I counted 54 rings. The house dates from 1968. Counting the rings, they got closer together over time. Climate change or normal pine tree aging? Thinking about it, I probably should calculate the volume of each ring as a true growth indicator. As the tree grows larger, the volume of each ring is probably a better climate indicator. The tree measured 84 ft. Now grinding the stump to sawdust and hauling off the trunk segments. The branches were chipped. Bob Wilson
"Counting the rings, they got closer together over time. Climate change or normal pine tree aging? Thinking about it, I probably should calculate the volume of each ring as a true growth indicator." Please do not look at N=1 tree for climate change. Consult with Alabama State Climatologist normal pine tree aging - not that either. Normal pine trees grow among their buddies and shade each other and crimp each others' rings. calculate the volume of each ring - this is doable. Measure length of each bole segment and ring widths (4 measurements of each) at top and bottom. Tree height 84 feet in 2025, and you can back calculate the rest. Hint, how much shorter was tree in years past. There are complicated formulae for bole dimensions but simplest is to call it a cone. If the chunks have already left, not doable. Hardwood trees are obvious about sapwood (water-conducting xylem) and heartwood (xylem shut down by, well, goo). Pines among gymnosperms are more subtle. So for pines one cannot use sapwood area to estimate foliage area. You cut the wrong tree buddy.
"party pooper" I just don't want it known that Bob-house was built on a Native American burial ground, and they were grumpy about that. Bad for resale value.
Yes, it was quite shady with the trees. The roof was practically closed from the sun. shadow by MAX2 posted Jan 30, 2025 at 11:11 PM
It will still be shady with solar panels mounted 4-5" above the roof. Heat from the panels will simply flow up and away. I'm more thinking about what sort of shrubbery or trees that won't grow higher than the base of the roof for the front yard: Three fir or spruce, one large in the middle and two on each side closer to the porch. They will decorate for Christmas, block direct view of packages on the porch, and reduce sun heating to the porch. Some of them smell really nice. Crape myrtle scattered over the yard for color and keeping the grass less sun baked. Humming bird flowers and vines on the shaded, Southeast property line. A variety so the humming birds have plenty of food and nesting places. Looks to be some shingles that need inspecting. Bob Wilson
So this is the current plan: The circles are the number of 400 W panels in each area. The "walkway" on the kitchen roof (upper left) is just a clear area on the roof, not a formal walkway. It is where the morning shadow from the upper roof falls on the lower kitchen roof. It makes maintenance (i.e., bird nest removal) easier and safer. The front yard trees are gone so here is the house taken as a series of photos stitched together: Latitude 34° Solar range above and below equator 23° House solar angle -11° to -57° from vertical, 0° Roof pitch 28° Panel angles to sun 17° to -29° At least four times a year, 12 panels, 400 W each, will be normal to the sun giving 4,800 W. The other 3 are at an acute angle. My plan is to dump the electrical energy in preference: EV car batteries Solar project, buffer battery for any unused electrons Any power shortage is coming from the grid, the utility company. This solar project is sized to not generate electrons sent back to the grid who can buy their own panels. Cost-avoidance from my electric bill is my profit ... which is not taxed. Bob Wilson
Our problem is the difference between summer and winter production. It’s either make too much in one season, or too little in the other
Solar isn't for everyone. Huntsville is 34° N and Boston 42° N. You would need a steep pitched roof, (mine is 28°) on a Southern facing roof, free from tree shade. Here is an excellent web page to estimate the annual solar production: PVWatts Calculator I sized mine to cover the expensive electric billing cost, ~$.12/kWh increasing to ~$.15/kWh in the next six months. The contractor designed the system so the battery storage would never "feed the grid." I might lose some if the solar battery storage is full, both cars, and the array produces more than the house is using. So I'll charge my EV cars during the day at amp rates and hours to maximize storing solar kWh. Once the system is in, I'll work on tuning a J1772 charger to ramp the charge rate to follow the solar generated amps. Equipment arrives next Wednesday and the installation crew comes Friday. I'll have hot Krispy Kreme donuts to sugar charge them. The solar project economics are daunting: ~$64,000 for ~7,000 kWh per year to save ~$1,000/year (@$0.15/kWh) Sold TSLA stock, $0/year dividends, to buy Solar Project, $1,000/year, untaxed, cost avoidance I noticed the CEO of Tesla has become more and more distracted. That is the first symptom of rot that after several years, dooms the company. Other than some Chinese companies, I didn't see Tesla as being a good place to keep my retirement savings. With the solar project, I'll get a monthly cost savings and the value of my home has improved ... little loss of capital. In a time of high inflation, real property value increases while cash suffers. I like my capital to work for me. Bob Wilson
What is the cost of the solar cells themselves? Do they lose their properties over time, will they have to be replaced? Is there any hail protection? They are quite fragile.
Depends on what cells you’re buying They are very consistent for about 25 years with minimal degradation, and still a lot of life there after they are not fragile, but if you get a lot of baseball size hail, you may want to investigate possible protections
Here is part of what I've bought: Specs for the panels, micro inverters, and combiner are online via a Google search. I'd rather avoid misquoting the manufacturer so you might look them up. I would prefer not to go into more detail as the rest is proprietary to Solar Alternatives. I started working with Carl Cochrane (504)267-1660;667, who can work up a free, rough estimate using Google Earth. If you contact him, please mention my name as referral. Bob Wilson
That's where net metering regs help. Excess from one season is banked as credit for the other time of the year. Or if you can, built excess, and directly sell it.
