We equip solar heating or how to build a homemade collector

How it works

The collector collects energy with the help of a light accumulator or, in other words, a solar panel, which transmits light to an accumulating metal plate, where the solar energy is converted into heat. The plate transfers heat to the coolant, which can be both liquid and air. Water is sent through pipes to the consumer.With the help of such a collector, you can heat your home, heat water for various household purposes or a pool.

Air collectors are mainly used for heating room or indoor air heating him. Savings when using such devices are obvious. Firstly, there is no need to use any fuel, and secondly, the consumption of electricity is reduced.

How to make a solar collector?

For self-production of a solar collector, you can use a wide variety of materials at hand. First, individual elements of the system are made, and then they are connected using pipes.

Stage #1 - making a solar panel

To make a solar panel for heating, you will need box and material for the radiator. The box is usually made from plywood. It is recommended to insulate the walls and bottom of the box, for example, with a layer of foam, to minimize heat loss. For the manufacture of a radiator, you can use segments of wide pipes, which are interconnected by pipes of a smaller diameter.

An interesting version of a homemade solar panel made of aluminum cans is presented in the following video:

The top of the box is covered with glass of a suitable size. To increase the efficiency of the solar panel, it is recommended to paint the inside and radiators black, and the outer side of the panel is made white.

This diagram clearly demonstrates one of the options for creating a panel for a solar collector. The box is made of boards and hardboard, covered with glass

Stage # 2 - fore-chamber and storage tank

For the manufacture of these solar collector elements, you will need a couple of suitable containers.The drive needs a fairly large tank, its capacity should vary between 150-400 liters. The tank should also be insulated, for example, by placing it in a plywood box and filling the surrounding space with heat-insulating materials: polystyrene foam, mineral wool, sawdust, etc.

The avankamera is made from a small tank with a capacity of no more than 40 liters. This container must be airtight and equipped with a ball valve or other water supply device.

Stage # 3 - assembly of the entire system

After the main elements are ready, they must be correctly placed and connected to each other. First install the avankamera and storage tank

In this case, it is important to correctly observe the ratio of the liquid level in each container. The water level in the antechamber should be more than 80 cm above the water level in the reservoir

The solar panel is usually placed on roof, optimally - on the south side with a slope to the horizon of about 40 degrees. The distance between the storage tank and the radiator should be at least 70 cm. Thus, the fore-chamber is placed at the top of the system, the storage tank is placed below, and the solar panel is located at the very bottom.

Then you should install:

• storage drain pipe;
• drainage pipe of the fore-chamber;
• cold water supply pipe to the antechamber;
• cold water inlet pipe;
• cold water supply pipe to mixers;
• hot water supply pipe to faucets
• hot water supply pipe to the storage tank;
• "hot" pipe of the solar radiator;
• storage tank feed pipe.

At the same time, half-inch pipes are recommended for high-pressure sections of the system, and inch pipes are suitable for low-pressure sections.In addition, various fittings, adapters, shackles, etc. should be used. A detailed diagram of the solar collector is shown in the figure:

On the solar device diagram collector shows the location of the antechamber, storage tank and solar panel, as well as the pipes connecting them

To put the system into operation, it is necessary to fill the unit with water through the bottom drain holes. Then the fore-chamber is connected to the water supply system of the house and the liquid level in the collector is regulated. If all joints are tight, you can start operating a new device.

Real heating methods

How did you understand them of the above, to implement a full-fledged electric heating solar powered houses quite difficult (and expensive). Not every owner decides to buy and install panels on an area of ​​​​100–150 m² in order to warm up a small house or cottage. This means that the electric boiler + water system + heating radiators scheme is no longer needed.

But the idea of ​​heating with solar modules still cannot be called a utopia. We list the options implemented by homeowners in practice:

• panels plus inverter air conditioners with a COP of 3.5–4;
• connection of batteries directly to electric heaters without an inverter;
• the construction of a full-fledged solar power plant, the sale of electricity to the state, the proceeds are used to pay for traditional heating.

Let's start with the third option, which is of interest to entrepreneurs. In countries where the so-called feed-in tariff is set by the state, the homeowner can receive electricity from renewable sources and give it to the public grid, making a profit.That is, the homeowner purchases the same 200-300 solar panels, but sells energy at a good price, and does not spend how much in vain.

