Do-it-yourself solar collector for heating water

Here you will learn:

How profitable are solar collectors?
Classification according to temperature criteria
Types of solar collectors
What can you make a solar system from yourself?
Polycarbonate manifold
Solar collector made from a hose or flexible pipe
Collector Stanilova
Collectors from scrap materials
How to connect a solar collector to a tank (shower) by gravity
How to connect the collector to the hot water supply

A solar collector for heating water with your own hands can be made from plastic or copper pipes, from a hose, from bottles or cans. We offer simple diagrams of such structures.

How profitable are solar collectors?

The payback of such devices depends on the breadth of use. In the southern regions, where there is a lot of sun, they are beneficial. But at the level of the 52nd parallel, they no longer pay off if they are used for heating (there is little sun in winter), but they pay off further north if they are used for hot water supply in the off-season and in the summer.

In Europe, for example, where gas is expensive and equipment is cheap, collectors are definitely beneficial for heating, even in the northern regions.

Our cheapest summer solar collectors, which can be made literally from scrap materials, or which are made “semi-handicraft” in local factories, are definitely advantageous.

They are used for heating water in a swimming pool, summer shower, hot water supply in the house and heating houses in the off-season. In winter conditions, cheap (homemade) collectors cannot compete in efficiency with factory ones; they become more like coolers, and therefore are not used.

The principle of heating and its effectiveness

air is pumped from the street into the collector body by force;
Absorbers are installed inside the block, reflecting heat, raising the temperature inside the box to 70-80°C;
the air is heated;
heated air masses are forced into heated rooms.

gas up to 315 m³;
firewood up to 3.9 m³.

in the building, one of the walls is made of accumulating material;
a glass partition is installed in front of the panel;
During the day, heat is accumulated and then released into the room at night.

The efficiency of the air collector is significantly affected by the time of year. Thus, in December the efficiency is maintained at 50%, in October and March it increases to 75%.

Classification according to temperature criteria

There are quite a large number of criteria by which certain solar system designs are classified. However, for devices that can be made with your own hands and used for hot water supply and heating, the most rational option would be to separate them by type of coolant.

So, systems can be liquid and air. The first type is more often applicable.

In addition, a classification is often used based on the temperature to which the working components of the collector can be heated:

Low temperature. Options capable of heating the coolant up to 50ºС. They are used to heat water in irrigation tanks, in bathtubs and showers in the summer and to improve comfortable conditions on cool spring-autumn evenings.
Medium temperature. Provide a coolant temperature of 80ºС. They can be used to heat rooms. These options are most suitable for furnishing private homes.
High temperature. The coolant temperature in such installations can reach up to 200-300ºС. They are used on an industrial scale, installed for heating production workshops, commercial buildings, etc.

High-temperature solar systems use a rather complex process of transferring thermal energy. In addition, they occupy an impressive amount of space, which most of our lovers of country life cannot afford.

The manufacturing process is labor-intensive, and implementation requires specialized equipment. It is almost impossible to make such a version of a solar system on your own.

It is quite difficult to make high-temperature solar panels using photovoltaic converters at home

Operating principle of solar water heater

Modern heaters act as equipment to convert sunlight into thermal energy. They are capable of heating a house and providing water heating mainly in sunny areas, provided that they are installed in a large open area.

There are many types of solar heaters, but they all work on the same principle. All systems consist of a circuit with sequential placement of devices that transmit thermal energy. The basis of the device is solar batteries, powered by solar collectors.

The collector is a collection of interconnected pipes. Water, anti-freezing liquid or ordinary air circulates through them, which ensure cooling of the mechanism. Circulation is provoked by evaporation and pressure changes within the system.

Energy accumulation is provided by special absorbers. The absorber is an iron plate attached to the pipes, with a blackened surface.

When making a water heater cover, a material is used that can transmit sunlight without problems (usually impact-resistant glass). Materials made from various polymers may not tolerate direct exposure to ultraviolet rays, so when using them, a high-quality cooling system is installed (mostly antifreeze is used).

If the device is installed to heat a small room without its own heating system, then a small single-circuit structure is constructed. It is worth noting that it will only work in sunny summers. In the case of installing the heater in double-circuit structures, it should be taken into account that the collector will process only one circuit. The main load will be placed on the heating system built into the room.

Despite the dependence of this type of heaters on sunny summer weather, demand on the market is growing every year. They found their recognition among people striving to use natural energy to the maximum.

Types of solar collectors

The standard device has the form of a metal plate, which is placed in a plastic or glass case. The surface of this plate accumulates solar energy, retains heat and transfers it for various household needs: heating, water heating, etc. Integrated collectors come in several types.

Cumulative

Storage collectors are also called thermosiphon collectors. This DIY solar collector without a pump is the most profitable. Its capabilities allow you not only to heat water, but also to maintain the temperature at the required level for some time.

This solar heating collector consists of several tanks filled with water, which are located in a thermal insulation box. The tanks are covered with a glass lid, through which the sun's rays shine through and heat the water. This option is the most economical, easy to operate and maintain, but its effectiveness in winter is practically zero.

Flat

It is a large metal plate - an absorber, which is located inside an aluminum case with a glass lid. A do-it-yourself flat-plate solar collector will be more efficient if you use a glass cover. Absorbs solar energy through hail-resistant glass, which transmits light well and practically does not reflect it.

There is thermal insulation inside the box, which can significantly reduce heat loss. The wafer itself has low efficiency, so it is coated with an amorphous semiconductor, which significantly increases the thermal energy accumulation rate.

When making a solar collector for a swimming pool with your own hands, preference is often given to a flat integrated device. However, it copes just as well with other tasks, such as heating water for household needs and heating a room. Flat is the most widely used option. It is preferable to make an absorber for a solar collector from copper with your own hands.

