Good idea! Another thing you could do to maybe increase the heat output is to make both sides of the unit transparent, and use a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the back side.
I think using firebrick just behind the cans and covering the entire rear portion would tend to hold heat a while after the sun fades. What do you folks think?
Is it better the have double pain glass or just a single glass. Or does plastic work better. I was thinking the double pain glass would hole the heat in better but does it take longer to heat up
The idea of using inside air for your intake is great, restaurants do this with there exhaust fans. Other wise it would cost a fortune to keep heating the cold air from outside. I plan on doing that with mine because no matter how good it works when it get to be -20 outside it will not work nearly as well as taking air from the basement that is 80 degrees warmer then outside. Thanks for sharing.
Very nice video. Very informative. I am looking at Missouri Wind and Solar's panel. I understand they have a prefabricated one that would make sense for me as I do not have the skill or time to build one myself. I think this might be a good add-on for our hot-air furnace. Thanks for the video!
@aofnyc I used a bathroom fan. I built a plywood box, mounted the fan inside the box, ran my 4 inch ducting into and out of the box. I then mounted this box in the crawl space under my home. I mounted the fan on the cool air side And push the air the panel.
Profession looking job and presentation. Thanks, this help me make up my mind about building one. Question! What would be the downside of using alum gutter downsporuts instead of cans? Thanks again
@navajopa31 I have seen this project done with aluminum gutters. I know they do work but exactly how well they work I am not sure. A few things that would concern me would be
1. The thickness of the aluminum, this will affect how quickly the heat is transferred to the air inside the column we do not want the panel to become a heat sink and store heat.
2. the gutter downspouts are larger than pop cans, so the column of air passing through it will be larger, this will reduce the
@shoestring405 Thanks for the information. I just replaced two sliding glass doors and now have 4 dual glass sealed glazing panels for the project. I plan on building two collectors. Thanks again!
@shoestring405 I was planning on putting cans inside the downspouts for more mass and using old aluminum highway signs painted black under the downspouts. The sighs are 1/8 thick aluminum and I have 4 of them.
@shoestring405 There is a youtube site that is really good. He has done a lot of testing with different designs and the information is great. Site name: richallenmusic
you mentioned something about the unit turning the fan on... how did that work??? do less than ideal weather condiditions have any negative impact on temperatures inside your house? beautiful work man thanks a million for the video!
@jamoore3192 the panel is completely automatic. you install a disc switch ( fan control switch ) inside the panel on the hot air end. The switch should open at 90° F and close at 115 or 120 F
the panel needs direct sunlight in order to produce heat, Here in Nova Scotia the panel works best on those cold clear days in January and February.
I used gasket cement and the rows of cans keep falling apart. The gasket cement sets up too brittle or something. I have heard that there is aluminum glue/apoxy used for gutters. I think that might work better. The glue up and subsequent breaking of the cans has been very time consuming and frustrating. I was t Any suggestions?
Use Silver Tape (Nashua) for AC/Heating - you can buy it @ HDepot cheap. Its heat resistant and glu holds like crazy. BUT:
You DONT have to use cans - it's ok to buy/make 2"or3" COOPER tube/pipe and put a turbulator inside (turbulator twisted like screw piece of tnin metal like alluminium - often used in water boilers) .
We may also can save the heat and energy to battery for wind or no sunshine days to use, and can control its volume and needs. Then, we may also can use this clean energy to motivate all other engines for car, train or even plane--which can get most of it too.
Very hot. You just need to change the thought even better --by --change the whole material to metal--frame--then, get all pops away--fill with water--after the hot day--you both enjoy the hot water shower, plus, the heat , circulate it by an engine or fan inside it also a good idea. Make it circulate is the key from my invention. Make it working and big. --Windsor, ON.
Does your particular box width pertain to the 4' width of the lexan becoming less once curved over the box? Using your particular dimensions did you need to cut the lexan? Any insight or advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.
As a fellow Nova Scotian wondering if you can tell me where you sourced the lexan and the quantity of gasket material? I'm wondering if you can tell me the depth you used on the sides vs the peak of the convex curve. Did you put a dowel in at the peak of the curve for rigidity?
Good job at that! I think maybe a big radiator wil work better then soda cans but i guess that's more expensive. THis is a nice cheap setup. Well done.
This is great! I have one question. What is the elevation where you live? I live in Colorado at 7200ft. and when the sun is out I know it is more intense then it is at lower elevations. I wonder how well this type of setup would be here....plus, we have more sunny days then cloudy days.
I'm building one and was wondering about the fans. Can i use a 4'' in line duct fan? What is best for the cold air intake? Is an intake fan needed for this type of heater? I'm as mechanical as a monkey. Please help.
excellent job ,i'm sure it was worth every effort, but how often does this unit make a difference during winter, when sun is scares, ps thanks for sharing this video
@russelltw101 Nah...you wouldn't pipe hot air into the system...totally counter productive. What you want is to have a cold air supply from inside your house that is low to the floor...then take that air and have it flow into the panel..which then uses already warmed up air just from ambient temps inside the house...same as a house furnace. And then since your unit is using 18-20C heat from the house...the panel would have no trouble warming it to 25C or above.
@magicyte - I guess I was not clear about what I was trying to say. I was thinking you could pipe your exhaust air (heated air) into your current duct work, so you could warm the house more evenly, but I guess with a small unit like you have, it's not going to put out enough volume of heated air to really heat a large house, but more likely heat a room or two. Thanks for the response. Great video.
@russelltw101 Gotcha...yeah...it's a good idea. only if the piping network in the house has perfect insulation...since the blower on the solar unit wouldn't be terribly strong...the possibility to losing heat through ductwork would be that much greater. Less piping from the solar uni the better I think. Same with plumbing...less pipes quicker hot water.
