Another solar air heater - honeycomb metal mesh

[drew4justice]

After seeing the simplicity of Olsen's design and reading other material where cans arent punched and utiliized, I decided to take a go at it. 

I had an old window, and the front of a computer/server rack which is metallic and has a nice honeycomb perforated pattern to it.



I routed a channel for the glass and rabbited the rear to hold insulation and backing material.  I painted it all back with high temp paint, stacked cans sideways along the side and held them in place with black mesh screening material.  Note: the air does NOT flow through the cans, just across.

I had to cut the metal door down to fit the box.



The air MUST flow through the mesh and the tower door to exhaust.



I built a window unit to place in the sill for easy removal.  The ductwork between the window and the heater will surely get cold in the winter, so  I'll need to insulate some more.  A thermostat controlls the fan.  I need to clean up my wiring a bit, but it's just a test.



And a few readings after sitting in the sun about 20 minutes...

[Bruce S]

Looks pretty slick 
One thing you might do is put a little paper type flap on the exhaust so the air from the warm room doesn't flow backwards.
BTW: I like my beef medium
Great way to use what you have on hand!

Thanks;
Bruce S

[drew4justice]

Haha! I won't be cooking any meat on it, but if I do I'd assume you want ribs, St. Louis style?  

Thanks for the input... I had my fan sucking air out of the box for testing but since then I've reversed air flow and a created makeshift backdraft damper.

 Now all I need is sunshine!  It's been dreary but the trees are awesome, and I'm color blind!

[ChrisOlson]

Drew,

I think you have proven, just like I found out, that making those solar hot air panels overly complicated doesn't really pay off.  Just slap a piece of glass over something black with a few bumps or holes in it, shove a couple hundred CFM of air thru it, and it "just works".

That panel I built is doing a beautiful job of keeping my shop at 70 degrees with night time temps in the 40's and daytime in the 50's.  Even on cloudy days it works fine but it doesn't put out as much heat and the fans cycle on and off.

Wait until winter when you get light reflecting off the snow into that vertical panel.  Then you'll get heat.   
--
Chris

[ghurd]

Looks great Drew.

Wondering, given your lattitude, maybe it could use a bit less tilt when winter arrives.
G-

[Bruce S]

Haha! I won't be cooking any meat on it, but if I do I'd assume you want ribs, St. Louis style?  

Now how did you guess that  ?

[Bruce S]

Drew;
I learned a new word this week from TV no less  .
While watching the Science channel a new show came on ( at least one I had not seen before) and this guy used an old Metal Arts word "obtainium".
I think for these fine quick put together, money savers. this word fits.
We here at work have these nice doors that are from our server racks and we've been wondering for years what to do with them.
They are currently stored in our Phone/network DeMARC room.


These have a nice fine holes all through them.
After seeing what you've built ; I believe I may have found a use for them, sans the lock of course.
Thanks for the idea!!
Cheers;
Bruce S

[drew4justice]

It's ironic;  The goal was to keep these server doors as cool as possible.  Now, the goal is to make it warm as possible!  

One thing I didn't mention, and you can't see it in the photo.... I had a bunch of old CPU heat sinks that I salvaged from decomissioned servers, and I fastened them to the board in the back to retain heat.  Something to consider for your project...

I have a few more tower doors which I'm saving for a project that I will permanantly affix to my house.   I need to re-side one face of my house and I'm hopeful that the intrinsic value of the aluminum at the junkyard will pay for the project.

Keep me posted on your project.

[drew4justice]

Looks great Drew.

Wondering, given your lattitude, maybe it could use a bit less tilt when winter arrives.
G-

Thanks for the tip, G.  I need to keep it slanted back right now so the wind doesn't carry it away.  I have it foolishly leaning against the house with no mount!

Drew

[drew4justice]

These have a nice fine holes all through them.
After seeing what you've built ; I believe I may have found a use for them, sans the lock of course.
Thanks for the idea!!
Cheers;
Bruce S

OK Bruce.  We gave you two months. Time to post your updates.   
Just curious if you started yet..?

[Bruce S]

None so far sorry
Work gets in the way. One more "project" and my better 1/2 is gonna shoot Santa if he even gets near the house 
I have the doors at my house and the wood ready to go, then work called and they of course got put on the back burner.
can I blame it on getting old, work or just plain lazy?
Bruce S

[TomW]

can I blame it on getting old, work or just plain lazy?
Bruce S

Yes!

[Bruce S]

can I blame it on getting old, work or just plain lazy?
Bruce S

Yes!

You answered that way too fast! You in cahoots with my wife 
Sending Amy and all those  Americorp newbies to your place for some good enviro-learn-in'
Got any snow you can send this way?
Cheers;
Bruce S

[bj]

Bruce:  the rumor that you can beat Tom to the punch is just that--a rumor.

[Bruce S]

Bruce:  the rumor that you can beat Tom to the punch is just that--a rumor.

Started by my better 1/2 no doubt  .

[drew4justice]

Ok Bruce.  we gave you 1/2 year.  Time to post your progress. 

[bob golding]

simplist i have seen is a corrugated iron sheet sprayed black with a  piece of glass or  polycarbonate on the front. insulated on the back . gap at the bottom and the top. stand it up vertically and there you go. cheap simple and quick to do. i like cheap quick and simple.

[Mary B]

Mine made from aluminum dryer vent is running as I type. Worked well down to -20 outside temps. One of the cheapest ways to add supplemental heat I know of.once built all it takes is a little electricity for the blower.

[john8750]

I built a pop can heater for my hobby shop with 70 cans inside a box under Plexiglas. Plumbed it with 2 three inch ducts on the bottom to a plenum using 2 49 cfm fans. Air moves thru 7 rows of cans and out the top plenum thru 2 three inch ducts dis-charging right over the top of my head. It will not do much to heat my whole shop, but keeps me very warm.
I control it with comparator circuits, even a set point.
Was a fun and practical project.

John Smith

[MattM]

There has to be a low tech low price way to vacuum seal a box in a box, kind of like a see through thermos, to isolate the solar energy using less insulation.  You could avoid all use of insulation using a vacuum to isolate the collector from the cold outside air.