home landscape design

Solar panels for heating water with your own hands. Do-it-yourself solar water heater - we take heat from the sun. Comments under the video

Energy resources. Free solar energy will be able to provide warm water for household needs at least 6-7 months a year. And in the remaining months - also help the heating system.

But most importantly, a simple solar collector (unlike, for example, from) can be made independently. To do this, you will need materials and tools that can be bought at most hardware stores. In some cases, even what is found in an ordinary garage will be enough.

The solar heater assembly technology presented below was used in the project "Turn on the sun - live comfortably". It was developed specifically for the project by a German company Solar Partner Sued, which is professionally engaged in the sale, installation and service of solar collectors and photovoltaic systems.

The main idea is that everything should turn out cheap and cheerful. For the manufacture of the collector, fairly simple and common materials are used, but its effectiveness is quite acceptable level. It is lower than that of factory models, but the difference in price fully compensates for this shortcoming.

The sun's rays pass through the glass and heat up the collector, while the glazing prevents heat from escaping. The glass also impedes the movement of air in the absorber; without it, the collector would quickly lose heat due to wind, rain, snow or low outside temperatures.

The frame should be treated with an antiseptic and paint for outdoor use.

Through holes are made in the housing for supplying cold and removing heated liquid from the collector.

The absorber itself is painted with a heat-resistant coating. Conventional black paints at high temperatures begin to peel off or evaporate, which leads to darkening of the glass. The paint must be completely dry before you set the glass cover (to prevent condensation).

A heater is laid under the absorber. The most commonly used mineral wool. The main thing is that he endure enough high temperatures during the summer (sometimes over 200 degrees).

The frame is closed at the bottom OSB slab, plywood, boards, etc. The main requirement for this stage is to make sure that the bottom of the collector is reliably protected from moisture getting inside.

To fix the glass in the frame, grooves are made, or strips are attached to the inside of the frame. When calculating the dimensions of the frame, it should be taken into account that when the weather (temperature, humidity) changes during the year, its configuration will change slightly. Therefore, a few millimeters of margin are left on each side of the frame.

A rubber window seal (D- or E-shaped) is attached to the groove or bar. Glass is placed on it, on which a sealant is applied in the same way. From above, all this is fixed with galvanized tin. Thus, the glass is securely fixed in the frame, the seal protects the absorber from cold and moisture, and the glass will not be damaged when the wooden frame "breathes".

The joints between the sheets of glass are insulated with sealant or silicone.

To organize solar heating you need a storage tank at home. The water heated by the collector is stored here, so you should take care of its thermal insulation.

As a tank you can use:

non-working electric boilers
various gas cylinders
barrels for food use

The main thing to remember is that pressure will be created in a sealed tank depending on the pressure of the plumbing system to which it will be connected. Not every container is able to withstand a pressure of several atmospheres.

Holes are made in the tank for the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger, the inlet of cold water, and the intake of heated water.

The tank houses a spiral heat exchanger. For it, copper, stainless steel or plastic are used. The water heated through the heat exchanger will rise up, so it should be placed at the bottom of the tank.

The collector is connected to the tank using pipes (for example, metal-plastic or plastic) drawn from the collector to the tank through the heat exchanger and back to the collector. Here it is very important to prevent heat leakage: the path from the tank to the consumer must be as short as possible, and the pipes must be very well insulated.

The expansion tank is very important element systems. It is an open reservoir located at the highest point of the fluid circulation circuit. For the expansion tank, you can use both metal and plastic containers. With its help, the pressure in the manifold is controlled (due to the fact that the liquid expands from heating, pipes can crack). To reduce heat loss, the tank must also be insulated. If air is present in the system, it can also exit through the tank. Through the expansion tank, the collector is also filled with liquid.

Hot water in a country house or in a private house is a desirable luxury, which not everyone can boast of until now. Fortunately, you can create a solar water heater with your own hands at a minimum cost, which will provide the necessary amount of hot water and at the same time be free to operate. A nice bonus is the environmental friendliness of such equipment.

What is a solar water heater?

For solar water heaters, there has long been a term - a solar collector. But since such factory-made equipment costs around $ 300-400, it has not gained distribution and is used only by a few. However, almost everyone can make a solar heater. At the same time, the size of the savings is colossal, a home-made device will cost 10 times less.

The principle of operation of a solar water heater is incredibly simple: its dark (preferably black) surface heats up, that is, it absorbs heat and then gives it to water. Most often, such structures are used in summer showers, and are also installed on the roofs of houses, brought to the washstand in the kitchen or to the bathroom, if any.

It is noteworthy that the operation of a home-made solar collector does not require a pump, it is not powered from the electrical network, that is, it is completely autonomous. To heat water, only the presence of the sun is necessary, and in Russia it regularly shines brightly for 5-7 months a year. Even in winter, a homemade solar battery can heat water well.

The factory collector is a rectangular black plate with a plastic or glass surface, inside of which there is a metal plate (flat collector) or a heat exchanger - metal / plastic tubes with liquid (liquid collector). Since we need a water heater, the latter option is ideal, and we will consider exactly how it is made.

Using a solar water heater, you can heat the water in the tank up to 50 degrees, and this is more than enough for washing dishes or hygiene procedures.

Solar water heater design

The structure of a solar water heater is incredibly simple:

frame (body);
absorber (absorber);
heat exchanger;
glass.

