I read a couple of articles on solar heating, looked around the yard and came up with enough material to build this solar window box.
I started with some 2x6 lumber, metal roofing, old shower aluminum trim, paint and of course windows.
The aluminum baffle pieces direct the hot air through the unit. They are attached to the front metal roofing.
I painted the front with a exterior black enamel paint. Cody has to check it out.
Here you can see the center aluminum piece, dividing the box into two sections. The back is now being attached, it is also made of old metal roofing.
Scott punches a rectangular hole through the south facing ashphalt roof.
Beautiful work, fits like a glove.
The solar box is set in place and I install some stainless steel mounting brackets that will hold the unit securely. Inside the house a small fan from an old computer forces the air through the window box.
The blue pipe sends the air into the living room and kitchen on the main floor. After completion my wife found a very good use for the solar heater. She removes the pipe, hangs up the laundry inside of her new, full size, walk-in dryer. Over all this unit has been the best and least expensive way of getting energy into our home. We get 20 degrees celsius in sunlight when the outside temperature is 0 degrees. With the fan running, I have measured temperatures of 50 degrees celsius when the outside temperature is only 18 degrees. Two of the double pain windows cracked on the inside shortly after we installed the unit. The windows were very old 1960's, a little water vapor was inside two of them. The third sealed unit is still intact. This has not had any effect on the heat output. Joe.
