making 17 columns of 15 cans tall siliconed together
OK. 3 months in the making. We finally got a test run on the solar space heater that will be heating an outbuilding this winter and a food dehydrator next summer. I have learned that a can of spray paint doesn't go as far as it use to. I started thinking 3 cans would do it LOL 10..12, I lost track. I now know the difference between silicone, caulk & gap & crack and also how to use them all, wrong. In general, this project became a lot more expensive that it was suppose to. I'm guessing about $230. It should provide free heat until it rots apart and it was built with new wood and lots of metal. Should outlive me.
My design is an organic amalgamation of every YouTube video on the topic and the tools and materials available on hand or cheap. Here are some of the videos I based the design on. Starting by finding the Glass Door (which determined the size - huge). This is a a much larger unit than I have seen a video for. Each can is completely open on the top end and crinkle cut on the bottom and siliconed together (or caulked, i used both cause i don't know no better.). 255 cans collected from family and gatherings. Most of the 17 rows of cans had to be reglued in a place or 2... a time or 2.
The panel is positioned south facing and tilted up. The air rises up through the unit by natural convection.
painted black
air intake hole
air out put hole
black insulator board with the black cans on top, placed in the frame. insulator guide boards at top & bottom help channel the air into the cans instead of over top of them.
Double pane sliding glass door bolted to frame (35bucks for 2 on Craigslist- we still have 1 to play with) The panel is loosely placed where we intend it to function.
Current outdoor temperature 64
beautiful sunny day
120 + ?120 + ?
120 + ?
The test went very well. it was a partly cloudy day and the panel raised the temperature from 64 to AT LEAST 120. that's where the thermometer stopped so we got at least a 56 degree increase.
I still need to add some uphill legs caulk around the door, paint the exterior and attach the out put duct. These things should give it a few more degrees of out put.
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