will not be eaten by rodents.

 

[Exfarmer]

I always fancied building a house into a hillside so only the windows were exposed. It would help cut heat losses as it never freezes below about 12" in the UK. It would also be cool in summer without needing active cooling.

Combined with controllable sunshades I reckon I could get energy requirement well down.

It'd be really cool to live in a genuine Hobbit House as well....

there is one near here, know nothing of it though.

 

[Wisconsonian]

Aww i wouldnt know the answer to that without hirein a laser level. Also what is the best way to determine how much volume of water is flowin

Easy enough to get a good estimate off maps as suggested. A V weir is the tool for measuring flow that's bigger than a bucket can measure. Very simple and plenty accurate. Not easy if you have to dam the water, but simple concept.

1KW either as an immersion heater, or powering GSHP won't supply all your heat, but it will provide most of your heat, some/most days so it will work very well with wood back up heat. Coal or peat?

 

[daveydiesel1]

Easy enough to get a good estimate off maps as suggested. A V weir is the tool for measuring flow that's bigger than a bucket can measure. Very simple and plenty accurate. Not easy if you have to dam the water, but simple concept.

1KW either as an immersion heater, or powering GSHP won't supply all your heat, but it will provide most of your heat, some/most days so it will work very well with wood back up heat. Coal or peat?

Ok just looked up a v weir there. Once its in the water how exactly do i measure the flow?

 

[Wisconsonian]

The flow is calculated from the height of the water behind the weir. The water on the downstream side has to be below the flow through the weir, which is the hardest part.

You can find the formula for calculating, but I'm sure there's a chart that would be close enough and much easier.

 

[Y Fan Wen]

The flow is calculated from the height of the water behind the weir. The water on the downstream side has to be below the flow through the weir, which is the hardest part.

You can find the formula for calculating, but I'm sure there's a chart that would be close enough and much easier.

Open Channel Weirs - Volume Flow Measurements

Weirs can be used to measure flow rates in open channels and rivers - common for water supply and sewage plants.

www.engineeringtoolbox.com

When we were designing our outfit in the late 70s I constructed a weir in the old quarry leat. It was 18" wide and I made the edges out of tin nailed to 1" board. You need the sharp edge for accuracy.

 

[smallholder99]

That is the sort of capacity I have to heat my 3,500 sq ft house. 30 Kw gas boiler, but it only runs for a fraction of the time. Sadly never tried to assess the running time. It also supplies my hot water too.
My house is well insulated but relatively large to the average I guess, quite small to many farmhouses though.

how well would a heat pump work if you plumbed it into your existing oil boiler heating system, assuming you dont want to claim rhi and have a ready supply of cheap electric from hydro say 6p, would it substantially reduce heating costs

 

[Exfarmer]

how well would a heat pump work if you plumbed it into your existing oil boiler heating system, assuming you dont want to claim rhi and have a ready supply of cheap electric from hydro say 6p, would it substantially reduce heating costs

It must help, but I think it is not that easy. The little I know of heat pumps suggest that they are far superior for raising water to 30 degrees rather than 50+ for a conventional heating system. So good for underfloor but not good with rads.
There are plenty others on here know more @renewablejohn perhaps

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

It must help, but I think it is not that easy. The little I know of heat pumps suggest that they are far superior for raising water to 30 degrees rather than 50+ for a conventional heating system. So good for underfloor but not good with rads.
There are plenty others on here know more @renewablejohn perhaps

I believe (but haven't looked in detail at them for 5 years) they are quite efficient up to around 55⁰C but rapidly decline above that. Radiator heating systems need >70⁰C or VERY big radiators.

Others may have more up to date observations though.

 

[renewablejohn]

Your cheap hydro would work with your oil boiler but the heat pump is really for UFH systems using lower temperatures. Tank insulation would be key unless the tank was in the envelope of the heated building.