272 Solar Can Heater

272 soda cans, 115 degree snap switch, 1500 cfm squirrel cage, and endless amounts of time.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cansolair
• soda
• can
• heater
• pop
• solar

[natedogg1026]

Thanx 1969. I too was gonna try the aluminum foil. Just never got that far but should work. The reason I mention corrigated in the vid is because it's easy and cheap. Get the size you need and suspend it inside and there ya go. I like richallen's idea of using the downspouts but unsure how much that stuff is. Good luck, keep us posted.

[souleeze]

@natedogg1026 how would you go about connecting the corrugated panels into the headers. I know the cans connect via holes but how does the panels work that way.Did you ever make your other heater with the corrugated panels..if so how did it go. Thanks

[natedogg1026]

@souleeze, I have yet to make another one but my buddy did. He used a wood frame, shower door, and corrugated. Worked like a charm. He just suspended the corr. in the box and passed the air through with a small fan. There is no connection to the headers. It's like your home furnace, the way the air just pulls the heat off the elements as it passes by. My first one was a wood frame w/foam board in the back. I just glued the cans to the foam as if they were stacked. Got hotter than my big one did.

[natedogg1026]

Came from work. It was a ventilation fan for two offices. Coldest it gets in winter is 5F. Mine still may be modified a bit when I have time. For now it's not bad. I think that mine could be a lil better insulated but the box I used was only 4" deep.

[natedogg1026]

A 120 cfm fan willnot push the air the 30-40' I have to travel. Not to mention it splits half way(Y's) and dumps into our kitchen and living room. 1500 cfm's is really not much air for that distance. It's only a trickle by the time it comes out. Most of the people making these heaters are pumping the air directly into the room behind the heater and that's why they use such small fans. Works like a space heater. A space heater won't heat the other side of your house. All the heat disipates.

[N8Dogg1002]

Soul, I have yet to make anther one but my buddy did. He used a wood frame, shower door, and corrugated. Worked like a charm. He just suspended the corr. in the box and passed the air through with a small fan. There is no connection to the headers. It's kinda like your home furnace the way the air just pulls the heat off the elements as it passes by. My first one was a wood frame w/foam board in the back. I just glued the cans to the foam as if they were stacked. Got hotter than my big one.

[lad18913290]

WOW, that's a lot of cans! nice furnace though! i only put 132 in my unit, and it drove me nutz!! using cans is a lot of work, like you said. the next furnace i build, i'm going to use corrugated tin roofing, aluminum flatstock, and a metal break/bender to create my own baffle design (i'm a carpenter, so bending aluminum flatstock is pretty easy for me, comes with the job) to help slow the air down. i'm also going to try to locate a used thermal pane to help trap the heat in the unit.

[moxohol]

When you use corrugated aluminum on your next collector - will you use a baffle design to improve time on exposure?

[the1969info]

Hi, I like your video. I understand about the work with soda cans. I am going to create solar heaters for my home and as a side business. Here is food for thought. I have read the thinner the material (aluminum) the faster it will absorb the heat.

So for me, I am going to use foil to catch the sun, I thought i'd suggest it to you. For me it will be in many strips, in a fan design. So the strips are aligned with the sun thru the day, more or less. anyway good luck!!!

[matrixm777]

Good size unit. Well done.

[ithorburn]

Where did You get a 1500 cfm fan?

My panel is almost as big as yours and I have to use two fans 177 CFM each. One fan pushing air into the panel and the other pulling air out. How Cold are the winters in your area?