well done...i would suggest filling the bottom of the container with black silicia sand ( i used to sell it at an automotive supply store..was used for sandblasting )...we all know how hot beach sand is on a sunny day so just imagine this black glass sand would be incredible and help hold a lot of heat in that container over night....or maybe even some black asphalt roofing shingles layed on the bottom...they also have fine stone on them to hold heat!!
I was wondering, inside the box. The reflective material, was that alluminum? Also, I thought of a way to make the temperature inside the box to go up much higher. You need a better reflector than the alluminum foil. Try a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the glass inside. I don't know maybe that will work and people who live in colder regions can take hot showers and heat their homes with the same tech. Cheers , everyone.
That's really cool. Would you mind sending me the plans to my email at hipnotize.me@gmail.com. That would be awesome. Thanks for the video really informative.
How much of a difference did this make on your utility bill? Has this system managed to completely replace your tradition water heating system? How does it work in winter vs summer?
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 Thanks for trying to tell me that this does not work, but in fact it does. If the water comes into my electric hot water heater and it's already hot, the electric HWH does not have to work as hard to bring it up to desired temperature, thus saving money. Yes it does have to keep it hot, but the initial energy to bring it up to temperature is saved.
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 Sent you the plans. For the glass i wasn't sure which side went up so I tested it both ways and it seemed to get just as hot either way. The glass was mounted on top of the wood, with weather stripping and Great Stuff to seal it up.
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.
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 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.
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.
@meatloaf1234 lol , well thanks for the responce i guess , i just dont have time to read every letter i incounter , i will check the other comments , though i prefer the much friendlier method of a simple dollar figure, nice build thats why i askt u
@NOBOX7 It's just hard to accurately determine. With the season always changing and my bill always fluctuating, I cannot make a good assumption about how much it is saving, but I know it is because I get a free tank of hot water every day.
@NOBOX7 It's just hard to accurately determine. With the season always changing and my bill always fluctuating, I cannot make a good assumption about how much it is saving, but I know I am saving money because I get a free tank of hot water every day.
@sherazscaffolder Fresnel lens not a good idea, that just focuses the energy, it does not change the amount the tank will get. Then you will burn one part of the tank, and the rest of the tank will be in the shade.
low-e glass can be ordered to many different specs so it does not always mean the same thing. Depending on your climate the low-e glass can be designed to allow a chosen amount of visable light (VLT value) and a chosen amount of infrared light (SHGC or SHGF) to pass through the glass. Low-e glass can also allow IR heat to escape or trap it depending on what makes sense for where you live. Cool project, highly effective, i would gues a high SHGC/SHGF and that its intended to trap IR heat.
You mention using LowE glass in your design. LowE is designed to reflect most of the radiant heat from the sun back out, normally keeping it from entering a house. This is keeping a great deal of heat from entering your box?
@craftmatic2 I'm not able to calculate the exact percentage. The reflective backing serves as an insulator as well as to reflect the sun's rays onto the tank. If the back was black that would not be as effective, it is the tank I'm trying to heat, not the back of the box.
a solar water circulator pump would do wonders - it will keep you inside tank full of hot water thru the night - also - i used pvc - and it got so hot the glue joints didnt hold up -- and i had some leaks and melt points - so i went with all soft 1/2" copper after that happened...
@kchedville I really don't have the time to be placing a cover over this at night, then possibly forgetting to remove it the next day and missing the sun. The double paned glass was the solution and serves as an insulator. Painting the box black wouldn't make much of a difference because the box is so well insulated, i dont think much of the heat would get in, it would only make this thing an eyesore and maybe cause the wood to warp over time from getting too hot.
in may 2010, I started shutting off my breaker for my hot water tank and only turning it on about 1/2 hr. before I new I wanted a shower. As with adding surge protectors to tv,microwave,. unplugging cell chargers etc. i installed a clothes line in my yard, and wood stove.No electric heat a all. My bill used to be in the 200-300 range. And now ranges from 35-55 dollars a month.
id like to put 1 on roof of motorhome ,im making,anyone help me with advice?its to get shower+washing ,not drinking water,.would it get to hot if not used ?the odd time we get sun in uk lol,pressure relief valve maybe?i even want to harvest rainwater in tank to supply solar heater ,would pump or thermal syphon work?maybe even central heating in van lol ,.,.any nutty professors reading this ???lol
Thing i noticed is that this is just used to top off your hot water tank so your still heating your tank in the water all day. My thought would be to use a smaller water tank inside. Just a thought.
