Build Solar Water Heater
Tips and ideas how to build solar water heater. What you should know for a simple, almost free and great thrilling homemade solar DIY project. Building a solar water heater can also be expensive, unsuccessful and very time consuming.
For this homemade DIY solar water
heater project, you can use already available materials you have, which
is a
cheaper
version, or to buy a kit. The advantages of solar water kits are their
proven results and detail instructions on how to build, which is not a
case
with DIY or home made equipment.
The build a solar water heater article covers:
Build solar water heater - Tips
To build a homemade solar water heater successfully, you need good planning, be able to visualize and design solar heating system, have basic understanding of carpentry, plumbing, have necessary tools and help and be willing to learn.
How to build a simple solar water heater? The simplest heaters are probably those that are using discarded drums or barrels painted in flat black paint. I have seen many of these when I was traveling through Greece; homemade solar water heaters using drums and installed on the flat roof using gravity for hot water transfer.
This idea can be improved by making it more efficient, setting them in the insulated box with a glass or fiberglass cover and with small additions.
Tips for the heater installation:
Build solar water heater with movable base, so it can rotate to have better sun exposure during the day or season.
Sun powered water heater can be installed horizontally, vertically or diagonally, depends on your preference, location, design and viability.
Build solar water heater where it is easiest for you to make and install, like garage or backyard. The best is to build it in sections, for easy transfer and assemble. Of course the simplest installation is on the ground level. For easier assembly you can buy a mounting hardware kit.
Build solar water heater - Simple and almost free homemade batch system
Step 1
First step when you build a sun powered heater is to design and make a wooden frame for the solar tank-solar collector. 2x4 inch wood will do the job. The future box should be designed so you can apply standard size of the insulation, cover and other elements. You have to pay attention to build a good support for storage tank. One side has to be inclined for glazing, so it can have great sun exposure.
Step 2
Build the walls or sides of the heater box, using a plywood, or if you have any other material handy. Inside of the box should be covered with the materials like fiberglass insulation, Styrofoam or aluminum.
Step 3
When you build a heater box, plan ahead and design where the plumbing will be installed; the opening for incoming water and exiting pipes. Keep in mind how will you connect it to the heating system and house plumbing.
Plumbing fittings and pipes should be installed to the bottom of the tank for water coming from the house, and another set on the top of the sun powered water heater to the backup unit, for example.
During and after building a heater, always check for leaks. When filling the heating system with water make sure to remove all the air from the tank. Bleed valve and temperature relief valve should be installed in your heater as well. The drain pipes have to run consistently downhill for easier drainage.
Step 4
Insulate pipes, to reduce energy and heat loss, so your built solar heater can be more energy efficient.
Step 5
Final step in your DIY, build solar water heater box, is to cover the box. There are many effective materials available for glazing, like acrylic, polycarbonate, fiberglass, glass, tampered glass. The idea is to increase sun's heat through the cover and reduce heat loss at the same time.
Because of its great characteristics we recommend using tampered glass as a cover. Talk to the local store to see what sizes they can provide, and based on that you can design your solar heater box. If you order a custom made it can cost you more.
Step 6
In this step how to build solar water heater, you should work on details that will determine the efficiency of the system.
If you are using an old electric heater, strip off the outer enclosure and insulation, get rid off the old pipe fittings and check the inside for sediments. Clean the future tank if necessary. Paint the tank in flat black to increase the heat absorption and install pipe fittings, drain and pressure release valve.
Seal all the exposed surfaces, run silicon along joints and connections, install reflectors to concentrate sun lights, include insulation or shutter on the top as a heat loss protection and your homemade solar hot water heater is ready.
Videos how to build solar hot water heater
Video 1 - How to build solar water heater by using copper pipes... 8 videos total.
Video 2 - How to install cheap
and cost effective SWH using a black hose
Video 3 - How to build a batch system
Solar panels and thermosyphon system
The above described DIY solar hot water system is called an integrated solar heating system, or simply batch, where the collector and storage tank are combined into one unit. There are effective in the southern, warmer areas, while in northern climates where it can be very cold they are much less efficient and not recommended, as the water inside the tank can freeze.
You can also build a heater where solar panels or collectors are separated from the storage tank. They are usually called thermosyphon flat plate systems.
Either way you go, you are having the free heating where the fluid located in the solar collectors is heated by solar energy and transferred to the tank.
The solar water heating system with panels can be installed on the roof or in the backyard, or wherever it is viable and where the site has great sun exposure.
Storage tank can be used from the old, electric heater and modified to accommodate a new design. If it is located outside, paint it in black so it attracts even more sun heat, together with the panels.
Solar panels are made of the black painted copper pipes, installed in the insulated collector box and with a cover-glazing, made from the clear plastic or window glass.
Again, it is important to orient the glazing almost perpendicular to the sunlight. As the water becomes warmer it rises to the top of the panel and from there to the storage tank, using pipes.
Use the reflective material for the inside of the box and paint the copper pipes in black. Insulate the box well. More about passive solar water heaters here.
If you have other ideas how to build solar water heater, please click on this link and submit your ideas, designs, or help others in achieving their goals in using the renewable energy for water heating.
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(All pictures are courtesy of wikipedia)