Let us clarify that when correct installation solar water heater no need to use a pump. The movement of water is due to convection. The warm liquid itself rises up the system, giving way to cold water from the tank.

Creating a housing for a water heater

In fairness, we clarify that the presence of a housing is, in principle, not necessary if the water heater is supposed to be installed in one specific place forever. But since nothing is eternal, and in different periods year it is required to install the solar collector at different angles so that its surface is perpendicular to the sun's rays, it is better to create a model with a housing. It doesn't take much effort, and the benefits will be greater.
If the farm has an unnecessary window frame - it is a ready-made case for a solar water heater. If there is no frame, you can quickly make it yourself.

The first thing you need to decide is the size of the case. There are many options, but most often the width is 40-80 cm, and the height is 60-200 cm. But you can choose any other parameters that are better suited to the intended conditions of use.

The frame is conveniently made of plastic, metal or wood. Everything that is at hand will fit. At the same time, the height of the profile should be 3-6 cm, so that there is enough space inside to fix the heat exchanger.

When the frame is ready, the bottom is attached to it: a sheet of metal, plastic, plywood, etc. to choose from.

Creating an absorber

The absorber or absorber is essentially the bottom of our case. It has two tasks: to hold the heat exchanger in place and to absorb solar heat. In order for the absorption task to be performed better, it is worth doing the following actions:

lay a layer of heat-insulating material on the bottom;
lay a galvanized sheet on the thermal insulation (copper sheet is better, but it is much more expensive);
paint the metal with a matt black paint for the best heat absorption.

When the paint dries, we proceed to the creation of a heat exchanger.

Heat exchanger options for solar water heater

There are several options for heat exchangers when creating a solar collector:

copper (metal) radiator;
"snake" from a plastic pipe;
cellular polypropylene with longitudinal cells.

The highest efficiency has a copper radiator, consisting of two copper pipes of an inch diameter, between which there are many pipes of smaller diameter parallel to each other (like a ladder).

But such a heat exchanger has many disadvantages: the high cost of copper, the complexity of creation (you have to solder all the tubes yourself or pay for the work of a welder).

To create a heat exchanger made of polypropylene, an extruder is needed, so in the end the product will also be expensive.

Therefore, for domestic use, it is much more convenient to use a black plastic or metal-plastic pipe 1/2 inch in diameter. PEX or PEX-Al-PEX-pipe is laid in a "snake" along the absorber, secured with brackets. This lock-in installation can be done in just a few minutes.

The ends of the pipes are brought out of the body, they are equipped with couplings, with the help of which they will be connected to the pipes leading to the tank.

The sun is the largest source of safe and free energy. And if earlier people could not use it, now there are technologies that help provide the house with warmth and hot water only due to the sun. The use of collectors is cost-effective and affordable way make the country house more comfortable. You just need to choose the right solar collector (or make it yourself), and then introduce it into the existing heating system.

What is a solar water heater

A collector (water heater) is a device that collects the energy of the sun's rays and turns it into heat. The sun heats the coolant in the collector, which is then used for hot water supply and heating or electricity generation.

Devices associated with the energy of the sun, it is correct to call solar installations or solar collectors (on behalf of the ancient Greek god of the sun Helios).

Modern solar water heaters can be complex, but any owner of a private house can make a device for their own needs. The main thing is to figure out what this device is for.

Three manifolds fully meet the needs of the family in hot water and heating

Scope of solar installations

In our country, the phrase solar water heater is still associated with a black tank on the roof of a summer shower booth, but this technology is successfully used all over the world. Solar collectors are common in the southern regions of Europe. Residents of private homes in Italy, Spain and Greece are required by law to use solar water heaters. Not far behind the West and China. There, solar water heaters are installed on the roofs of skyscrapers and provide hot water to all apartments. In 2000, there were so many solar plants in the world that, put together, they would take more than 71 million m 2. Almost 15 million m 2 of them would be European.

Solar vacuum collectors almost completely occupy the roofs of Chinese new buildings

Such devices are used for hot water supply of domestic premises and industrial buildings, heating of private houses, office buildings, workshops. They are most in demand in food and textile industry, since it is in this area that there are many production processes using hot water.

In the private sector, for every person from Germany there is 0.14 m 2 of solar collector area, from Austria - 0.45 m 2, from Cyprus - 0.8 m 2, and from Russia - 0.0002 m 2. The intensity of solar lighting in Russia is only 0.5 kWh/m 2 less than in southern Germany. This means that the low popularity of solar collectors in the northern regions is not due to geographical reasons.

With an extensive manifold system, even pool water can be heated

Types of solar collectors

Engineers have developed flat, tubular vacuum concentrators with parabolic trough reflectors, air towers, solar towers and other types of installations. The most popular for domestic purposes are flat and vacuum water heaters.

Table: Comparative characteristics of flat and vacuum collectors

flat collector	vacuum manifold
Easy to do with your own hands from improvised materials.	Produced in industrial conditions or assembled from factory parts.
Pays off quickly.	It pays off three times longer than a flat one.
Less likely to overheat in hot weather.	Does not allow the return of accumulated heat to the environment.
Effectively works in the summer or in countries with a hot climate.	Suitable for cold regions, works in winter at temperatures down to -30 ° C.
It has a high windage, so a strong gust of wind can rip it off the roof.	The wind passes freely between the vacuum tubes, so the probability that the collector will not be affected by a storm is higher.
It clears itself of snow, frost and ice.	Performance is 2-3 times higher than that of a flat collector (with equal areas).