@cableairman Yes, this is a pre-heater. I still have an internal hot water heater, I cannot rely solely on the sun to heat my water or I will end up with cold showers sometimes. This system helps the internal heater to work less. When I use hot water during the day, it is replaced by the solar heated water.
@mostly4moderate If the water temperature reached 212 degrees from the sun, I'd be more worried about other things than my hot water, such as scorched earth. But yes, there is a pressure release valve of course.
Are the savings enough to justify the costs and upkeep? Just thinking about making one of these, and wanted to do a little research first. Nice video by the way.
@perkinsfan The saving has more than covered the cost of building it, and there is no upkeep, I haven't touched the heater in over a year since it was installed.
The time has come for Free energy to be revealed ,But the Big corporations spend millions to ensure that information does not spread to the masses,Go to LT-MAGNET-MOTORdotCOM and get the blueprints for a genuine magnet motor ,Be the revolution!
i now live in the philippines where we have an abundance of sun, and like what you have done, could you please e-mail me the specs for bulding such a unit.
@ckoch407 I do not ever stop the cold water from entering the tank when the sun is not out. That is not how this system is designed. When I use hot water, the hot water will come from the outdoor tank into my indoor HWH, and then that water is replaced in the outdoor tank by the city cold water to then be heated. If it happens at night, it will just be heated the next day.
Summer update: so far this unit has been operating extremely well. It's been in service for 9 months now, with no issues at all. It gets extremely hot, I've seen it as high as 160 degrees inside the box on a hot summer day. Quantifying exactly how much electricity is being saved is difficult, but I know it is doing it's job because my power bills are definitely lower than they used to be.
excellent! thank you, we are in Andalucia, Spain and we have probably as much sun as you have in Florida. So I'll definitively start to copy your model thank you again for sharing this. My email is manolo.espinoza@gmail.com
@meatloaf1234 you do of course realize that low-e glass is designed to block uv radiation, right? ie- you would realize more energy into the system with non low-e glass. Definitely good idea on the double pane for insulation tho
@stmotorsports The Low E glass helps keep the heat inside. I check the temperature regularly and the tank gets up to 140, 150+ degrees on a sunny day, I think it is doing its job, I'm not sure how much hotter it could possibly get.
@meatloaf1234 technically we're both right, Low E resists radiant energy from the side of the glass where it is higher ie- in the morning when the sun first gets on the panel it would have to overcome the E factor of the glass enough to begin heating up the inside of the collector. Once the level of radiant energy inside the panel rises above that which is coming from the source, only then does the Low E glass work in your favor and trap the heat inside.
@meatloaf1234 While you did a great job on the overall construction. The Low E glass is blocking Solar irradiation from entering. It's NOT blocking the heat all that well from escaping at night. As that heat is being transmitted to the colder air. You need a lid with the same reflective Styrofoam stuff.
Only way glass insulates well is if it is double paned with an inert gas inside. Sure, it's keeping some of the heat inside, bit not efficiently.
I was wondering how this is working out for you? Did you see any savings on your power bill? I am in south east florida and was interested in this project.
Anyway batch water heater is working fine - I'm getting 150 degrees in the middle of the afternoons on sunny days and about 110 on very cloudy days. Great showers for all. We are located in south central Florida north of Lake Okeechobee, FL. I do not know why everyone doesn't do this.
I got $120 back on my taxes by claiming $400 in cost for this heater. I also got another $120 back for my solar light landscaping system. I picked up a solar panel, marine battery, day/night timer, and some bright LED landscaping lights. My yard is lit up like a baseball diamond:)
Nice unit. Unless you are using the reflective foil insulation, inside of a unit, to provide a focal point on the back side of the unit, which is difficult to do with a rectangular shape, then the unit may attract and retain more heat if you were to line the inside of the box with something black in color to attract more IR waves? It would still be double insulated, but capture more of the longer waves?
Right on, man. If you ever build another unit, it would be interesting to see if there is any difference in the temperature that is achieved if you use a larger cylindrical outter form that is lines with highly reflective material? In a parabolic fashion? I'm considering building one in that manner, as soon as I find the right materials and application. I want to insulate it, so I'll most likely place the entire thing in an insulated enclosure. Nice looking unit, man.
That is extremely impressive, what kind of education, formal or informal do you have in this kind of engineering? I dont have much but am extremely interested in doing a few projects to make my home more "green" , im just wondering how much working knowledge i will need to get something like this done.
