Passive solar heating panel plans

 As most of the regulars in both newsgroups know, I developed passive
solar heating panels

   http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

and sold them on-line until October 2010 to fund R&D of solar engines

   http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/Fluidyne/

Now that I've become physically unable to produce the panels myself, I'm
considering making a How-To available for others to build them.

   http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/SC_Madison/SC_Plan.html

Just putting together a good set of plans for someone else to work from
will take a fair amount of time and attention away from other efforts,
so I'd like to invite anyone who has a serious interest to let me know
using the "Feedback" button on the bottom of that page. If there isn't
enough interest I won't waste my time.

Warning: The project isn't as easy as it might seem at first glance -
and all dimensions are critical.

--
Morris Dovey
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
PGP Key ID EBB1E70E

 
My interest waned when the local plastic panel supplier quoted about
$
per square foot. I have some of the much cheaper HD/Lowe's panels
outside on roofs for long-term durability testing. So far the clear
PVC panels failed, Suntuf polycarbonate has held up pretty well to
heavy snow and falling branches but hazed over somewhat.

Instead of the galvanized panel screws that rust I used stainless with
washers punched from old inner tubes.

jsw

 On 2/8/2011 10:24 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

I used Polygal(tm) 6mm twinwall polycarbonate (sold as a roofing
product) and have had excellent results. I have a 30 year old scrap from
my first Minnesota project of similar 1/4" GE material that still looks
brand new. I think you'd have to look pretty hard to improve much on
that $
/ft^2.


I used stainless steel wherever I could (except on the trim, where I
used 1/8" aluminum). Even the pop rivets used to secure my absorber were
stainless. By the end of production I was even using stainless steel
"paint" to protect from UV, moisture, and cellulose-eaters. :)

I've heard too many stories of panels being junked after only five or
ten years of service. We all like to keep costs down, but sometimes it
really does make sense to 'spend what it takes' to do a quality job.

--
Morris Dovey
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
PGP Key ID EBB1E70E

 Morris Dovey wrote:

I have seen a similar design that uses aluminum cans to create the air
flow. It is an interesting design.

Jim Rojas

 On 2/8/2011 10:39 AM, Jim Rojas wrote:


<grin> If you have, the similarity ended with the box. The bad news is
that an aluminum can collector _can't_ be efficient for space heating.

--
Morris Dovey
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/
PGP Key ID EBB1E70E