solar heat from pop cans...
- Thread starter Anny
- Start date
super cool thread! I mean super hot!
Did anyone here on BYC actually build one of the pop can solar heaters last winter? I had researched the heater and was getting materials together, but never got around to the actual building, so I'm going to try again this fall. Got a lot of clean aluminum cans saved--cut the entire top out, have to make a hole or and X cut in the bottom of each can, then use high temp. gasket stuff in a tube to glue the cans together. I have a plan, just need to get it going.
http://www.junkyardsolar.com/air.html
http://www.junkyardsolar.com/air.html
Andi -- that is an interesting design and I really hope you do make it b/c while I'm not going to go to the trouble myself just for curiosity's sake, I *am* curious how well it performs and look forward to hearing your report
For insulating around it in a larger container, one thing you could do is to put the cooler bottle in a good plastic bag, set a few shims of (whatever) under it to prop it up off the bottom of the outer container so there will be insulation under it too, then use a can of that expanding insulation foam. Put some under it, put the bottle-in-plastic-bag on top, then put the expando foam all around it, making sure not to curve up over the top so it couldn't be removed. (The purpose of the plastic bag is so the expando foam does not stick to the cooler bottle, as it *is* quite sticky, so this way you can easily remove the cooler bottle once the expando foam has set). I have used this method for making insulated jackets for horse buckets and troughs and it works pretty well.
sben451 -- I *think* some folks built those but am not sure. However I can tell you that I rig my 4x7 lean-to style front runas a greenhouse for the winter (air goes from coop to run through pophole, then heated air reenters coop through a window enclosed by the run). And the thermal benefit I get from this is so noticeable despite the *very large* size of the building being heated, that I am pretty certain that a popcan type heater WOULD in fact produce noticeable benefit.
The trick is then capturing as much as possible of that heat *in* the coop, through having sufficient thermal mass exposed to it, to give lingering heating through the night. Otherwise all you're doing is making afternoons warmer which is really not particularly pointful
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
For insulating around it in a larger container, one thing you could do is to put the cooler bottle in a good plastic bag, set a few shims of (whatever) under it to prop it up off the bottom of the outer container so there will be insulation under it too, then use a can of that expanding insulation foam. Put some under it, put the bottle-in-plastic-bag on top, then put the expando foam all around it, making sure not to curve up over the top so it couldn't be removed. (The purpose of the plastic bag is so the expando foam does not stick to the cooler bottle, as it *is* quite sticky, so this way you can easily remove the cooler bottle once the expando foam has set). I have used this method for making insulated jackets for horse buckets and troughs and it works pretty well.
sben451 -- I *think* some folks built those but am not sure. However I can tell you that I rig my 4x7 lean-to style front runas a greenhouse for the winter (air goes from coop to run through pophole, then heated air reenters coop through a window enclosed by the run). And the thermal benefit I get from this is so noticeable despite the *very large* size of the building being heated, that I am pretty certain that a popcan type heater WOULD in fact produce noticeable benefit.
The trick is then capturing as much as possible of that heat *in* the coop, through having sufficient thermal mass exposed to it, to give lingering heating through the night. Otherwise all you're doing is making afternoons warmer which is really not particularly pointful
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
Quote:
Well, The aquarium heater wouldn't fit through the opening of the freezer pack. I've searched several places and haven't had any luck finding freezer packs that would work. I am tempted to try using a freezer safe tupperware type container instead, although I haven't gotten that far.
In the mean time I did see a flat backed watering bucket (probably originally intended for horses) that has a cord to heat and is rated to -20°, which will cover almost the entire Winter here in Minnesota. I saw the idea in Back Yard Poultry Magazine. Jeffers has it on sale right now for $26.95. I'm thinking I'll get it and make a lid that would keep the girls off of it. Seeing there's nothing to have to flip or open to clean it and get fresh water in, the bucket idea in the middle of Winter is looking quite attractive. With the opening higher up it should help minimize stuff from getting kicked up into it as well.
I hope a link to a retail site is okay.
http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=FV30JTPFPG419P4H3EH2KW5K4BXD7MH0
Well, The aquarium heater wouldn't fit through the opening of the freezer pack. I've searched several places and haven't had any luck finding freezer packs that would work. I am tempted to try using a freezer safe tupperware type container instead, although I haven't gotten that far.
In the mean time I did see a flat backed watering bucket (probably originally intended for horses) that has a cord to heat and is rated to -20°, which will cover almost the entire Winter here in Minnesota. I saw the idea in Back Yard Poultry Magazine. Jeffers has it on sale right now for $26.95. I'm thinking I'll get it and make a lid that would keep the girls off of it. Seeing there's nothing to have to flip or open to clean it and get fresh water in, the bucket idea in the middle of Winter is looking quite attractive. With the opening higher up it should help minimize stuff from getting kicked up into it as well.
I hope a link to a retail site is okay.
http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=FV30JTPFPG419P4H3EH2KW5K4BXD7MH0
If you want to see a pop can heater construction, Rich Allen has a series of youtube videos showing his first attempt and his revised new-improved designs. I'm planning on putting one on my coop next winter.
Our layer barn is solar heated. The ceiling is insulated and has vents from the attic space. In the winter we change the ventilation so the the exhaust fans pull air from the attic instead of through the wall vents. 5000 sq feet of brown corrugated metal roofing is quite the collector. On a sunny day it is easily 20-25 degrees warmer in the barn.
Quote:
Neat! I've thought of doing that with my chicken building, just never got around to it b/c it doesn't seem real important to me and I've got my little solar run/heater thing going on the front to play with... but hearing that you've got it actually working makes me tempted to go fan shopping again
Pat
Neat! I've thought of doing that with my chicken building, just never got around to it b/c it doesn't seem real important to me and I've got my little solar run/heater thing going on the front to play with... but hearing that you've got it actually working makes me tempted to go fan shopping again
Pat
- Jun 23, 2009
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Quote:
It works, I built a small one many years ago when I was in middle school.
My parents put a passive solar wall on their house based on similar technology, but the contractor who did the work did it poorly. It leaked too much air into the box to be very effective. It was about 20'x20', got quite hot on sunny days with still air, but any wind ruined the efficiency.
It works, I built a small one many years ago when I was in middle school.
My parents put a passive solar wall on their house based on similar technology, but the contractor who did the work did it poorly. It leaked too much air into the box to be very effective. It was about 20'x20', got quite hot on sunny days with still air, but any wind ruined the efficiency.
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