I have been thinking about building a homegrown hot water heater. I have an NG tank, but no NG. I am plumbed, but have a small tankless heater I use. Thought I might be able to save some by building a simple "Mother Earth News" type heater. I have good exposure to the sun from the roof, and no issues with putting something ugly up there. My question is, can any of you point me in directions for plans or ideas. Everything I see on my searches are for using this or that latest collector, buying several thousand in equipment, or getting a real, plug-n-play unit made by some foreign company for the cost of twenty years worth of NG and a totally efficient heater. I would like to do the hippie type unit, cheap, ugly and efficient from parts I can pick up at my local Ace Hardware (I promise not to go to a Big Box store). I've even started looking for a wood fired heater. Please help. The instant heater costs me more than I want to pay.