@shoestring405 Im trying to find a simple plastic air flow valve that only opens one way so as to not allow cold air to back flow into the living space. I cannot find one..any ideas on what exactly it may be called? all the ones i find are 100 - 300 dollars meant for high end application but i know there are cheap plastic ones available as i seen one on a video that i forgot to save. thanks
thank you for your kind comments. I have never had a problem with fumes. As far as regulating temperature and air flow the way it is hooked up the temperature inside the panel is what controls the air flow. The panel continues to work fine. It's second heating season is nearly to an end and it has required zero maintenance. I have not touched it since the day I installed except to turn the thermostat up in the fall and back down in the spring. I must say I consider this experiment a success.
thx one of the best explained vids about this here on yt,i have moved onto a boat on the river so have to make all my own energy and am going to try one myself have tried this for hot water and it works well cant see it not performing as you say i'll let you know,namaste
Thank you for the great video im curently working on a pop can heater to heat a unheated atached garage 17 cans tall 14 cans wide with a loop system the plan is to have the panel mounted high above the boat/snowmobile storage area on the south side and have the inlet and outlet at the bottom 4 inch opening 80 cfm duct booster fan with a 40 deg.c(104 deg.f)snap thermostat my test panel was 21inchs x 32 inchs it put out 110f unisulated and mounted in a existing window very good results from 45cans
thanx 4 a great explanation, better than most. don't no that it'll work in the u.k. as we have speratic sun but i was thinkin about using the warm air to heat broken glass shards beneath the soil in my greenhouse which may increase my growing season as shop bought tamatoes are just awful. thanx again.
I left the cans about 3/16" to 1/4" off of the back panel to allow air to circulate. When I installed the heat exchanger I put a big blob of gasket maker on the backside of the middle can in each row. I just thought it may add a little support for each row.
Any reason why the glass from sliders wouldn't work, I have 6 full sliders from a job I recently finished , they are all single pane glass about 3/ 16's thick, and what about using metal tape to seal the cans together , seems like it would make a nice tight seal and be a lot faster.
I made 2 using foil tape. It works fine. lay the tape over angle iron then roll the cans to tape them. It's not a lot faster than caulking but you don't have to wait for drying.
If you need to seal the cans together. Look in your automotive section for three things. You need to get high temperature gasket sealer, liquid RTV gasket maker, and if possible try to get a cement paste next to automotive in housewares. Make sure to paint the cement paint if you use it black as well.
Can/tubes look to be in parallel. Could make more heat with some in series. Does the Lexan hold up on a hot day? Water heating by air to liquid radiator?
shoestring: Im building my box now and am thinking of using the polycarbonate product they sell at lowes/homedeport for about $20.00 (aka Suntuf) = 2X8 ft) it too is UV stabilized, indestructable etc. just not at thick. (I think yours was 1/8 or 1/4 in thickness) Any thoughts about possible problems with this thinner product as far as warping, deforming, etc. ?? I will silicone and using a tight fitting rubber spline (like the stuff to hold in screening) to hold it in place. thanks
On a clear winters day it will heat my kitchen and living room, about 600 square feet. With my just fair location it will run for about 6 hours a day during Jan. and Feb., our coldest months
Thanks for sharing. You did a great job and have helped to further inspire me to construct one of this rigs. I'm also in NS where winter is cold and heating isn't cheap.
I am glad to hear that I may have help to inspire you to construct a panel. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. I will try to give you answer.And I must agree Jan. and Feb. can be quit chilly in Nova Scotia, chip the ice off of the thermometer to see the temp. kind of chilly
Genius, hahaha. I've been called a lot of things over the years.Can't ever remember anybody calling me that before though hehehe.Thanks for the kind words thoughh just the same. I just gave it a little thought first, then started building. Things always seem to work out a little better if I do that.
Holy Mackerel, that is a cold part of the world. I have watched your project several times and decided to build one. Am finding it hard scrounging up 250 or so cans, so I will probably use zincalume downspout. --- Quicker than sticking all the cans together. I currently have 100 cans, so I may also build a small unit to feed the bathroom as the tiles get cold to walk on. - Yours sure looks well made.
Didi you consider using a double paned glass window such as a storm door or sliding door instead of the lexan? Although the glass is flat I was thinking that the heater box temp may be greater also they may be available for free.
I used a thin piece of wood paneling. Put 2 screws into the plywood at each end of the arch. Set the paneling on its edge against the screws. Push on the center of the paneling until u have the arch shape u require and trace it.
I was wondering if you let water run through it in the summer if it couldnt have a double function as an air heater in the winter and water heater in the summer. Would this make the metal cans rust over a long period of time?
2. At the window, where you bring the air into the house, do you lose any heat at that intersection? I was wondering if it would be worth it to flatten the ends of the pipes down at the window so you can lower the window even more because you would have two wide flat slits instead of two big round openings.
3. Do you think it would make any difference to daisy chain the columns of cans? So, in one column, out the top, connected by a tube into the next column...etc.
1. You need to keep the air that is circulating inside the columns of cans separate from the air that has been sealed inside the panel. If the air inside the cans were to mix with the air outside the cans you would soon have a condensation problem. The inside of your lexan lens would fog over.
2. This was only a temporary test setup and I never really gave it a lot of thought.
3. People have tried different variations of what you're saying. Some seem to work quite well others seem to create a lot of airflow resistance. I seen one example while I was doing my research which had 400 cfm going in and 60 cfm coming out.
Hi. I think you've done a nice job. I have a couple of questions/thoughts.
1. Is the air in the heater, the space where the cans are sitting, evacuated at all? If not, would it be worth while to find a way to bring that into the house? There must be a lot of unused heated air in there that could be put to good use.
once again...my question is ..... why do you need a solar heater in the summer when it's warm in the house!!!...and what is about in the wintertime without sun!!!...thx...aki
The answer to your first question is very simple. In the summer you don't need the extra heat so you turn the control on the thermostat fully counterclockwise which turns the unit off.
The answer to your second question is very simple as well. Here in Eastern Canada the day with the least amount of daylight still has about 10 hours of daylight.
This panel put heat into my home for 5 hours that day. One day near the end of February the outside temperature was -16° C and this panel was delivering air into the home at a temperature of 49° C.
The operational cost of this unit is 1.1¢ per hour while an operation. My power bill says I'm going in the right direction so I think I'll build another one.
The first wash is really more of a rinse to remove large objects that may have been placed in the cans. After a 24 hour soak you will be surprised at how scummy the water is.
Lexan is a hard clear plastic. But unlike Plexiglas it is UV stable, can be cut with common tools, can be drilled without cracking and is nearly indestructible.
hey shoestring i have finished my panel and getting great results mid day til 3 or so im getting 60+ degree celcius heat awesome! quick question i used the foam board foil backed but had just lucked into getting some old stock stuff and i am going to build another but cant find the foam insulation anywhere what exactally is the stuff you used and roughly how much was that if you dont mind, and what building supplies did you get it from?? thanks
What I used is made by IKO and is called Enerfoil.
I used the 1" stuff and it was $24.00 for a 4' X 8' sheet. I puchased it at a local company ( I live in a small town) who do roofing ,siding and insulation.
Anyone who carries the IKO product line should be able to at least source it for you.