Liquid

From the name it is clear that the main coolant in them is liquid. A do-it-yourself water solar collector is made according to the following scheme. Through a metal plate that absorbs solar energy, heat is transferred through pipes attached to it into a tank with water or antifreeze liquid or directly to the consumer.

Two pipes approach the plate. Through one of them, cold water is supplied from the tank, and through the second, already heated liquid enters the tank. Pipes must have inlet and outlet openings. This heating circuit is called closed.

When heated water is directly supplied to meet the needs of the user, such a system is called open-loop.

Non-glazed ones are more often used to heat water in a swimming pool, so assembling such thermal solar collectors with your own hands does not require the purchase of expensive materials - rubber and plastic will do. Glazed ones have higher efficiency, so they are able to heat the house and provide the consumer with hot water.

Air

Air devices are more economical than the above-mentioned analogs that use water as a coolant. The air does not freeze, does not leak, and does not boil like water. If a leak occurs in such a system, it does not cause as many problems, but it is quite difficult to determine where it occurred.

Self-production does not cost the consumer much. The sun receiving panel, which is covered with glass, heats the air that is between it and the heat-insulating plate. Roughly speaking, this is a flat-plate collector with space for air inside. Cold air enters inside and, under the influence of solar energy, warm air is supplied to the consumer.

A fan, which is attached to the duct or directly to the plate, improves circulation and improves air exchange in the device. The fan requires the use of electricity to operate, which is not very economical.

Such options are durable and reliable and are easier to maintain than devices that use liquid as a coolant. To maintain the desired air temperature in the cellar or to heat a greenhouse with a solar collector, just this option is suitable.

Homemade solar water heaters

For a dacha with just one light summer house, where people come only in the warm season and only on weekends, there is no point in building a capital hot water supply system.
To make a solar water heating system here will not require much time or money. To build a solar collector, you will need boards measuring 200x15x2 cm, fiberboard, tempered glass, a sheet of tin or roofing iron measuring 2x1 meter, wooden blocks 5x5 cm 1 meter long, copper tube, polystyrene foam, black heat-resistant paint, “Sealant” glue.

Sectional view of a flat-plate collector

First, a box measuring 2x1 meter is made from boards. The bottom of the box is made from fiberboard. For strength, crossbars made of bars are nailed in two places. All joints of the outer walls of the box are carefully treated with “Sealant” glue. Then thermal insulation - polystyrene foam - is placed on the bottom of the box. A flat coil bent from a copper tube is rigidly attached to a sheet of tin.

To prevent creases on the tube when bending, you must first pour ordinary salt into it, which is then easily washed out. As such a coil, you can use a coil from an old refrigerator. It will first need to be thoroughly rinsed to remove freon residues.

Homemade flat collector based on a heating battery

Then this sheet of tin with a coil is mounted in a box on stiffening bars. The ends of the coil are brought out into specially drilled holes in the box. Then this entire structure is coated from the inside with black heat-resistant paint. Preferably in two layers. After the paint has dried, the box is covered with glass. All joints, seams, openings with exposed coil pipes are carefully sealed. The outside of the box is coated with silver paint. The solar collector is ready.

Homemade flat solar collector for heating pool water

Now it’s the turn of the expansion tank. What to make a tank with a capacity of 100 - 120 liters from does not really matter

It is important that this tank is carefully covered with a layer of thermal insulation. At the bottom of the tank there is a spiral-shaped copper heat exchanger coil, which is connected to the manifold by pipes

The tank itself will be filled with water from the main line.

The water level in the tank should be controlled by a float valve. After the collector is permanently installed in a place with maximum sun exposure, it is connected to the heat exchanger coil in the tank. A low-power water pump is connected to the coolant circuit to ensure circulation. After all preparatory work is completed, water and antifreeze are poured into the collector system so that the coolant does not turn into ice during possible night frosts. The hot water system is ready for use.

For a dacha with more serious communications, a more thorough water heating system will be required. After all, hot water may be needed here, for example, for a swimming pool, a greenhouse, or for heating a house in winter. In this case, it is advisable to use sets of vacuum tubes as collectors. Even in winter, in idle mode, the temperature at the tip of such a tube exceeds 200°C.

Connecting vacuum tubes to the coolant circuit

Otherwise, the design of the hot water supply system is no different from a system with a flat collector.

Making a helium heater with your own hands is not at all difficult. This will be much cheaper than similar industrial products, the cost of which for the simplest ones is 35 - 40 thousand rubles. The cost of complex systems can reach several hundred thousand rubles. A well-made manifold with your own hands will heat water no worse than a branded one, but will cost much less.

What can you make a solar system from yourself?

First, you need to understand what operating principle a solar water heater uses. The internal structure of the block contains the following components:

frame;
absorber;
a heat exchanger within which the coolant will circulate;
reflectors to focus the sun's rays.

The factory solar water heating collector works as follows:

Heat absorption - the sun's rays pass through the glass located on top of the body or through vacuum tubes. The internal absorbent layer in contact with the heat exchanger is painted with selective paint. When sunlight hits the absorber, a large amount of heat is released, which is collected and used to heat water.
Heat transfer - the absorber is located in close contact with the heat exchanger. The heat accumulated by the absorber and transferred to the heat exchanger heats the liquid moving through the tubes to the coil inside the heat storage tank. Water circulation in the water heater is carried out by forced or natural means.
DHW — two principles of heating hot water are used:
The second option is to provide domestic hot water with a passive water heater based on the principle of indirect heating. The coolant (often antifreeze) is sent under pressure to the solar collector heat exchanger. After heating, the heated liquid is supplied to a storage tank, inside of which a coil (playing the role of a heating element) is built, surrounded by water for the hot water supply system. The coolant heats up the coil, thereby transferring heat to the water in the container. When the tap is opened, heated water from the heat-storing tank flows to the water collection point. The peculiarity of a solar system with indirect heating is its ability to operate throughout the year.

