Solar Hot Seat
Pitch your electric space heater and replace it with easily-constructed energy-saver, including detailed diagram, building instructions.
Pitch your electric space heater and replace it with
this...
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By Elizabeth Fern and MOTHER's Staff
The handcrafted space heater pictured here can be used
wherever you've got a full-length, south-facing window or
sliding glass door, and it makes an ideal first solar
project for the family newly awakened to the possibilities
in harnessing the sun's energy. What's more, the solar hot
seat—as its name implies—doubles as a useful
piece of furniture, which makes it of added benefit to
folks who live in cramped quarters or on limited budgets.
And just how does the solar hot seat work? Well, simply and
unobtrusively. When it's placed before a large pane of
glass on a sunny day—with its screened side facing
into the room and its lid and back flap opened toward the
sun—24 water-filled milk containers inside capture a
useful amount of solar heat. When the sun sets (or no
longer shines), the trunk can be closed back up to be used
as a sitting stool; then the warmth that's been collecting
in it all day will be released slowly into the living area
through the screened panel.
CONSTRUCTION
Tempted to make a solar hot seat of your own? OK, find a
tape measure ... a handsaw ... a coping saw or jigsaw ... a
protractor ... a pair of tin snips ... a hammer ... a hand
drill with bits ... and a screwdriver. Then scrounge up the
following building supplies: A couple of 37-1/2"-long 2 X
4's ... about 25 linear feet of 1 X 2 pine ... 18 square
feet of 3/4" plywood ... 10 feet of trim molding ...some
foil-faced foam insulation and decorative screening ...a
handful of finishing nails, screws, body washers, and
carpet tacks ...two 3" hinges and two 1-5/8" hinges (with
matching screws) ...a small magnetic latch ...and a lid
support (preferably one with a friction catch). In order to
turn your solar heater into an attractive and comfortable
seat, you'll also need some sturdy fabric, as well as
cushioning foam, for upholstering the lid.
Got everything? Then here's a step-by-step list of building
instructions that, together with the illustration, should
guide you through making your solar hot seat.
[1] Begin by nailing a 25-1/2" X 37-1/2" plywood base atop
the two (parallel) 2 X 4 runners, using 6d finishing nails.