Features of Flat Solar Water Heaters

The device is a panel, inside of which there are copper tubes with a dark coating. They heat water, which is then collected in a tank and used for DHW (hot water supply). If you make a collector yourself, then expensive components can be replaced with available materials:

instead of copper pipes, you can take steel, polyethylene or just a radiator from an old refrigerator;
a wooden frame can become a replacement for a metal one, although it weighs more;
chrome absorber will replace the usual black paint;
a sheet of glass or cellular polycarbonate will serve well as a protective cover, and polystyrene foam will serve as a heater.

The main thing is to ensure the tightness of the panel, but for this it is enough to seal all the seams with building silicone. The main disadvantage of such devices is that the heated coolant radiates heat into the air and cools slightly before entering the storage tank. The use of thermal insulation and sealing of seams are designed to combat this effect.

Expensive parts of an industrial manifold can be replaced with cheaper counterparts, for example, use steel pipes instead of copper pipes, and make the device frame wooden

If water is not taken from a flat collector, on a hot sunny day it can heat up to 190–210 ° C, which can lead to rupture of tubes with a coolant or connecting elements. For those who use a solar water heater on an occasional basis, it is important to install a storage tank that can eliminate excess pressure in the pipes. Another option is to use mineral oil instead of water as a heat sink. Its boiling point is higher, which reduces the risk of damage to the system. In this case, you need a heat exchanger in which the oil will transfer the accumulated heat to the water without direct contact.

Flat-plate solar collectors are cheaper and easier to manufacture, but are only suitable for summer operation in a country house or as an auxiliary water heater. Use them only for domestic hot water.

Features of vacuum manifolds

Solar water heaters of this type consist of separate tubes, each of which is in an airless environment. This design made it possible to reduce heat losses on the way from the collector to the storage tank and increase the efficiency of the system. Thanks to this, vacuum collectors work perfectly during the change of seasons (autumn, spring) and in winter.

Vacuum solar water heaters also use copper tubes, as this material provides good heat transfer and is hygienic at the same time. The remaining elements are similar: glass (borosilicate for better heat transmission), under it is a black absorbing layer, a tube with a coolant and a substrate. It is easier to ensure the tightness of the system, since there is only one seam - the connection between the tube and the storage tank.

Cold water gradually heats up from alternate contact with hot copper pipes. The heat from the solar vacuum system is only removed in this way, so it is important to provide it with a regular supply of cold water, that is, use hot water throughout the day. To increase the stability of the system, antifreeze is used as a coolant in vacuum solar collectors. It tolerates heat well up to 300 ° C and does not freeze when the temperature of the device drops to -40 ° C on a cloudy day.

For year-round hot water and heating country house a vacuum solar collector is required. It is more expensive, but more efficient and more reliable than a flat one.

It is impossible to create a full-fledged vacuum solar collector with your own hands: the manufacture of a thick-walled tube from borosilicate glass is unthinkable in artisanal conditions. Therefore, a more reliable option would be to purchase factory flasks (coaxial and feather varieties are offered) and assemble the solar water heater on site. But since even such work requires remarkable locksmith skills, it is better to buy a finished product with a guarantee from the manufacturer.

In which system to integrate a solar water heater

In order for hot water to start flowing from the tap, it is important not only to choose a collector, but also to create a whole system for it from a storage tank, connecting pipes, taps and other elements.

Circulation types

It is necessary to determine whether you can install the storage tank above the level of the collector. It depends on which of the two types of circulation will be in the system.

Natural circulation is created due to the difference in density of cold and hot water.. The heated liquid tends to rise, which causes such an arrangement of the storage tank. If the roof has a complex structure, choose a well-lit place to place the collector and place the tank under the ridge.
Forced circulation systems work thanks to a pump that pumps warm water into a prepared tank. In this case, it becomes possible to place the elements of the system far from each other, for example, to put a storage tank in the attic or in the basement. This is better for the exterior, requires less effort on the thermal insulation of the tank itself. But the pipes leading from the collector to the tank must be provided with thermal insulation, otherwise there is a risk of losing all the heat along the way. Forced circulation requires the use of electricity, so if there is no or often no electricity in the country, this option will not work.

If you decide to use a coolant oil in the manifold, provide a pump for forced circulation. Otherwise, due to the low expansion coefficient of the oil, the system simply will not work.

Selecting the type of circulation circuit

Three types of systems are common:

Open loop. This is the easiest way to supply hot water to your home. Its main difference is that the coolant in the collector is necessarily water. First, it is heated in tubes, then it enters the storage tank, and then directly to the faucet in the kitchen or bathroom. That is, water does not circulate in a circle, but in an open circuit, a new portion is heated each time.
Single-circuit. It is preferable when using solar heat it is supposed to heat the house or make the operation of electric heating cheaper. Its difference is that the water heated by the sun enters the heating pipes. The coolant moves in the system in a circle. This is the closed circulation cycle. Since the solar collector is used in winter and off-season, choose vacuum models and include an additional heater in the system. An electric or gas boiler helps to bring the coolant to the desired temperature on cold and cloudy days, as well as at night.
Dual circuit. This option involves the transfer of heat from the collector to the system through a special heat exchanger. Since there is no direct contact between the coolant and water, oil or antifreeze is used in the collector. The system is optimal for country houses in which people live throughout the year. In it, the collector is used for both hot water supply and heating at the same time. As a rule, a boiler and / or boiler for additional heating of water is also integrated into it, and several collectors are used (depending on the number of residents and the climatic characteristics of the region).
In a two-circuit circulation system, there is no direct contact between the solar water heater and water

The circulation system with an open circuit is effective for the hot water supply of a summer residence, a double-circuit one - for the complete supply (hot water supply and heating) of a country house.

