PREP DIY Window Solar Heater?
- Thread starter Mail Lady
- Start date
Walker10
Veteran Member
Here's another place with pretty explicit instructions. I'm thinking about making one of these for my large shed instead of humping the kero heater out there in the Winter.
http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/article17solar.htm
http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/article17solar.htm
Spark Farkle
Contributing Member
It's called a heat grabber. I think you can find plans on the Mother Earth News website.
Go to this Mother Earth page
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2006-02-01/Do-It-Yourself-Solar-Heat-Collectors.aspx
There are links to several different designs.
I am in the process of building one of these, but it probably won't be completed until fall. I will be putting it in the same window where an air conditioner is in the summer.
This is close to the design that I'm using:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/1977-09-01/Mothers-Heat-Grabber.aspx
I actually got my plans out of a book on Passive Solar. It goes into quite a bit more detail on the design aspects of these units.
I like this design better than the one in the mobilehomerepair link given above because it does NOT need a fan and therefore electricity.
My plan is to heat with this during the day, the wood stove during the evening and night and only have the propane furnace kick on only when it is either very cold or cloudy. I sure hope it works.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2006-02-01/Do-It-Yourself-Solar-Heat-Collectors.aspx
There are links to several different designs.
I am in the process of building one of these, but it probably won't be completed until fall. I will be putting it in the same window where an air conditioner is in the summer.
This is close to the design that I'm using:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/1977-09-01/Mothers-Heat-Grabber.aspx
I actually got my plans out of a book on Passive Solar. It goes into quite a bit more detail on the design aspects of these units.
I like this design better than the one in the mobilehomerepair link given above because it does NOT need a fan and therefore electricity.
My plan is to heat with this during the day, the wood stove during the evening and night and only have the propane furnace kick on only when it is either very cold or cloudy. I sure hope it works.
Giblin
Veteran Member
Yes, I'm going to try something to catch the sun's heat. 2 of my friends and I have been studying all summer.
Right now we are thinking of using the plastic outside "storm windows" (we all have the new energy saving 'E -gas' thermal replacement windows) then cracking the inside window at the bottom and top to circulate air. Now we are trying to design a 3" chamber system to fit in the bottom half of the double hung with foil insulation and a small $.99 battery operated fan to push the air through. We figure it will work best Nov/Dec & Mar/Apr but be to cold to use in the dark of winter. We would open the windows before work and close them when we get home on sunny days.
Anyone have any other type of plans? Or suggestions to improve our idea?
The Motherearth design means keeping the window open letting very cold air into the house and some of the other designs I've seen mean major construction and removal of window casings.
We also have the tracks for the screen we could use and tossed the idea around of getting a screen frame made with acrylic but the prices came to about $37 - $50 a window.
Besides the oil and propane going sky high we have had electric rates go up 10 % all ready with another increase in the Fall. And property taxes went through the roof.... So we are trying whatever we can to lower our costs, as we keep the temp at 62 degrees last winter. Wood is not a viable option for our homes at this time.
Thanks,
Gib
Right now we are thinking of using the plastic outside "storm windows" (we all have the new energy saving 'E -gas' thermal replacement windows) then cracking the inside window at the bottom and top to circulate air. Now we are trying to design a 3" chamber system to fit in the bottom half of the double hung with foil insulation and a small $.99 battery operated fan to push the air through. We figure it will work best Nov/Dec & Mar/Apr but be to cold to use in the dark of winter. We would open the windows before work and close them when we get home on sunny days.
Anyone have any other type of plans? Or suggestions to improve our idea?
The Motherearth design means keeping the window open letting very cold air into the house and some of the other designs I've seen mean major construction and removal of window casings.
We also have the tracks for the screen we could use and tossed the idea around of getting a screen frame made with acrylic but the prices came to about $37 - $50 a window.
Besides the oil and propane going sky high we have had electric rates go up 10 % all ready with another increase in the Fall. And property taxes went through the roof.... So we are trying whatever we can to lower our costs, as we keep the temp at 62 degrees last winter. Wood is not a viable option for our homes at this time.
Thanks,
Gib
The Freeholder
Inactive
i cooked up something of my own design, very cheap, worked pretty good. I took 2 large (about 24" x 36") cardboard boxes and cut down to be 6" deep. Then I sprayed the inside black, and took some clear plastic and covered the open side. Cut holes at the bottom back (not the bottom or they're covered up when you set it down 
) and at the top to allow the air to flow through.
In a south-facing window, these would raise the temp inside my nearly uninsulated garage 10-15 degrees. That window caught direct sun probably 6+ hours per day.
) and at the top to allow the air to flow through.In a south-facing window, these would raise the temp inside my nearly uninsulated garage 10-15 degrees. That window caught direct sun probably 6+ hours per day.