The tank is a standard 40 gallon hot water heater, stripped of its insulation. I used two 8 inch copper pipes (3/4 inch) connected to the tank hot/cold, Copper to PVC transitions, many 2x4's, plywood (all pressure treated then watersealed), fibreglass insulation, reflective foam insulation, CPVC pipes, and cutoff valves.The Low-E glass which was two 1/4 inch pieces of glass. I also used Great Stuff insulation and strips of foam weatherproofing to seal the space between the glass and the box.
PVC or CPVC? PVC only stands up to 140F (60C). If you're getting over 200 degrees, I'd be concerned about your pipes taking the heat. CPVC can stand 180F (82C), but still not over the 200 degrees you're apparently getting. I'm curious as to why you didn't use copper the whole way, or if you're worried about pin holes, use PEX for your underground and indoor installation? Sounds like a great insulation job on the bread box itself.
I used strictly CPVC outside the box because you want to use that for water you will wash with or drink. PVC would be for landscaping. Copper would have been much more expensive and harder to work with. Insulated CPVC works just fine. I wouldn't say the water is getting up to 200 degrees though, that may have been the temp in the breadbox when there wasn't anything in there, but with a full tank of water it wouldn't get that hot.
Great job! Could you tell me what kind of water tank you used for your project? also could you show more in detail the conections to the inside tank and what kind of fittings did you use to connect the copper piping to the pvc? Thank you!
Thanks for sharing video and plans. Nice job on the base (blocks). I used to shut off the water heater when I leave home then turn it back on when I return from work that saved money too but this idea is great, and well explained. And it is true, you will save lots of money by eliminating or reducing the water heater bill.
My first electric bill since installing this water heater was $50 cheaper than the month before. However, the weather has cooled a bit this month so my AC has run less, but the water heater was only in service for about half of the billing cycle.
Walmart's therm. doesn't get below 150, if that's the one I've seen. I bought a term. on Amazon that ranges from 50 degrees up to 500, plenty for the 120 degrees most water heaters are set at these days.
well done...i would suggest filling the bottom of the container with black silicia sand ( i used to sell it at an automotive supply store..was used for sandblasting )...we all know how hot beach sand is on a sunny day so just imagine this black glass sand would be incredible and help hold a lot of heat in that container over night....or maybe even some black asphalt roofing shingles layed on the bottom...they also have fine stone on them to hold heat!!
swanyut 4 days ago
Comment removed
swanyut 4 days ago
electric bill? You had electric hot water not gas? That must have been crazy expensive and good set up btw.
HappyJackProduction1 2 weeks ago
Thanks,
Are they all the same for propane, electric and oil ???
Thanks again I appreciate the help.
Solar4Rich 1 month ago
Great project !
I want to try building one of these and a solar furnace.
Where did you buy the tank ?
Thanks
Solar4Rich 1 month ago
@Solar4Rich Found a used hot water heater on Craigslist and stripped it down.
meatloaf1234 1 month ago
I was wondering, inside the box. The reflective material, was that alluminum? Also, I thought of a way to make the temperature inside the box to go up much higher. You need a better reflector than the alluminum foil. Try a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the glass inside. I don't know maybe that will work and people who live in colder regions can take hot showers and heat their homes with the same tech. Cheers , everyone.
Rramundson 1 month ago
@Rramundson The reflective material is not aluminum foil. It is a stryofoam board that has a reflective surface on one side, you can get it at Lowes.
meatloaf1234 1 month ago
Also was wondering how was your electricity bill. Was it really helpfull?
knightfox007 1 month ago
@knightfox007 I believe so
meatloaf1234 1 month ago
That's really cool. Would you mind sending me the plans to my email at hipnotize.me@gmail.com. That would be awesome. Thanks for the video really informative.
knightfox007 1 month ago
Awesome video man. I wish ya made a step by step video. But I should be able to figure this out. Going Green is the way to go!
MunkeySpaz 1 month ago
Great system!
How much of a difference did this make on your utility bill? Has this system managed to completely replace your tradition water heating system? How does it work in winter vs summer?
kanuuker 1 month ago
@kanuuker It cannot completely replace the traditional system, it works both winter and summer as long as it's sunny.
meatloaf1234 1 month ago
So what is your electricity bill now? What % is the saving?
