DIY Solar Air Heating Panel (Pic Heavy)

[Cpt. MelonBuster]

Tiggity-tagged, because this thread is win.

[Dogan]

Tiggity-tagged, because this thread is win.

Ditto.

[MI-1Honkey]

Thanks Regulator awesome write up.

I'm currently gathering materials to build one of my own. Can you give us some more info on your fan controller? I googled but couldn't find anything that seemed reasonable, most were 120vac. Are you using an automotive fan controller perhaps?

[Regulator]

ZMace
Nope, I had never seen that website before. I have however seen other peoples attempts at pop can heaters and the professional versions of such. After looking at these I thought maybe I could improve on their designs and satisfy my own curiosity as to just how well these things worked. I gotta say, I’m impressed with how well the thing works. Lotsa info on the net with designs similar to mine.

MI-1Honkey
Thanks. I used a variable thermostat because I wanted adjustment room since I didn’t know where to put my cut in temperature. I used a M&A Adjustable Fan Switch 90-130F. These are around $12. Now, since I know my cut in temp, I’ll use SUPCO SHF120 Thermostat at about $5 each on future builds. You could also use White Rodgers Snap Disc Fan Control Switch, Model: 3F01-111 SKU: 49237.

The battery is a Powersonic PS-1270F1 - 12 Volt/7 Amp Hour Sealed Lead Acid Battery at $13.25.
And the solar panel is just Sunforce 52013 1.8-Watt Solar Battery Maintainer at $35 for two of them.

Thermostats can be found at good appliance repair shops and HVAC suppliers. Batteries at electric supply houses or cheaper (a lot) online. Solar panels are all over but cheap on Amazon. And the fan at any computer shop, might even give you a busted power supply for free. That's how I got my fan.

Good luck, any other questions lemme know. Pics of yours will be required

[captaintux]

Great idea. Will see if I can one up before the snow this year.

[Apollo-11]

Tag. I don't have any southern exposure on the house, but the garage could sure use some free heat.

[Paladin1]

Excellent work.

[MikeCharlieUniform]

I'm so glad this was bumped, because this is total win. It'd be perfect as a heater for the tack room on the barn in the winter. I hate the idea of paying for the stupid space heater to be on when someone's using the building.

Tagged for later.

[Regulator]

Apollo-11, This would work great in a garage, particularly if you were mostly working in there during the daytime.

Paladin1, Thanks!

MikeCharlieUniform, Yep, a tack room would be another great application.

Weekend before last, 01.01.11, I got the panel out to do some cold(er) weather testing. Air temp was 22 degrees. The panel took about 8 minutes to warm up to 110 degrees and kick on. After 15 minutes it had stabilized at 128 degrees and ran there for 45 minutes or so until I removed it from the sun. It cooled and shut off after about 12 minutes in the shade.

So, it took about 3 minutes longer to reach cut on temp, maintained 106 degree operating temp and cooled about 5 minutes faster once removed from the sun.
The panel actually heats the cold (dryer) air better than warmer air. At air temp 57 degrees it was increasing the temp 91 degrees. At air temp 22 degrees it was increasing the temp 106 degrees. So we can assume that if the air temp was negative 258 degrees, we’d all be dead.

[zebraroniancheez]

Wow I love this design. Do you have any ideas for a mounting system such as the best way to wall mount it or the best way to roof mount it. You touched on this some but a more detailed explanation would be much appreciated for us non carpenter types.

[jcrowe]

To expand on this idea, here is a link to a commercial/residential version of this project.

http://www.cansolair.com/

Has some good ideas on how to use this system to heat a home rather than a shed/garage.

[bugoutvehicles.net]

could you increase the inner temperature by adding reflective wings. similar to a solar oven design?

I really like the design im not sure how i could integrate it but ill be giving it some thought.

[zebraroniancheez]

What about a shut off. If you had it mounted somewhere I think It would suck having to take it up and down as weather permits. I guess you could always take the battery out. I think a cutoff system that worked the same way as the turn on system would keep it from getting too hot when you don't want it.

[Regulator]

Zebraroniancheez, Mounting is simple. You cut two 4.5 inch holes in the side of your structure. Centered on the inlet and outlet pipes of course. Stick a strip of 1” foam weather strip around the holes. Attach additional 4” round pipe (duct pipe) to the heat panel as needed to penetrate the wall into your structure. From the outside, lift panel and slide pipes through the holes until the panel is tight to the siding. Attach with standard “L” brackets top and bottom. Location would be determined by your siding/studs/backing/etc. Run a bead of caulking along the top edge to prevent rain from getting between structure and panel. Simple as that.

Roof mounting is possible as well, but would require you to fabricate up a frame. You would then just need to run round pipe through a roof flashing and into your structure. You would have to go through your attic if you have one. Once inside your inlet would need to be below your outlet for best results.

