Green Power Science shows how to lay in a better reflective film in the trough for higher heat. Looks to be fairly inexpensive. Type in parabolic trough to find the vid, if you like.
Copper is one of the better heat conductors,and can take high heat without softening. Thing is, copper does tarnish or get that green oxide coating which would reduce effeciency, so maby some thin black oxide coating on the copper would be a good method to try out.
Also, check out my "Parabola Designer" video. A true parabolic shape will give you the optimal reflection to a focal point that a round reflector won't give you. My Parabola Designer will lead you through the process to get all the x-y coordinates you'll need to shape the parabolic trough perfectly.
Try using metal conduit (I'm looking at 2") to go through the trough so it won't bend and also using a cooking thermometer or laser thermometer to capture the higher temperatures.
sounds like a nice way to make custom bends for different projects.
i think it will make steam if the water is not circulated in the new steel pipes.
great video with a pretty good posting of the results as well. more videos need to go through with the total readings and not just the project and some blah blah blah about it. definitely 5 stars.
my reason for writing I am now building another one and going to use 4inch pipe cut in two and line the inside of half the tube with mylar and lay in the cans I dont know if it will work any better or worse its mostly a test and it could get to hot I dont know I will see I live in montana where it gets cold so it will be interesting this winter using the mylar tube
well Im glad I did install the switch cause several times I had to shut it off cause the temp got to hot in the house. it works on days that the sun shines but light closed over it at that it would reach about 106 I cant give you a average temp it ran from 90 to 120 all and all its well worth the trouble to put in but make sure you seal it well in the box and as you put it in the house
the glass was a 4x8 slider I paid 5 dollars for that and the insulation came from the same place and cost me 5 dollars I put in a bath fan in my wall and bought a attic thermastat that I put in the box so that when the temp in the box reached 90 degrees it will automatic turn on and off when temp goes below 90 degrees I installed a turn off switch on the wall to turn off the fan because it might get to hot in the house .
I have built a solar heater a 4x8 box using 1x6 pine and a sheet of 3/8 plywood sealing it very well putting in 2" hard back insulation then layed down on top alum. flashing and covered the inside bottom with that and painted it all black and cut some beer cans and pop cans top and bottom out and painted them black glued them together and put them in the box I then used a seal and put 1/4 inch glass that I picked up at a used building material
Hi...very nice experiment. Im thinking building one or more of those. I was wondering if a 1/2 of a tube would give a better performance than a 1/3. What do you think? I believe with a 1/3 tube would be easier to catch the sunlight throughout the day as the sun moves along the sky.
Hi triac, I want to do something simular. I have access to a lot of goodies from my work. I am going to use an aluminum tube and coat it with black engine enamel...
Thanks for the interest. I did do an experiment with a 5 gallon closed loop system and got a rise from 50 deg.F to 120 deg. F in about 5 hours. Not to good. The system was not insulated so I lost alot of heat that way. Unfortunatly I did not video it and I have lost the photos I took. My next attempt will be with a better controlled and insulated setup and a more reflective surface.
Thanks Again
Lars Mohler
PS If you are trying to build a solar system, lets keep in touch and share notes.
black enamle coated copper would provide a huge boost to that heat number.
zephroth 6 months ago
Green Power Science shows how to lay in a better reflective film in the trough for higher heat. Looks to be fairly inexpensive. Type in parabolic trough to find the vid, if you like.
Nice work. Thanks for posting the vid.
mangyscavenger 11 months ago
Copper is one of the better heat conductors,and can take high heat without softening. Thing is, copper does tarnish or get that green oxide coating which would reduce effeciency, so maby some thin black oxide coating on the copper would be a good method to try out.
trailkeeper 1 year ago
Also, check out my "Parabola Designer" video. A true parabolic shape will give you the optimal reflection to a focal point that a round reflector won't give you. My Parabola Designer will lead you through the process to get all the x-y coordinates you'll need to shape the parabolic trough perfectly.
wjj4832 2 years ago
Try using metal conduit (I'm looking at 2") to go through the trough so it won't bend and also using a cooking thermometer or laser thermometer to capture the higher temperatures.
wjj4832 2 years ago
sounds like a nice way to make custom bends for different projects.
i think it will make steam if the water is not circulated in the new steel pipes.
great video with a pretty good posting of the results as well. more videos need to go through with the total readings and not just the project and some blah blah blah about it. definitely 5 stars.
MUDDy
muddymuddymuddmann 2 years ago
my reason for writing I am now building another one and going to use 4inch pipe cut in two and line the inside of half the tube with mylar and lay in the cans I dont know if it will work any better or worse its mostly a test and it could get to hot I dont know I will see I live in montana where it gets cold so it will be interesting this winter using the mylar tube
funwithjamess 2 years ago
well Im glad I did install the switch cause several times I had to shut it off cause the temp got to hot in the house. it works on days that the sun shines but light closed over it at that it would reach about 106 I cant give you a average temp it ran from 90 to 120 all and all its well worth the trouble to put in but make sure you seal it well in the box and as you put it in the house
funwithjamess 2 years ago
the glass was a 4x8 slider I paid 5 dollars for that and the insulation came from the same place and cost me 5 dollars I put in a bath fan in my wall and bought a attic thermastat that I put in the box so that when the temp in the box reached 90 degrees it will automatic turn on and off when temp goes below 90 degrees I installed a turn off switch on the wall to turn off the fan because it might get to hot in the house .
funwithjamess 2 years ago
I have built a solar heater a 4x8 box using 1x6 pine and a sheet of 3/8 plywood sealing it very well putting in 2" hard back insulation then layed down on top alum. flashing and covered the inside bottom with that and painted it all black and cut some beer cans and pop cans top and bottom out and painted them black glued them together and put them in the box I then used a seal and put 1/4 inch glass that I picked up at a used building material
funwithjamess 2 years ago
Hi...very nice experiment. Im thinking building one or more of those. I was wondering if a 1/2 of a tube would give a better performance than a 1/3. What do you think? I believe with a 1/3 tube would be easier to catch the sunlight throughout the day as the sun moves along the sky.
Regards
webremote 2 years ago
Hi triac, I want to do something simular. I have access to a lot of goodies from my work. I am going to use an aluminum tube and coat it with black engine enamel...
revnstpaul 2 years ago
Nice. I would like to see a video of water running through it and your recorded temperature rise.
ab48726 3 years ago
Thanks for the interest. I did do an experiment with a 5 gallon closed loop system and got a rise from 50 deg.F to 120 deg. F in about 5 hours. Not to good. The system was not insulated so I lost alot of heat that way. Unfortunatly I did not video it and I have lost the photos I took. My next attempt will be with a better controlled and insulated setup and a more reflective surface.
Thanks Again
Lars Mohler
PS If you are trying to build a solar system, lets keep in touch and share notes.
triac777 3 years ago
Dont forget that PVC at that temp. puts out some very bad chemicals that you should not breath. just FYI
slacker361 3 years ago 2