The operating principle used in expensive factory-made solar systems is copied and repeated in do-it-yourself collectors.

The working designs of solar water heaters have a similar structure. They are only made from scrap materials. There are schemes for the production of collectors from:

polycarbonate;
vacuum tubes;
PET bottles;
beer cans;
refrigerator radiator;
copper tubes;
HDPE and PVC pipes.

Judging by the diagrams, modern “Kulibins” prefer homemade systems with natural circulation, thermosiphon type. The peculiarity of the solution is that the storage tank is located at the top point of the hot water supply system. Water circulates through the system by gravity and is supplied to the consumer.

How does solar energy work in the device?

The sun is a very powerful and, most importantly, endless source of heat energy. No one takes money for its use, and therefore it is worth thinking about how to use such an advantage for your own benefit. Factory taxes on solar water heaters can cost quite a bit of money. If you understand the principle of operation of such a device, you can do something similar with your own hands. Although in reality there are several examples of such a device.

Polycarbonate manifold

They are made from honeycomb panels with good thermal insulation properties. Sheet thickness from 4 to 30 mm. The choice of polycarbonate thickness depends on the required heat transfer. The thicker the sheet and the cells in it, the more water the installation can heat.

To make a solar system yourself, in particular a homemade solar water heater made of polycarbonate, you will need the following materials:

two threaded rods;
propylene corners, the fittings must have an external threaded connection;
PVC plastic pipes: 2 pcs, length 1.5 m, diameter 32;
2 plugs.

The pipes are laid parallel to the housing. Connect to the hot water supply via shut-off valves. A thin cut is made along the pipe into which a sheet of polycarbonate can be inserted. Thanks to the thermosiphon principle, water will independently flow into the grooves (cells) of the sheet, heat up and go into the storage tank located at the top of the entire heating system. To seal and fix the sheets inserted into the pipe, thermally resistant silicone is used.

To increase the thermal efficiency of a cellular polycarbonate collector, the sheet is coated with any selective paint. Heating of water after applying selective coating accelerates approximately twice.

Storage type solar heater

The most common option for a homemade solar water heater is a storage type device. Its peculiarity is that water is filled into a special tank located at some elevation (usually the roof of a building), and then during the day the liquid is heated to a temperature of + 40 ... + 45 ° C and can be used for domestic needs.

Moreover, the heated liquid can be directed to its destination by gravity, due to the natural difference in height. Solar storage heaters are most widely used for arranging summer showers, however, with certain modifications, they can well be used for the operation of hot water systems.

Let's consider a detailed methodology for constructing a storage-type solar heater.

Firstly, it is necessary to provide a structure for securing the container. Of course, it must be made of durable materials and allow for significant loads (depending on the volume of the tank). Metal corners, pipes, and channels can be used as elements for the production of fasteners.

Secondly, the working tank should be prepared for direct installation. It should be noted right away that any product can act as such a container, be it a barrel, a welded tank, or a specialized plastic tank. To prepare, you should complete the following list of works:

Drill the bottom of the container;
Install the outlet pipe;
Screw the stopcock onto the pipe;
Coat the external and internal surfaces of the container with a paint composition that is resistant to high temperatures and humidity. For better heating of the liquid, it is advisable to paint the outer surface of the tank in dark colors;

Subsequently, the prepared product is mounted in a given position and securely fixed.

In principle, by providing the ability to fill the water, and providing the tank with a lid (preventing debris from entering), work on such a solar heater can be completed. If you plan to integrate the device into an existing water supply system, additional measures will need to be taken. Namely, with the help of pipelines (it is recommended to use products based on metal-plastic), provide a supply of cold water to the container and make a branch in the storage tank of the hot water supply system.

Moreover, all connections must be made using shut-off valves. That is, the operation of such a system can only be possible with the direct participation of a person, when to fill the heating tank it will be necessary to shut off the outlet to the storage tank, and to use water, on the contrary, to shut off the supply line and open the valve to the storage tank.

To indicate the water level in such systems, specialized float-type devices or level sensors can be used.

A do-it-yourself solar water heater made in this way will allow you to supply your home with warm water in the required volume in the presence of the required solar radiation. Whereas in the cold season its use will be inappropriate.

Solar collector made from a hose or flexible pipe

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

Such a manifold may consist of one or several sections into which hoses tightly coiled in a spiral “snail” are laid and secured.

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

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

In some cases, when creating an entire solar battery system, you can do without installing a storage tank. This is possible when hot water is used only during the day and in small quantities. For example, a circuit of 150 m of pipe having an internal diameter of 16 mm holds 30 liters of water. And if five or six such “snails” from pipes are collected 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 left for household needs.

Materials for production

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

A rubber hose or a flexible black plastic pipe with a diameter of 20 ÷ 25 mm is essentially the main element of the system in which heat exchange will occur during water circulation. The amount of hose will depend on the size of the solar panel - it can be 100 or 1000 meters. The black color of the hose is preferable because it absorbs heat more than all other shades.

It should be noted right away that metal-plastic pipes are not particularly suitable for making a collector, even if they are coated with black paint. The fact is that their plasticity in this case is insufficient - they break when bending 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, you will have to purchase several bays. If you plan to use, for example, 50 or 100 m of hose in each section, then you should not buy a whole 200-meter coil, it is better to purchase a ready-made measured hose. This will help save time during installation.

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

As a good alternative, you can try modern PEX cross-linked polyethylene pipes. They have good plasticity, but it’s not hard to figure out how to give them black color if it’s not on sale.

