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bennelson · 10-13-09, 01:43 PM

Well, it's not working, because it's not hooked up.

Last week, I took the "Intro To Solar Hot Water" workshop through the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.

The instructor told me that external tube-in-a-tube heat exchangers work well in that they are simple and don't clog with sediment the way some other heat exchangers can, but they are pretty in-efficient.

Also, after taking the workshop, I don't think I want any plastic involved ANYWHERE in my solar heating system. I used PVC connections to make a coupler to attach the heat exchanger to the hot water tank, but it was only because it was cheap and available. I couldn't find the right brass/bronze parts anywhere.

I have just been pretty busy lately, and we have hit our cloudy season about a month early around here.

I don't think I will have a "for real" system hooked up until the spring. Until then, I will keep learning all that I can about solar water heating, maybe take another workshop and learn more about solar sighting.

In the workshop I took, there was a photo of a tube-in-tube heat exchanger, similar to the one that I made, only it used 2" copper tube on the outside and FOUR 1/2" tubes running through the inside. That makes a heat exchanger with four times the surface area of the one that I built!

Building a heat exchanger of that style may be an upcoming project.

10-13-09, 01:43 PM	#8
bennelson Home-Wrecker Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 546 Thanks: 3 Thanked 165 Times in 96 Posts	Well, it's not working, because it's not hooked up. Last week, I took the "Intro To Solar Hot Water" workshop through the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. The instructor told me that external tube-in-a-tube heat exchangers work well in that they are simple and don't clog with sediment the way some other heat exchangers can, but they are pretty in-efficient. Also, after taking the workshop, I don't think I want any plastic involved ANYWHERE in my solar heating system. I used PVC connections to make a coupler to attach the heat exchanger to the hot water tank, but it was only because it was cheap and available. I couldn't find the right brass/bronze parts anywhere. I have just been pretty busy lately, and we have hit our cloudy season about a month early around here. I don't think I will have a "for real" system hooked up until the spring. Until then, I will keep learning all that I can about solar water heating, maybe take another workshop and learn more about solar sighting. In the workshop I took, there was a photo of a tube-in-tube heat exchanger, similar to the one that I made, only it used 2" copper tube on the outside and FOUR 1/2" tubes running through the inside. That makes a heat exchanger with four times the surface area of the one that I built! Building a heat exchanger of that style may be an upcoming project. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.