DIY solar water heater

A solar water heater is a great way to reduce your energy consumption, thereby saving your budget. Solar energy can heat water for various needs for at least six months, and at other times it can also help heat a home.

Operating principle of solar water heater

Modern heaters act as equipment to convert sunlight into thermal energy. They are capable of heating a house and providing water heating mainly in sunny areas, provided that they are installed in a large open area.

There are many types of solar heaters, but they all work on the same principle. All systems consist of a circuit with sequential placement of devices that transmit thermal energy. The basis of the device is solar batteries, powered by solar collectors.

The collector is a collection of interconnected pipes. Water, anti-freezing liquid or ordinary air circulates through them, which ensure cooling of the mechanism. Circulation is provoked by evaporation and pressure changes within the system.

Energy accumulation is provided by special absorbers. The absorber is an iron plate attached to the pipes, with a blackened surface.

When making a water heater cover, a material is used that can transmit sunlight without problems (usually impact-resistant glass). Materials made from various polymers may not tolerate direct exposure to ultraviolet rays, so when using them, a high-quality cooling system is installed (mostly antifreeze is used).

If the device is installed to heat a small room without its own heating system, then a small single-circuit structure is constructed. It is worth noting that it will only work in sunny summers. In the case of installing the heater in double-circuit structures, it should be taken into account that the collector will process only one circuit. The main load will be placed on the heating system built into the room.

Despite the dependence of this type of heaters on sunny summer weather, demand on the market is growing every year. They found their recognition among people striving to use natural energy to the maximum.

How to make a solar water heater with your own hands

The device is a tubular radiator with a diameter of 1 inch, placed in a wooden box. The structure can be thermally insulated using polystyrene foam. Using a galvanized iron sheet, you need to additionally insulate the bottom of the device. It is imperative to paint the materials black to speed up the heating process, with the exception of the glass lid, which is painted white.

As a container for water, you can use a large iron barrel, which is placed in a box made of wood or plywood. Empty space must be filled. Sawdust, sand, expanded clay, etc. are suitable for this.P.

DIY tools and materials for a water heater

To construct a solar water heater, the following materials and tools are required:

• glass with frame;
• construction cardboard under the bottom;
• wood or plywood for a box under a barrel;
• coupling;
• filler for empty space (sand, sawdust, etc.);
• iron corners of the lining;
• radiator pipe;
• fastenings (for example, clamps);
• galvanized iron sheet;
• iron tank with a large volume (300 liters is enough);
• black, white and silver paint;
• wooden bars.

Solar water heater manufacturing process

The process of making a solar collector with your own hands is not only exciting, but also brings a lot of benefits. The created device will make it possible to rationally use solar radiation to solve various economic problems. The specifics of creating a collector in stages are as follows:

1. First you need to make a box for the tank, which needs to be reinforced with beams.
2. Thermal insulation material is applied from below, on top of which a metal sheet is installed.
3. A radiator is placed on top, which must be properly secured with prepared fasteners.
4. The slightest cracks in the body of the structure must be covered and sealed.
5. Pipes and metal sheets must be painted black.
6. The barrel and box are painted silver and after drying, the tank is installed in a wooden structure.
7. The empty space is filled with prepared filler.
8. To ensure constant pressure, you can purchase an aqua chamber with a float, which is installed in the water storage tank.
9. The structure should be placed in a sunny space at an angle to the horizon.
10. Next, the system is connected to each other by pipes (their number and material depend on the size and type of the project).
11. To avoid the formation of air pockets, you need to start filling from the bottom of the radiator.
12. According to such a system, heated water moves upward, thereby displacing cold water, which subsequently enters the radiator and is heated.

If everything is calculated correctly, after some time warm water will flow out of the outlet pipe. Do not forget that sunny weather is a prerequisite. So, the temperature inside the water heater system can be around 70 degrees. The difference in water temperature at the inlet and outlet will be 10–15 degrees. At night, it is recommended to shut off the water supply to avoid heat loss.

The performance of such a device is significantly inferior to store heaters. The efficiency of a homemade device will be much lower, but if there is no need to purchase such an expensive system, you can do everything yourself.

Advantages of assembling a water heater yourself

When constructing heaters to suit their needs, people usually take into account all the nuances and make using the system as convenient as possible for themselves. As a rule, materials are selected to create a certain look and for different needs. So, in the summer they build an impromptu shower outside, a heater for a swimming pool, a heater for a small gazebo on a cool evening, additional heating for greenhouses and much more. The main advantage is the savings on purchasing store-bought heating radiators and complete safety for the environment.