Shouldn't this panel be upright as heat rises.. As the heat rises the air flow upwards will pull air in from the bottom eliminating the need for a fan? Just and idea?
You are correct, if the panel was mounted vertically a natural convection of air would take place. However I don't think this natural convection would produce enough airflow to get the best efficiency out of your panel.
My next panel will be 4' x 8' and I am planning on using polycarbonate glazing too. My only concern is the effect of expansion and contraction on the air seal. Have you noticed any deformation or air/water leaks?
I noticed a very slight deformation one day. The panel was not hooked up yet and was laying in the sun. It didn't do any damage and I have not had any leaks. So far, so good !!!
Got my black high tem p RTV at the local auto supply store in Maine its Napa Auto Parts. Its good for 450°F constant but $13 per 10oz tube. I suggest allowing all your RTV and paint to "gass out" for a couple days before sealing it up to avoid fumes in the house.
That sounds like the stuff I used and it does have a strong oder for a couple of days. It must take that long to completly cure. It wasat least 2 or 3 days from the time I finished the coloums till I put them in the panel. I have not had any oders
Great Job! I am building a similar heater but I am having trouble finding a heat resistant foil faced insulation. What was the brand name of the product you used? And how does the foil facing help you if you painted it black afterwards - won't it then absorb heat instead of reflecting it?
I used 1 inch foam with foil on both sides. It was made by IKO. Some paints will react with foam and the foil provides a barrier between the foam and the paint. By painting everything inside the panel black everything will absorb heat and raise the temperature inside the panel. I also think it makes the finished panel looked better, no silver showing between the rows of cans
Everything seems the working great so far. I installed on November 10 and have not touched it since. It turns itself on, it turns itself off and blows hot air.
The highest temperature of the air blowing into the house so far was 46.5° C.
hey shoestring i have made a solar heater based off of yours and the cansolair heater i was just wondering if you have spaced your cans apart or have put them togeather touching? and also did you put them against the back of the panel or slightly off the back ? just wondering what your thoughts were on this thanks
The rows in my panel are spaced about 1/4" apart. This made making the headers easier. The rows about 1/8 " - 3/16" away from the back panel. This allows for a little wiggle room in case everything is not perfectly straight. I installed the rows of cans into the headers first and then install this as a unit into the panel.
Before I install this unit into the panel I put a large blob of gasket maker on the backside of the center can in each row. Not sure I had to but I thought this would add a little extra support to the rows
thanks for replying i am at the point now where all i need to do is cover my headers and paint the rest of cans and headers and cover with lexan. what type of thermostat did you use i was wondering how you did the sensor with the wire going into your box? what kind of thermostat is that?
For the thermostat in the house I used a 110/220 electric baseboard heater thermostat, $8.00 at Home Depot. I located the snap disk switch, also known as a fan control switch, inside the air box on the hot air end of the panel. I build a small bracket out of the aluminum flashing, ___/-------\___ , in the center of the bracket I drilled a hole large enough to allow the mounting plate on the switch to sit flat against the bracket.
I then attached the switch to the bracket using small sheet metal screws. I then glued the bracket inside the air box, using gasket maker, on the back side of the aluminum that covers the air box. I was able to access this through the 4 inch hole in the back of the panel I had drilled for my ductwork. I then drilled a 3/8 inch hole through the back panel about 2 inches away from the 4 inch hole. I then ran my wire through that hole and connected them to the switch.
I build a heater just like yours, I am now trying to decide on the size of the blower you said yours was 125 cfm did it work well or would you use one with a larger or smaller cfm
well you might put som flaps on the exit-hole, so when you're blower is on, it blows through the fpals, and when off then then are shut. It might work on the intake-hole as well, with the flaps now in opposite direction, opening inside the box. The blower connected to solar panels directly will make it automatic when sunny :) Good luck!
built a solar heater they work great only sunny days of course! this unit is nice but to help the poorer guy go to junk yark get yourself a used sliding door they work good when sun is out mine runs atleast 120 degrees running all the time with a 100 cfm fan i dont have a snap disk thermostat yet but will next year
I can't remember where I seen the work by the Hungarians. I do remember the video being in a foreign language.
I painted everything on the interior of the panel flat black.
By sealing the cans and the air boxs at each end you prevent the air circulating through the cans from mixing with the air inside the panel. If you don't do this you may wind up with a condensation problem on the inside of your lexan. Not 100% sure this is correct but this was my train of thought.
hey shoestring,i ended up getting 120cfm bathfan,works great.you ask me how many fins used,every can but top row.yesterday 3deg outside temp,fan blowing 130 in to garage.
My first plan was to mount the panel vertically but after some careful thought I decided to mount it this way. This way I did not have to drill 2 4" holes through the side wall of my house. It costs about $60.00 more to do it this way, extra ducting and the insulation,but to me it was worth it. I'm pushing 120 cfm of the air through the panel and I don't think the small amount of natural convection created by mounting it vertically would make that much difference.
The header boards are made from the same 1 inch foil backed foam that I insulated the box with. Using a hole cut
saw I cut holes in the foam slightly smaller than the diameter of the pop cans. In this way the tapered top of the can will fit through the hole and rests on the shoulder of the can. By doing this it seemed to make it sturdier and gave me a good area for the silicone seal. The metal at each end is simply aluminum flashing that you can get at any hardware store.
I don't have any plans for this solar panel. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do and got some ideas from different people on the Internet and just made some stuff up. If I were to build another one I would change a few things. Nothing really that would affect the way the panel operates, just a few things to make the construction a little easier.
That is similar to mine. I decided to use two regular thermostats. One in the regular mode and one running a relay. The fan turns on when the heat is higher than the setpoint of the one running the relay and lower than the other setpoint. Problem is that the unit will also cool the home back down to the lower setpoint if the sun goes down. I hope i am making sense here.
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I built the solar heater. How do I automatically turn my fan on when the temperature in the solar heater is high enough?
mljohn62 4 days ago
Good idea! Another thing you could do to maybe increase the heat output is to make both sides of the unit transparent, and use a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the back side.
db91977 1 week ago
Nice implementation & presentation. Thanks for sharing your creation!
alanmcrae1 2 months ago
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I think using firebrick just behind the cans and covering the entire rear portion would tend to hold heat a while after the sun fades. What do you folks think?
007westleysadler 2 months ago
Do you have a link to the fan set up that you used?
