"Glazing" Unglazed Panels

launboy · 04-30-18, 02:01 PM

Been a minute since I posted, but since I'm newly a homeowner, and my home has baseboard electric heat. My head is now spinning with alternative ideas.

I have roughly 160k btu worth of unglazed mat style solar pool water heater panels. They're awesome in the summer, but severely suffer when the ambient temps drop or the wind picks up. Was thinking about experimenting with "glazing" these.

The plan would be to build a wood frame around them and cover with greenhouse plastic, most cost effective but not sure how much would reduce btu output, plexiglass, or even old windows, though there are athstetic issues with that last one. Anyone ever done anything like this before or have thoughts?

jeff5may · 05-11-18, 10:59 PM

As long as the panels can stand up to the heat the idea will work. When the water is not flowing and the sun is shining, the panel temperature can get pretty high. Real glass windows are pretty good insulation compared to other transparent materials and admit more light as well.

04-30-18, 02:01 PM	#1
launboy Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SE Wisconin Posts: 107 Thanks: 3 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts	"Glazing" Unglazed Panels Been a minute since I posted, but since I'm newly a homeowner, and my home has baseboard electric heat. My head is now spinning with alternative ideas. I have roughly 160k btu worth of unglazed mat style solar pool water heater panels. They're awesome in the summer, but severely suffer when the ambient temps drop or the wind picks up. Was thinking about experimenting with "glazing" these. The plan would be to build a wood frame around them and cover with greenhouse plastic, most cost effective but not sure how much would reduce btu output, plexiglass, or even old windows, though there are athstetic issues with that last one. Anyone ever done anything like this before or have thoughts?

05-11-18, 10:59 PM	#2
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	As long as the panels can stand up to the heat the idea will work. When the water is not flowing and the sun is shining, the panel temperature can get pretty high. Real glass windows are pretty good insulation compared to other transparent materials and admit more light as well.