Solar Hot Air Project #2 - Micro Solar Test

This is a micro solar hot air project just to test out a basic setup using the old flat black painted pop cans. They sit in a cardboard enclosure lined with aluminum foil, and all painted flat black with BBQ paint (for heat resistance). I have a 1 watt solar panel hooked up to a 0.98 watt cooling fan which is used to such the air through the cans. This is a great micro example of a solar hot air system. The PLUS to this project is that its indoors so you don't have to first warm the unit or the air, it just reheats household air!

Another great feature is that when the sun is not heating the unit, neither is the solar panel producing electricity for the fan, so when its hot, the unit will provide heat, at night, it will sit idle. Now THAT is low maintenance!

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Howto & Style

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• SolarHotAirProject#2

[micahgallant]

Hi CTOL1. I just put them in the window where they are out of the way, not in our sight line. It captures more heat then what the room would pick up anyways because its flat black. The rest of the room, whether wood, or carpet if light, tends to reflect more of it back. Having it outside as another window is the best but then you need to have it full sealed, have insulated ducts back into the house etc. This simple method just pulls in the room air and warms it up a few degrees with each cycle.

[CTOL1]

Great! Pretty sure you would need to have it outside though for any true gain, as the Suns infrared is already inside the room regardless? Nice proof of concept however.

I look as these heaters as adding another "window" where you cant put one.

Approx 1000 watts per Sq. meter or about 3400 BTU is nice to grab when it floods your way

Thanks for posting