# Solar Space Heater?



## mainemac (Nov 7, 2009)

Hello

http://www.fwhorch.net/solarsheat.html

Wondering if any of you have used anything like the solar space heater?

Sounds interesting, the unit is mounted on a roof, cool air from inside is drawn up into the unit and then heated and returned.

Tom


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## kenny chaos (Nov 7, 2009)

Mother Earth News was teaching people how to make their own almost 40 years ago.
I never had one or met anyone who did so I don't know how they work.


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## PapaDave (Nov 8, 2009)

mainemac said:
			
		

> Hello
> 
> http://www.fwhorch.net/solarsheat.html
> 
> ...



http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/mssungrabber.htm
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2006-12-01/Build-a-Simple-Solar-Heater.aspx

Been thinking of doing this in the pole barn shop. Anything to keep the furnace from firing up!

Edit: Here's the SolarsHeat home page: http://www.yoursolarhome.com/solarsheat.com/index.html

Dave


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## DBoon (Nov 8, 2009)

You could think of this as a "perfect" window - one that absorbs solar gain to the house but never gives heat back to the outside.  I'm not sure it is really that perfect, but think of it that way.  

This device delivers 6000 BTU/day.  For simplicity sake, consider that to be about 1-1/2 kWh/day.  The most expensive heat is pure electric heat, so let's use that as a cost comparison.  In my area, a kWh costs $0.15 during the day.  This would deliver to me $0.22 worth of heat every day, and save me (best case) $33 worth of "heat cost" a heating season.  For that savings, I pay $2000, or roughly 60x the savings per year.  That's tough to swallow.  Even if you had money to burn, there are better ways to spend it than this. 

If you made your own, the economics undoubtedly get better.


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## rhetoric (Nov 8, 2009)

Yes.  Build your own.  If you can stick to scavanged stuff, it's worth it.  But it's only going to save you some money -- you're not likely to heat your house with it.  And one you buy will probably be a hair more efficient (the one I'm building will have non-iron free glass for instance), but since I will pay about $50.00 for everything...


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## CaddyUser (Nov 9, 2009)

Here is a link to another type of solar heater that uses recycled aluminum cans:

http://cansolair.com/

One guy at work has one, and he likes it quite well.  As was mentioned in other posts, it certainly won't heat the house entirely, but it is a help.

Check out Youtube too.  There are a fair number of videos on solar air heaters that people have built. 

I was thinking about building one myself this winter to experiment.....

Hope this helps!


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## Later (Nov 9, 2009)

I built a few flat plate collectors back in the 80's. Very simple thermosiphon devices. We used Fiberglas greenhouse glazing and black painted corrugated metal roofing to adsorb the heat. All in an insulated box. We made them the size of the glazing and attached them vertically on south facing walls.


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## 4acrefarm (Nov 9, 2009)

I built one this summer the size of a sliding glass door 3'x6', it has black polyester felt as an absorber. it is curently convection only but I will sd s small pv fan when I get to it. It will produce 130* on a good day and cost around $75. Im hoping it will raise temp in bedroom 5-10*. Next year I will build another 3 times the size for another section. this will be ducted into heating system.


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## mainemac (Nov 10, 2009)

4acrefarm said:
			
		

> I built one this summer the size of a sliding glass door 3'x6', it has black polyester felt as an absorber. it is curently convection only but I will sd s small pv fan when I get to it. It will produce 130* on a good day and cost around $75. Im hoping it will raise temp in bedroom 5-10*. Next year I will build another 3 times the size for another section. this will be ducted into heating system.




Thanks for all the thoughts. sounds like we should be looking to 'diy'
4 acre and others:
My wife (aka she who must be obeyed) asks:
How much does this block the view, ie is it pretty?

Tom


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## 4acrefarm (Nov 10, 2009)

from the outside it looks like a big window with black drapes. on the inside it is a vent near the floor and one near the ceiling. It does not get mounted in a window you use a blank wall space. see my thread "solar hot air colector with black polyester absorber" for pictures.


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## Later (Nov 20, 2009)

Very similar to the trombe wall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombe_wall


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