How to make a flat solar collector with your own hands

For this you need a drawing. You will also need to calculate the area of the water heater in accordance with the needs of the family. This parameter is determined by the formula: A=K*F*SF/(G*η)AW=1/(G*η)A=K*F*SF*AW, where:

A - area of collectors, m2;
AW - reduced area, which is capable of generating 1 kW*hour per day, m2*day/(kW*hour);
Η – efficiency of one collector, %;
G - total solar radiation per day, typical for the area, kW*h/(m2*day);
K - coefficient taking into account the magnitude of the angle of inclination of the collectors and their orientation relative to the cardinal points;
F is the energy required to heat water for a day, kWh/day;
SF is the share of solar energy in covering the heat demand, %.

For the construction of the collector, you will need a detailed drawing indicating the number and size of parts

Tools and materials for work

For the manufacture of a flat solar collector measuring 2.28x1.9x0.1 m with metal-plastic pipes and a wooden frame, you will need:

hacksaw or jigsaw for cutting wood and plywood;
scissors for metal-plastic pipes;
screwdriver;
brushes and spray gun or spray paint for blackening mounted pipes.

Sequencing:

Assemble a box for the base of the collector from two sheets of plywood measuring 1.52x1.52 m 1 cm thick. Cut one of them to create sides for parts: 0.76x0.38 m - 4 pcs. 1 PC.
paint inner surface the resulting box with black matte paint, and the outer one - with white or cover it with a protective varnish.
Create a frame for attaching the box from a bar with a section of 5x5 cm, according to the attached diagram. In total, 60 m of timber will be needed. Before assembly, it is important to treat the parts with a wood preservative to protect the material from precipitation and temperature changes. Fasten the parts together with wood screws using metal corners 5x5 cm.
Fix the box on the prepared stand and carry out further assembly on this inclined stand.
Make a markup where the pipes will pass, and in the right attachment points for them. Paint them black too so as not to increase heat loss.
Cut 0.5 inch thick metal-plastic pipes into pieces of the required length. In order not to make a mistake, use the first fragment as a reference sample. You should get 45 pieces of 2.14 m each.
Assemble the snake from the pipes on the stand, using fittings for metal-plastic pipes on the turns. In total, 44 angled elbows of the "mother-mother" and "mother-father" types and 88 adapters from a metal-plastic pipe to a fitting are needed. Use sealing thread to seal the connections. At the beginning and end of the snake, fix the adapters for connecting the water supply and drainage hoses.
Paint the structure black with an airbrush or spray can.
The collector coil is painted black
Connect the coil to the pump and make sure that no leakage occurs when pumping water. If any connection is not tight enough, drain the water and reassemble it, and then check again.
Cover the top of the box with clear glass or solid polycarbonate. If it is not possible to use a single sheet, make an aluminum frame in the size of the existing fragments (preferably no more than four) and securely fasten the panels. Treat each joint carefully with transparent silicone so that the water heater is airtight.

According to the described scheme, a collector with a power of 1.6–2 kW is assembled.

To reduce the cost of the device, a flexible pipe made of cross-linked polyethylene is used. It is originally black and mounted with a snake using just two fittings. But in this case, the water will come into contact not with hygienic metal (as in the case described), but with plastic. This is undesirable if the water is also intended for cooking.

Video: how to make a flat solar water heater with copper tubes

Solar collector installation

The device is installed on the roof. This option is suitable for country houses and high-rise buildings. It is better if the roof is pitched and the angle of inclination is close to the latitude of this region. In this case, you will need to attach brackets to the boards on its south side through the roofing material. The collector will be placed 15–20 cm above the roof level, parallel to the slope. This is the most harmonious solution, especially if several water heaters are used in the house. Sometimes the collector is recessed into the roof so that the protective screen is flush with the decorative roofing. But this method is much more expensive and can weaken the roof structure.

It is best to mount the flat-plate collector system on a pitched roof

On flat roofs, collectors are mounted on special structures that hold them at a given angle. Stands can be purchased ready-made or welded independently from the corners. The metal structure is attached to the base with large anchor bolts.

On a flat roof, collectors are mounted on special structures

In dachas, solar collectors are installed next to the house or swimming pool in an open sunny area. In this case, they choose a place on an already created site or equip a reliable base separately. To do this, you need a rectangular area with a compacted bulk cushion, waterproofing and a coating of paving slabs, porcelain stoneware, other durable hard and weather-resistant material. Subsequently, a metal or wooden easel stand is mounted on it, on which the solar collector is attached.

Installing a solar collector on supports that do not have a common base is considered a less reliable option, but helps save space

Solar collector maintenance

Like any other equipment, the device requires maintenance. Most common jobs:

If the collector was purchased, at the first breakdown, you should call the master, and during the warranty period, contact the manufacturer's representative. A homemade solar water heater will have to be repaired on its own, but finding a breakdown and fixing it in a homemade product is much easier than in a factory one. The experience of collector repairers suggests that the condition of the valves, sensors, storage tank and pump should first be checked, as they are less reliable than the solar plant itself.

