Solar Water Heater
I decided to build this to fight back at the electric company. I live in Florida, and if there’s one thing we have plenty of, it’s sunshine. This unit was fun and inexpensive to build, it will run for years maintenance free and provide my hot water heater with pre-heated water, so that it will not have to work very hard (maybe not even at all) to get the water up to desired temperature. I used Google sketchup as a CAD program to design the frame and I’m willing to share with anyone that is interested, just send me your email address.
25 Responses to Solar Water Heater
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nice – pls. email me your design – ppv@hawaii.rr.com mahalo!
alohah3
September 29, 2011 at 3:55 am
Go to walmart and buy a gas grill thermometer.
ColeFried81
September 29, 2011 at 4:45 am
Were can I get a tank like the one you use?
sal2dragons69
September 29, 2011 at 5:34 am
Just a note-your electric bill will remain the same, because the electric water heater is not heating water on demand…it always stays hot, no matter how much water you suppliment with your solar heater, the electric heater keeps the water at the set temp…you would need to shut off the power to the electric heater and just use the solar to see any savings..
bobqa1
September 29, 2011 at 6:16 am
I am interested. Please give me the details. Thanks a million for sharing with us.
afrerose@aol.com
afrerose1
September 29, 2011 at 7:07 am
Think about you do not heat hot water so its called a water heater not a hot water heater. Neat project. Look simple, like I like. Thanks Louis.
lcarter194
September 29, 2011 at 7:19 am
would like a set of plans my email address is kellysrcm@live.com Started my project ran into some problems not sure what to do so would like a set of plans. On the glass which side goes up? You said that you trap heat inside the box, also how do you mount the glass on frame of box? Thanks
kellysrcm
September 29, 2011 at 7:30 am
@jorgerojo73 I dont see why it would not be safe.
meatloaf1234
September 29, 2011 at 8:05 am
@jptc123 The tank is black, that is what you want to get hot. The inside of the box is reflective to focus the sun’s rays onto the black tank.
meatloaf1234
September 29, 2011 at 8:59 am
Why isn’t the inside of the box black? Are you not trying to get the maximum conversion of solar rays into heat? If not, I am curious why you wouldn’t do that. Black converts rays into heat while anything reflective bounces the rays.
jptc123
September 29, 2011 at 9:56 am
hello , can I have the sketch to try to make one, thank you!!
jorgerojo@yahoo.com
jorgerojo73
September 29, 2011 at 10:52 am
hello , can I have the sketch to try to make one, thank you!!
jorgerojo@yahoo.com
jorgerojo73
September 29, 2011 at 11:33 am
Hello Mr. Meatloaf1234, does it is safe if I have my relief valve horizontal? Thank you very very much.
jorgerojo73
September 29, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Very cool! I live in Arizona and pretty much all we have is Sunshine!
GreenCrazyMom
September 29, 2011 at 12:23 pm
That’s what I’d like to know as I plan to build one almost identical to yours. How much per month did it cut your electric bill? Thanks, Chuck
chuck1010101
September 29, 2011 at 1:16 pm
What did you electric bill show when you got it ? I gotta know. very good job and a cleaver plan too.
battlestroke7
September 29, 2011 at 1:47 pm
@Sethjxl The temp of the water does not reach that high. There is a pressure release valve. I do insulate the CPVC pipes underground. I don’t want to have to cover/uncover this thing everyday, that would be a pain.
meatloaf1234
September 29, 2011 at 2:28 pm
@mruddo1971 Actually no, this thing is working just fine as is.
meatloaf1234
September 29, 2011 at 2:37 pm
@kredit787 No, I am not in school
meatloaf1234
September 29, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@sherazscaffolder that’s the problem in california 3/4 year no intense sun, what can do?
frajaguta
September 29, 2011 at 3:46 pm
@sherazscaffolder that’s the problem in california half year no intense sun, what can do?
frajaguta
September 29, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Is this your school project?
kredit787
September 29, 2011 at 4:33 pm
Well done for actually doing something!
I was wondering since installing your system have you thought of any improvements?
mruddo1971
September 29, 2011 at 4:55 pm
Few questions, I notice the temp in the heater was over 200, this is very close to boiling point at which state a normal HWS would vent the excess pressure to avoid explosive failure. Do you have a system in place for this?
Also, Your PVC pipes running underground, are they insulated? I would imagine a lot of heat loss from transfer into the ground if not.
Also, black emits heat very well, over night you could cover the insulated glass with a hypothermia blanket to keep the heat in??
Sethjxl
September 29, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Hey you did a great job – yu should paint the outside of the box all Black also —
I made two boxes and put coiled copper tubing in them — and i put a Solar Magnetic Circulating pump inline to the House Hot Water heater — as long as the sun stays out— it gets the Storage Tank up to 150 Degrees. If you had a circulating pump that kicked on when the outside tank was hot you could heat both your tanks during the daytime…..again – nice job.
kchedville
September 29, 2011 at 6:37 pm