Lakewood Christian Homecare Facility


Lakewood Christian Homecare Assisted Living Install
This 30 bed assisted living facility is located in Redding, CA (climate zone 11). The boiler system consists of a Locinvar 400,000 btu per hour gas boiler connected to a 120 gallon storage tank via a recirculation system. This configuration draws and returns boiler water from the bottom of the storage tank. The boiler is located in a dedicated and separate ventilated room. Hot water for the facility is drawn from the top of the storage tank. A separate house circulating pump keeps hot water lines active. Plumbing is 1-½” copper, with all lines having been clearly marked by the original builder.

A SHEM 80 gallon drainback system was connected to three 4’ by 8’ Solene
flat plate collectors. Runs to the collector were approximately 30 feet in each
direction. Head was estimated at well under 20 feet. The collectors were flush
mounted to the 6/12 roof, that roof having a generally southern orientation.
Limited afternoon winter shading was evident.

Data Logging

A Metrima data logger was added to the system on January 1, 2010, and measured its first day of production on January 2, 2010. One year later, on January 2, 2011, the data logger registered 6,953 kWH generated energy from this system. Two days later, the data logger registered 7,000 kWH annual production.

Interestingly, the production is far below the SRCC estimate for this system.

Given three Solene collectors and a SHEM 80 gallon drainback tank, the estimated energy production for this system in a California Zone 11 climate is 4,230 kWH. Actual generation was 7,000 kWh. This SHEM Simple Drainback System, coupled with Solene collectors, delivered 70% more energy than predicted by the SRCC. Given a value of 10 cents per kWH, the system reduces energy consumption valued at approximately $700 per year.

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