DontFriendInviteMe 2 months ago
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Is it better the have double pain glass or just a single glass. Or does plastic work better. I was thinking the double pain glass would hole the heat in better but does it take longer to heat up
thestonemaster81 2 months ago
good video but what the hell is going with the god persona in your voice?
myclem6674 3 months ago
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could you tell me please how you made the ends of each of your boxes... they are rounded. how did you make them >?
kfrazine 3 months ago
could you tell me please how you made the ends of each of your boxes... they are rounded. how did you make them >?
kfrazine 3 months ago
The idea of using inside air for your intake is great, restaurants do this with there exhaust fans. Other wise it would cost a fortune to keep heating the cold air from outside. I plan on doing that with mine because no matter how good it works when it get to be -20 outside it will not work nearly as well as taking air from the basement that is 80 degrees warmer then outside. Thanks for sharing.
woodturningjohn 5 months ago
Very nice video. Very informative. I am looking at Missouri Wind and Solar's panel. I understand they have a prefabricated one that would make sense for me as I do not have the skill or time to build one myself. I think this might be a good add-on for our hot-air furnace. Thanks for the video!
cggage 10 months ago
Where can I buy the fan? Whats kind of fan?
aofnyc 10 months ago
@aofnyc I used a bathroom fan. I built a plywood box, mounted the fan inside the box, ran my 4 inch ducting into and out of the box. I then mounted this box in the crawl space under my home. I mounted the fan on the cool air side And push the air the panel.
shoestring405 6 months ago
Profession looking job and presentation. Thanks, this help me make up my mind about building one. Question! What would be the downside of using alum gutter downsporuts instead of cans? Thanks again
navajopa31 11 months ago
@navajopa31 I have seen this project done with aluminum gutters. I know they do work but exactly how well they work I am not sure. A few things that would concern me would be
1. The thickness of the aluminum, this will affect how quickly the heat is transferred to the air inside the column we do not want the panel to become a heat sink and store heat.
2. the gutter downspouts are larger than pop cans, so the column of air passing through it will be larger, this will reduce the
shoestring405 6 months ago
@navajopa31 amount of air coming in contact with the heated surface.
3. It will be necessary to install a few baffles of some type in each downspout to mix the air. This will also help reduce the effect number 2.
shoestring405 6 months ago
@shoestring405 Thanks for the information. I just replaced two sliding glass doors and now have 4 dual glass sealed glazing panels for the project. I plan on building two collectors. Thanks again!
navajopa31 6 months ago
@shoestring405 I was planning on putting cans inside the downspouts for more mass and using old aluminum highway signs painted black under the downspouts. The sighs are 1/8 thick aluminum and I have 4 of them.
navajopa31 6 months ago
@shoestring405 There is a youtube site that is really good. He has done a lot of testing with different designs and the information is great. Site name: richallenmusic
navajopa31 6 months ago
Hi, is it possible to utilise fresnel prism magnifying sheets as the covering layer to concentrate heat?
4153promos 11 months ago
@4153promos I would be careful using a fresnel lens. I have seen experiments where they have etched
steel using a fresnel lens and sunlight
shoestring405 6 months ago
you mentioned something about the unit turning the fan on... how did that work??? do less than ideal weather condiditions have any negative impact on temperatures inside your house? beautiful work man thanks a million for the video!
jamoore3192 11 months ago
@jamoore3192 the panel is completely automatic. you install a disc switch ( fan control switch ) inside the panel on the hot air end. The switch should open at 90° F and close at 115 or 120 F
the panel needs direct sunlight in order to produce heat, Here in Nova Scotia the panel works best on those cold clear days in January and February.
shoestring405 6 months ago
@shoestring405 Thanks!
jamoore3192 6 months ago
I used gasket cement and the rows of cans keep falling apart. The gasket cement sets up too brittle or something. I have heard that there is aluminum glue/apoxy used for gutters. I think that might work better. The glue up and subsequent breaking of the cans has been very time consuming and frustrating. I was t Any suggestions?
baggetja1234 1 year ago
@baggetja1234 I used hi temp gasket maker, the stuff they use for putting car engines together
shoestring405 6 months ago
@baggetja1234 YES!
Use Silver Tape (Nashua) for AC/Heating - you can buy it @ HDepot cheap. Its heat resistant and glu holds like crazy. BUT:
You DONT have to use cans - it's ok to buy/make 2"or3" COOPER tube/pipe and put a turbulator inside (turbulator twisted like screw piece of tnin metal like alluminium - often used in water boilers) .
TICUNY 6 months ago
Some one posted your video as there own(glennjgd). I think same person dif name did same to me (offertorycardiacml).
my2cents0 1 year ago
We may also can save the heat and energy to battery for wind or no sunshine days to use, and can control its volume and needs. Then, we may also can use this clean energy to motivate all other engines for car, train or even plane--which can get most of it too.
hms2008w 1 year ago
Very hot. You just need to change the thought even better --by --change the whole material to metal--frame--then, get all pops away--fill with water--after the hot day--you both enjoy the hot water shower, plus, the heat , circulate it by an engine or fan inside it also a good idea. Make it circulate is the key from my invention. Make it working and big. --Windsor, ON.
hms2008w 1 year ago
Very cool
jeff42951 1 year ago
@jeff42951 - No, Very Hot!
tkd4zgqg 11 months ago
@tkd4zgqg ah ha! nice pun.
jeff42951 10 months ago
Did you use a clear sheet of Lexan?
IowaHawkFan2009 1 year ago
@IowaHawkFan2009
Yes I did
shoestring405 1 year ago
Does your particular box width pertain to the 4' width of the lexan becoming less once curved over the box? Using your particular dimensions did you need to cut the lexan? Any insight or advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.
greggcdavis100 1 year ago
@greggcdavis100
I built the box and then had the glass shop cut it for me.
shoestring405 1 year ago
Hi Shoestring,
As a fellow Nova Scotian wondering if you can tell me where you sourced the lexan and the quantity of gasket material? I'm wondering if you can tell me the depth you used on the sides vs the peak of the convex curve. Did you put a dowel in at the peak of the curve for rigidity?
greggcdavis100 1 year ago
great job im working on a unit about this size.. i made a small one to test it out,
BrainEatingZomb1e 1 year ago
Anybody else heart sink for a second when he said " Shortly after the first test..we lost the son" For a second there i thought he said "Our" son :P
souleeze 1 year ago
Good job at that! I think maybe a big radiator wil work better then soda cans but i guess that's more expensive. THis is a nice cheap setup. Well done.
metro2002 1 year ago
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The Oil companies are trying their best to stop free energy ideas from spreading to common ppl.
We need to put an end to this corruption ,start generating your own electricity now.
