NATIONAL SOLAR TOUR 2004
SIX MAINE TOURS
NATIONAL SOLAR TOUR 2004
SIX MAINE TOURS
CENTRAL MAINE (Tour IV)
Tour IV OPEN 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Notes:
No registration or advance notice to home owners is needed.
The tour is free.
Homes available for viewing from 9am-5pm (except Home 3 which is 10am-4pm).
There will be free hand outs at some homes.
At Home No. 1 there will be copies of the Maine Solar Primer & energy-saving light bulbs for sale.
Divided geographically into A, B, C, D.
Contact person: Judith Schmidt
777 Old County Rd. Washington, ME 04574.
Telephone: 207-845-2378. Fax: 207-845-6065.
E-mail:
judithschmidt@principia.edu
.
Solar Site:
http://www.midcoast.com/~jgs/
Owner: Judith Schmidt.
Address: 777 Old County Road, Washington ME 04574
E-mail:
judithschmidt@principia.edu
Phone: 207-845-2378; FAX 207-845-6065
Description: A 3,500 sq. ft passive solar home, super insulated, includes recycled building materials; owner builder, ethnic art, roof ridge bedroom with impressive view; off grid, 32 Siemens PV modules also serve barn & guest cottage; an active solar water heating system furnishes domestic hot water, most of the radiant floor heat & warms a hot tub of local cedar. 1 ½ acre wildlife pond. Over 450 wooded acres, conservation easement planned, currently in Open Space. Added in 2002: Staber energy saving washing machine; solar oven; Bergey XL1 KW wind generator now also charges batteries, even at night.
Owner: Judith Schmidt, caretaker's house.
Address: 775 Old County Road, Washington ME 04574
E-mail:
judithschmidt@principia.edu
Phone:207-845-2378; FAX 207-845-6065
Description: Partially earth sheltered cape, 1,800 sq. ft., passive solar-woodheat, used PV panels for adequate, inexpensive electrical system, much less cost than connecting to utility line. Propane for range, refrigerator, dryer, hot water, generator. Cozy, inexpensive family home overlooking stream.
*Printed descriptions of the solar systems at these two houses will be available, & the water & wind systems for House 1.
Home 3. Appleton Open only 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
Owners: Kal Winer & Linda Tatelbaum
Address: 1050 Guinea Ridge Road, Appleton ME 04862
Phone: 207-785-4634
Description: Kal & Linda began to use solar electricity to power their home in 1981. They built their passive solar home in 1977, later adding 2 additions. The electrical system provides power for a high efficiency refrigerator, a computer, & most of the comforts of a grid-connected home. The large battery bank gives them 10 days of backup power for extended cloudy periods; a propane generator is used a few times a year to recharge the batteries. Most of their home runs on 12 & 24 volt DC, but an inverter is used to pump water & run power tools & home appliances. They use a composting toilet to minimize water consumption. They grow most of their own food in their large garden, & use canning & a root cellar to keep their food year round.
Home 4. Hope
Owners: Dave & Sue Oakes
Address: 60 Blueberry Hill Road, Hope ME04847
Phone: 207-236-9997
E-mail:
oakes5@midcoast.com
Description: Is solar & wind power affordable for the average homeowner in Maine? Can anyone build a solar and/or wind powered home? We designed ours to answer these questions & demonstrate the simplicity & beauty of an energy efficient home. Ours is a "work in progress" -- It was built by a conventional builder using standard practices & materials, but the differences?
1) It is well insulated with 3½ inches Corbond foam in the walls & R40 fiberglass rolls in the roof.
2) It faces south with lots of glass for solar gain.
3) It is built off grid utilizing state of the art solar panels (ten 110 watt "string ribbon" panels) plus a 1 KW wind turbine mounted on a 40' tower, which constitute the approximately 2 KW power system.
If you'd like to see how a conventional home can be both energy efficient & beautiful to live in join us for a tour. The 1 KW solar & the 1 KW wind systems are now fully operational.