If you time your shower - can use just use the solar water heater?
theautomaster 1 month ago
Great video! Awesome Design!!!!! I would love to have a set of the plans, please send to wildfire_23_ at hotmail. C o m Thanks so much!
brandon11182 1 month ago
@brandon11182 please email me directly, i can't decipher what your address should be.
meatloaf1234 1 month ago
How much are you saving on water heating now?
bfinfinity 1 month ago
VERRRRY GOOD! !! THANKS
Teddybearcop48 2 months ago
Say Meatloaf, did you use a chalking such as high temperature silicone? If so which one? Thank you. Great work!
oilspeculatorhater 3 months ago
This is in my opinion the best videoclip on DIY solar heater on Youtube. You sure know your stuff and thank you for sharing!
oilspeculatorhater 3 months ago 5
@oilspeculatorhater Thank you very much!
meatloaf1234 3 months ago
@meatloaf1234 use a thermometer for a wood stove
kj4sqr 1 month ago
awesome build.
michael970 4 months ago
Can you please post your electric bill savings on this?
MegaDeathwarrant 4 months ago
can you send me the plans to iustinn1@yahoo.com .thanks in advance:D good job btwcan you also tell me how much did this project cost in total
piratepandapie 4 months ago
Are you still sending plans? If so I would like a set please. Lightrub4u2@aol.com
Dragonfly7524 4 months ago
nice - pls. email me your design - ppv@hawaii.rr.com mahalo!
alohah3 5 months ago
Go to walmart and buy a gas grill thermometer.
ColeFried81 5 months ago
Were can I get a tank like the one you use?
sal2dragons69 5 months ago
@sal2dragons69 I got mine on craigslist
meatloaf1234 5 months ago
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 5 months ago
@bobqa1 Thanks for trying to tell me that this does not work, but in fact it does. If the water comes into my electric hot water heater and it's already hot, the electric HWH does not have to work as hard to bring it up to desired temperature, thus saving money. Yes it does have to keep it hot, but the initial energy to bring it up to temperature is saved.
meatloaf1234 5 months ago
@meatloaf1234 You are correct. the cost to heat warm water is quite a bit less than the cost to heat cold water. This gent is not thinking.
Apollo101010 3 months ago
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 6 months ago
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 6 months ago
@kellysrcm Sent you the plans. For the glass i wasn't sure which side went up so I tested it both ways and it seemed to get just as hot either way. The glass was mounted on top of the wood, with weather stripping and Great Stuff to seal it up.
meatloaf1234 5 months ago
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 6 months ago
@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 6 months ago
hello , can I have the sketch to try to make one, thank you!!
jorgerojo@yahoo.com
jorgerojo73 7 months ago
hello , can I have the sketch to try to make one, thank you!!
jorgerojo@yahoo.com
jorgerojo73 7 months ago
Hello Mr. Meatloaf1234, does it is safe if I have my relief valve horizontal? Thank you very very much.
jorgerojo73 7 months ago
@jorgerojo73 I dont see why it would not be safe.
meatloaf1234 6 months ago
Very cool! I live in Arizona and pretty much all we have is Sunshine!
GreenCrazyMom 7 months ago
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 7 months ago
What did you electric bill show when you got it ? I gotta know. very good job and a cleaver plan too.
battlestroke7 7 months ago 2
Is this your school project?
kredit787 8 months ago
@kredit787 No, I am not in school
meatloaf1234 7 months ago
Well done for actually doing something!
I was wondering since installing your system have you thought of any improvements?
mruddo1971 8 months ago
@mruddo1971 Actually no, this thing is working just fine as is.
meatloaf1234 7 months ago
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 8 months ago
@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 7 months ago
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 9 months ago
please send plans to: romulus141592@hotmail.com --very good project and excellent video.
EPISTEMESCIENTIA 10 months ago
Great design. Will you send me the plans? jaybaggs33@gmail.com
Thanks for sharing.
jaybaggs33 10 months ago
@meatloaf1234 lol , well thanks for the responce i guess , i just dont have time to read every letter i incounter , i will check the other comments , though i prefer the much friendlier method of a simple dollar figure, nice build thats why i askt u
NOBOX7 10 months ago
@NOBOX7 It's just hard to accurately determine. With the season always changing and my bill always fluctuating, I cannot make a good assumption about how much it is saving, but I know it is because I get a free tank of hot water every day.
meatloaf1234 10 months ago
@NOBOX7 It's just hard to accurately determine. With the season always changing and my bill always fluctuating, I cannot make a good assumption about how much it is saving, but I know I am saving money because I get a free tank of hot water every day.
