The warm summer months never last forever. Soon it’s time to look for a way to bring a little extra warmth into the home and this simple solar heater is a great project to do just that. It’s made of metal cans, steel or aluminum, and can produce a surprisingly strong and consistent airflow upwards of 140F.
Even on a heavy snow day you’re looking at somewhere around 75-85F.
Best of all, this simple project requires just a few common parts and many of them can simply be re-purposed from your regular recycling. Watch the project come together in the fully-detailed video on the NEXT PAGE:
Joshua Randall we need one
Awesome…
We heat our chicken coop in the winter with these. And yes, return air flow is needed. I use a ball valve to turn off and store heat
We didnt use fan. Didnt need it. Set up pvc for upwards air flow. Like a vacuum
Soleil Zano, you have to be somewhat of an engineer hon.
Mike Pike… I want to build one for my hen house as well. I am thinking to use two glass doors panels as the front and back panel with the cans between. Your thoughts.
You have the cans, Bill!
Mike says:
“It’s a great concept and I plan to try it. A few challenges I forsee though: This simply isn’t going to work on a windy day. Even with glass if winds are over 25 mph it’s going to offset any heat and possibly be colder air than what is in the house. The other challenge is the duct is going to need a hole cut in the house and need some kind of flap for windy or non sunny days and the duct is going to have to be installed in such a way that it isn’t on the ground or it’s going to get cold. Very good concept though and I plan to test it.”
From: http://www.truthandaction.org/diy-metal-can-solar-heater/comment-page-1/#comment-421278
Could you somehow place this unit in a south facing window, inside, and have the hose simply on the floor?? No need to have unit outside then. Curious as I’d like hubby to make one but don’t want it out in -29* snowbank.
this could be a fun winter project
Daniel Honas please make me one for Christmas!