Home 5. Hope
Hope Spinnery, Business & Home
www.hopespinnery.com
Owner: Bill Huntington & Kari Luehman
Address: 725 Camden Rd, Hope, ME
Phone: 207-763-4600
Email:
info@hopespinnery.com
Description: A wind-powered fiber processing mill, created by Bill & Kari out of a love for fiber arts & a desire to live & work in a sustainable way. Committed to alternative energy sources, we obtain fiber from local farmers, use natural dyes, & maintain a chemical free processing environment. We built using no plywood or pressure treated wood, low VOC paints, & radiant floor heat. The Spinnery is powered by a 10 kilowatt Bergey wind generator on an 80 foot tower, inter-tied to the grid so excess power is fed back into the system instead of stored in batteries.
Home 6. Hope
Owner: Ted & Heidi Steele
Address: 125 Light Hill Road, Hope, Maine 04847
Phone: 207-542-5316.
Email:
tedsteel@midcoast.com
Description: House 3,000 sq ft, located ½ mile off the road, built in 2002/3 (still a work in progress). 2 KW solar system with 14 BP panels on the roof, 12 Rolls 5000 series Serette deep cycle batteries, Trace inverter. Automatic generator backup, no grid connection for power or phone.
Home 7. Union
Owners: Jim & Mimi Doble
Mailing Address: PO Box 565, Union ME 04862
Phone: 207-785-2212
E-mail:
xylojim@tidewater.net
Description: House a 2,000 sq. ft. hybrid timber frame salt-boxish, mostly straw bale outfill. Bale walls finished with earthen plaster, strapped & clapboarded over outside. Finished & moved in December 1999, used solar during building. Solar array: 2000W, 16 Astropower 120W roof mounted panels. Batteries: 4 Surette 6 cell. Inverter: Trace SW4024.5000W Honda generator for back up. House essentials: lights, water & heat pumps, on 24 DC. Inverter supplies AC non-essentials: (washing machine, vacuum) & wood shop. 5 roof solar panels for domestic hot water & radiant floor heat, with wood & gas back ups for winter.
Owner: Kipp Jacques
Address: Happy Hearts Farm, 1000 Parmenter Road, Palermo ME 04354
Phone: 207-993-2181
Description: An 1850's farmhouse, never on grid. Solar system installed 8 years ago: 12 & 24DC, 120 AC with 6 pole-mounted panels, 12 batteries, new inverter, huge industrial propane generator back up. 12 V pump for deep well. All propane appliances, wood/propane heat.
Owner is an elementary art teacher in Winslow (with an infant son), without a lot of knowledge about these systems but enthusiasm & advice for living off-grid (funny stories too!)
Owners: Dick & Kay Bourassa
Address: 95 Heartbreak Hill, Palermo ME 04354
Phone: 207-993-2997
Description: After camping in older storage buildings on periodic visits & while constructing our 1 bedroom house, we moved in full time 6 years ago, with some gas lights & a generator for electricity. After becoming familiar with Pete Cote's system nearby, we had him add for us 4 PV panels, 14 batteries, 2400 watt Trace inverter. Now the generator is only for 220 AC deep well pump.
Home 10. Palermo
Owner: Bud & Jane Horridge
Address: 110 Heartbreak Hill, Palermo ME 04354
Phone: 207-993-2003
Description: A one bedroom, 1 bath “camp” which has become a retirement home, the only power came from a generator until 2003 when Pete Cote installed 6 Matrix Photowatt PV panels, 8 6V 378 amp batteries for a 24V system, & a DR 36 24 Trace inverter. The heat & appliances use propane. A well was added this summer, & steady work is being done to improve the interior.
Home 11. Palermo
Owner: Paul & Nora Armstrong
Address: 401 Marden Hill, Palermo, ME 04354
Phone: H. 207-993-2803. W. 207-993-2108.
Email:
armstrong1@pivot.net
Contemporary 3,000 sq ft house, built in stages since 1994, as time & money allowed. Hillside site allows enjoyment of outrageous views & good breezes. CMP wanted the cost of a house mortgage to bring power, prodding us to alternatives. Starting with a generator we have added photovoltaics & a wind turbine for our current tri-bred system. Recycled lumber was used in construction.
(#12 open for guided tour 9 – 2, then 2 – 5 self guided only, as owner busy with private event involving main building).