If the slope of the roof on which the collector battery will be installed is steep, then special boxes are made from bars, plywood or metal sheets for the hose spirals. To do this, you will need bars 40×40 or 40×50 mm, plywood 6 mm thick, or a metal sheet 1.5–2 mm thick. The blanks of the future module are treated with an antiseptic (wood) or anti-corrosion compounds (metal). Then a box is assembled from them into one or more spirals. By the way, you can use old window frames as the sides of the box, onto which the bottom part is simply mounted.
For pre-treatment of metal and wood, it is necessary to purchase antiseptic, anti-corrosion and primer compounds.
Hoses (pipes) will experience considerable loads both from the mass of the coolant and from temperature changes and internal pressure. Therefore, they will try to disrupt the installation, deform, and sag, so it is necessary to provide special fastenings to maintain them in the initially specified position.

This can be a metal strip that is secured between the pipes with self-tapping screws.

Another option is a loose bundle with a tight cord or a plastic clamp-“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 fixation.

Another fastening option suitable for a plastic pipe or reinforced hose can be nails with wide heads. They can be driven 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 block.

It will also be necessary to prepare connecting elements for the hose or pipes. There are quite a lot of varieties of such fittings, but you need to choose exactly those that are designed for the material chosen for the manufacture of the manifold. In addition to such connectors, threaded fittings will be required to transition from a plastic or rubber pipe to a common metal one. Such a connection will be necessary if the collector consists 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 modules into a single battery, you will need two collectors - a piece of 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, warmed water will be collected.

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

Battery installation

Having prepared everything you need, you can start working.

First you need to treat all wooden parts of the future structure with an antiseptic.
Next, if the bottom of the modules is made of metal sheet, it must be coated with an anti-corrosion compound. Typically, mastic designed to cover the undersides of cars is used for this.
After the compositions have dried on the prepared elements, single or common modules are assembled from them.
Then the hoses are laid in them, for which the holders are secured.
To allow pipes to pass freely through the sides of the modules, holes are drilled for them - in the upper and lower parts. Accordingly, the cold water inlet pipe is led into the lower hole, and the heated water outlet into the upper hole.
If several modules are mounted vertically, or one common one, into which several pipe “snails” are also placed, one above the other, then the lower end of each of the spirals is connected to the upper outlet of the underlying one - and according to this sequential principle, the entire “column” is switched. The lowest end is connected to a common metal collector 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 discharged for consumption.
The spiral-shaped collector circuit can also be mounted on a metal sheet installed not on the roof, but near the house, on its southern 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 the pipes, since 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.

Types of Solar Water Heaters

SV can be divided depending on water pressure into:

Active.
Passive.

In passive devices, water flows under the influence of gravity or circulates due to convection. The pressure is usually small. Such heaters are easier to make and cheaper, but their performance is low.

Active ones are equipped with an electric pump, valves, and controllers.

Active solar water heaters are in turn divided into:

Open circuit heaters.
Heaters with a closed circuit (they use antifreeze and can be operated even when the thermometer is below zero).

But the main parameter by which SVs are distinguished is:

Cumulative;
Or flow type.

Cumulative type

The sun heats the water in the tank. After heating to a comfortable temperature, consumers immediately receive a large volume of warm water.

Heating tank

The simplest example is a tank installed above an outdoor shower. The tank capacity is arbitrary. It is painted black. An outlet hole with a shower head is made at the bottom. On top there is a hole for filling with water.

Instead of a tank, you can use a barrel, a large-diameter pipe, a plastic container or a welded metal cube.

With some modification, such a tank installed on the roof can supply warm water to the house.

You can connect the SV to the boiler. In it, the heated water will remain warm longer, and on a cloudy day, when the temperature of the water reaches only 25 - 30 degrees, you can use a boiler to “heat up” the water and still save on electricity!

Flow type

Its essence is that water is released through a long system of tubes or hoses, through which it has time to heat up from the sun.

For homemade models, the simplest materials can be used.

Hose reels

Ordinary garden hoses are twisted and secured (with wire, for example).

A dark material is placed under the hoses (whatever you have on hand, preferably matte).

For example:

roofing felt;
painted foam;
rubber, etc.

For one season, you can, of course, simply lay coils with hoses (one, two or three). If you want to do a long-term project, they make a wooden frame, the bottom of which is lined with dark material, and the top is covered with glass. A gap of at least 12mm must be left between the hose and the glass.

Clamps are used to connect hoses and pipes.

Calculating the length of the hose is quite difficult, since in the calculations you need to take into account many unstable indicators, such as air temperature, the number of sunny days per year, etc. Therefore, before making a stationary structure, you can experiment and in practice understand how many coils will suit you.

Bottled hose

A quick and simple version of SV can be made using a hose and ordinary plastic bottles.

Its essence is that bottles are “strung” along the entire length of the hose (holes are cut in the bottoms strictly according to the diameter of the hose).

The resulting snake easily fits between the waves of the slate roof.

It is important that the hose is the same diameter as the bottle neck. The more tightly the structure is assembled, the better the water will heat.

Collector Stanilova

Engineer Stanislav Stanilov presented the world with the most versatile solar collector design. The main idea of using the device he developed is to obtain thermal energy by creating a greenhouse effect inside the collector.

Collector design

The design of this collector is very simple. Essentially, this is a solar collector made of steel pipes welded into a radiator, which is placed in a wooden container protected by thermal insulation. Mineral wool, polystyrene foam, and polystyrene can be used as thermal insulation materials.

A galvanized metal sheet is placed at the bottom of the box, on which the radiator is mounted. Both the sheet and the radiator are painted black, and the box itself is covered with white paint. Of course, the container is covered with a glass lid, which is well sealed.

