My hot air panel project - Page 2

jwxr7 · 04-03-09, 09:36 AM

I've been slowly cutting the materials to size for this project. I came up with a cookie cutter way of cutting all the holes in the manifolds where the absorber tubes connect. I found a metal can of the right diameter and sawed the end off so I can twist it down thru the foam board and remove a plug. It works fairly well. I have to use a blade to finish the cut on the foil on the other side. Here are some practice cuts.P1010104.jpg

And the tube fits well.P1010105.jpg

jwxr7 · 05-06-09, 09:40 AM

I got a little more done over the weekend. I need to finish it to make room for my saturn sc2 project. I don't know if I will get time to do a wind power project for a while

. I'm making sure I finish this solar panel before getting too involved with the car. The panel is farther along than the picture shows. I have almost half of the tubes stretched and cut to length with some paint on them. The side insulation is installed too.

jwxr7 · 05-06-09, 09:45 AM

here are the 2 glass panels I'm planning to use (not the smaller shower door). Also the completed tube manifold pieces.

Daox · 05-26-09, 11:32 AM

Any updates on this project? I'm pretty anxious to see how this all works out!

jwxr7 · 06-14-09, 03:38 PM

I haven't been getting much done on it. I did move it to a more convienient spot. I have all the tubes roughly cut to length and painted. I think the thing that's slowing me down is the manifold front metal. I bought a coil of roof flashing that is wide enough to use, I just don't know how I want to attach it yet. I also cut the 2 tube manifold pieces in half lengthwise to make it easier to set the tubes into place on assembly. It's hard to get motivated on a heating project when it's warm outside.

I should just get it done, summer sun will help me test it.

jwxr7 · 07-30-09, 03:11 PM

Here's an overly compressed picture of some progress I made on the panel.
Here I'm basically dry fitting all the parts ignore the baffle placement in the manifolds. I plan to spray more paint on some of the tubes. I need to do some testing after I install the manifold front covers and hold the glass down to the front. I will be deciding where to put the inlet and outlet as well as how many tubes to run in a parallel circuit by moving the baffles around in the manifolds. I ended up buying a 12ft piece of aluminum material that is flat to use for the manifold front covers. It should be alote easier to install than coiled flashing.

Daox · 07-30-09, 03:43 PM

Wooo, its coming together!

Still anxious to see how this works. What are the dimensions of the box?

jwxr7 · 07-30-09, 07:42 PM

it's about 65" x 67"

jwxr7 · 04-26-10, 09:23 AM

I will finish this someday

.

It's pretty close to done I just need to seal it up enough for testing and get the glass retained. During testing, I will decide on a fan system and thermal controls. After that I need to decide real hard about drilling a couple big holes thru the shell of my house

. I think that has been my biggest hang-up, besides having too many other things going on. I may end up using a couple of windows for the intake and exhaust.

gasstingy · 05-04-10, 01:04 PM

I used a Mother Earth News article to design and build a solar air heater at my house. It took me over a year, due to having too many projects at once. Plus, I over-engineered it to death. I stuck it in the window (~45 degrees outside) and in about 30 minutes it was putting out very low flow, but 105 degree air. Decided it needed a solar powered fan. Didn't buy the fan. Didn't cover the glass when summer came. Did look at melted solar air heater in mid-summer.

You might consider having a way to cover it in the hotter months, I know I wish I'd considered that.

04-03-09, 09:36 AM	#11 (permalink)
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 192 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've been slowly cutting the materials to size for this project. I came up with a cookie cutter way of cutting all the holes in the manifolds where the absorber tubes connect. I found a metal can of the right diameter and sawed the end off so I can twist it down thru the foam board and remove a plug. It works fairly well. I have to use a blade to finish the cut on the foil on the other side. Here are some practice cuts.P1010104.jpg And the tube fits well.P1010105.jpg (Support EcoRenovator.org & get rid of these annoying ads!)

06-14-09, 03:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 192 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I haven't been getting much done on it. I did move it to a more convienient spot. I have all the tubes roughly cut to length and painted. I think the thing that's slowing me down is the manifold front metal. I bought a coil of roof flashing that is wide enough to use, I just don't know how I want to attach it yet. I also cut the 2 tube manifold pieces in half lengthwise to make it easier to set the tubes into place on assembly. It's hard to get motivated on a heating project when it's warm outside. I should just get it done, summer sun will help me test it. Last edited by jwxr7; 06-14-09 at 03:40 PM..

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05-26-09, 11:32 AM	#14 (permalink)
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 1,487 Thanks: 0 Thanked 14 Times in 12 Posts	Any updates on this project? I'm pretty anxious to see how this all works out!

07-30-09, 03:43 PM	#17 (permalink)
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 1,487 Thanks: 0 Thanked 14 Times in 12 Posts	Wooo, its coming together! Still anxious to see how this works. What are the dimensions of the box?

07-30-09, 07:42 PM	#18 (permalink)
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 192 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	it's about 65" x 67"

04-26-10, 09:23 AM	#19 (permalink)
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 192 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I will finish this someday . It's pretty close to done I just need to seal it up enough for testing and get the glass retained. During testing, I will decide on a fan system and thermal controls. After that I need to decide real hard about drilling a couple big holes thru the shell of my house . I think that has been my biggest hang-up, besides having too many other things going on. I may end up using a couple of windows for the intake and exhaust.

05-04-10, 01:04 PM	#20 (permalink)
gasstingy Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 122 Thanks: 8 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I used a Mother Earth News article to design and build a solar air heater at my house. It took me over a year, due to having too many projects at once. Plus, I over-engineered it to death. I stuck it in the window (~45 degrees outside) and in about 30 minutes it was putting out very low flow, but 105 degree air. Decided it needed a solar powered fan. Didn't buy the fan. Didn't cover the glass when summer came. Did look at melted solar air heater in mid-summer. You might consider having a way to cover it in the hotter months, I know I wish I'd considered that.