Home12. Hallowell
Maple Hill Farm
www.MapleBB.com
Owner: Scott Cowger, Innkeeper & State Representative
Address: 11 Inn Road, Hallowell ME
Phone: 207-622-2708
Email:
stay@MapleBB.com
Description: A full service bed & breakfast & conference center with a high energy demand. Owners decided to offset their costs with a fairly large 10 KW wind turbine (blade diameter 25 feet) that provides up to a third of the facility's needs. The Bergey turbine sits atop a 100-foot tubular steel tower located on the high point 1,000 feet from the buildings. The system generates AC power & is tied to the electrical grid through the inn's electrical panel. Any power generated & not used immediately goes out to the grid (metered separately) & a credit is recorded for use at a later date under Maine's "net metering" law. There are only a few of these larger turbines located in Maine. This is an historic 1906, gambrel farmhouse. A newer part of the building features skylights for lighting in public & work areas.
Home 13. Manchester
Owners: Tom Bartol & Barbara Moss
Address: 310 Meadow Hill Rd. Manchester, ME 04351
Telephone: 207-621-0787
Email:
bartol@gwi.net
Description: Solar living doesn’t have to be strange, unusual, or different. This off-the-grid home built in 2003 takes concepts & lessons learned from 5 years of living off the grid in Maine & incorporates them into this house. It has an active solar electrical system & hot water as well as passive solar heat. It is a 2 story, wood frame, salt box construction, super insulated & built, as much as possible, with environmentally friendly components, finishes, etc.
The Photo Voltaic (PV) system consists of 8, Evergreen 110 watt panels & a 2000 watt Outback inverter system. There are both AC & DC circuits throughout the house to power appliances. DC outlets power answering machines, stereo, etc. We have a Sunfrost RF-12, 24V DC refrigerator. LED lights & compact fluorescent lights are used throughout the house.
Hot water is produced by solar panels & supplemented in the colder months by a water loop through the wood stove. Back up hot water is available from an Aquastar “on demand” propane hot water heater.
The home is heated by passive solar heat. Back up heat is from a wood fired stove. The basement slab has been poured with radiant floor tubing that will be connected to a solar heat source in the future.
We do much of our cooking with a solar oven including cooking beans, bread, granola & canning tomatoes. We have a 2400 sq ft organic garden & a small orchard on the property.
Home 14. Manchester
Owner: Ned Wood.
Address: 330 Meadow Hill Rd, Manchester, ME 04351
Telephone: 518-686-4958
E-mail:
nedwood@earthlink.net
Description: Solar tempered saltbox, built in 1991. Photovoltaic panels provide electricity via a Trace 2524 inverter. Built on posts to minimize footprint on land. R-40 walls, roof, & floor: blown-in cellulose in walls & roof. Solar-heated hot water via a Copper Cricket. Emphasis was placed on the use of low-toxicity, local materials. This home on 10 wooded acres is for sale.
GOBELOW FOR DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS TO CENTRAL MAINE BUILDINGS ON TOUR
To the homes in the town of Washington (A)
Homes 1 & 2.
Judith Schmidt, 777 Old County Road, Washington, ME 04574. 207-845-2378
Option A: From Route 17 in west Washington turn N on Route 206 (across from West Washington Auto). In about 1 ½ miles Rte. 206 ends, but KEEP STRAIGHT on same road now numbered Rte. 105 (do NOT turn R onto Rte. 105); continue approximately another 1 ½ miles to sharp L bend ... do NOT take bend (Somerville school on L is too far!), but turn R in point of bend onto Old County Rd, gravel. Go 0.8 mile to No. 1 & No. 2 on L.
Option B: From Rte. 17 take Vanner Road & continue straight across intersection (Rte. 105) onto Young's Hill Rd. At the next crossroads, which comes suddenly after a couple of wooded curves, turn L onto Old County Road (gravel). Go 1.2 miles to No. 1 & No. 2 on R.
Option C: Come west on Rte. 105 through Washington village, turn R on Young's Hill Road, & follow directions under Option B.
Option D: Come east on Rte. 105 from Augusta past Somerville School & at sharp R bend exit straight ahead onto Old County Rd instead of following Rte. 105 to right. Follow directions under Option A.
