A simple solar heater that is cheap and easy to make. When there is direct sun on the unit it produces heat like a hair dryer.
According to the creator it produces a stream of air of around 120 degrees.
Some suggested tips for improvement:
– Make sure your black paint is matte so it doesn’t reflect the sun.
– The air moves by convection, however, you could add a small computer fan on the outlet and wire it to a 12 volt solar cell the unit to control the air rate.
– The intake size could be adjusted to control air rate as well. Making the intake smaller will give the air time to heat up while passing through the dryer ducting but it will slow down the rate of air flow. You can run it hot and slower or with more air and not as warm.
– A flat plate could be added between the intake tube and inside wall up to a little pulley inside the house. You could then adjust the air rate like this as well and have an on/off option.
– Add insulation to help maintain heat running through the system. Could prove vital for very cold areas.
Mother Earth News magazine had plans for simaler better then 25 years ago. You can mount small free spinning fans in front of the hot outlet. The more heat pushing the fan the faster it spins createing more air flow. Not a problem sealing any leaks at the window. Insulate the actual box to retain heat as it travels up. Surpriseing enough even in winter on a sunny day they work. You can create a plug to close the outlets off so it doesn’t suck heat out of the room. They are designed to help augment your primary heat source. AND NO it doesn’t work at night .geez
Douglas , looks like something for the garage
Joshua
If you really want to make improvements try these things:
Use aluminum gutters inside the box, paint them black. Aluminum heats faster and you can run more in the same space insuring the air can be heated before exiting.
Use 2 layers of glass on the outside of the box to insulate more heat.
Thanks
wow, looks easy
If you insulate the box well and make sure the entry into the home is sealed well, I think this would work well as supplemental heat.
Even if its only 65 degree air coming in, it would help when its 5 degrees outside
Its hot as $#%&!@* and now is The time this goes around?
It works in the winter. I built one similar years ago, they really do work.
Actually folks, I was a repair technician for a solar installation company, here in Michigan. These are quite effective. I was also very skeptical, when I first saw them. However, if they are sealed up correctly, and placed at the proper angle to the sun, they are remarkably great conductors of heat. Similar systems can be made with water. Do some research, and you’ll find that this technology works!