meatloaf1234 10 months ago
Nice! Can you please email me some plans/details to sherazkhan@xtra.co.nz
Also, if the sun is not as intense, do you thing that sticking a fresnel lens on the glass top help?
sherazscaffolder 10 months ago
@sherazscaffolder Fresnel lens not a good idea, that just focuses the energy, it does not change the amount the tank will get. Then you will burn one part of the tank, and the rest of the tank will be in the shade.
meatloaf1234 10 months ago
@sherazscaffolder that's the problem in california half year no intense sun, what can do?
frajaguta 8 months ago
@sherazscaffolder that's the problem in california 3/4 year no intense sun, what can do?
frajaguta 8 months ago
how about a bbq meat thermometer?
bodyheals 11 months ago
what will happen when 200* water comes in your shower?
bodyheals 11 months ago
@bodyheals It wouldn't get to my shower at that temp, it mixes with the water in my inside HWH and is cooled first.
meatloaf1234 10 months ago
should get a diversion pipe to heat your home too...
bodyheals 11 months ago
@bodyheals I live in Florida not really necessary.
meatloaf1234 10 months ago
I would like prints too Also where did you get the water tank?? Thanks
Kenny_mack2000@yahoo.com
kennethdsm1 11 months ago
Comment removed
kennethdsm1 11 months ago
dumb question...how do you fill it with water? Maybe I missed that part. Thanks.
dead4fun 11 months ago
@dead4fun It's filled by the city water just like any regular HWH.
meatloaf1234 10 months ago
I would like the prints, randyking1967@yahoo.com
randyking1967 11 months ago
Awesome project. Thanks for the video
randyking1967 11 months ago
how much money does this save you
NOBOX7 11 months ago
@NOBOX7 One million dollars
meatloaf1234 10 months ago 5
low-e glass can be ordered to many different specs so it does not always mean the same thing. Depending on your climate the low-e glass can be designed to allow a chosen amount of visable light (VLT value) and a chosen amount of infrared light (SHGC or SHGF) to pass through the glass. Low-e glass can also allow IR heat to escape or trap it depending on what makes sense for where you live. Cool project, highly effective, i would gues a high SHGC/SHGF and that its intended to trap IR heat.
hochausingsing 11 months ago
I'm in the NYC area, do you think it's worth building one here?
aofnyc 11 months ago
I love the project and all the discussion! Please send me the plans dougasr51@aol.com
Do you have any other unique projects or going green and save money projects you have done or plan to do?
dougasr51 11 months ago
I'll love to take a look at the plans, I'm doing research for a school project, thank you!
rojilp1@gmail.com
rojilp 11 months ago
Comment removed
rojilp 11 months ago
Sorry
All his is new to me
sleepingbao@polka.co.za
TheSleepingbao 1 year ago
You mention using LowE glass in your design. LowE is designed to reflect most of the radiant heat from the sun back out, normally keeping it from entering a house. This is keeping a great deal of heat from entering your box?
mwatts3012 1 year ago
@mwatts3012 I don't think that is the case. If that was the case, how does my tank get up to 160 degrees when it's 90 degrees outside?
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
I am wondering a few things.
How much did your electric use, in KWH, decline, as a percentage of your old energy amount?
About the reflective backing, is that an attempt to concentrate the sun light on the tank?
Would it work better if the backing was black instead of reflective?
We are trying to decide how to build a solar water heater like this.
Th anks in advance.
craftmatic2 1 year ago
@craftmatic2 I'm not able to calculate the exact percentage. The reflective backing serves as an insulator as well as to reflect the sun's rays onto the tank. If the back was black that would not be as effective, it is the tank I'm trying to heat, not the back of the box.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
@meatloaf1234
Great job
How do I get plans for the solar water heater?
TheSleepingbao 1 year ago
@TheSleepingbao You have to send me your email address.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
a solar water circulator pump would do wonders - it will keep you inside tank full of hot water thru the night - also - i used pvc - and it got so hot the glue joints didnt hold up -- and i had some leaks and melt points - so i went with all soft 1/2" copper after that happened...