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perplexfraction 1 year ago
This is great! I have one question. What is the elevation where you live? I live in Colorado at 7200ft. and when the sun is out I know it is more intense then it is at lower elevations. I wonder how well this type of setup would be here....plus, we have more sunny days then cloudy days.
ondfritz2 1 year ago
@ondfritz2
The elevation here is 190 ft. Seems to me it should work even better where you are .
shoestring405 1 year ago
@shoestring405 Insulating the inlet and outlet will help increase your supply air temp.
gs12138 1 year ago
I guess he can use parabolic sunlight concentrator to focus more light on smaller panels like this.
beancube2010 1 year ago
I'm building one and was wondering about the fans. Can i use a 4'' in line duct fan? What is best for the cold air intake? Is an intake fan needed for this type of heater? I'm as mechanical as a monkey. Please help.
214jcf 1 year ago
@214jcf
you will want a fan to get the heat out of the panel and into the house.
put your fan on the cold air ducting so it pushes air into the panel. Use a 100 - 120 cfm
fan
shoestring405 1 year ago
excellent job ,i'm sure it was worth every effort, but how often does this unit make a difference during winter, when sun is scares, ps thanks for sharing this video
mickyboy200768 1 year ago
Very nice heater that thing looks like it could be sold in stores.GREAT JOB
michael970 1 year ago
great video. Question, why not pipe the hot air into your heating system. That way it could heat the entire house.
Any idea what type of savings you may have had with the unit in place?
russelltw101 1 year ago
@russelltw101 Nah...you wouldn't pipe hot air into the system...totally counter productive. What you want is to have a cold air supply from inside your house that is low to the floor...then take that air and have it flow into the panel..which then uses already warmed up air just from ambient temps inside the house...same as a house furnace. And then since your unit is using 18-20C heat from the house...the panel would have no trouble warming it to 25C or above.
magicyte 1 year ago
@magicyte - I guess I was not clear about what I was trying to say. I was thinking you could pipe your exhaust air (heated air) into your current duct work, so you could warm the house more evenly, but I guess with a small unit like you have, it's not going to put out enough volume of heated air to really heat a large house, but more likely heat a room or two. Thanks for the response. Great video.
russelltw101 1 year ago
@russelltw101 Gotcha...yeah...it's a good idea. only if the piping network in the house has perfect insulation...since the blower on the solar unit wouldn't be terribly strong...the possibility to losing heat through ductwork would be that much greater. Less piping from the solar uni the better I think. Same with plumbing...less pipes quicker hot water.
magicyte 1 year ago
@russelltw101
1. I have electric heat in my home
2. I saved about $400 for each of the last 2 heating seasons but keep in mind also that my site is less than ideal because of the trees in my yard.
shoestring405 1 year ago
@shoestring405 Im trying to find a simple plastic air flow valve that only opens one way so as to not allow cold air to back flow into the living space. I cannot find one..any ideas on what exactly it may be called? all the ones i find are 100 - 300 dollars meant for high end application but i know there are cheap plastic ones available as i seen one on a video that i forgot to save. thanks
souleeze 1 year ago
@souleeze Google "dryer vent draft blocker" or "dryer vent damper". You should find something for about $5.
ClarkPearson 1 year ago
How much was the cost of this project?
Pvtjamesryan2 1 year ago
Is the paint safe? When it heats up does it create any fumes?
That was the first thing that came to mind and then I thought about the problem of regulating temp. or airflow.
That's an outstanding idea and job you've done. How is it working out?
nicko978 1 year ago
thank you for your kind comments. I have never had a problem with fumes. As far as regulating temperature and air flow the way it is hooked up the temperature inside the panel is what controls the air flow. The panel continues to work fine. It's second heating season is nearly to an end and it has required zero maintenance. I have not touched it since the day I installed except to turn the thermostat up in the fall and back down in the spring. I must say I consider this experiment a success.
shoestring405 1 year ago
thx one of the best explained vids about this here on yt,i have moved onto a boat on the river so have to make all my own energy and am going to try one myself have tried this for hot water and it works well cant see it not performing as you say i'll let you know,namaste
djbreeduk 1 year ago
let say I live in Quebec , how many hour of hot air, I will have in a day ?
jimprice09 1 year ago
Thank you for the great video im curently working on a pop can heater to heat a unheated atached garage 17 cans tall 14 cans wide with a loop system the plan is to have the panel mounted high above the boat/snowmobile storage area on the south side and have the inlet and outlet at the bottom 4 inch opening 80 cfm duct booster fan with a 40 deg.c(104 deg.f)snap thermostat my test panel was 21inchs x 32 inchs it put out 110f unisulated and mounted in a existing window very good results from 45cans
kinbigbird 1 year ago
Have you tried it vertically? The one i built i put vertical and it works well. Just wondering which way works best.
DuramaxLvr 2 years ago
I push 120 CFM of air through it and I think I am getting the vast majority of the heat it is producing.
Currently working on the plans for a larger panel that will be mounted vertically and ducted in a different way.
Do U have any photos of your panel. I always like to see what others have done. Everybody does things a little different.
shoestring405 2 years ago
thanx 4 a great explanation, better than most. don't no that it'll work in the u.k. as we have speratic sun but i was thinkin about using the warm air to heat broken glass shards beneath the soil in my greenhouse which may increase my growing season as shop bought tamatoes are just awful. thanx again.
tavdrinker 2 years ago
wow, excellent video and design. Great Work.
1 more question please.
If your panoel is 43 1/2" x 84" why did you not make it full 8' wide ?
also how wide is the header space. ?
are the holes you cut diagonally opposite each corner (top and bottom) and what diam?
thx
tuby666 2 years ago
I think I've got it but how much distance did you leave between the top of the cans and the top of the box likewise on the bottom????
energizerat 2 years ago
I left the cans about 3/16" to 1/4" off of the back panel to allow air to circulate. When I installed the heat exchanger I put a big blob of gasket maker on the backside of the middle can in each row. I just thought it may add a little support for each row.
shoestring405 2 years ago
Shoestring, how big is ur box.
joulian0720 2 years ago
43 1/2" X 84"
shoestring405 2 years ago
Any reason why the glass from sliders wouldn't work, I have 6 full sliders from a job I recently finished , they are all single pane glass about 3/ 16's thick, and what about using metal tape to seal the cans together , seems like it would make a nice tight seal and be a lot faster.
willyD200 2 years ago
I made 2 using foil tape. It works fine. lay the tape over angle iron then roll the cans to tape them. It's not a lot faster than caulking but you don't have to wait for drying.
wiboater4 2 years ago
If you need to seal the cans together. Look in your automotive section for three things. You need to get high temperature gasket sealer, liquid RTV gasket maker, and if possible try to get a cement paste next to automotive in housewares. Make sure to paint the cement paint if you use it black as well.