You will find us!
To the homes in Appleton, Hope & Union (B)
Home 3. Appleton
Kal Winer & Linda Tatelbaum, 1050 Guinea Ridge Road, Appleton, ME 04862. 207-785-4634
From Rte. 17 in Union go N on Rte. 131 for 3.2 miles, then L onto Rte. 105 W, go 2.5 miles to Burkettville General Store, at end of parking area turn R onto Guinea Ridge Rd. 1.2 miles down house is on L, sign says KAL & LINDA & NOAH.
From Augusta side can also go to Union & take Rte. 131, or from Augusta, or Washington or ?, take Rte. 105 E to Burkettville General Store, but turn L onto Guinea Ridge Rd on near side of parking lot, follow directions above.
Home 4. Hope
Dave & Sue Oakes, 60 Blueberry Hill Road, Hope, ME
04847
. 207-763-2750
From Camden: Take Rte. 105 (Camden Road) north to Hope (approximately 5 miles). Pass through the village of Hope (Apple Farm on left, town office on right). From Rte. 235 on left after apple farm - continue approximately 3 miles on Rte. 105. You will come up a steep hill & at the crest of the hill (on the R) is a brick farmhouse with a silo. Turn R onto "Blueberry Hill Road". Go100 yards to a "Y" & bear R. Go another 200 yards & you will come to a farm house on the L. Our drive way is the immediate L after you pass the farmhouse.
From Route 131 in Appleton: Turn onto Rte. 105 (Camden Road) heading south toward Camden. Go approximately 2 miles on Rte. 105. You will go up a steep hill & at the crest of the hill is a brick farmhouse with a silo. Turn L onto "Blueberry Hill Road." Follow directions above.
Home 5. Hope
Hope Spinnery, Business & Home.
Bill Huntington & Kari Luehman, 725 Camden Rd, Hope, ME
04847
. 207-763-4600
From Camden: From Elm St. (Rte. 1) take Rte. 105 (Washington St.) toward Hope 7.7 miles to Hope Spinnery -- on the R side of the road at #725. It is a new building with natural board and red trim. The wind generator is visible to the R of the road behind the building.
From Belfast: Take Rte. 52 to Lincolnville Center, about 10 miles. Turn L onto Rte. 173 for 0.1 mile. Turn R onto Rte 235 for 4 miles. Go straight on Rte. 105 for 1.3 miles to Hope Spinnery, on R at #725 (see above).
From Rte17: Take Rte.17 to Union. Turn L onto Appleton Rd/Rte. 131. Follow Rte. 131 7.8miles. Turn R onto Camden Rd./Rte. 105. Go 3.3 mi. to Hope Spinnery, #725, on the L. The wind generator is visible to the L of the road when the Camden Hills come into view.
Home 6. Hope
Ted & Heidi Steele, 125 Light Hill Road, Hope, ME 04847. 207-542-5316
Take Rte. 17 (east or west) toward South Hope. 1/4 mi west of Lincoln's Country Store, turn onto Alford Lake Road & go to the end. Turn R onto Rte. 235 (Hatchet Mtn. Rd.). Stillwater Farm Animal Boarding will be on your R at this intersection. Light Hill Rd. is 0.2 mile on L. Follow Light Hill Road (dirt rd.) ½ mi. to top of steep hill.
Home 7. Union
Jim & Mimi Doble. 207-785-2212.
From junction of Rte. 17 & Rte. 220 (in Washington) heading East, go 3½ miles to 2nd Bump Hill Rd on R. Or, heading West on Rte. 17,from Rte. 131 N -- (next to John Deere in Union), go 2 ½ miles, take L onto Bump Hill Rd. Go 1 mile on Bump Hill, take L on Sidelinger Rd. Go 1 mile on Sidelinger, town road ends; stay straight (& to R of white house) on private drive. Go straight about another ½ mile until the road forces you up to the L. Go up as far as open barn & park to the side of drive. Walk further up drive to house.
To the homes in Palermo (C)
Home 8.
