Author Topic: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub  (Read 5925 times)

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madlabs

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The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« on: June 30, 2013, 03:10:46 PM »
Hi All,

< Cue the Deliverance banjo music >

The Hillbilly Hot tub has evolved! As I have said before, if a hot tub could wear a wife-beater and have a beer gut, this one would. Mind you, the gut would be from eating organic, grass fed burgers and guzzling fine micro-brews. :-)

Anyhoo, added two thermal panels and three PV panels to the mix. Now the propane tank/sand water filter is powered by PV and pumping through the thermal panels. On a nice hot day here I seem to be getting *about* four degrees rise per hour. All while keeping the water clean. Sweet deal. I'm guessing it's going to go quite a ways towards lowering the fire wood consumption.

Just had to share. I'm wildly entertained by it. :-)

Jonathan

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Bruce S

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2013, 06:08:28 PM »
I LIKE IT!!  ;D
Especially the color coordinated hews of blues you have going on there.
If you're into micro-brews try the Black Art and B.A gold both are tasty even at warm pool temps.
ENJOY!
A kind word often goes unsaid BUT never goes unheard

madlabs

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2013, 10:48:28 PM »
Well, at the end of the day we got 18 degrees F of rise. Awesome! That is more than it loses over night, so over a run of a couple of days sun it should keep it toasty. As it was it took just a small quick fire to reach tub temp today.

Can't wait for my first all solar tub out of this system. I have a few more thermal panels to throw at the problem if I want more heat. I hope the bilge pump I'm using doesn't mind the lower voltage of the panels at the beginning and end of the day.

Jonathan


madlabs

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2013, 10:09:28 AM »
Muhahaha! Had my first all solar hot tub last night! Came home from my 48 hour shift at work and the tub was a perfect 106 degrees. Did use the Chofu to keep the temp fater dark when friends came over. Awesome.

Jonathan

Simen

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2013, 03:03:14 PM »
I know the feeling. ;)

I have a similar (almost free) setup; a corner bathtub (free) with a 7m2 (rated 5kW) solar thermal panel for swimming pool (free; had some leakage, but fixed). the only item not free, are the sandfilter pump; gave around $200 for it (running on solar energy from my main bank :) ).

My tub would be around 1/3 in volume, compared to yours i guess, so heating time from 16c to 40c would be around 3hours in full sun.

Nothing beats the feeling, soaking in 40deg C. water for free... ;)
I will accept the rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. - (R. A. Heinlein)

madlabs

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2013, 04:11:44 PM »
Wasn't your tub the one that had a thread about building a heater for it or something? Or ewas it pumps?

And yeah, there is nothing like soaking in sunshine, baby!

Jonathan


Simen

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2013, 03:02:36 AM »
It seems that i wrote a thread about the collector and a small controller some years back... :)

http://www.fieldlines.com/index.php/topic,143523.msg965927.html#msg965927
I will accept the rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. - (R. A. Heinlein)

madlabs

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2013, 10:14:06 AM »
Simen,

No, not the thread I was thinking of. Must have it mixed up. But you are a man after my own heart! I had a controller similar to yours in my last solar tub at my old place. I had not only solar panels but also some loops through the wood burning stove that I heated my house with. SO the controller would sense if there was hot water at either the panels or the stove and start the pump. Also sensed if it was too cold and moved a little water through the panels to prevent freezing. HAd temp. sensors on the inlet and output of the panels and the stove along with an LCD display so you could see how many BTU's you were making, degrees per hour, all sorts of entertaining stuff. Down by the tub the temp was displayed with Nixie tubes.

I'm trying to keep this one simpler though. However, I'm already starting to think of improvements....

Jonathan


Mary B

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2013, 12:46:57 PM »
I could use that tub about now after 4 days of cooking for 12 guests.

madlabs

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Re: The Evolution of a Hillbilly Hot Tub
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2013, 02:38:22 PM »
Well, head out to Albion, CA! We'll squeeze ya in! Probably feed ya too! :-)

Jonathan