XavierHolland 2 years ago
I didnt see a comment about how to seal between the ends of the cans. How is this done?
osmo58 2 years ago
Thank you for documenting and sharing! I will be trying this design out this winter. I hate having to pay for heating. Thanks again.
blaxpear 2 years ago
Can/tubes look to be in parallel. Could make more heat with some in series. Does the Lexan hold up on a hot day? Water heating by air to liquid radiator?
Good job.
RikterZilla 2 years ago
Im having a hard ime wih cracks and 'leaks' beween my cans...(mini cracks) Any suggesions>? do I need worry ????
joshua4511111 2 years ago
Outstanding. This answers a lot of questions.
VioletClub 2 years ago
shoestring: Im building my box now and am thinking of using the polycarbonate product they sell at lowes/homedeport for about $20.00 (aka Suntuf) = 2X8 ft) it too is UV stabilized, indestructable etc. just not at thick. (I think yours was 1/8 or 1/4 in thickness) Any thoughts about possible problems with this thinner product as far as warping, deforming, etc. ?? I will silicone and using a tight fitting rubber spline (like the stuff to hold in screening) to hold it in place. thanks
joshua4511111 2 years ago
Comment removed
matheusmangini 2 years ago
Thanks for share.Very nice and clean job.
I would like to ask for how big room is your heater enough, and for how long it can blow hot air.Thanks for your answer
komomak 2 years ago
On a clear winters day it will heat my kitchen and living room, about 600 square feet. With my just fair location it will run for about 6 hours a day during Jan. and Feb., our coldest months
shoestring405 2 years ago
clouds = good bad weather testing and the other end of the bell
VillageIdiot8055 2 years ago
Thanks for sharing. You did a great job and have helped to further inspire me to construct one of this rigs. I'm also in NS where winter is cold and heating isn't cheap.
froshmasta 2 years ago
I am glad to hear that I may have help to inspire you to construct a panel. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. I will try to give you answer.And I must agree Jan. and Feb. can be quit chilly in Nova Scotia, chip the ice off of the thermometer to see the temp. kind of chilly
shoestring405 2 years ago
Brilliant, you are a Genius. Your build quality is amazing. Thank you for posting.
SCRATSDAD 2 years ago
Genius, hahaha. I've been called a lot of things over the years.Can't ever remember anybody calling me that before though hehehe.Thanks for the kind words thoughh just the same. I just gave it a little thought first, then started building. Things always seem to work out a little better if I do that.
shoestring405 2 years ago
What suburb or area are you in? Just trying to get a handle on your Winter temperatures. -- Looks well built.
viking1au 2 years ago
I live in Nova Scotia, Canada
shoestring405 2 years ago
Holy Mackerel, that is a cold part of the world. I have watched your project several times and decided to build one. Am finding it hard scrounging up 250 or so cans, so I will probably use zincalume downspout. --- Quicker than sticking all the cans together. I currently have 100 cans, so I may also build a small unit to feed the bathroom as the tiles get cold to walk on. - Yours sure looks well made.
viking1au 2 years ago
Great job on you heater!
Didi you consider using a double paned glass window such as a storm door or sliding door instead of the lexan? Although the glass is flat I was thinking that the heater box temp may be greater also they may be available for free.
EnviroMiner3 2 years ago
I don't see why it wouldn't work.
shoestring405 2 years ago
Hi. Like your heater, great job. Just started mine and would like to no how big of a area you are heating with this size heater?
md50md 2 years ago
On a sunny day in Feb. it will heat my kitchen and living room. Thats 600 sq.feet of well inslated space.
shoestring405 2 years ago
Great tutorial!! Can you tell us how you cut the holes out in the cans, I can imagine it would take a little patience.
MrShadow3211 2 years ago
I put a 1/8" drill bit in a Dremal Tool and used it like a rotory saw. Cut the thin aluminum like butter. Noisy but very effective
shoestring405 2 years ago
How did u draw out the curved shape shown in 0:22?
grr250 2 years ago 2
I used a thin piece of wood paneling. Put 2 screws into the plywood at each end of the arch. Set the paneling on its edge against the screws. Push on the center of the paneling until u have the arch shape u require and trace it.
shoestring405 2 years ago
I was wondering if you let water run through it in the summer if it couldnt have a double function as an air heater in the winter and water heater in the summer. Would this make the metal cans rust over a long period of time?
bertie0007 2 years ago
the cans would not rust because they are aluminum but I don't think this design would work very well with water.
shoestring405 2 years ago
2. At the window, where you bring the air into the house, do you lose any heat at that intersection? I was wondering if it would be worth it to flatten the ends of the pipes down at the window so you can lower the window even more because you would have two wide flat slits instead of two big round openings.
3. Do you think it would make any difference to daisy chain the columns of cans? So, in one column, out the top, connected by a tube into the next column...etc.
Thoughts?
justinschroeder01 2 years ago
1. You need to keep the air that is circulating inside the columns of cans separate from the air that has been sealed inside the panel. If the air inside the cans were to mix with the air outside the cans you would soon have a condensation problem. The inside of your lexan lens would fog over.
2. This was only a temporary test setup and I never really gave it a lot of thought.
shoestring405 2 years ago
3. People have tried different variations of what you're saying. Some seem to work quite well others seem to create a lot of airflow resistance. I seen one example while I was doing my research which had 400 cfm going in and 60 cfm coming out.
shoestring405 2 years ago
I appreciate your comments. =)
justinschroeder01 2 years ago
Hi. I think you've done a nice job. I have a couple of questions/thoughts.
1. Is the air in the heater, the space where the cans are sitting, evacuated at all? If not, would it be worth while to find a way to bring that into the house? There must be a lot of unused heated air in there that could be put to good use.
2. Coming in next post
justinschroeder01 2 years ago
sweet.. did you use bbq grill paint or something?
RMCrowley 2 years ago
once again...my question is ..... why do you need a solar heater in the summer when it's warm in the house!!!...and what is about in the wintertime without sun!!!...thx...aki
mdcproject 2 years ago
The answer to your first question is very simple. In the summer you don't need the extra heat so you turn the control on the thermostat fully counterclockwise which turns the unit off.
The answer to your second question is very simple as well. Here in Eastern Canada the day with the least amount of daylight still has about 10 hours of daylight.
shoestring405 2 years ago
This panel put heat into my home for 5 hours that day. One day near the end of February the outside temperature was -16° C and this panel was delivering air into the home at a temperature of 49° C.