As far as turning the unit off, you can’t. It is designed to be self powered and self contained. But you can stop it from heating. In the warm months you would need to either remove the panel or preferably, cover it with a insulated white cover. Removing the battery would only prevent the fan from running and quite possibly allow the heat to build up to such a degree that the panel could be damaged. I don’t know how hot it might get, but without airflow I imagine it would be damn hot.


bugoutvehicles.net, I’m sure you could get additional solar gain with wings, mirrors, trackers, etc. I’d be interested in any experiments you come up with. As a side note, my furnace in the house and my truck both put out around 140 degree air. Obviously the volume is greater than the heat panel, but the temp is pretty close to what we’re used to in heating devices.

[hudd357mag]

Thanks for posting this. Looks so much nicer than many of the projects similar on YouTube. One engineer even had a study with different hole configurations in the soda cans. Interesting how that can alter the amount of heat produced. Thanks again.

[Morb]

I am floored by the simple inginuity and simultaneous genius of this design.

[razi]

Zebraroniancheez, Mounting is simple. You cut two 4.5 inch holes in the side of your structure. Centered on the inlet and outlet pipes of course. Stick a strip of 1” foam weather strip around the holes. Attach additional 4” round pipe (duct pipe) to the heat panel as needed to penetrate the wall into your structure. From the outside, lift panel and slide pipes through the holes until the panel is tight to the siding. Attach with standard “L” brackets top and bottom. Location would be determined by your siding/studs/backing/etc. Run a bead of caulking along the top edge to prevent rain from getting between structure and panel. Simple as that.

Roof mounting is possible as well, but would require you to fabricate up a frame. You would then just need to run round pipe through a roof flashing and into your structure. You would have to go through your attic if you have one. Once inside your inlet would need to be below your outlet for best results.

As far as turning the unit off, you can’t. It is designed to be self powered and self contained. But you can stop it from heating. In the warm months you would need to either remove the panel or preferably, cover it with a insulated white cover. Removing the battery would only prevent the fan from running and quite possibly allow the heat to build up to such a degree that the panel could be damaged. I don’t know how hot it might get, but without airflow I imagine it would be damn hot.


bugoutvehicles.net, I’m sure you could get additional solar gain with wings, mirrors, trackers, etc. I’d be interested in any experiments you come up with. As a side note, my furnace in the house and my truck both put out around 140 degree air. Obviously the volume is greater than the heat panel, but the temp is pretty close to what we’re used to in heating devices.

actually...

if this were kept up during the hotter months and the tube out was simply redirected and allowed to vent outside instead of inside, this would help keep the house cool by absorbing solar energy. it wouldn't be much cooling, of course, but it function as a shading device when not plugged into the house. granted, you'd need a bunch of 'em to make a measurable difference via shading, but it could, in theory, work.

I'd like to see how much the heat would rise if you lined it with foil but kept the downspouts painted black.

[Mladen]

Hi all,

there is another interesting way to make DIY solar panel for home heating. It has used pop cans as building material.
Detailed user manual with step-by-step guide is on: http://solar.freeonplate.com/solar_panel_DIY.htm

[Belgerith]

One way to do the zig-zag pattern with your current design would be to create pockets at the ends. Moving the inlet to the far bottom left side, then direct the air up just the first duct by installing a divider. Once the air exits that duct, create another divider so that the air path would allow it to go downward the next duct. Continue this same pattern at each end until you get to you outlet at the top right hand side. This most likely would slow the air down drastically, but would also increase its temperature. You may even be able to remove some of the cans to help keep air flow the same. However you want to do it though, you should be able to increase the heat transfer time without having to increase the size.

[bluesquid]

To expand on this idea, here is a link to a commercial/residential version of this project.

http://www.cansolair.com/

Has some good ideas on how to use this system to heat a home rather than a shed/garage.

I was going to post the same link. I emailed an architect I know, and she is going to suggest these. here is the vid I saw years ago.



10,000 btu's per hour all the time? You put 4 or 5 of these on a decent size camp, your stylin.

OP, yours is sweet! I cant imagine what 4 or 5 of these could do for the average NY home.

[agelaus]

I live in a small house that is at most 300 square feet in central nebraska. Do you think one of these would be enough to keep my house warm during the winter days?

[terminaltransco]

I live in a small house that is at most 300 square feet in central nebraska. Do you think one of these would be enough to keep my house warm during the winter days?

I was going to say that I have seen similar systems for heating water, both for ambient heat, and, uh, hot water. Then I say this, man, your house I would think would be perfect for these kinds of projects!


do you find 300sqft to be sufficient, and is that your normal living house?

[Grey Mann]

Subscribing because this is awesome. If I ever get out of rentals and own something, this will be on of the first things I try rig up.

[agelaus]

I live in a small house that is at most 300 square feet in central nebraska. Do you think one of these would be enough to keep my house warm during the winter days?

I was going to say that I have seen similar systems for heating water, both for ambient heat, and, uh, hot water. Then I say this, man, your house I would think would be perfect for these kinds of projects!


do you find 300sqft to be sufficient, and is that your normal living house?

That it is my "normal living house". Its a bit small, but you would be surprised how much stuff you can fit in there. Two of us in here even (my wife and I) The only things I wish we had the space for is a regular couch (all we have is love seat) and washer and dryer.