In DHW systems with a solar collector, valves and sensors most often fail.

Video: instructions for assembling a solar collector from aluminum cans

The owners of solar collectors are sure: once you evaluate the capabilities of this device, it will simply be impossible to do without it. Now you can provide your home or cottage with cheap and safe heat.

Good owners of private houses are always looking for ways to save money on water heating and heating. This becomes especially relevant in recent times, when prices for utilities have a strong upward trend almost every quarter. Nature itself comes to the rescue with its inexhaustible source of energy - solar radiation. By putting the laws of physics into practice, craftsmen find interesting ways to save money by designing and assembling solar collectors, which, probably, any homeowner can do on their own - you just have to put a little effort and skill.

A do-it-yourself solar collector can be made in multiple ways and from the most various materials, sometimes even from those that simply “roll underfoot.” They are constructed from ordinary old beer cans, plastic bottles, hoses or pipes, using glass, polycarbonate panels and other materials.

Some of the collector manufacturing methods will be discussed below, but first you should study the connection diagrams - they, as a rule, are approximately common for any solar systems water heating.

Solar Water Collector Wiring Diagrams

The effective operation of the solar water heating system depends not only on what the collector is made of, but also how correctly it will be installed and connected. There are a lot of options for connection schemes, but you should not look for the most complex ones, since it is quite possible to use the basic ones that are accessible and understandable.

"Summer" version of hot water supply from a solar collector

This simple solar collector connection scheme is applicable for both domestic and domestic water heating. If hot water is needed outside in a summer building, then the tank for it is also installed in the air. In the case when hot water is distributed around the house, and the storage tank is installed there.

"Summer" collector connection option

This scheme usually provides for the natural circulation of water, and in this case, the collector battery is installed 800 ÷ 1000 mm lower than the tank level, where hot water will flow - this should be ensured by the difference in density of the cold and heated liquid. To connect the manifold to the tank, pipes with a diameter of at least ¾ inch are used. To keep the water in the storage tank in a hot state, which it will reach from heating by the daytime sun, the walls must be well insulated, for example, with mineral wool 100 mm thick and polyethylene (if a roof is not built over the boiler). But still, it is better to provide a stationary shelter for the container, since if the insulation gets wet from the rain, it will significantly reduce its thermal insulation properties.

Natural circulation is not very good for use in a system with a solar collector, as it creates a slight inertia in the movement of water in the circuit. And if the battery and the tank are far enough apart, then the water, having passed this path, will gradually cool down. Therefore, to increase efficiency, circulation is often installed. This option is suitable for heating water only in the warm half of the year, and for the winter the water from the system will have to be drained, otherwise, freezing, it will easily break t tons of ruby.

"Winter" scheme for connecting solar water heating

If you plan to use the solar collector year-round, then so that the water does not freeze in the pipes in extreme cold, a special antifreeze, that is, an antifreeze liquid, is poured into the circuit instead of it. The scheme takes on a completely different look - an indirect heating boiler is installed. In this case, the antifreeze heated in the solar collector will pass through the coil-heat exchanger of the boiler, warming the water in the tank.

A "security group" is necessarily built into this system - automatic air vent, pressure gauge and safety valve, designed for the desired pressure. For the constant movement of the coolant, a circulation pump is usually used.

Solar heating option

When using solar thermal energy for home heating, an indirect heating boiler connected to the collector is also used, as well as for additional heating of the coolant - running on solid fuel or gas. On autumn or spring days, when the sun is able to heat the coolant to the desired temperature, the boiler can simply be turned off.

Solar collector - a good help for home heating

If the winters in the region are very cold, then one should not expect great efficiency from the collector, since during this period there are few sunny days, and the star itself is low to the horizon. Therefore, additional heating of the coolant and hot water is simply necessary. The only way a solar battery will help save on fuel is that not cold, but already somewhat heated water will flow into the boiler, which means that to bring it to the desired temperature, it will take less gas or wood to burn.

You also need to know that the larger the solar thermal collector is, the more energy it will be able to absorb. Therefore, in order for such a system to be able to generate enough heat to heat the house, the size of the collector area must be increased to 40 ÷ 45% of total area at home.

Option for hot water supply and heating from a solar collector

To use the solar collector for both heating and hot water supply, it is necessary to combine both previous options in the system, and use a special boiler for water with an additional tank having a coil through which the coolant heated by the solar battery circulates. Due to the fact that the inner tank is much smaller than the main one, the water in it heats up from the coil much faster and gives off heat to the general tank.

The collector can be included in common system"heating - hot water supply"

In addition, the boiler must be connected to an additional heating source - it can be either an electric boiler or a solid fuel heat generator.

The temperature instability created by the solar battery can contribute to overheating of the coolant or, conversely, to its too rapid cooling in the heating and water supply circuits. To prevent this from happening, the entire system must be controlled by automation. Installed in the wiring controller temperature, which can either redirect coolant flows, or turn on or off circulation pumps, or perform other control operations.

In the diagram above, such a temperature controller is designated as a regulator.

So, with connection diagrams (strapping), in general terms, there is clarity. And now it makes sense to consider several options for self-manufacturing solar collectors.