Kipp Jaques, Happy Hearts Farm, 1000 Parmenter Road, Palermo, ME 04354. 207-993-2181
On Rte. 3 from Augusta, 1 mile from the Mid-Coast RV place, (or, after passing Palermo Elementary School on R), Parmenter Rd is the first Lat crest of hill, a dirt road. Go about 1.8 miles, house on L, 1850'sfarmhouse.
On Rte. 3 from Belfast watch for Lilly Cove Farm (huge sign & veggie stand) on R, Parmenter Rd is 1 mile beyond on R (or, after passing Sheepscot Lake on L take 2nd R up hill).
Home 9.
Dick & Kay Bourassa, Heartbreak Hill, Palermo ME 04354. 207-993-2997
Follow combined directions above for Home 8, continue beyond Kipp's, a short distance to the corner of Heartbreak Hill Rd. on L, turn into this road, (not into driveway to the L as you turn), but continue to the next house, a short distance & on the R, which is ours.
Home 10.
Bud & Jane Horridge, 110 Heartbreak Hill, Palermo ME 04354. 207-993-2003
Continue past Home 9, ours is the next house, & on the Left.
Home 11.
Paul & Nora Armstrong, 401 Marden Hill, Palermo, ME 04354. H: 207-993-2803W: 207-993-2108
From Augusta take Rte. 3 east & turn L on Old Rte. 3 just before Tobey's Market. Go about 1 mile to 2nd L, turn on Old Rte. 3 just after Mid Coast RV Center. Go about 1 mile to 1stR, turn on North Palermo Rd. Go 2 miles to 1st R, Nelson Lane, follow it to top of hill (road becomes dirt) to four corners, take L onto Marden Hill. We are ¾ mile in on R (mailbox on L).
From Freedom take Rte. 139, turn on North Palermo Rd. Follow for about 8 miles, at curve turn onto Carrs Conn Rd./Marden Hill. We are 1.2miles on Left. This can be reached by continuing beyond Homes 8, 9 & 10.
To the Homes in Hallowell and Manchester (D)
Home12. Hallowell**
Scott Cowger, Maple Hill Farm, 11 Inn Road, off the Outlet Road in Hallowell. 207-622-2708
For directions (from I-95 and Rte. 202 West): www.MapleBB.com or www.MapleBB.com/map Email: stay@MapleBB.com
Home 13. Manchester**
Tom Bartol & Barbara Moss. 310 Meadow Hill Rd. Manchester, ME 04351.207-621-0787
Option A: Take Rte. 202 West from Augusta about 2.7 miles (from I-95). Turn L (south) on Pond Rd. in Manchester (at the Texaco station) Go 2.5 miles south on Pond Rd. to Meadow Hill Rd. (on the L or east side) Go 1.6 miles east on Meadow Hill Rd. Continue about 0.1 mile after the road turns to gravel. Our house is #310, the first driveway on the L (north) side after the road turns to gravel. The driveway is about ¼ mile long. Please come up the drive & park where indicated by signs.
Option B: From Maple Hill Farm B & B, (Home 12, Hallowell) continue on the Outlet Rd. for approx. 4 miles to Cobbossee Lake (Outlet Rd. becomes Collins Road). Take R turn at lake onto Pond Rd. Continue on Pond Rd. for approx. 1 mile, then take R onto Meadow Hill Rd. Follow directions above.
Home14. Manchester**
Ned Wood, 330 Meadow Hill Rd, Manchester, ME 04351
nedwood@earthlink.net
This home is on the L just past the driveway for Home 13 on Meadow Hill Rd.
**NOTE: This map shows a gravel extension of Meadow Hill Rd (Houses 13 & 14) that continues to Outlet Rd. near Maple Hill Farm (House #12), offering a shorter connection. It is rough in places but passable with any vehicle.
This site will stay up until changes are made for the next National Tour in October 2005
Some homeowners may be available for contact during the year, others have asked to have their telephone and/or email removed. You can still write to them if the full address is given. If essential, ask the contact person, Judith Schmidt, for any further information.
At the end of the tour listings of homes & directions, you can find limited suggestions of web sites or other contact possibilities for data on wind turbines, Staber washing machines, solar systems, etc. You can also go to the organization sites listed & ask them questions.
index.htm| revised 9/16/2004
