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Solar Heater

stovebolts

stovebolts

Member
this is a solar heater that I built and finally got installed :)

The basic concept is that it takes return air from your house and uses the sun to heat the air which then through natural convection provides heat back into your house. It's 100% green! No fans or motors :)

This heater consists of three main components.
1. Solar unit (heater)
2. Window unit (Heat and Return Air)
3. PVC pipe to make the connection.

Total cost was right around $110. It was built in a weekend.

The day I finally installed and tested the unit, it was 12 degree Fahrenheit outside and it was pumping 140 degree heat back into my house.

Here's how I built it. (Excuse my basement)

This is the box. It's 53 inches high and 26.5 inches wide. Hindsight, but I should have made it no more than 48 inches high due to the plexiglass that eventually covers the face.. oops, live and learn... I used my table saw to cut a 3/8 by 1/4 grove for the plexiglass face.

[attachment=6:1pk5695c]Jan 2 2010 018.jpg[/attachment:1pk5695c]
[attachment=5:1pk5695c]Jan 2 2010 020.jpg[/attachment:1pk5695c]
[attachment=4:1pk5695c]Jan 2 2010 023.jpg[/attachment:1pk5695c]
[attachment=3:1pk5695c]Jan 2 2010 025.jpg[/attachment:1pk5695c]

I don't have a picture of the finished product, but all that you have to do from here is apply some weather stripping and the plexiglass cover. I pre-drilled holes in the plexiglass for the screws and when it was attached, I ran a bead of silicone around the edge to ensure an air tight fit.

It works great!

Here is a part of the window box I made. the return air is to the right, but you can't see it. I need to "Pretty" it up... but basically it's lined with the half inch insulation board and then filled with "Great Stuff" foam :lol At night, we cap it off, but it really doesn't let any cold air in when the sun goes down if we don't cap them. :confused
[attachment=2:1pk5695c]IMG_0141.jpg[/attachment:1pk5695c]
[attachment=1:1pk5695c]IMG_0138.jpg[/attachment:1pk5695c]
[attachment=0:1pk5695c]IMG_0143.jpg[/attachment:1pk5695c]
 
Thanks Dude :thumb

It was fun to build. Funny thing was when it first started producing heat, there was so much moisture inside the box... probably cause the paint wasn't cured etc.. but there was steam coming out the tube for over an hour until it finally quit... and then it stopped blowing hot air :verysad

When I went outside to look at it, there was so much moisture inside, it put a film over the plexiglass which stopped the sun rays from entering :lol

It only happened that once (Assuming it was from the wet paint), and it's working great! We had slight overcast yesterday and my wife called and said it was at 125. Not bad for an overcast day!
 
Independence from gas heating must be great now. :shades
 
that would work even better in Florida, i must print this and give to a coworker who will actually do this, if he even hasnt already. Too bad i dont have the skills for that. :bigfrown
 
Jason,
What do you mean you dont' have the skills to build something like that? Your a mechanic, this should be simple.

If I were to add one thing, it would be some carriage bolts bolted into the top of the frame to mount the legs that stableize the unit when you put it outside. Right now I've got 2x4's screwed to the case... :shrug

Anyway, it's more dependent on sunlight than it is on what the actual temperature is out side. I know that solar hot water heaters are huge in Florida. To make a hot water heater (that loops to your hot water tank) is basically the same design except instead of using downspout for air, you use copper pipe that the water circulates through. Again, because the water gets really hot, it will cause a natural convection which will circulate the water without a pump :yes

Cool huh?
 
Well John, it works on sunny day's and it's got the "Cool" factor too :shades I'll see if I can get a picture of it installed this weekend. I would take a pictuture earlier, except I leave when it's dark out and I get home when it's dark.. and the day I installed it the batteries were dying. I can't believe I actually got the picture of the thermometers :lol

Lance,
I'm a long way off from getting off the grid, but I'd love to one day! BTW, our primary heat is wood. We burn on average 8 full cord (not face cord) a year. Mostly hardwood.
 
Your a better carpenter than I Rick, if you make one let me know how you would improve it :)

Here is one of the keys to generating the higher levels of heat.

[attachment=0:1q0y4o8w]Jan 2 2010 023.jpg[/attachment:1q0y4o8w]

The 1 1/2 inch horizontal lip creates air flow restriction inside the downspout and is used to mount both the top and bottom of the downspout. When the sun hits the downspout, it warms the inside of the downspout. Because the heat can't travel out easily.. well, you get the idea :)
 
Somehow I'm not getting the overall scheme. Maybe a real quick drawing to lock in the idea would be better than a pic. (no details necessary but just something to show heat flow?) Pics don't show what's behind what.
 
Ok, so I'm not a very good graphics artist either :lol
[attachment=0:3g1pv846]drawing.jpg[/attachment:3g1pv846]

Of course, the solar heater sits outside facing south and the window box mounts like your AC would. Return air originates from inside your house and the connections are made with 1 1/2 inch pvc pipe painted black. don't insulate your hot air feed as the exposure to the cold creates additional velocity.

I'll take a picture of mine this weekend.
 
Ah, now I see. Thank you for the drawing!
The results you are getting are quite impressive. :thumb
Very nice Jeff. Very nice indeed. :yes

Are you thinking about scaling up?
 
You make it look so easy that I feel like trying it. But I think I had better not because I am sure that it wouldn't go so smoothly for me. You did a great job though.
 
Hey Ronnie,
Give it a shot, it's just a box with a piece of plexiglass over it with a couple of pieces of pvc :)

Rick,
Well, believe it or not, I didn't get a live picture and I even had a three day weekend :oops Car problems.... :mad Ended up being the tires, so off to get a new set :bigfrown ohh, and the tranny in my riding lawn mower went kaput so I've got that all tore apart too. :shrug

Anyway, I don't think I'll scale up simply due to the cost of the plexiglass. When you start getting bigger than 48x36, your talking some serious cash.
 
Might be better to go with sectioned window glass for larger installations.
:shrug
 
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