Prices for solar collectors

Solar collectors

Solar collector from hose or flexible pipe

Those who have a private house with a garden or a dacha, of course, they know that the water remaining in the temporary light mains after watering the beds heats up quickly. This is the positive quality of hoses or flexible pipes and was used by craftsmen, creating solar heat exchangers from them. It should be noted that such a collector will cost many times cheaper than bought in a store, but in order for the manufacturing process to be successful, some effort must be made.

On the roof - a whole battery of solar collectors

Such a collector may consist of one or more sections, in which hoses tightly coiled in a spiral “snail” are laid and fixed.

"Snail" - heat exchanger

This design can be called the simplest both in design and installation. Its main disadvantage can be called the fact that it is practically impossible to use it without the use of forced circulation, since if the pipe contours are too long hydraulic resistance will exceed the force of pressure created by the temperature difference. However, solving the issue of installing a circulation pump is not difficult at all. And such a system, installed in country house, will be an excellent help and will quickly pay off, including the costs (very insignificant) for the power supply of the pump.

Similar collectors are also used for heating water in pools. They are connected to a filtration system, which is necessarily equipped with a pump. Water, circulating through the pipes of the collector, has time to heat up before entering the pool.

In some cases, creating the entire system, you can do without installing a storage tank. This is possible when hot water is used only during the daytime and in small quantities. For example, in a circuit of 150 m of a pipe with an internal diameter of 16 mm, 30 liters of water can be accommodated. And if five or six of these “snails” from pipes are assembled into a single battery, then during the day each family member can take a shower several times, and there will still be a lot of hot water for household needs.

If someone still has doubts about the effectiveness of such water heating, we recommend watching a video that shows a test of a hose collector:

Video: the efficiency of a simple solar collector

Materials for manufacturing

To make such a solar water collector, you need to prepare some materials. It is not at all excluded that some of them can be found in a barn or garage.

A rubber hose or a flexible black plastic pipe with a diameter of 20 ÷ 25 mm is, in fact, the main element of the system in which heat exchange will occur when water circulates. The number of hose will depend on the size of the solar battery - it can be 100 or 1000 meters. The black color of the hose is preferred because it absorbs heat more than all other shades.

It should be noted right away that metal-plastic pipes are not particularly suitable for the manufacture of a collector, even if they are covered with black paint. The fact is that their plasticity in this case is insufficient - they break at bends of a small radius and thus, even if the integrity of the walls is not violated, the intensity of the water flow will decrease.

Hoses are sold in coils of 50, 100 or 200 meters. If you plan to make a large volume battery, then you will have to purchase several bays. In the event that it is planned to use, for example, 50 or 100 m of hose in each section, then you should not buy a whole 200-meter bay, it is better to purchase a ready-made measured hose. This will save time during installation.

The hose can be laid not only in a round spiral, but also oval, as well as in the form of a coil.

As a good alternative, you can also try modern PEX pipes. They have good plasticity, but how to give them a black color if it is not on sale is easy to figure out.

If the slope of the roof on which the collector battery will be installed is steep, then special boxes are made for hose spirals - from bars, plywood or metal sheet. This will require bars 40 × 40 or 40 × 50 mm, plywood 6 mm thick, or a metal sheet 1.5–2 mm.

The blanks of the future module are processed (wood) or anti-corrosion compounds (metal). Then a box is assembled from them into one or more spirals.

By the way, as the sides of the box, you can use the old window frames, on which the bottom part is simply mounted.

For pre-treatment of metal and wood, it is necessary to purchase antiseptic, anti-corrosion and priming compounds.
Hoses (pipes) will experience considerable loads both from the mass of the coolant and from temperature extremes and internal pressure. Therefore, they will try to break the laying, deform, sag, so you need to provide special fasteners to maintain them in the initially set position.

It can be a metal strip, which is fixed between the pipes with self-tapping screws.

Another option is a loose bundle with a tight cord or plastic tie-tie with a cross or crossbar. But still, this fastening method is more suitable for a plastic pipe than for a hose, since it can sag on the cord when the rubber expands. If a reinforced rubber hose is chosen for the collector, then this method is quite suitable for fixing.

Another fastening option suitable for a plastic pipe or reinforced hose can be wide-head nails. They can be hammered either into the bottom of the box (in this case it must have a thickness of at least 10 mm), or onto a kind of cross made of a bar.

It will be necessary to prepare the connecting elements for the hose or pipes. There are a lot of varieties of such fittings, but you need to choose exactly those that are intended for selected for manufacturing material collector.

In addition to these connectors, threaded fittings will be required to convert from plastic or rubber pipe to a common metal. Such a connection will be necessary if the collector will consist of several modules.

To know how many connecting elements are required, you need to draw in advance a schematic diagram of the system being created and calculate their number on it.

To combine all the modules into a single battery, two collector - cut metal pipe. Through one of them, fixed at the bottom of the battery, cold water will flow into the heat exchangers, and in the second, fixed at the top, warm water will be collected.

The upper pipe will be connected to the storage tank, that is, it will go to the consumer. It should have a diameter of 40 ÷ 50 mm.

Battery mounting

Having prepared everything you need, you can get to work.

First you need to treat all the wooden parts of the future structure with an antiseptic.
Further, if the bottom of the modules is made of a metal sheet, it must be coated with an anti-corrosion compound. Usually, mastic is used for this purpose, designed to cover the bottoms of cars.

Known to all motorists "anticorrosive" - what you need

After the compositions have dried on the prepared elements, single or common modules are assembled from them.
Then hoses are laid in them, for which holders are fixed.