kchedville 1 year ago
@kchedville The idea was to make this passive, without any moving parts or pumps.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
Great job -- you should also paint the outside the box all black non gloss also -- it will help a lot and put an insulated cover on it at nite time
kchedville 1 year ago
@kchedville I really don't have the time to be placing a cover over this at night, then possibly forgetting to remove it the next day and missing the sun. The double paned glass was the solution and serves as an insulator. Painting the box black wouldn't make much of a difference because the box is so well insulated, i dont think much of the heat would get in, it would only make this thing an eyesore and maybe cause the wood to warp over time from getting too hot.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
May I have a copy of the plans please. email: chuckpops@hotmail.com
chuckpop 1 year ago
in may 2010, I started shutting off my breaker for my hot water tank and only turning it on about 1/2 hr. before I new I wanted a shower. As with adding surge protectors to tv,microwave,. unplugging cell chargers etc. i installed a clothes line in my yard, and wood stove.No electric heat a all. My bill used to be in the 200-300 range. And now ranges from 35-55 dollars a month.
ebsaville 1 year ago
id like to put 1 on roof of motorhome ,im making,anyone help me with advice?its to get shower+washing ,not drinking water,.would it get to hot if not used ?the odd time we get sun in uk lol,pressure relief valve maybe?i even want to harvest rainwater in tank to supply solar heater ,would pump or thermal syphon work?maybe even central heating in van lol ,.,.any nutty professors reading this ???lol
honkydudeman 1 year ago
@honkydudeman This design would be too heavy to put on top of anything.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
Thing i noticed is that this is just used to top off your hot water tank so your still heating your tank in the water all day. My thought would be to use a smaller water tank inside. Just a thought.
cableairman 1 year ago
@cableairman Yes, this is a pre-heater. I still have an internal hot water heater, I cannot rely solely on the sun to heat my water or I will end up with cold showers sometimes. This system helps the internal heater to work less. When I use hot water during the day, it is replaced by the solar heated water.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
@mostly4moderate If the water temperature reached 212 degrees from the sun, I'd be more worried about other things than my hot water, such as scorched earth. But yes, there is a pressure release valve of course.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
Are the savings enough to justify the costs and upkeep? Just thinking about making one of these, and wanted to do a little research first. Nice video by the way.
perkinsfan 1 year ago
@perkinsfan The saving has more than covered the cost of building it, and there is no upkeep, I haven't touched the heater in over a year since it was installed.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
I second that question.... Have you noticed any difference in your water heating costs?
perkinsfan 1 year ago
@perkinsfan Yes, I have noticed a savings in my electric bill.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
@perkinsfan Yes, I have noticed my electric bill has declined.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
So did it save you money in your water bill? Hope so. Let us know ^_^
zeekle 1 year ago
@zeekle The intention of this is not to save water, rather, save electricity. And yes, I have noticed a savings in my electric bill.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
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hey meatloaf my email is hd1200cs@gmail.com thanks in advance for the plans to make the box
hd1200cs 1 year ago
This is a passive solar water heater right?
llewmorcsquared 1 year ago
@llewmorcsquared Yes, this is a passive solar water heater, there are no moving parts, no pumps, the pressure from the city water source feeds it.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
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can you send me the plans for the box email hd1200cs@gmail.com thanks
hd1200cs 1 year ago
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awsome build can i get the plans also i live in nc maybe i can "stick it to the man" ie (electric company) thanks
hd1200cs 1 year ago
awsome build can i get the plans also i live in nc maybe i can "stick it to the man" ie (electric company) thanks
hd1200cs 1 year ago
@hd1200cs I need your email address to send the plans.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
Where did you get that tank from?
helloman1976 1 year ago
@helloman1976 I found someone selling a used hot water heater on craigslist.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
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The time has come for Free energy to be revealed ,But the Big corporations spend millions to ensure that information does not spread to the masses,Go to LT-MAGNET-MOTORdotCOM and get the blueprints for a genuine magnet motor ,Be the revolution!
dharmastipulate 1 year ago
Hey mate I'd love to get a copy of the plans for this. Thanks :)
tonyphoenix@live.com.au
tonyphoenix1000 1 year ago
SORRY i FORGOT MY E-MAIL ADDRESS.
limeybobby2000@yahoo.com
limeybobby 1 year ago
i now live in the philippines where we have an abundance of sun, and like what you have done, could you please e-mail me the specs for bulding such a unit.
