Build a Simple Solar Heater
(Page 6 of 7)
December 2006/January 2007
By Gary Reysa
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Collector Materials
This list shows what I used and my costs, and should help you figure totals for your installation:
| 2” x 6” lumber (verticals, bottom sill) | 68 ft. | $42 |
| 2” x 8” lumber (top sill) | 22 ft. | $18 |
| 1” x 1” lumber (glazing supports) | 130 ft. | $15 |
| Suntuf 8’ x 26” corrugated polycarbonate panels* | 10 | $160 |
| Foam closure molding* | 40 ft. | $10 |
| Screws w/EPDM washers* | 200 | $10 |
| Black metal window screen | 4 x 70 ft. | $70 |
| Paint, caulk, lag screws, hardware cloth, etc. | | $25 |
| Light plastic sheet (vent flappers) | | free |
| Total | | $350 |
*Your hardware store may need to special-order these items from the manufacturer, Palram Americas, (800) 999-9459.
Solar Collector Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Simple (not much to go wrong or watch over)
- Easy to build and does not require changes to the building structure
- Long life and little maintenance (so far)
- Very low initial cost (less than one-tenth the cost of most commercial panels)
- Good economic return on the initial investment
- Reduces our greenhouse gas production by about 1,800 pounds per year
- Output can be adjusted by opening and closing vents—summer output can be reduced to zero
- Does not affect use of building (I can still pile stuff against the wall, but now it’s not junk—it’s thermal mass)
- It’s not ugly (or at least not too ugly!)
Cons:
- It hurts a bit to cut holes in the wall (but you’ll get over it)
- The building might require additional thermal mass and insulation to keep inside temperatures from dropping too much at night
Heat Gain: Running the Numbers
In a recent test I did at midday, under typical sunny winter conditions, the collector produced a 50- to 60-degree temperature rise between the lower vent and the upper vent, and an average air velocity at the upper vent of 110 to 120 feet/minute. Peak output was 25,000 Btu/hour, and the total daily heat gain was about 130,000 Btu (38 kWh). This is equivalent to burning about 2 gallons of propane (about $4 worth) at 70 percent efficiency.
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