I am just about to finish My new solar heat system. Most of the isperation came from "build it solar.com" I use thermopane windows for glassing and black polyester felt for absorbers. They were simple and cheap to build with scavanged materials.
New solar hot air panels with polyester absorber
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The styrfoam in the picture is the backing of the vynel sidding that I cut away. I then 2x6 framed it out with 2x6 lumber with cutouts for ductwork.
I put aluminum chanel along the edges and glued the polyester fabric on.
The air is drawn out of the celler to the lower left horizontal panel. it starts outside the fabric and is forced to go through it to get out. From the first panel it feeds into the horizontal panel on the right. Again it starts on the outside and is foced though fabric. The air goes up and back down the right side ( two windows on right) back into the celler where it is ducted to living space at the oposite end of the house.
I have not completed ducting as of yet but it apears to be raising the temp 20* on a partly cloudy day. This is not scientific, just playing around while still working on it.
I put aluminum chanel along the edges and glued the polyester fabric on.
The air is drawn out of the celler to the lower left horizontal panel. it starts outside the fabric and is forced to go through it to get out. From the first panel it feeds into the horizontal panel on the right. Again it starts on the outside and is foced though fabric. The air goes up and back down the right side ( two windows on right) back into the celler where it is ducted to living space at the oposite end of the house.
I have not completed ducting as of yet but it apears to be raising the temp 20* on a partly cloudy day. This is not scientific, just playing around while still working on it.
Adios Pantalones
Minister of Fire
Adios Pantalones
Minister of Fire
First functional day.
First, let me decribe the setup.
the house is an 1850s cape with a wing. The wing is what I plan to heat with this panel. It is ducted into the end room of the wing, this is the coldest room in the house with 3 outside walls and two east facing windows. It is totally shaded on the south side by a barn and it is partially shaded on the east side by another barn. The air is drawn from the basement under main house run trhough the panels and then to the tv room. From there it goes to a hallway then into a computer and game room.
tv room 170 sf
hall 70 sf
comp room 160 sf
total 400 sf total
panel is 59 sf
The intake in the celler is 60' fom the outlet in the tv room.
sunday Oct 3 sunny low of 32* high of 59*
The blower came on at10:45 and ran until 4:30
Temps outside 10:45 4:30
48* 57*
Temps inside
10:45 4:30
tv room 65* 69*
computer room 64* 68*
The numbers in the tv room don't tell the whole story since it is somewhat out of the air current. I was impressed with the eveness of the heat and no percptible air currents. The ductwork is 30' long and only half insulated, performance should increase after this is finished. The snap disc in the panel turns on the blower at 100* and off at 80*. I put is at 100 to avoid the feeling of cold air blowing around. Since I cannot feel any air I may crank it down to 90*-70*. The blower draws 86 watts and used .51 kwh this day. I don't know how this system will work as winter sets in, nor do I know if I will be able to messure it once the radiant heat kicks in. We will see.
First, let me decribe the setup.
the house is an 1850s cape with a wing. The wing is what I plan to heat with this panel. It is ducted into the end room of the wing, this is the coldest room in the house with 3 outside walls and two east facing windows. It is totally shaded on the south side by a barn and it is partially shaded on the east side by another barn. The air is drawn from the basement under main house run trhough the panels and then to the tv room. From there it goes to a hallway then into a computer and game room.
tv room 170 sf
hall 70 sf
comp room 160 sf
total 400 sf total
panel is 59 sf
The intake in the celler is 60' fom the outlet in the tv room.
sunday Oct 3 sunny low of 32* high of 59*
The blower came on at10:45 and ran until 4:30
Temps outside 10:45 4:30
48* 57*
Temps inside
10:45 4:30
tv room 65* 69*
computer room 64* 68*
The numbers in the tv room don't tell the whole story since it is somewhat out of the air current. I was impressed with the eveness of the heat and no percptible air currents. The ductwork is 30' long and only half insulated, performance should increase after this is finished. The snap disc in the panel turns on the blower at 100* and off at 80*. I put is at 100 to avoid the feeling of cold air blowing around. Since I cannot feel any air I may crank it down to 90*-70*. The blower draws 86 watts and used .51 kwh this day. I don't know how this system will work as winter sets in, nor do I know if I will be able to messure it once the radiant heat kicks in. We will see.
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