For free passage of pipes through the sides of the modules, holes are drilled for them - in its upper part and lower. Accordingly, a cold water inlet pipe is led into the lower hole, and a heated outlet is led into the upper hole.
If several modules are mounted vertically, or one common one, into which several "snails" of the pipe are also placed, one above the other, then the lower end of each of the spirals is connected to the upper output of the underlying one - and the entire "column" is switched according to this sequential principle. The lowest end is connected to a common metal manifold through which cold water will flow. All adjacent vertical rows are mounted in the same way - with a common connection to the supply manifold.

Accordingly, the upper ends of the hoses of the uppermost horizontal row of modules are connected to a metal collector pipe, through which hot water is drained for consumption.
The spiral collector circuit can also be mounted on a metal sheet installed not on the roof, but near the house, on its south side, or near the pool, if it requires heating. In this case, the metal base will contribute to faster heating of water and heat retention in pipes, as it has good thermal conductivity and heat capacity.

Another option for a thermal solar collector can be laying the circuit on the roof plane in special boxes in long parallel rows along the entire length of the roof.

Prices for XLPE pipes

XLPE pipes

Video: simple linear tube solar collector

Enhance the effect with plastic bottles

The figure shows a solar collector made of hoses (pipes), the efficiency of which is greatly increased by using ordinary plastic bottles. What is the "feature" here? And there are several of them:

The action of a plastic bottle as a casing - schematically

Bottles play the role of a transparent casing, and do not allow air currents to take away heat during absolutely unnecessary mutual heat exchange. Moreover, the air chambers themselves become a kind of heat accumulators. There is a greenhouse effect, which is actively used in agricultural technology.
The rounded surface of the bottle plays the role of a lens that enhances the effect of sunlight.
If the bottom surface of the bottle is covered with a reflective foil material, then the effect of focusing the rays in the zone of the pipe passage can be achieved. Heating will only benefit from this.
Another important factor. A plastic transparent surface will to some extent reduce the damaging negative effects of ultraviolet rays, which neither rubber nor plastic "like". Such a circuit should last longer.

To make such a solar collector you will need:

1 - Rubber hose, black metal or plastic pipes - as a heat exchanger.

2 - Plastic bottles that will become a casing around the pipes of the circuit.

3 - In the bottles, in their half, which will be adjacent to the base, foil or other reflective material may be inserted. The reflective part should look towards the sun.

4 - It will be quite easy to mount the stand from a bar or a metal pipe.

5 - Storage tank for heated water, which must be connected to the intake point - faucet, shower, etc.

6 - Cold water tank that can be connected to the water supply system.

Installation of a solar collector

The assembly of the version shown in the upper diagram is as follows:

To begin with, a stand is mounted from a metal pipe or bar. If it is made of wood, then it must be coated with an antiseptic composition, but if it is made of metal, then it must be treated with an anti-corrosion agent. It is necessary to calculate the length so that an even number of bottles is installed between the two racks.
On racks, at a distance the width of the bottles, horizontal strips are fixed, on which it will be possible to make additional fastening for the coil. In addition, they will betray the frame additional rigidity.
Next, the required number of plastic bottles is prepared - the bottom part is cut off from them so that one bottle with the side of the neck fits snugly into the resulting hole.

A hose (pipe) of the required length is taken, which will be enough for laying coil circuit on a ready-made frame-stand.

Stepping back from the edge of the hose 100 ÷ 150 mm, make a mark of the place of its fastening. Then, through this edge, it is put on the pipe required amount prepared bottles, which will be enough to completely cover the area to the opposite rack. The bottles are installed tightly one to the other, so that the neck of the second one enters the hole cut in the bottom of the previous one.

When the pipe section for laying the upper section of the coil is completely covered with a bottle box, its edge is fixed on top of the left rack of the frame. For fastening, you can use clip-holders for plastic pipes with a latch, the desired size.

If necessary, the position of the bottles is adjusted so that their foil half is at the bottom, near the collector frame.
Then the pipe is given a smooth turn, and it snaps back onto the clip.
The next step is to put bottles on the pipe again, and it is already fixed on the left rack. This follower is continued until the entire frame is filled with a collector coil.
Now it remains only to “pack” the fittings through which the resulting collector will be connected to the cold water supply and to the hot storage tank.

Here's what can happen in the end - you can't imagine it easier!

Such a collector, as you can see, absolutely not difficult in manufacturing, but it can become a good "helper" in a private house, taking on the functions of heating water.

By the way, solar energy can be used not only for heating water, but also for supplying heated air to rooms. For example, how to make it yourself, you can find out if you follow the link to a special publication of our portal.

Video - do-it-yourself solar power plant assembly

Environmental problems constantly dictate new living conditions. This is due to both the cleanliness of the environment and the lack of energy resources. According to world organizations, their number is not unlimited, and a huge amount of resources are allocated to solve this problem. These are financial investments, and scientific projects, and many other events. This approach is bearing fruit, and as a result, qualitatively new devices, tools and methods appear in the life of society, which are introduced both into production processes and into the everyday life of people.

One of these innovations is energy-saving systems that use alternative energy sources, the main and most powerful of which is solar radiation. As with all energy sources, its use is accompanied by a number of problems, the most urgent of which is the short period of use in cold climatic zones. However, despite this, there are a number of effective methods using the principles of solar energy storage.