The operational cost of this unit is 1.1¢ per hour while an operation. My power bill says I'm going in the right direction so I think I'll build another one.
shoestring405 2 years ago
thank you for these clear details.
I live in northern Canada and we often have -16(how did you get the degree sign) C. ...and 49 C sounds hard to believe and awesome at the same time.
thank you again!!!!!!
gaiagale 2 years ago
hi hi hi
mdcproject 2 years ago
why did you soak the cans for 24 hours after you had washed them?
and what is lexan? I'm thinking it's a type of hard flexible plastic sheeting.
thank you for posting
gaiagale 2 years ago
The first wash is really more of a rinse to remove large objects that may have been placed in the cans. After a 24 hour soak you will be surprised at how scummy the water is.
Lexan is a hard clear plastic. But unlike Plexiglas it is UV stable, can be cut with common tools, can be drilled without cracking and is nearly indestructible.
shoestring405 2 years ago
The best thing about this whole presentation is the sound of your voice. You should think about working for a radio station.
peterpulpitpounder 2 years ago
LOL
shoestring405 2 years ago
im building a version of this solar heter.
wondering about the glas/lexan.
How much did the lexan cost ?
rafffe 2 years ago
$200.00
shoestring405 2 years ago
What a great looking panel! Thanks for the info:)
misslolgirl 2 years ago
great workmanship.looks like something that was profesionally made.
pcpronot 2 years ago
hey shoestring i have finished my panel and getting great results mid day til 3 or so im getting 60+ degree celcius heat awesome! quick question i used the foam board foil backed but had just lucked into getting some old stock stuff and i am going to build another but cant find the foam insulation anywhere what exactally is the stuff you used and roughly how much was that if you dont mind, and what building supplies did you get it from?? thanks
thimpsy 2 years ago
What I used is made by IKO and is called Enerfoil.
I used the 1" stuff and it was $24.00 for a 4' X 8' sheet. I puchased it at a local company ( I live in a small town) who do roofing ,siding and insulation.
Anyone who carries the IKO product line should be able to at least source it for you.
Hope this helped
Shoestring
shoestring405 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Shoestring405, Nice job and helpful. Thanks for sticking around and answering comments as they are helpful also.
trouts22 2 years ago
Shoestring405, Nice job and helpful. Thanks for sticking around and answering comments as they are helpful also.
trouts22 2 years ago
Thank you for the kind words.
You have a nice day.
Shoestring
shoestring405 2 years ago
Shouldn't this panel be upright as heat rises.. As the heat rises the air flow upwards will pull air in from the bottom eliminating the need for a fan? Just and idea?
AGeNt7eVeN 2 years ago
You are correct, if the panel was mounted vertically a natural convection of air would take place. However I don't think this natural convection would produce enough airflow to get the best efficiency out of your panel.
shoestring405 2 years ago
Shoestring,
My next panel will be 4' x 8' and I am planning on using polycarbonate glazing too. My only concern is the effect of expansion and contraction on the air seal. Have you noticed any deformation or air/water leaks?
michaelrp88 2 years ago
I noticed a very slight deformation one day. The panel was not hooked up yet and was laying in the sun. It didn't do any damage and I have not had any leaks. So far, so good !!!
shoestring405 2 years ago
What type (brand #) RTV did you use for attaching the Lexan and have you had any problems with it not staying?
raynman66 2 years ago
Got my black high tem p RTV at the local auto supply store in Maine its Napa Auto Parts. Its good for 450°F constant but $13 per 10oz tube. I suggest allowing all your RTV and paint to "gass out" for a couple days before sealing it up to avoid fumes in the house.
michaelrp88 2 years ago
That sounds like the stuff I used and it does have a strong oder for a couple of days. It must take that long to completly cure. It wasat least 2 or 3 days from the time I finished the coloums till I put them in the panel. I have not had any oders
shoestring405 2 years ago
Great Job! I am building a similar heater but I am having trouble finding a heat resistant foil faced insulation. What was the brand name of the product you used? And how does the foil facing help you if you painted it black afterwards - won't it then absorb heat instead of reflecting it?
ColdInNewfoundland 2 years ago
test
shoestring405 2 years ago
I used 1 inch foam with foil on both sides. It was made by IKO. Some paints will react with foam and the foil provides a barrier between the foam and the paint. By painting everything inside the panel black everything will absorb heat and raise the temperature inside the panel. I also think it makes the finished panel looked better, no silver showing between the rows of cans
Good luck in the hope this helps
shoestring405 2 years ago
Bravo, well done! How is the testing going? any follow up / do anything different apart from making it bigger?
mikeey01nzl 2 years ago
Everything seems the working great so far. I installed on November 10 and have not touched it since. It turns itself on, it turns itself off and blows hot air.
The highest temperature of the air blowing into the house so far was 46.5° C.
shoestring405 2 years ago
Excellent Video. Just began planning my unit. This will certainly help.
KB3PGM 2 years ago
Good luck with your project and remember to take some pictures!!!
shoestring405 2 years ago
hey shoestring i have made a solar heater based off of yours and the cansolair heater i was just wondering if you have spaced your cans apart or have put them togeather touching? and also did you put them against the back of the panel or slightly off the back ? just wondering what your thoughts were on this thanks
thimpsy 2 years ago
The rows in my panel are spaced about 1/4" apart. This made making the headers easier. The rows about 1/8 " - 3/16" away from the back panel. This allows for a little wiggle room in case everything is not perfectly straight. I installed the rows of cans into the headers first and then install this as a unit into the panel.
shoestring405 2 years ago
Before I install this unit into the panel I put a large blob of gasket maker on the backside of the center can in each row. Not sure I had to but I thought this would add a little extra support to the rows
shoestring405 2 years ago
thanks for replying i am at the point now where all i need to do is cover my headers and paint the rest of cans and headers and cover with lexan. what type of thermostat did you use i was wondering how you did the sensor with the wire going into your box? what kind of thermostat is that?
thimpsy 2 years ago
For the thermostat in the house I used a 110/220 electric baseboard heater thermostat, $8.00 at Home Depot. I located the snap disk switch, also known as a fan control switch, inside the air box on the hot air end of the panel. I build a small bracket out of the aluminum flashing, ___/-------\___ , in the center of the bracket I drilled a hole large enough to allow the mounting plate on the switch to sit flat against the bracket.