Materials and parts for manufacturing

To build such a homemade solar collector for heating a house you will need:

glass that will serve as a lid. Its size will depend on the dimensions of the box. For good efficiency, it is better to select glass measuring 1700 mm by 700 mm;
glass frame - you can weld it yourself from corners or put together from wooden planks;
board for the box. Here you can use any boards, even from dismantling old furniture or plank floors;
rental corner;
coupling;
pipes for radiator assembly;
clamps for attaching the radiator;
galvanized iron sheet;
radiator inlet and outlet pipes;
tank with a volume of 200−300 liters;
aqua chamber;
thermal insulation (sheets of polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, ecowool).

Stages of work

Stages of making a Stanilov collector with your own hands:

A container is made from boards, the bottom of which is reinforced with beams.
A heat insulator is placed at the bottom. The base must be especially carefully insulated to avoid heat leakage from the heat exchanger.
Afterwards, a galvanized plate is placed at the bottom of the box and a radiator is installed, which is welded from pipes, and secured with steel clamps.
The radiator and the sheet underneath are painted black, and the box is painted white or silver.
The water tank should be installed under the collector in a warm room. Between the water tank and the collector you need to install thermal insulation to keep the pipes warm. The tank can be placed in a large barrel into which expanded clay, sand, sawdust, etc. can be poured. and thus insulate.
An aqua chamber must be installed above the tank to create pressure in the network.
Do-it-yourself solar collector installation should be done on the south side of the roof.
After all the elements of the system are ready and installed, you need to connect them into a network with half-inch pipes, which must be well insulated in order to reduce heat loss.
It would be a good idea to build a controller for the solar collector with your own hands, since factory devices do not last long.

How to make a solar water heater with your own hands

The device is a tubular radiator with a diameter of 1 inch, placed in a wooden box. The structure can be thermally insulated using polystyrene foam. Using a galvanized iron sheet, you need to additionally insulate the bottom of the device. It is imperative to paint the materials black to speed up the heating process, with the exception of the glass lid, which is painted white.

As a container for water, you can use a large iron barrel, which is placed in a box made of wood or plywood. Empty space must be filled. Sawdust, sand, expanded clay, etc. are suitable for this.

DIY tools and materials for a water heater

To construct a solar water heater, the following materials and tools are required:

glass with frame;
construction cardboard under the bottom;
wood or plywood for a box under a barrel;
coupling;
filler for empty space (sand, sawdust, etc.);
iron corners of the lining;
radiator pipe;
fastenings (for example, clamps);
galvanized iron sheet;
iron tank with a large volume (300 liters is enough);
black, white and silver paint;
wooden bars.

Solar water heater manufacturing process

The process of making a solar collector with your own hands is not only exciting, but also brings a lot of benefits. The created device will make it possible to rationally use solar radiation to solve various economic problems. The specifics of creating a collector in stages are as follows:

First you need to make a box for the tank, which needs to be reinforced with beams.
Thermal insulation material is applied from below, on top of which a metal sheet is installed.
A radiator is placed on top, which must be properly secured with prepared fasteners.
The slightest cracks in the body of the structure must be covered and sealed.
Pipes and metal sheets must be painted black.
The barrel and box are painted silver and after drying, the tank is installed in a wooden structure.
The empty space is filled with prepared filler.
To ensure constant pressure, you can purchase an aqua chamber with a float, which is installed in the water storage tank.
The structure should be placed in a sunny space at an angle to the horizon.
Next, the system is connected to each other by pipes (their number and material depend on the size and type of the project).
To avoid the formation of air pockets, you need to start filling from the bottom of the radiator.
According to such a system, heated water moves upward, thereby displacing cold water, which subsequently enters the radiator and is heated.

If everything is calculated correctly, after some time warm water will flow out of the outlet pipe. Do not forget that sunny weather is a prerequisite. So, the temperature inside the water heater system can be around 70 degrees. The difference in water temperature at the inlet and outlet will be 10–15 degrees. At night, it is recommended to shut off the water supply to avoid heat loss.

The performance of such a device is significantly inferior to store heaters. The efficiency of a homemade device will be much lower, but if there is no need to purchase such an expensive system, you can do everything yourself.

Collectors from scrap materials

Assembling a solar collector for heating a house with your own hands is both cheaper and more interesting, because it can be made from various available materials.

From cans

The coolant of a solar collector made from aluminum cans is air. The cans are connected to each other to form a pipe. To make a solar collector from beer cans, you need to cut off the bottom and top of each can, dock them together and glue them with sealant. The finished pipes are placed in a wooden box and covered with glass.

Basically, an air solar collector made from beer cans is used to eliminate dampness in the basement or to heat a greenhouse. Not only beer cans, but also plastic bottles can be used as a heat storage device.

From the refrigerator

You can make your own solar water heating panels from an unusable refrigerator or the radiator of an old car. The condenser removed from the refrigerator must be rinsed thoroughly. Hot water obtained in this way is best used only for technical purposes.

Foil and a rubber mat are spread on the bottom of the box, then the capacitor is placed on them and secured. To do this, you can use belts, clamps, or the fastening with which it was attached in the refrigerator. To create pressure in the system, it would not hurt to install a pump or aqua chamber above the tank.

From plastic and metal-plastic pipes

How to make a solar collector with your own hands, having plastic pipes in your home arsenal? They are less effective as a heat storage device, but are several times cheaper than copper and do not corrode like steel.

The pipes are laid out in a box in a spiral and secured with clamps. They can be coated with black or selective paint for greater effectiveness.

You can experiment with pipe laying. Since pipes bend poorly, they can be laid not only in a spiral, but also in a zigzag. Among the advantages, plastic pipes can be easily and quickly soldered.

From metal pipes

This assembly option is similar to the Stanilov manifold. When assembling a solar collector from copper pipes with your own hands, a radiator is welded from the pipes and placed in a wooden box lined with thermal insulation from the inside.

