Modified Solatube

[PHinker]

I installed a 10" Solatube about a year ago in a first floor bathroom and I am really happy with it.  My wife now wants a couple that extend into the basement (running the tubes through closets to hide them).  This would require a number (5-6) extenders that run around $60 each not to mention 10" holes through the roof and main floor.

My idea involves putting an ambient light gathering lens (either hollow convex or hourglass shaped) and directing the light into a 3" pvc which I've painted with highly reflective aluminum or chrome paint.  This could be run down between the studs of the interior walls and then diffused at the destination.

Has anyone seen something like this done already?  No point in re-inventing the wheel.  I am familiar with the Himawari Lighting product but am unwilling to pay the $3k for the 6-way version.

Thanks

[tecker]

  You can construct a chase for the tube outside the house and renter in an exterior

wall.

[iFred]

I don't think it's been mentioned but what about fiber optic cable? If you can get it cheap, scraps or leftovers from somewhere, maybe internet... You could have it anywhere and pull it anywhere.

Another thought would be to use existing inside walls studs, for example, if you could use a single inside wall, pick a single run (2x4-16inch space) from roof to ceiling, coat the stud wall portion (the 16inch space stud to stud) inside the wall somehow with tin foil or cheap mirror, then have solatube in the top and in the basement a single diffraction window.

While i'm thinking about it, take a single 4 or 6 inch plastic pipe and cut it in half lenghtwise, glue tinfoil to the inside of the pipe and reassemble.

just a thought.

[monte350c]

Hi,

You could use either round galvanized furnace duct, or round aluminum dryer duct. It comes in 4 foot lengths, and it's "open" when you get it. There's a sort of lock tab all the way down the pipe, and to join it the thing just snaps together.

It's hard to explain - if you look in the heating dep't at H-Depot or Lowes you'll see the stuff.

The neat part about getting it "open" is that you could glue in some mylar or tinfoil for added reflectiveness then just snap the section together.

Actually the stuff is pretty shiny on its own - who knows it might work as is.

Ted.

[PHinker]

The Himawari product uses an array of sun tracking fresnel lenses which focus the light into fiber optic cables which can then be run up to 13 meters.

I hadn't thought of using a dead space between studs but it's a good idea.  I'll have to think on it a bit.  I had thought of splitting 3" PVC and either painting it with chrome/reflective aluminum.

Thanks for the ideas.

[PHinker]

Right, the extenders that you buy with the solatube are similar in that they look just like regular 10" round furnace duct that's been treated by a product from 3M called SpectraLight which is highly reflective.  I hadn't thought of the dryer duct but I'll take a look at it.  I do think the interior of the ducting (whatever you end up using) will have to be treated with either aluminum foil or painted with a highly reflective paint.

Thanks for the ideas

[PHinker]

I would like to be able to keep all the light tube interior and reduce (if not eliminate) the number of bends since I think it will only reduce the ultimate amount of light delivered at the destination.  I hadn't considered running it outside the house but I guess it wouldn't be hard to disguise it as downspout or similar.  Also, this gets me thinking that it might be possible to mount the collector near grade and just come through the foundation in the room where I want the light.

Thanks