The issue of saving is now being raised by many people, especially those who live in their homes. The opportunity not to overpay for services is attractive, because people are looking for all kinds of ways to save on hot water and heating. This is especially true in the cold season, when you have to give too much money for utilities. In search of savings, people often turn to the exploitation of solar energy, because now you can often hear about how to make a solar water heater.
Why is this so relevant?
The device allows you to partially free from the functions of heating the boiler in the house. The solar water heater is presented in the form of an apparatus that absorbs energy from the sun and converts it into heat. Further, this energy will be transferred to the coolant, and he will already carry it throughout the house. Such devices can significantly save on heating, which means that you will pay many times less on bills.
What is this water heater?
A solar water heater is a climate device that is used to create hot water. This device is actively used in water supply and heating systems. The main difference between this device and others is that it introduces renewable, and most importantly, free natural resources into the work.
Worth remembering! Solar water heater allows you to extract solar energy even in cloudy weather, because this device can be used at any time of the year.
This is a very convenient device that allows you to save. You can buy or make a solar water heater with your own hands. The second option will be more budget than the first.
How does this unit function?
Before thinking about how to make a solar water heater with your own hands, you will need to understand in more detail its principle of operation.
Each such device has two working units - a trap for solar radiation and a battery for heat transfer. The last component is very important, because it is he who converts solar energy into heat, and you need it for heating. Thermal energy is then transferred to the coolant, and in most cases this role is played by ordinary water.
What types of devices exist?
Thermal solar collectors are divided:
- high-temperature (water heats up from eighty degrees Celsius);
- medium temperature (the liquid warms up to eighty degrees Celsius);
- low temperature (water warms up to fifty degrees Celsius).
Solar water heaters are divided by design:
- on vacuum;
- integrated funded;
- flat.
The storage device is also called a thermosiphon collector. Such devices can not only heat water, but also maintain its temperature indicators at a set level. This option is considered the most economical, because it does not use pumps. Structurally, such an apparatus consists of a couple of containers with liquid, which is located in a heat-insulating casing with a glass cover through which sunlight enters and the water is heated. The device is easy to manufacture and handle, in addition, it is inexpensive, however, it will not work in winter.
The flat apparatus is a housing with a heat exchanger. Usually the design is made for home use. The case is closed with polycarbonate or glass, the heat exchanger is painted black, like all its parts. Such devices are often used to heat water in the pool, at the cottage, or as an additional design for heating the house.
Vacuum apparatuses are most effective, and their design resembles a thermos. Pipes are inserted into each other, the space between them is filled with vacuum, and this is also an excellent heat insulator. The coolant is water, it can be used for heating the house, as well as for technical needs. It is worth noting that such water is not used for washing, it just goes to the boiler, which heats the water that circulates in another circuit.
The solar water heater for the pool is actively used, because it allows you to save on heating water. At the same time, the devices do not consume any fuel and there are no emissions into the environment, and the efficiency of the devices can reach eighty percent.
By type of media, the devices are divided into the following:
- Liquid. The coolant is water or antifreeze. The product is made from different heat exchangers.
- Aerial. This is a budget version of the product, however, it only works as long as the temperature outside is not lower than ten degrees Celsius. Such devices do not leak and do not freeze. Still such devices are used for drying the crop.
An interesting fact: in Russia, the generation of solar energy from spring to mid-autumn is approximately five kilowatts per square meter. This amount of energy allows you to warm up about a hundred liters of water in a water heater, the area of which is 4 square meters, without complications.
Would you like to warm water all year round? Then you will need to use in practice solar water heaters for a house of a much larger area, and best of all, also take a vacuum apparatus. In this case, you will be able to get heated water all year round, you will remove the main load from the boiler and reduce energy consumption.
How much is the finished device?
Many suppliers will be happy to offer you good solar water heaters for your home. The price range of devices is very wide, ranging from five thousand rubles to one hundred and fifty thousand rubles. It all depends on the configuration and effectiveness. Chinese models are in great demand, because they are inexpensive and productive.
Is it possible not to buy a device, but to make it?
There is a way to get a solar water heater at no extra cost. You probably already know that buying a factory-made device is not an budget idea. However, you can provide a house with hot water, you just need to apply an alternative solution - use a home-made solar water heater. There are many different options for creating it: you can use glass and steel tubes, cellular polycarbonate, radiators, even beer cans. The easiest way to use a refrigerator coil is to work, but you will also need other components. In order to understand this issue, you will need to consider in more detail the design of a solar heating water heater and the principle of its operation.
More details about a flat water heater
Why exactly a flat water heater? All due to the fact that people most often, installing a solar water heater for giving or at home, use this particular type for heating water. In such devices, the heat sink, presented in the form of a metal plate with a copper coil, is located in the housing. The case can be created both from metal and from wood, it does not matter. It happens that the heat sink is created not from a metal sheet, but from a tin profile. Instead of a copper coil, you can still use black pipes or PVC. It is worth saying that such systems are less productive, but for home purposes they are quite suitable.