Copper pipes will be the most effective; aluminum pipes can also be used, but they are difficult to weld, but steel pipes are the most successful option.

Such a homemade collector should not be too large so that it is easy to assemble and install. The diameter of the pipes on solar collectors for radiator welding should be smaller than that of the pipes for coolant input and output.

Materials and tools, assembly technology

We consider the need for materials and products in parallel with a description of the solar collector manufacturing technology. This work can be done in the following order.

Case manufacturing

For this you will need:

waterproof material for the back wall. This can be multilayer waterproof plywood, plastic or other similar materials;
planed softwood board 150x32 mm. All wooden parts must be treated with antiseptics and fire-retardant impregnations;
roll insulation;
construction stapler for attaching insulation from inside the housing;
aluminum foil to create a reflective surface over the insulation;
polycarbonate, cellular or monolithic, body size 4 mm thick. The holes for attaching it should be located no closer than 4 cm from the edge of the sheet, so you need to take this factor into account when determining the size. Can be installed with an overlap. It is advisable to purchase material without a protective layer against ultraviolet radiation, as heating will occur even in cloudy weather;
seal made of porous rubber (tape - self-adhesive) under polycarbonate.

Assembly sequence:

The board walls are attached to the back wall with self-tapping screws 50 mm long using a screwdriver in increments of 25–30 cm.
Insulation is installed, fastening is done with a construction stapler with staples no shorter than 10 mm.
A reflective foil surface is installed on top of the insulation layer.
A sealant is glued to the end of the body boards.

Collector installation

When making this important unit with your own hands, you can use stamped steel radiators from a refrigerator or heating system. To do this you need:

Before installation, the radiator must be painted with matte black paint using a paint brush or roller.
Install it into the case through gaskets with a gap of about 20 mm from the rear wall, secure it with self-tapping screws to the rear wall.
Connect the collector outlet pipe using a metal-plastic product with an internal diameter of about 20 mm.
Connect a return line made of the same material.

Upon completion of the collector assembly, install the polycarbonate front wall. In this case, the holes for the screws should be 1–1.5 mm larger than the diameter of the screws to compensate for thermal expansion.

Circuit installation

The operation is performed in accordance with the previously developed project in the following order:

Make the wiring to the indirect heating boiler, connect it to the pipe of its internal circuit, which is a heat exchanger.
Conduct wiring from the boiler to the collector, providing for the installation of a circular pump and an induction heater.
The purpose of heating is twofold: the main thing is to prevent the collector from freezing at critically low outside temperatures, the additional purpose is to increase the temperature in the system to the required level under the same conditions. The use of an induction heater requires the installation of a circular pump. In this case, it is necessary to provide protection against turning on the heater without it.
Loop the circuit by connecting the distribution pipe to the collector return.

During installation, you need to determine the highest point of the system and install a valve for bleeding air plugs on it. At the lowest point you need to install a drain valve to remove the coolant in emergency conditions.

When assembling the system, you need to use materials to seal the threaded connections in the form of flax tow or fluoroplastic sealing material.

System assembly

The operation consists of installing the collector in the housing to its permanent location. This should be the southern slope of the building's roof. Work order:

Lift the collector onto the roof and secure it at the desired angle.
Make holes in the roofing pie for wiring the outlet and return pipes.
Connect the pipes into a common circuit.
Fill the system with coolant, turn on the circulation pump (without an inductor) and check the circuit for leaks, and if necessary, repair them.
Seal holes in the roof hermetically.
Insulate the piping of the assembled circuit with insulating materials.

How to connect a solar collector to a tank (shower) by gravity

The weak point for summer solar collectors remains the need to use a pump. This dramatically increases the cost of the design or makes it completely unacceptable.

But you can make a heating tank connected to the solar collector so that the liquid moves by gravity. The principle of gravity flow is preserved - the heater is located lower than the storage tank (radiator).

According to this scheme, when using pipes from ¾ inches, water should move by gravity. The heated water from this tank can be drained into the pool.

Pros of a solar water heating system

Solar heaters have the following advantages:

Relatively simple design.
The reliability level is quite high.
Such a system can be used for a year.
The period of use is more than a dozen years.
The commissioning of such a system helps to reduce the cost of electrical energy and coolants.
Installation of the unit is carried out without prior obtaining a permit. Installation takes minimal time and is simple.
The weight of the structure is relatively light.
Autonomous operating mode.

Flaws

Before using solar water heaters for your home, consider the disadvantages:

Factory-designed equipment is more expensive.
The level of efficiency depends on various indicators: climatic region, time of year, etc.
Hail and wet snow have a detrimental effect on the condition of the installation and its performance.
Installation of the container in which heat is accumulated takes some time. This process requires additional costs.

Despite all its disadvantages, solar water heating is growing in popularity. After all, it is considered environmentally friendly.

How to connect the collector to the hot water supply

The best monetary benefit comes from the manufacture and operation of a collector made of aluminum or copper tubes on metal under glass, connecting it to the hot water supply system.

Since the collector and spiral in the boiler are a small-sized heated system, it must be equipped with an expansion tank and a safety valve. Circulation is carried out using a low-power pump. A good collector will provide the house with hot water even in the off-season...

Design of simple solar water heating systems

From an economic point of view, it is more profitable to design a solar water heater with your own hands.

Simple design

For these purposes, tanks that are coated with black paint are required. They are connected to the water main from the house. From such a container water flows into the shower.

A DIY pool water heater is constructed from a trough, pipes for cold water and an overflow, outlet and valve. A transparent lid is used to cover the container.

Simple designs have the following disadvantages:

In cloudy weather, the water container does not heat up.
The container is filled with liquid every day. The heated water is carefully drained.
Such a device is placed only in a horizontal position. Therefore, at certain times the efficiency decreases.

