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Weber decided to start construction of his house by building a homemade solar water heater... "It took a lot of time and sifting, but I was finally able to devise a simple and inexpensive water warmer that I knew "us regular folks" would be able to build. In fact, my design involves only three steps: First, build a glass-covered wood "hot box" to catch the sun's heat. Second, install a manifold of copper water pipes--inside this collector box--so the gathered warmth will heat water. Third, hook the outlets from the manifold to a storage tank (this container should be set above the heat collector) so the thermosiphon principle will move water from the collector to the tank." Thanks Star! Link.
HOW TO - Make a homemade solar water heater
Weber decided to start construction of his house by building a homemade solar water heater... "It took a lot of time and sifting, but I was finally able to devise a simple and inexpensive water warmer that I knew "us regular folks" would be able to build. In fact, my design involves only three steps: First, build a glass-covered wood "hot box" to catch the sun's heat. Second, install a manifold of copper water pipes--inside this collector box--so the gathered warmth will heat water. Third, hook the outlets from the manifold to a storage tank (this container should be set above the heat collector) so the thermosiphon principle will move water from the collector to the tank." Thanks Star! Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jan 25, 2006 10:30 AM
DIY Projects, Science |
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My dad built an earth-sheltered, passive-solar home in the early 1980s and made his own solar hot water heater for less than $50. He took foil-backed foam insulation and made it into a box around a clean used 55-gallon drum. He put a piece of plexiglass on it, put it in the greenhouse and ran the supply for our electric hot water heater through this first. It preheated the water, so that the electric one didn't have to work as hard.
Even though we had electric heat and electric hot water, my parents were able to heat and cool the home for less than $50/year + 1 cord of wood we cut from our backyard. And it cost less than a conventionally built house of the same size.
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I work for an organization that provides acupuncture trainings to treat HIV/AIDS in Uganda. I have been struck by the fact that, as far as I can tell, there is no use of solar water heaters. I am considering partially supporting the Project by introducing solar water heating and am interested in investigating water to build them there for very little cost. Thus, I am looking for any input that would help make this a reality. Thanks
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