Fieldlines.com || Make your electricity from scratch!

Front Page - [Homebrewed Electricity-- (wind) (solar) (hydro) (steam) (controls) (storage) (mechanical)] - Classifieds - Site News
Everything - Newbies - [Remote Living-- (housing) (heat) (light) (water)] - Reviews - Diaries - Our Products

Hot air panels - trim complete
By Dave B, Section Solar Posted on Sat Feb 07, 2009 at 02:23:43 PM MST
Finally ready to move - one to go

I had the aluminum trim made at our local heating and air company, I wanted a specific size to cover the face of the glass and insulation underneath the glass. Stainless screws and sealant tape really secured the trim. (the low res. photo makes the trim look wavy, it's not.)
These are heavy with the double pane glass and Dave's shop here has a great hoist system that he built himself of course. We strapped and lifted the first one flat on it's back and set it right into his pickup slick as can be. It's resting comfortably now right against the wall where it will be mounted. The next one should be just as easy to get down here then we'll figure the next plan to lift and mount them.
I'll be hole sawing the vent holes in the wall very soon (they are already marked) so this will be all set when we go to install the panels. I'm getting anxious to work on the fan and control system after they are up. Hopefully the next update will show these installed. It's been a fun project so far, we'll see how it all works out soon. Dave B.

Hot air panels - trim complete | 4 comments (4 topical)

Re: Hot air panels - trim complete (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by MattM on Sat Feb 07, 2009 at 06:47:13 AM MST

They look really sharp. The job on the glazing looks amazingly professional!

I know you are flashing around the box. Without a drip edge on it your wood is going to suffer like so many people found out over the years with sky lights. My first impression with flat panels are they typically are going to be mounted suspended off a roof, but it sounds like you are going to mount these to be flush on the roof. Even if you bring your flashing completely around the box and down to the roof that moisture coming off the glazing is going to slowly work behind the glazing and after a few seasons it will be noticeable underneath your glazing. Granted the wood is treated, but the aluminum glazings are like a straw.

The siphoning effect and the ability of water to hold enough tension to wrap itself back under an edge are some of those factors that you really have to respect by default. Water really likes aluminum and sticks to it at the pore level, drawing it close to all of its exposed surface. The aluminum picks up heat and transfers it to the air much more quickly than most other materials which makes it especially tricky as a framing material. Any time you have temperature variance you have siphoning; it is just one of those unavoidable facts in construction. As the aluminum gets thicker its characteristics really shine. A thin aluminum flashing doesn't have the raw sucking ability of the heavier extruded stuff. Notice how the professional installers make an effort to isolate extruded aluminum away from other materials.

If you get a drip edge to bring that water safely down to the flashing on the roof your water isn't likely to be a problem except in snow buildup conditions. As your wood is treated with marine grade sealants, you probably don't even need to get it down more than four inches down the side of the frame. Four inches is a pretty safe measure for drip edge when it comes to preventing the siphoning effect. (I see too many jobs these days were eaves are beginning to rot out because some ass hat roofing contractor went with the cheap lumber yard drip edges on guttering that measure around an inch tall.) The important point here is that you do move the water over the edge and allow it to drip off away from the frame. Too little of a kink in the drip edge and the water tension pulls it right around and actually up higher on the backside than the original kink. The drip edge thwarts the ability of water to wrap. Breaking the link of the water to the surface prevents the siphon effect; you're putting a hole in the middle of that proverbial straw. A straw with a hole in it isn't a very good device for sucking fluids.
----------------------------- Go Huskers!

Re: Hot air panels - trim complete (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by Dave B on Sat Feb 07, 2009 at 11:51:42 AM MST

Hi Matt,
Thanks for the comments. These will be mounted vertical flat against the South wall. There is a 4' roof overhang above and only on very rare stormy windy conditions does this wall ever see any rain or snow.

The aluminum trim is not a permanent part of the glass but made as a semi flashing itself. I will set up an overhang type of flashing for the tops so that any water will not rest on the flat frame as well as a drip edge for the bottoms.

I like wood and these should also look pretty nice mounted on my log home wall. The stain / sealant on the frames is the same as on the house and it will be easy to slap this on again when it looks like it needs it, same with the house. They may last a few years, 10 years, 20 who knows.

I can't wait to get them up as a permanent addition to my home. Thanks again for the lessons on wood, moisture and flashing. Updates to follow. Dave B.

[ Parent ]

Re: Hot air panels - trim complete (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by heynow999 on Sun Feb 08, 2009 at 08:54:03 PM MST

I'm new here

Looks good so far.

I have been thinking about getting a commercially made hot air solar panel for my house and I have a few questions you may be able to answer. Are you going to have any kind of heat storage? The problem I see with these panels is that they will only work on sunny days, when the need for heating is less during the day. Is the plan to heat the house as much as possible during the day? I wouldn't mind my house being 85 degrees in the winter!

Peter

Re: Hot air panels - trim complete (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by Dave B on Sun Feb 08, 2009 at 11:27:43 PM MST

Peter,
Thanks for the compliment. For right now I plan to just use the hot air direct into the rooms directly behind the panels or where I decide to vent it. Heat is heat and I'll heat this house up as hot as the sun allows during the days we get sun and it's cool or cold outside. My heat storage is the thermal mass of my log home so I will be taking advantage of that for sure.

If things work really well I may figure an air to water heat exchanger to help preheat my hot water during the warmer months. I won't bother with trying to tilt the panels though as these are going to remain vertical as primary hot air for the colder months. Fun stuff for sure, Dave B.

[ Parent ]

Hot air panels - trim complete | 4 comments (4 topical)

Menu

� create account
� How to use the board
� FAQs
� search the board
� Google search the board

Login

Make a new account

Username:

Password:

Total Views

��118 Scoop users have viewed this posting.

Related Links

� Also by Dave B

You must be a registered user to post here. It's easy and free, and the link is on the upper right side of your page.
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Postings are owned by the poster, but may be deleted or moved at the ADMIN's sole discretion. The Rest � 2009 Forcefield.
You can Email the board ADMIN here. PLEASE include the username you signed up with!