Using the collector

Installing a collector designed on your own is more profitable from a practical and economic point of view. But to achieve a positive result, preparation is required.

Design of a heat receiver

In order to heat water year-round, the following is required:

Accumulating container.
Refill container.
Collector.

Installation of pumping equipment is not necessary. To circulate the coolant, the heat receiver is installed below the tank. The make-up container is located higher than the storage container. The container into which the heated liquid is transferred is compacted.

The second container is equipped with a float valve for the system to function. A pipe is connected to the branch pipe through which cold liquid will flow.

To construct a water heater with your own hands, use:

Copper tubes.
Tubes made of polymer compounds or plastic.
Flat radiators made of durable steel.
Aluminum tubes.

To construct a housing for the heater, wood and plywood are often used. Craftsmen construct a polycarbonate solar collector with their own hands.

If everything is done correctly, you can get the following benefits:

You can use such a system even at maximum load.
The payback period of the designed heater is minimal.
Reduced fuel costs.
Such a system is quickly prepared for operation.

Prices and what do they depend on?

As for specific figures, water heaters produced in Russia will cost approximately 700-800 US dollars. We are talking about a vacuum type model. Approximately the same prices for similar Chinese products. Water heaters from German manufacturers cost approximately 800-900 euros. It is more expensive, but they come with the necessary fasteners, and copper and stainless steel are used to make the collectors. So the money will not be wasted.

Water heater Viessmann Vitosol 200 The price of a solar water heater is influenced by the following factors:

Brand;
Housing and heat sink material;
build quality;
method of laying insulating material and the cost of the material itself;
glass thickness.

Naturally, the price reflects the design differences discussed above.

About the solar system

Solar water heaters are used to increase water temperature and for heating systems. They simply connect to existing systems, and the economic effect of using them is enormous - up to 60%.

This technical device works simply:

Water is heated by the sun in a heat exchanger located in a specially designed storage tank. As a rule, using two tanks at the same time is most effective. They are usually made of copper, since the thermal conductivity of this metal is high. This allows you to use heated water for domestic needs and in the heating system.
By convection, the hot air is directed upward, and the cold remains below. With built-in electronics, it is possible to regulate these processes and quickly respond to all changes in the functioning of the system. There cannot be direct human contact with these functions, because everything can be monitored remotely.

If the weather is cloudy, then the required amount of heat will not be generated from solar energy, but the heating system continues to function. And, on the contrary, if it is hot outside, then you can get a sufficient amount of energy from the sun. In this case, a redistribution of the coolant occurs in the expansion tank due to the expansion of the material under the influence of high temperatures.

The principle of operation of the devices

Heating a house using homemade solar panels is carried out based on the simplest laws of physics. According to one of them, a liquid with a high density will naturally displace a less dense one. This operating principle is used for heating systems operating on the natural circulation of the main coolant.

The principle of operation of the solar collector

Heating of the coolant has the following form:

the coolant in the tubes is heated by the sun's rays;
The heat obtained in this way is accumulated in a heat accumulator.

Most often, water heated by the sun's rays acts as a coolant. The water is in a vertical coil. When heated, the water in such a device rises upward. Next it goes into the container. Liquid will be drawn from it. For the solar battery to operate efficiently, it is necessary to achieve a process of natural circulation of liquid. In a situation where the coolant has cooled down, it must return to the collector to undergo a repeated heating cycle. To ensure that the water heating process does not stop, additional devices are needed - pumps.

Installation

Since the equipment is powered by solar energy, the heater will be installed outdoors.
Installation is recommended to be carried out on the roofs of buildings, on balconies or other architectural protrusions. The water heater screen should be directed south. The installation is carried out at a certain angle to the horizon, which is equivalent to the geographic latitude of the area.

The water heater constantly absorbs energy and for obvious reasons the energy source cannot be turned off, therefore, in the case of low water consumption, the stagnation temperature can reach up to 300°C.

For this reason, the use of plastic and steel pipes with zinc coating is not allowed. Pipelines made of copper or stainless steel will be optimal for operation.

The hot circuit of a solar water heater must be insulated to avoid burns and fires. The operating temperature of the equipment should be taken into account when choosing thermal insulation and fasteners.

Manufacturers of solar water heaters indicate the exact stagnation temperature on the body of their products. The collector panels should be located in an open space so that there is open access to sunlight. It is necessary to exclude the presence of possible obstacles.

Most often, the angle of inclination of the collector will be the slope of the roof slope. In order to bring the water heater operating efficiency closer to maximum, it is better to follow the recommendations and use a special rack on which the collector will be mounted.

Those. The key to proper and efficient operation of the equipment are just a few rules:

direction south;
correct angle of inclination;
unhindered access to sunlight;

Incorrect installation will reduce the quality of the water heater, and the investment will not be justified. The type of heater can also play a role in how it is installed. During installation, take into account the type of equipment used.

Passive

It implies the absorption and accumulation of energy that occurs naturally. Solar energy enters the heating object without controlling this process, i.e. There are no mechanisms or control elements. This is a simple system that does not require any special costs. However, the disadvantages are that the water heater operates unevenly and not at full capacity.

The most obvious example is a darkened tank, which is located above the outdoor shower. Single-circuit systems that use the natural circulation process operate in this passive mode. For full operation of the system, the receiving tank is placed above the collector, but this installation method is not always convenient. The issue can be resolved using another way of operating the system.

Active

Free from the disadvantages of a passive system. Its operation is based on the fact that the sun's rays, thanks to special devices, are converted into thermal energy, which is systematically transferred to the heating tank and the consumer. The operation of such a heater is achieved thanks to forced circulation, which can be maintained in single- and double-circuit systems. Also used and additionally installed are motors that rotate panels and pumps, measuring equipment, as well as devices for monitoring and controlling the operation of the system.