Solar water heaters from antiquity to modern times

There are many ways to use solar energy. One of the most popular methods used in both domestic and industrial settings has become solar water heaters. These devices have been used for centuries, and with the use of modern technologies received a new round of popularity. From ancient times and until recently, water, like other liquids, was heated by the sun in open or closed dark-colored containers, which contributed to the fastest heating.

Now, in the electronic age, more modern elements are increasingly being used, which allow not only to heat water with the help of the sun, but also to maintain the desired temperature of the coolant. They include a lot of technical developments regarding both the structural elements used and the methods of control. Their design is diverse and for the most part depends on the intended purpose of the device, as well as the technologies and materials used. Some of them are produced only in an industrial way, but the other part can be performed in artisanal conditions.

Types and classification of devices

In practice, a number of principles have been implemented that allow the use of solar energy. There are several design options, regardless of whether the solar water heater is made by hand or not. The main criterion for classification is the coolant. It can be liquid and metallic. Vacuum can be used as a heat insulator. Solar water heaters can be direct action or indirect. In the first case, water is heated directly by the sun, and in the second case, this happens by converting solar energy into electrical energy, and then into thermal energy, which heats the liquid.

In a closed or open circuit, it can also move in two ways, depending on the type of structure - forcibly with the help of pumps and other pressurizing installations or by gravity. They can also be divided by area of application. For example, solar water heaters for the home are among the low-performance devices. They are small in size. A solar water heater for a swimming pool or other temporary use, designed for permanent multi-purpose heating of water in large quantities, has the appropriate dimensions, and also belongs to another class.

Producers and consumers

There are a number of manufacturers on the market with experience in such developments and mass-producing such products. The main competing firms are VIESMANN, SOLVIS, VAILANT. The main consumer states - Saudi Arabia, Israel, Malta and many EU countries. In addition, this direction is actively promoted in China, the Russian Federation, the USA and Australia.

Pricing policy and materials for manufacturing

A solar water heater, the price of which is high, will not be in demand, so the models of the promoted products are either made from cheap materials, or their power is maximized so that the product can pay for itself soon. In southern China save on heat conductors. They are made lamellar, but the result does not suffer - the power of the products is enough, since the Sun is much more active here than in the northern regions. In cold countries, more expensive thermally insulated systems based on solar panels are used. They are more energy efficient and cost accordingly.

The solar collector market also offers consumers various modifications of ready-made systems. For example, a simple model for a home costs from $300. But there are also models with additional equipment, which greatly simplifies operation. These can be pumps and various sensors. The price of such devices starts from 550 USD.

Do-it-yourself home solar water heater: design diagram

There is an opinion that devices for heating from the sun have a complex design. However, you can make a solar water heater with your own hands. The circuit of the collector included in its composition is simple. It can be assembled from existing parts or constructed from new ones. It is a coil made of thin, easily heated metal, mounted on a platform and protected by glass. You can build a solar water heater with your own hands in a day. To do this, you will need to prepare the installation site in the form of a concrete or tile coating. Mount a platform on it from available light but durable materials, for example, wood. And install it with anchors at an angle to the site.

The platform with mounts for the coil is painted black. Pipes are installed on top and connected together. They are also dyed. From above, ordinary single or double glass with a thickness of 4 mm or more is installed, which is fixed in guides on the platform. Cranes are installed on the output pipes of the coil and connected to the pump with short hoses.

Vacuum model and its features

The layout of a vacuum-based solar water heater is completely different. It is much more complex and requires professional design skills. Its structure includes: a heat exchanger with external insulation and a valve, vacuum tubes connected to it, an expansion tank installed inside the heat exchanger, an electric heater, connecting pipes and a drain cock.

It may also include a workstation, controllers and sensors, depending on the selected type.

Vacuum tubes have a multicomponent structure, consisting of tubes themselves made of impact-resistant glass, absorbers located inside the tubes, and a number of other auxiliary elements. A variant of this design is assembled mainly from a ready-made set. Having bought it, you can easily mount a solar water heater. The price for it fluctuates depending on the output power (number of kW).

Advantages and disadvantages of passive and active types

Solar water heaters with gravity movement of the coolant are called passive. When choosing this option, one should take into account the problem of its placement. The movement of water here occurs due to the difference in the density of the cold and heated coolant. Therefore, such a system should include a storage tank and a well-thought-out piping system. Such solar systems have a low rate of accumulation of heated liquid and this is their main disadvantage. But all the advantages from other solar systems are present in them. This is low energy consumption, the absence of harmful fumes and emissions, and economic feasibility. Therefore, solar water heaters in the case of the use of elements to activate the flow of liquid become almost indispensable. However, this requires additional energy sources that feed them, so they are not energy independent, unlike gravity-flowing passive models.

Results

The middle class cannot afford high-efficiency solar water heaters. Their design includes a number of expensive components, the payback period of which is measured in years. But a self-made non-volatile solar water heater is not an invention. It can be easily made at home. In addition, the market offers a wide range of boilers using solar energy from global manufacturers. Most of these solar systems use collectors installed on the roofs of buildings and on the adjacent territory at an angle optimally selected for a given climatic zone. Some of these products are completely energy independent from other energy sources. The selection of the model takes place solely according to the put forward requirements for the power of the device and the possibility of its installation in the given conditions. Their use may be temporary or permanent for heating water for a specific purpose or for general use.