https://hackedgadgets.com/2008/09/18/pop-can-solar-heater/
Anyone know if this works ?
-
GardenGnome
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 755
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:26 pm
- Location: paradise,ca
-
rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Since the data it's based on are from October 2001 (look at the paragraph under the photo), I think we would've heard more--much more--buzz about it in the 10+ years since then if it were a good, useful idea.
I'm very interested in the applications of solar energy, esp. with regard to hot-water heaters, cooking, and passive house heating. I think the [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombe_wall]Trombe wall[/url] concept is more widely applied. The soda-can (dare I say beer can?) idea doesn't seem to have taken off.
One low-tech implementation of a Trombe "wall" I saw was a series of plastic milk jugs painted black, filled with water, and arranged like a wall. During the day, they absorbed heat; at night, they released it, moderating the flux in temperature.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
I'm very interested in the applications of solar energy, esp. with regard to hot-water heaters, cooking, and passive house heating. I think the [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombe_wall]Trombe wall[/url] concept is more widely applied. The soda-can (dare I say beer can?) idea doesn't seem to have taken off.
One low-tech implementation of a Trombe "wall" I saw was a series of plastic milk jugs painted black, filled with water, and arranged like a wall. During the day, they absorbed heat; at night, they released it, moderating the flux in temperature.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
-
GardenGnome
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 755
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:26 pm
- Location: paradise,ca
I did a small one 4 rows of 6 cans I think. But didn't test it yet I kinda set it aside its almost finshed. Just trying to rig a way to blow a slow air flow threw it with what I have on hand.
I wonder if I lined the back of my coldbox with cans if it would heat up.
[img]https://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj565/ericmgilson/2012-02-17_09-14-28_578.jpg[/img]
I like the milk jug idea the can post was just a random one I picked there's lots of them out there. Cutting the holes in the top and bottom of the cans with a drill was abit freaky wear gloves. Cause metal shards and bare skin doesn't mix. Put glasses on also and maybe a mask idk there's metal dust in the air also.
I wonder if I lined the back of my coldbox with cans if it would heat up.
[img]https://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj565/ericmgilson/2012-02-17_09-14-28_578.jpg[/img]
I like the milk jug idea the can post was just a random one I picked there's lots of them out there. Cutting the holes in the top and bottom of the cans with a drill was abit freaky wear gloves. Cause metal shards and bare skin doesn't mix. Put glasses on also and maybe a mask idk there's metal dust in the air also.
-
Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7417
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
I am sure it works. I have built a lot of solar things in the past 35 years. You get 200 BTUs of heat per square foot from sun light. On a very over cast day in 15 degree F weather a solar panel will heat up to 70 deg F. On a sunny day in 15 deg weather it will heat up to 140 deg F. In the summer on a sunny day it will heat up to 310 deg F. I can bake a cake and bake cookies in a solar oven. In the summer I can make steam to run a 5 hp steam engine.
Someone must have a lot of free time and a lot of sore fingers to cut both ends out of soft drink cans and attach them end to end there are much easier ways to build solar panels.
If you have a satalite dish attached a bunch of CDs to it. CDs act like mirrors it makes a great solar cooker.
Someone must have a lot of free time and a lot of sore fingers to cut both ends out of soft drink cans and attach them end to end there are much easier ways to build solar panels.
If you have a satalite dish attached a bunch of CDs to it. CDs act like mirrors it makes a great solar cooker.
-
GardenGnome
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 755
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:26 pm
- Location: paradise,ca
Saving heat from the sun is the main idea. There are many ways to do it and the collector is usually a liquid like water or a wax that freezes at room temperature !. Any metal or dark rubber that is exposed to the sun will heat up. If its insulated it will get very hot and any liquid flowing over it will move the heat to any insulated storage are for later use! Pop cans are too small for what they collect!
If you paint the cans flat black and put something like a storm window or plexiglass in front of the cans it will work. I made one similar for a science project but I used sewage piping and I ended up getting temps like 110F out of the top in full sun (it was only about 45-50F out at the time).
I am planning on making one when I make my small greenhouse. Instead of using pop cans I will be using the Arizona Brand Iced Tea cans just because we have deposit on pop cans here in Michigan. If you were going to make one I would get a solar panel and put a fan on the top and possibly the bottom hole. I just think 2 fans would blow the air through too fast and not warm it up enough.
Check out this video it isn't me in the video but its the video that made me decide to make one. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLNViUsRCVU]Solar Can Heater[/url]
I am planning on making one when I make my small greenhouse. Instead of using pop cans I will be using the Arizona Brand Iced Tea cans just because we have deposit on pop cans here in Michigan. If you were going to make one I would get a solar panel and put a fan on the top and possibly the bottom hole. I just think 2 fans would blow the air through too fast and not warm it up enough.
Check out this video it isn't me in the video but its the video that made me decide to make one. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLNViUsRCVU]Solar Can Heater[/url]