Solar system and its advantages

Heating home premises with solar collectors will significantly reduce costs that were previously spent on the traditional method of heating a house using batteries. Solar systems consisting of such batteries have many advantages:

solar energy is free. Of course, you will have to spend money on creating a system and connecting it to the house. But the savings will be noticeable immediately upon the onset of cold weather;
this system is environmentally friendly and does not harm the environment;
it conserves natural resources such as coal and natural gas;
is an effective solution to the energy problem for the home;
the solar collector is capable of providing efficient heating of the house when used mixed with other systems;
long service life;
The system is autonomous, which eliminates dependence on utility companies. Autonomous heating is especially important for private houses;
safe operation;
the ability to do it yourself;
aesthetic appearance;
the ability to select a collector according to parameters.

You should not think about installing a solar system for your home yourself if your area of residence has a sufficiently large number of sunny days throughout the year. To get all the above benefits from heating your home or cottage with solar collectors, you should know:

availability of high-quality insulation of home premises;
You can combine heating using solar energy with other heating options: gas and electric;
for regions with low insolation (solar flux), it is necessary to correctly calculate how much area the collector should have;
Installation rules must be followed. Otherwise, the system will not function correctly;

Note! Collectors should be installed at an angle equal to the geographic latitude of the area. In this position they have maximum efficiency.

The correct option for installing the collector

Solar panels should be placed on the south side, since the maximum intensity of insolation will be observed in the middle of the day;
installed batteries should not be shaded by neighboring buildings or trees.

If the heating system of the house using solar collectors was organized with your own hands, then in winter the angle of inclination of their surface will need to be slightly increased. But in this case, in the summer, the efficiency of the batteries will decrease slightly. However, against the backdrop of an overabundance of lighting, this fact will remain invisible.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of a do-it-yourself solar water heating system:

Low cost.
Possibility to assemble the structure yourself.
Using free solar energy.
Energy savings in the warm season are up to 60%.
Heating water, heating a house in areas where communications are not connected.
With proper organization, year-round use is possible.

Flaws:

Dependence on weather conditions.
Inability to function in the off-season.
When installing in areas with variable climates, an additional heating source is recommended.
Low productive capacity.
Equipment for installation site.
For forced circulation of liquid in the system, an electric pump is required, which leads to additional costs.

As a source of alternative energy, a solar water heating system significantly saves costs on electricity, gas supply, purchase of liquid and solid fuel, etc. Such an installation can be done independently with the necessary set of materials and tools. This will significantly reduce the consumption of other energy resources that you have to pay for.

A solar installation is also effective in the cold season, if you follow the installation rules. In clear weather, it will also accumulate solar heat, warming the water. The main thing is to properly insulate the pipeline and storage tank.

Recently, non-traditional methods of heating rooms have become increasingly relevant. People are striving to find a more efficient and cheaper way to heat their homes. One such method is to use solar energy.

Solar heating for home

Today, special collectors are used to transform solar energy into thermal energy. Our article will tell you how you can heat your home using such devices.

Options for self-assembly of the heating system

Today, there are several ways to assemble a solar heater with your own hands. Let's look at the most popular assembly methods. First option. Here you need a galvanized container for water. It should have a volume of approximately 100-200 liters. The technology for creating a solar battery has the following algorithm:

We place the container on the roof. It should be installed on the south side of the roof;
the roof surface must be covered with a metal sheet with a shiny surface;
put pipes on top of it;
we connect them to a barrel and a container for heated water.

Homemade solar collector option

With the help of such a battery, 100 liters of water can be heated by 60 degrees. This installation has high efficiency. But in winter, such a unit will not be effective. Second assembly option. To create this type of collector you will need:

steel boxes;
several flat steel radiators;
glass;
metal-plastic elements - fittings and pipes.

The system builds in this case proceed as follows:

steel boxes are mounted on the roof;
radiators are placed there;
Cover them with glass on top. This will reduce the water heating time;
the tubes must be laid with a downward slope;
be sure to ensure that the top of the device is located below the storage tank;
A plastic barrel with water is installed in the attic. Suitable volume - 160 l;
it must be connected to the radiator and water supply using metal-plastic devices - fittings and tubes. The water tube itself needs to be connected slightly above the middle of the tank;
Drain valves are installed at the bottom of the radiator. With their help, water is drained during the cold season.

Option with plastic barrel

Third option. It is used to heat a fairly large room. Has an efficiency of 45-55%. To create this type of heating system you will need the following materials:

any thermal insulation material;
wooden frame with a plywood bottom;
black metal mesh;
deflector;
transparent polycarbonate sheet;
several fans

The structure is assembled as follows:

drill round holes in the ramp. They are cut through for air intake;
to remove hot air we make rectangular holes at the top of the frame;
We put thermal insulation material on its bottom. A metal black mesh will act as a heat accumulator;
fans built into round holes;
then we install the support strips for the deflector. After this, we install the deflector itself. It will shape the air flow;
We install a transparent sheet on top.

With the help of such a unit, you can effectively heat your home, as well as heat water.

Some recommendations regarding the installation and construction of the device

It doesn’t matter whether you have a solar vacuum water heater or any other, it is important that the device meets all consumer parameters, so it is recommended to follow the tips below:

It is best to install drain valves in the lower area of the heat exchangers so that the air can bleed out.
The hydraulic system must have a valve, which eliminates the circulation of coolant. If there is a sharp drop in temperature, then the valve should be closed.
Collectors can be integrated into an integral hydraulic network if you need to improve radiator performance.
To obtain the desired water temperature, you will need to use mixers to supply heated water.
Thermal insulation must be reliable!

As you can see, you can create a device on your own, the main thing is to be patient, stock up on all the materials and start designing. Anyone can create this water heater for their home, you just need to put in a little effort.