Super Simple, CPVC Solar Hot Water Collector

[penetrus]

Równie głupiego pomysłu na solary życiu nie widziałem. Człowieku wygrałeś główną nagrodę w konkursie na kretyna roku.

[TheBob2432]

Thanks ,good job.

[MrRodahi]

Thank you so much for your great video! BTW, I would like to see the videos of those who THINK they have a better system or idea.

[GScottVideos]

@MrRodahi Thanks for your kind words!

[ezdeezytube]

Awesome video! What if you had zero space between the vertical tubing, would that not produce the same amount of heat but in a much smaller panel?

[GScottVideos]

@ezdeezytube As long as we have a good thermal bonds between the aluminum and the CPVC risers, a good percentage of heat is transferred to the fluid. That said, the closer together the risers are, the better the performance, though that will add to the build cost.

[lakecrab]

Why would you not paint the PVC and frame flat black and leave the back panel reflective? Seems it would be more efficient.

[GScottVideos]

@lakecrab Hi, light is energy. We want to capture as much of that energy as possible. The more that reflects all the way out through the glazing, the less energy and resulting heat we harvest.

[rickhaworth13]

@lakecrab Good question. Why not use corrugated steel panels, such as roofing panels, place the pipes in the troughs, slightly elevated, so the sun light can strike the bottom of the pipe as well as the top. The spacing would be slightly greater, but the increase in light/heat collection would more than make up for the loss of volume.

[aimforcody]

you could also use schedule 80 pvc its not nearly as fragile.

[GScottVideos]

@aimforcody Hi, I think the thermal conductivity is enhanced with the thinner CPVC. There is minimal pressure in our solar systems, so the thinner is fine. It is plenty strong enough.

[imatelly]

i got one q.

why use the t's would you not get a better heating of water,if you used u's and had the water run through every toob one at a time?

it seems it would heat better,this system has low flow sections id figure.

[GScottVideos]

@imatelly Actually, the pex collector to the right has the serpentine flow you describe. I am getting much better performance and lower resistance from the parallel flow, CPVC design.

[imatelly]

@GScottVideos awsome ty,last q i swear.

is there a plastic covering on the front of this,or can you just walk up and touch the metal on the front,that is being used to heat up the inside,

[visualco2]

Great video Scott, and seeing a father and son doing projects together is even better. Keep up the good work and great videos. Thanks

[GScottVideos]

@visualco2 Thanks for your kind words!

[GScottVideos]

I used a Taco 009 pump because I have such a long run from the house (nearly 150 feet). Between the roughly 300 foot round trip, another 300 feet of pex in the pex collector and about a 100 foot copper coil in the thermal storage tank, that is about 700 feet. I used 1/2" pex. I should have used larger for the underground run out and back to the collector. The parallel flow of the CPVC collector is good because it offers so little resistance.

[mag7mm1]

what size pump do you use to transfer glycol mixture? what size pex did you use?

[CheapEnergyIdeas]

if u build another one thought u might try spraying the cpvc with Permatex copper gasket maker-to put a direct contact copper film on the cpvc..should make it even more efficient, i'm going to also try your cpvc design thanks.and FYI ..u can get prechanneled aluminum soffitt 4" space channels at home depot for fins(see one of my vids).peace

[blurglide]

Don't look at just degrees of temperature rise. Heat transfer is proportional to the temperature difference The closer the temp of the water is to the collector plates, the less heat you'll be able to extract. Turn the flow around so it flows through the pex first and I doubt you'll see the +15 in the CPVC you're seeing now.

[CheapEnergyIdeas]

oh and i forgot to mention a bypass to a swimming pool or hot tub is a great Summer "Dumpload" for excess solar heated water or partial shade cloth. Me ,i like my pool warm!;)

[CheapEnergyIdeas]

Hi Scott, another nice collector..i found pex wont fail as long as the water flows thru so i would at a proper rate, i assume the cpvc cannot get too hot if the flow rate is controlled , ie if the temp approaches the material limit increase the flow rate by perhaps having a second pump kick on via thermostat. secondly it would be nice to compare the performance of the pex if it was T'd like the cpvc and spaced the same...maybe pex lengths would fit in cpvc T's ?Keep up the good research man!

[GScottVideos]

@CheapEnergyIdeas Hi, the CPVC is rated to about 200F, so even if the flow stops, if you build with a high tilt angle to maximize th winter sun, you should be okay. PEX can handle a little hotter, but CPVC Ts are cheap (13 cents), while PEX Ts can add up.

[GScottVideos]

@thestonemaster81 Hi, I use a water / environmentally friendly glycol mixture in the run from the thermal storage tank to the collectors, so the fluid never freezes.

[GScottVideos]

@thestonemaster81 Hi, I use Suntuf glazing for the cover here. It is readily available at Home Depot. There is a lot more info about glazing on our Simply solar group archives.

[thestonemaster81]

Good point about the freezing. 

[my2cents0]

Great video! Looks like a lot more cvpc in that collector than in the pex collector (talking total footage) .Do you think that could help explain the better performance? (\O

[GScottVideos]

@my2cents0 Hi, yes, I think the additional CPVC is the promary reason for good performance, along with parallel risers. Thanks for your kind words on the video!

[RimstarOrg]

Great work, Scott and Brad! And thanks for taking the time to make this video for us.

[GScottVideos]

@RimstarOrg Thanks Steve!

[ppdodoboy]

That's a pretty nice design. It looks very simple. I'm trying to join the yahoo solar group but I'm having a problem.

[GScottVideos]

@ppdodoboy I can add you to SimplySolar if you continue to have problems.  Just e-mail me direct and let me know.

[jcanivan]

Good job Scott.

That's an interesting way of using CVPC. Where there is a will there is a way. You also have a good helper.

[GScottVideos]

@jcanivan Thanks John!

[DailyDrivenAutosport]

Yet another great video! Thanks for sharing.

[GScottVideos]

@DailyDrivenAutosport Thanks!

[GScottVideos]

Hi, I use a water / environmentally friendly glycol mixture in the run from the thermal storage tank to the collectors, so the fluid never freezes.

I use Suntuf glazing, readily available at Home Depot for the clear cover.

[thestonemaster81]

As far as the cover is it better to have . Single pain glass double pain glass or plastic???????????

[thestonemaster81]

But when it freeze pecks tubes will not burst CPVC will

[strider3700]

@thestonemaster81 PEX is more resistant to bursting but freezing it is still a bad idea. this system seems to be using antifreeze so it's a moot point.