My hot air panel project

jwxr7 · 03-04-09, 11:44 AM

This is a project I started collecting materials for in the fall. It is based off this design.atlanticenergy.ca > projects > Wayne Langille - Solar Air Collectors
I'm doing a much much lower budget version of it though. I picked this project after researching many DIY heaters because of it's seemingly proven performance. Looks like quite a bit of R&D went into the design and I wanted to be as successful as possible the first try.

The project sort of hinged on my ability to source cheap polycarbonate panels. I found $20 clear corrugated 2'x8' sheets on-line and my local hdw store said they could get them since it was thru thier parent company. I was excited, so while waiting for the polycarb to come in, I bought whatever else I needed. A few days later I checked in with the guy at the hdw store. He said he messed up and they can only get a minimum of 10 panels and 100 end seals

. NOT cool, I only needed 2 panels and 4 end seals.

So since then I put the project on hold while I finished my PV array and sat thru the coldest winter since I moved into this house. Now it's time I started looking for a suitable glazing. Many of the home improvement stores can special order only in wierd sizes at high cost. I need to find a cheap local source of either tempered glass or polycarb (not acrylic) because they have to endure high levels of heat.

03-04-09, 11:44 AM	#1
jwxr7 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: mid michigan Posts: 191 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My hot air panel project This is a project I started collecting materials for in the fall. It is based off this design.atlanticenergy.ca > projects > Wayne Langille - Solar Air Collectors I'm doing a much much lower budget version of it though. I picked this project after researching many DIY heaters because of it's seemingly proven performance. Looks like quite a bit of R&D went into the design and I wanted to be as successful as possible the first try. The project sort of hinged on my ability to source cheap polycarbonate panels. I found $20 clear corrugated 2'x8' sheets on-line and my local hdw store said they could get them since it was thru thier parent company. I was excited, so while waiting for the polycarb to come in, I bought whatever else I needed. A few days later I checked in with the guy at the hdw store. He said he messed up and they can only get a minimum of 10 panels and 100 end seals . NOT cool, I only needed 2 panels and 4 end seals. So since then I put the project on hold while I finished my PV array and sat thru the coldest winter since I moved into this house. Now it's time I started looking for a suitable glazing. Many of the home improvement stores can special order only in wierd sizes at high cost. I need to find a cheap local source of either tempered glass or polycarb (not acrylic) because they have to endure high levels of heat. Last edited by jwxr7; 03-06-09 at 06:53 AM..