shoestring405 2 years ago
I then attached the switch to the bracket using small sheet metal screws. I then glued the bracket inside the air box, using gasket maker, on the back side of the aluminum that covers the air box. I was able to access this through the 4 inch hole in the back of the panel I had drilled for my ductwork. I then drilled a 3/8 inch hole through the back panel about 2 inches away from the 4 inch hole. I then ran my wire through that hole and connected them to the switch.
shoestring405 2 years ago
I then stapled the wire to the back panel and sealed the hole with silicone.
shoestring405 2 years ago
Just wanted to thank you for the great video, it was very helpful when I built my heater. Great job!
zsnowshredder 3 years ago
Thank you. Post some pics when you get yours built.
shoestring405 3 years ago
I build a heater just like yours, I am now trying to decide on the size of the blower you said yours was 125 cfm did it work well or would you use one with a larger or smaller cfm
blbrown56 3 years ago
The fan I used was a 120 cfm and it seems to do a good job. If I were to build the same panel again I would use the same fan again.
shoestring405 3 years ago
hey,
how is the heater doing these days?
ssiaudio 3 years ago
So far so good.Have not touched it since I installed it,it just does it's thing.
Yesterday--outside temp. -16C,panel was blowing air into the house at 41C.
How has your panel been doing
shoestring405 3 years ago
We must live very close...We got -18 and I got about +44. The house got to +22 max.
I'm still dealing with cold draft from it when it is dark or cloudy.
ssiaudio 3 years ago
well you might put som flaps on the exit-hole, so when you're blower is on, it blows through the fpals, and when off then then are shut. It might work on the intake-hole as well, with the flaps now in opposite direction, opening inside the box. The blower connected to solar panels directly will make it automatic when sunny :) Good luck!
InventorGadget 3 years ago
built a solar heater they work great only sunny days of course! this unit is nice but to help the poorer guy go to junk yark get yourself a used sliding door they work good when sun is out mine runs atleast 120 degrees running all the time with a 100 cfm fan i dont have a snap disk thermostat yet but will next year
Unitrons 3 years ago
Hi nice work! I have a solar heater project (click acarcim)
acarcim 3 years ago
does any1 know where to get a bit for grinding the bottoms off cans? please help!
gogogadgetgreen 3 years ago
This question is for my2cents0, shoestring405, simplethoughts guy, and mostvideosolar:
Can any of you steer me to these elusive Hungarians work?
Do you leave the inner insulation silver, or paint it black too?
Why do you need to glue the cans to each other- can't you just press them together, or run a small cable thru the center and put some tension?
Does the curved class serve a purpose? I have easy access to surplus glass...
Thanks!!
divb 3 years ago
I can't remember where I seen the work by the Hungarians. I do remember the video being in a foreign language.
I painted everything on the interior of the panel flat black.
By sealing the cans and the air boxs at each end you prevent the air circulating through the cans from mixing with the air inside the panel. If you don't do this you may wind up with a condensation problem on the inside of your lexan. Not 100% sure this is correct but this was my train of thought.
shoestring405 3 years ago
I don't think having a curved lens on the front makes any difference, I see lots of guys building them with a flat glass
Hope this helps
Shoestring
shoestring405 3 years ago
hey shoestring,i ended up getting 120cfm bathfan,works great.you ask me how many fins used,every can but top row.yesterday 3deg outside temp,fan blowing 130 in to garage.
my2cents0 3 years ago
Thanks for the info. That is some fantastic heat gain your getting there.
shoestring405 3 years ago
What kind of paint did you use? Any issues with fumes?
jawha1 3 years ago
I used Tremclad flat black spray paint.
There are no issues with fumes.
shoestring405 3 years ago
If you turn it so the air colum in the cans is rising, you'll get bettter results. Turn it 90 degrees.
ConstitutionFirst178 3 years ago
My first plan was to mount the panel vertically but after some careful thought I decided to mount it this way. This way I did not have to drill 2 4" holes through the side wall of my house. It costs about $60.00 more to do it this way, extra ducting and the insulation,but to me it was worth it. I'm pushing 120 cfm of the air through the panel and I don't think the small amount of natural convection created by mounting it vertically would make that much difference.
Thank you for your comments
shoestring405 3 years ago
Very very Cool!
Good job..
equipmentandtrucks 3 years ago
Couple of questions:
1/ The header boards, I assume there are holes in it to accommodate air flow thru each row of cans?
2/ it appears in the photo's that there is metal or something covering the intake area and the outtake ?
I look forward to your reply.
djp022263 3 years ago
The header boards are made from the same 1 inch foil backed foam that I insulated the box with. Using a hole cut
saw I cut holes in the foam slightly smaller than the diameter of the pop cans. In this way the tapered top of the can will fit through the hole and rests on the shoulder of the can. By doing this it seemed to make it sturdier and gave me a good area for the silicone seal. The metal at each end is simply aluminum flashing that you can get at any hardware store.
I hope this helps.
shoestring405 3 years ago
Do you have plans available????
smarcom 3 years ago
I don't have any plans for this solar panel. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do and got some ideas from different people on the Internet and just made some stuff up. If I were to build another one I would change a few things. Nothing really that would affect the way the panel operates, just a few things to make the construction a little easier.
shoestring405 3 years ago
Great job shoestring405,
It's great to see others being innovative. I'm excited to see how mine does this winter.
matrixm777 3 years ago
good job man, What are you using to control the unit as far as on and off of the fan relative to the temp of the box
ssiaudio 3 years ago
What I've done to control the fan is this. From your Power Supply connect the white wire to the whte
wire in the fan,
Take the black wire and connect it to a 110° bimetal snap disc switch also known as a fan switch.
This switch is located inside the panel at the hot air end. You can get this switch at a heating and cooling
supply store, $7.00 The black wire then continues on to a 110 / 240 baseboard thermostat ( $10.00)
located in the house.
shoestring405 3 years ago
The black wire then goes back to the fan and connects to the black wire there to
power the fan. In this way the panel must be up to temperature and you must be calling for heat
with the thermostat in order for the fan to start. Like I said , this is what I've done.There may be a
better way of doing this. Hope this helped.
shoestring405 3 years ago
That is similar to mine. I decided to use two regular thermostats. One in the regular mode and one running a relay. The fan turns on when the heat is higher than the setpoint of the one running the relay and lower than the other setpoint. Problem is that the unit will also cool the home back down to the lower setpoint if the sun goes down. I hope i am making sense here.
ssiaudio 3 years ago
good work looks nice i can imagine we can cover all roof with this and south side of house
i am trying to build one using a solar panel for a fan
kubko29