Thanks,
terence Jenkinson
limeybobby 1 year ago
I really like what i see could you send me the plans joebandana@netzero.com
pturner328 1 year ago
-- nice work. Thanks for the upload!
cantecleer 1 year ago
Will you send me the plans on how to build this. rtash@cox.net
caliper34 1 year ago
I like the design, I think you did a great job. I live in okc, want to do something like this for my house. Will you send me the set of plans.
caliper34 1 year ago
Looks neat and all but how do you stop cold water from entering your hot tank when the sun is not out?
ckoch407 1 year ago
@ckoch407 I do not ever stop the cold water from entering the tank when the sun is not out. That is not how this system is designed. When I use hot water, the hot water will come from the outdoor tank into my indoor HWH, and then that water is replaced in the outdoor tank by the city cold water to then be heated. If it happens at night, it will just be heated the next day.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
hello my name is John: could you share how I can put the same plan together at my home. coleman.john@gmail.com
hephzibah2able 1 year ago
you could also insulate your tank inside the house to save energy.
MrBlue609 1 year ago
why not paint the box black too to soak up more heat?
ouch on the price of glass I guess pray for no hail storms. Looks really nice and neat good job. :)
copefarms 1 year ago
Thanks for sharing!
DrMattBlack 1 year ago
Summer update: so far this unit has been operating extremely well. It's been in service for 9 months now, with no issues at all. It gets extremely hot, I've seen it as high as 160 degrees inside the box on a hot summer day. Quantifying exactly how much electricity is being saved is difficult, but I know it is doing it's job because my power bills are definitely lower than they used to be.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
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@meatloaf1234 , Great project. Congratulations. Can you send me copy of plans?
Thanks. Elba
elbardalet@hotmail.com
dijola444 1 year ago
send me your email and i can send the plans.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
@ meatloaf...I would love to get a copy of the plans...thanks in advance - floridacommercial@verizon.net
promisedgrace 1 year ago
I'd like to receive technical details of this ... thanks
maxbttlCAD 1 year ago
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excellent! thank you, we are in Andalucia, Spain and we have probably as much sun as you have in Florida. So I'll definitively start to copy your model thank you again for sharing this. My email is manolo.espinoza@gmail.com
man62hu 1 year ago
Nice video, let us know how it's doing.
gchenley 1 year ago
Nice work. I'm looking into doing something similar. Thanks for the video...
matrixm777 1 year ago
Is the glass reversed or something? Do you know which Low-E coating was used?
tmgibs34 1 year ago
@tmgibs34 I'm not sure which coating was used. There are 2 pieces of glass. I don't know which one, or if both, have the coating.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
@meatloaf1234 you do of course realize that low-e glass is designed to block uv radiation, right? ie- you would realize more energy into the system with non low-e glass. Definitely good idea on the double pane for insulation tho
stmotorsports 1 year ago
@stmotorsports The Low E glass helps keep the heat inside. I check the temperature regularly and the tank gets up to 140, 150+ degrees on a sunny day, I think it is doing its job, I'm not sure how much hotter it could possibly get.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
@meatloaf1234 technically we're both right, Low E resists radiant energy from the side of the glass where it is higher ie- in the morning when the sun first gets on the panel it would have to overcome the E factor of the glass enough to begin heating up the inside of the collector. Once the level of radiant energy inside the panel rises above that which is coming from the source, only then does the Low E glass work in your favor and trap the heat inside.
stmotorsports 1 year ago
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datzfast 1 year ago
Why put low-e glass on a box when goal is to get solar gain? Low-e glass inhibits solar gain.
tmgibs34 1 year ago
The Low-E glass prevents the heat from escaping when the sun goes down. When the sun is up, plenty of heat is getting in.
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
@meatloaf1234 While you did a great job on the overall construction. The Low E glass is blocking Solar irradiation from entering. It's NOT blocking the heat all that well from escaping at night. As that heat is being transmitted to the colder air. You need a lid with the same reflective Styrofoam stuff.
Only way glass insulates well is if it is double paned with an inert gas inside. Sure, it's keeping some of the heat inside, bit not efficiently.
Still, kudos to a great job!!!
TheSunergizer 4 months ago
Awesome vid...I just got GE's heat pump hot water heater for my net-zero solar powered home....
MrEnergyCzar 1 year ago
I was wondering how this is working out for you? Did you see any savings on your power bill? I am in south east florida and was interested in this project.
Gr8stuffis 1 year ago
Continued: ........
Anyway batch water heater is working fine - I'm getting 150 degrees in the middle of the afternoons on sunny days and about 110 on very cloudy days. Great showers for all. We are located in south central Florida north of Lake Okeechobee, FL. I do not know why everyone doesn't do this.
