Hot Water System

dealova

Does anyone have information, pictures or drawing about how to build a roof top cylinder heated by copper tubes in vacuum tubes which should provide all domestic hot water in the summer period ? We would like to build it if it's effective.

BCConstruction

I installed a system once with very similar setup but it was made by a company in the UK. It was sheets of tin that had a black oxide coating which got very hot in almost no sunlight there was a you shape channel that run through every tile and copper pipe was laid inside this channel. Then it covered the whole roof area. Roofer then come in and laid glass tile all over the roof to cover the system. You wouldn't have believed how hot the water got from less than 300ft of 3/8th pipe.

Just do a google search for solar heating systems and there's many on the market. Very simple systems also.

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Choscura

My grandfather built one of these from aluminium or tin sheeting and glass about 25 years ago. It measures about 3 x 2 meters and works in conjunction with a 40 gallon gas water heater to provide hot water for 3 floors. Water pressure is maintained by a reservoir in the attic.

I've researched a bit on my own: the critical parts seem to be a glass top layer to allow light to heat the inside, causing infrared radiation (heat), which is trapped and blocked by the glass (glass blocks all infrared light- or more accurately, glass allows light in the blue-green part of the spectrum to travel furthest). the heat then absorbs into anything cold, such as the water pipes passing through. for the most efficient heat transfer, copper tubing should be used, or failing that, some type of aluminium alloy (second best for heat transfer). Don't use iron or plastic piping, they don't transfer the heat efficiently enough, and plastic pipe will warp and melt. These things get hot, even in the dead of winter.

dealova

Thanks Choscura & BCConstruction for the info, if I wasn't wrong this system called ICS (Integral collector storage) or batch heater. Can somebody advice if it's better to purchase the materials (DIY) or purchase the a whole system from a manufacturer ?

BCConstruction

I have seen a few people just buy the pump control units and then pick a solar collector or even knock one up their self. It's really not at all hard to do. here's a system like we used in the UK and im almost certain they could be found over here. I think this was the Giordano unit but there's many other made that look almost identical.

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s.kelly

I expect you would get more efficiency from a engineered and purchased unit. There is a good site on DIY.. I think it is builditsolar.com. Lots of ideas and examples for different things

dealova

Thanks BCConstruction & s.kelly for the info....