The heat sink is painted in black, and thermal insulation is still laid between it and the rear wall of the heater. In the upper part, the heater is covered with polycarbonate, or if desired, it can be replaced with durable glass.
The receiver converts solar energy into heat and transfers it to water or antifreeze.
Worth remembering! A glass or polycarbonate coating is required without fail, because it is protection for the heat exchanger from external irritants. At the same time, glass, like polycarbonate, will let in sunlight, which means it will need to be cleaned periodically from dust and dirt.
All seams between the glass and the body will need to be sealed reliably, because the collector's performance directly depends on this action. If this is not done, then the heat will disappear through the cracks, and such solar water heaters for heating the house will not be very effective. To save even more heat, it will be necessary to insulate the rear wall of the housing.
Flat water heaters are attractive because they are easy to make and attractive value for money. However, such a device is suitable for those regions where there is high insolation all year round. Such devices will also be effective in the summer in the middle zone of the Russian Federation. In winter, the productivity of such a device is markedly reduced due to serious heat loss through the housing elements.
What materials will be needed to create a water heater and how much does it cost approximately?
You will need to prepare the following materials:
- Capacity, the volume of which is two hundred to three hundred liters. For the price it is from four thousand to twelve thousand rubles.
- Glass of two to three square meters and a frame for it. At a price of one thousand rubles and five hundred rubles, respectively.
- Galvanized iron for profile and painting in black. It will cost about four hundred rubles.
- Boards for creating a body, the thickness of which is not less than twenty-five millimeters, and the width is one hundred, one hundred twenty, one hundred and forty millimeters. The cost of one meter of such a board is three hundred rubles.
- Pipes for a radiator. The cost depends on which material you prefer.
- Thermal insulation material. One package costs about seven hundred rubles.
- At the bottom, you can put chipboard or hardboard in order to lower the final load. It will cost you three hundred rubles.
- Fixture for the case: nails, various self-tapping screws, corners for connection.
The final cost will directly depend on what sizes you will adhere to. Now let's talk about the manufacture of the basic design of a solar water heater.
Getting to the manufacture of the apparatus
First you need to create a box. In addition to the walls, it is also necessary to create spacers from the timber, boards, in order to strengthen the structure. The bottom is created from hardboard or chipboard, then you need to lay a heat-insulating layer. You can use mineral wool, polystyrene foam or other similar materials in your work. Upstairs, you need to additionally lay the tin plate, after the heat sink is mounted, and it is attached to the box. Before installation, all details will need to be painted in a black shade, it is advisable to choose a matte black paint. In this case, choose heat-resistant paint. You will also need to paint over additionally all the joints, the tin plate, the radiator, and so on.
Now you need to equip the water tank. Install it in a large container, and also perform insulation. How to do it? Between the walls you need to fill up some kind of heat-insulating layer, you will need to attach another water chamber with a float to the tank. The principle of operation is exactly the same as in the toilet tank. The design is usually located in the attic, under the roof, and do not forget to install the drive.
The water chamber must be located one meter higher than the storage tank. A solar water heater is installed on the roof of the house, best from the south side or just in the sunny zone. If you install the device directly on the site, then the pipes that will lead to it will need to be marked in thermal insulation.
Now it will be necessary to connect everything into a single system, and this is done using pipes. After the water supply is connected. It is also desirable that as many pipes as possible be placed in the apparatus. It’s best to try and fit at least ten to twelve. The system is filled from the bottom area, namely from the radiator, this will allow you to avoid air traffic jams. After filling the system with water, fluid will flow from the chamber through the drain pipe.
In this case, you will need to fill the tank, and the water will circulate and warm up. The heated liquid will begin to displace the cold and will rise up. As a result, cold water will flow into the heat sink. As soon as the float valve operates in the chamber, cold water will again go down. This is how circulation will take place and there will be no mixing of liquids with different temperature indicators. At night, it is best to block the drive so that you avoid heat loss.
Some recommendations regarding the installation and construction of the apparatus
It does not matter if you have a solar vacuum water heater or any other, it is important that the device meets all consumer parameters, therefore it is recommended to adhere to the tips below:
- In the lower area of the heat exchangers, it is best to install drainage valves so that the air can bleed.
- The hydraulic system must have a valve, which excludes the circulation of the coolant. If there is a sharp decrease in temperature indicators, then the valve should be closed.
- Collectors can be introduced into a complete hydraulic network if you need to improve radiator performance.
- To obtain the desired water temperature, it will be necessary to use mixers for summing up the heated water.
- Thermal insulation must be reliable!
As you can see, you can create an apparatus on your own, the main thing is to have patience, stock up on all the materials and start designing. Everyone can create this water heater for the house, you only need to try a little.