Tax credit????
jwlncat 1 year ago
I got $120 back on my taxes by claiming $400 in cost for this heater. I also got another $120 back for my solar light landscaping system. I picked up a solar panel, marine battery, day/night timer, and some bright LED landscaping lights. My yard is lit up like a baseball diamond:)
meatloaf1234 1 year ago
Nice unit. Unless you are using the reflective foil insulation, inside of a unit, to provide a focal point on the back side of the unit, which is difficult to do with a rectangular shape, then the unit may attract and retain more heat if you were to line the inside of the box with something black in color to attract more IR waves? It would still be double insulated, but capture more of the longer waves?
brianwesley28 2 years ago
I am using the reflective insulation so the rays to get to the back of the tank.
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
Right on, man. If you ever build another unit, it would be interesting to see if there is any difference in the temperature that is achieved if you use a larger cylindrical outter form that is lines with highly reflective material? In a parabolic fashion? I'm considering building one in that manner, as soon as I find the right materials and application. I want to insulate it, so I'll most likely place the entire thing in an insulated enclosure. Nice looking unit, man.
brianwesley28 2 years ago
Hi - Can we get the plans for the preheater?
msdnicholas 2 years ago
Yes you must send me your email address so I can send you the plans.
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
I see you finished up the wood exterior with a coat of paint. Did you P.U. the wood or is that exterior paint?
I see why you placed your bread box so far from the house - great southern exposure.
KasinH 2 years ago
I used waterproofing on the Pressure treated wood, then I painted it with exterior paint.
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
oh and about how much, in total did this project cost?
CrimsonTheOriginal 2 years ago
Yes, I'd be curious about that as well. Budget is important.
KasinH 2 years ago
Around $400 I think.
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
That is extremely impressive, what kind of education, formal or informal do you have in this kind of engineering? I dont have much but am extremely interested in doing a few projects to make my home more "green" , im just wondering how much working knowledge i will need to get something like this done.
CrimsonTheOriginal 2 years ago
Longwood
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
Really! I have a brother in Longwood! Btw. i'm posting a video today with a link to this one. Thanks for the vid!
GoatHollow 2 years ago
Hey man, pretty cool. I am thinking about doing hot water next, into solar panels right now. Where are you at in FL? I am in east central FL.
skippy3840 2 years ago
The tank is a standard 40 gallon hot water heater, stripped of its insulation. I used two 8 inch copper pipes (3/4 inch) connected to the tank hot/cold, Copper to PVC transitions, many 2x4's, plywood (all pressure treated then watersealed), fibreglass insulation, reflective foam insulation, CPVC pipes, and cutoff valves.The Low-E glass which was two 1/4 inch pieces of glass. I also used Great Stuff insulation and strips of foam weatherproofing to seal the space between the glass and the box.
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
PVC or CPVC? PVC only stands up to 140F (60C). If you're getting over 200 degrees, I'd be concerned about your pipes taking the heat. CPVC can stand 180F (82C), but still not over the 200 degrees you're apparently getting. I'm curious as to why you didn't use copper the whole way, or if you're worried about pin holes, use PEX for your underground and indoor installation? Sounds like a great insulation job on the bread box itself.
KasinH 2 years ago
I used strictly CPVC outside the box because you want to use that for water you will wash with or drink. PVC would be for landscaping. Copper would have been much more expensive and harder to work with. Insulated CPVC works just fine. I wouldn't say the water is getting up to 200 degrees though, that may have been the temp in the breadbox when there wasn't anything in there, but with a full tank of water it wouldn't get that hot.
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
Great job! Could you tell me what kind of water tank you used for your project? also could you show more in detail the conections to the inside tank and what kind of fittings did you use to connect the copper piping to the pvc? Thank you!
vava1229 2 years ago
Thanks for sharing video and plans. Nice job on the base (blocks). I used to shut off the water heater when I leave home then turn it back on when I return from work that saved money too but this idea is great, and well explained. And it is true, you will save lots of money by eliminating or reducing the water heater bill.
virlusun 2 years ago
My first electric bill since installing this water heater was $50 cheaper than the month before. However, the weather has cooled a bit this month so my AC has run less, but the water heater was only in service for about half of the billing cycle.
meatloaf1234 2 years ago
Walmart has a nice cooking thermometer for $12. Has a remote probe so you could put the main devce on the outside of the enclosure.
Nice job on the heater! Very well built.
zebra61 2 years ago
Walmart's therm. doesn't get below 150, if that's the one I've seen. I bought a term. on Amazon that ranges from 50 degrees up to 500, plenty for the 120 degrees most water heaters are set at these days.
KasinH 2 years ago