Aluminum soda cans can be used to make a very inexpensive solar water heater, which will take a bit of time to make.
Solar water heaters are a way to save energy. But they are also quite expensive and require some investment.
If you have a single family home, you might be interested in this solar water heater.
Contents
How does a solar water heater made with cans work?
The principle of this rather original heating system consists in transmitting air into the canisters, which are placed in a box sealed with plexiglass.
The cans can be painted black to make the most of the sun’s rays, or left in their original colors for a more fun model. But let’s not forget that it’s all about saving energy.
Heat builds up in the can, warming the air around the cans. Hot air is expelled by a small fan and returned to the house. In good weather, the temperature inside the box can reach 70°C, which is the equivalent of a 2000 W radiator. Thus, a 2 m2 radiator can heat a room up to 30 m2.
What materials do you need?
Depending on the size of the solar water heater, you will need many cans, which you can collect from friends or ask a store, for example, to keep them for you.
You will also need high temperature glue, plywood boards, a sheet of Plexiglas the size of your radiator, rock wool, a computer fan, two aluminum or PVC pipes and black paint if you decide to paint them.
How is the solar water heater made?
As you collect the cans you will need to carefully clean them and widen the opening hole, then drill three small holes in the bottom of the can to allow air to pass through.
Then we will apply high temperature glue to the back of the can and create straight columns of cans.
Once the structure is assembled, you will need to paint it and install it on the plywood frame.
You will need to build the frame with a large board at the back and form a formwork or box, which will hold the plexiglass on top.
Also consider drilling two holes in the bottom of the frame at each corner for the tubes.
Put two more boards inside the frame with as many holes as there are columns, then fasten everything together.
At the ends, place the rock wool, leaving the two pipe inlets perfectly accessible.
Cover everything with your Plexiglas, insert the tubes and then the fan which will project the air into your room. You have your solar box heater!
In the video you can see the project:
This solar water heater can be perfect, for example, to heat a garden shed, which is often poorly insulated or without heating; it can be an inexpensive solution and take you a while to build.
You can find more information on: How to make a homemade heat pump.
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