solar heat from pop cans...

[Trollkiller]

Quote:
If you are willing to drill a couple of holes in the wall you can create a small solar water heater below your waterer.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-your-own-flat-panel-solar-thermal-collector/

run the lines so that the Hot water expels at the top and the cool water draws off the bottom.

 

[barnkat]

That solar water heater seems pretty nice. It's a little more complicated than the air/can heater, using some tools I don't have, but I'm sure I could figure something out. I could definitely use some of it's design in fixing up something for my coop.

It would be nice to see that someone has already built something like this for their coop, and hear how it's working for them. When I finish something (don't hold your breath, I'm a notorious procrastinator working on too many projects at once) I'll be sure to post something about it.

 

[avenir.jim]

The use of solar panels in residences has proved to be the best and most cost-efficient alternative for utility power. However, the use of solar power has yet to reach its full potential in the residential market.There are a number of companies that have already come up with more aesthetically-pleasing solar panel designs.Here is a link that might be useful: solar heat information

 

[Hen_House_Rocks!]

What do you guys think about this idea to keep water source from freezing in winter? If I installed a length of black hose on the roof of the run (say 10' or so) coiled up so that it has a large surface area and then run it down into the run to a nipple watering system, do you think it was stay thawed in NE Missouri? Anyone else tried a system like this? I think the water on the roof would stay thawed, but would the nipple freeze up?

 

[mdbokc]

Just saw this thread. My FIL near Omaha, NE, buildt solar heaters using cans cut it half, painted black, solid ends fastened to the collector base. The air was pretty free to pass from the air inlet to outlet; the cans provided increased surface area to collect heat. The air was directed in the house to either heat the house (used a rock mass) or heat the water. This was 40 years ago and his all electric home in the country used almost no electricity. It was so simple and efficient compared to today's commercial offerings. I have never seen it duplicated and wish I had paid more attention. He was way ahead of his time. He could heat his house even during a NE winter.

 

[2txmedics]

OMG!!! I came in and read a few post on this...its awesome and a great answer to what we all need!!!! But I dont have time to ready them all SO IM LOCKING IT IN!!!!

Id like to study this more!!!!

 

[Hoosiermomma]

I just love this thread!!! It has been so fascinating reading through all of the posts and the information is timely considering we're going into the colder months soon (may already be cold in some places).

 

[ColoradoMike]

Thanks for the thread bump - this is along the lines of what I've been contemplating in order to keep my hens' water from freezing this winter... Our coop is ~100' from the nearest outlet and I'm not at all excited about rigging up an extension cord for an electric dog water bowl for the winter. We have lots of sunny days in the winter here in CO, so I'm thinking about trying to make some sort of solar water heater that I can install for the winter months...

 

[Hen_House_Rocks!]

Does anyone that lives in an area that gets below freezing during most of the winter have experience with the nipple waterer's?

 

[SpringChicken2010]

I was wondering about the water issue too! Let me know your opinions on this. I've seen the water heaters that use a box with a light bulb and a pie tin. Do you think it would work to use this heater and run a tube to a box filled with rocks and the pie tin over top.

Would the heat warm the rocks and in return heat the pie tin and water? Wouldn't the rocks hot the heat for awhile too?

What do you think?