A large number of batteries on the roof of a residential building will not fit, a high-power station will have to be placed on the site

For example, in Ukraine, the feed-in tariff is 3 times higher than the usual one (as of June 2019). It is necessary to meet 1 condition: the minimum capacity of the solar power plant is 30 kW. Build a power plant, supply energy to the grid, and buy yourself three times cheaper.

Heating with air conditioners

The method is based on the efficiency of inverter split systems, delivering four times more heat inside the house than the electricity consumed. How to implement such heating:

1. First of all, we reduce the heat loss of the building as much as possible - we insulate the walls, floors and roof, install energy-saving windows. The ideal indicator of heat consumption for a dwelling of 100 m² is 6 kW.
2. We purchase 2 air conditioners with inverter compressors operating at negative outdoor temperatures. The total performance of the units should be equal to the heat loss of the house, in our case - 6 kW. The consumption of such "splits" will not exceed 2 kW.
3. We are installing a solar station that can provide electricity to air conditioners around the clock.
4. For heating on the coldest days, it is worth installing any traditional heat source - a boiler, a wood-burning stove.

Mitsubishi Zubadan heat pumps use even less energy than air conditioners and produce four times more heat (COP = 4)

The video at the end of this section confirms that the described scheme is fully functional. One significant minus: at a negative temperature, the efficiency of air conditioners drops sharply, you cannot do without the help of a boiler.In a temperate and northern climate, solar modules alone will not cope.

Use of local heaters

We are talking about a significant reduction in the cost of the system in the case of using unpretentious consumers - conventional fan heaters. Due to the lack of an inverter, 12-volt heaters will have to be connected to the solar modules (you can take a car or do it yourself).

How to assemble a solar power generator:

1. We install the required number of batteries with an operating voltage of 12 volts.
2. We connect them with 2.5 mm² wires according to the diagram below - without an inverter.
3. We connect the load - a low-power fan heater for 12 V.

Below in the video, the specialist describes in detail all the nuances of such a connection. The method is suitable for heating individual rooms with fan heaters 1–1.5 kW. Heating the whole house is more difficult - you need to assemble several separate circuits with solar panels so as not to increase the cross section of the wires.

Does the solar collector work in winter?

According to statistics (data are given in Wikipedia), there are approximately 0.2 sq. m. m of solar collectors used in our country, while in Germany this figure is 140 sq. m, and in Austria - as much as 450 sq. m. per 1 thousand inhabitants.

Such a significant difference cannot be explained by climatic conditions alone.

Indeed, in most of Russia, the same amount of solar energy reaches the earth's surface per day as in southern Germany - in warm weather, this value is from 4 to 5 kWh / sq. m.

What is causing our delay? It is partly due to the relatively low incomes of Russians (solar plants are still quite expensive), partly due to the presence of their own large gas fields and, as a result, the availability of blue fuel.

But a significant role was played by the biased attitude on the part of many potential users who consider the installation of a solar collector inappropriate. They say that in summer it is already warm, and in winter such a system is of little use.

Here are the arguments put forward by skeptics regarding the operation of solar plants in winter:

1. The installation is constantly covered with snow, so that solar radiation does not reach it very often. Unless, of course, the owner is constantly on duty on the roof with a broom or brush.
2. Cold frosty air takes away almost all the heat accumulated by the collector.

The all-season damaging factor is often mentioned - hail, which can smash the solar installation to smithereens.

To understand how valid these arguments are, consider the device of various types of solar collectors.

There are many reasons to build a solar DIY water heater. The most important of them is that the energy obtained in this way is completely free.

Alternative energy sources for a private home are discussed in this review.

And in this topic, everything about heating a house with solar energy and ways manufacturing of solar panels with your own hands.

Pros and cons of an alternative heating system

There are not so many advantages of a solar heating system, but each of them is significant and can be a reason for private experiments:

• environmental benefits.It is safe for the residents of the house and the environment, a clean source of heat that does not require the use of traditional fuels.
• Autonomy. The owners of the systems are absolutely independent of energy prices and the economic situation in the country.
• Profitability. While maintaining the traditional heating system, it becomes possible to reduce the cost of paying for hot water supply.
• Publicity. Installation of solar systems does not require permission from government authorities.

But there are also unpleasant moments that can spoil the overall picture. For example, to determine the efficiency of the system, a long period will be required - at least 3 years (provided that there is enough solar energy and it is actively used).

Installing only solar modules will require large investments: the cheapest silicon panels will cost at least 2200 rubles. per piece, and polycrystalline six-diode elements of the first category - up to 17,000 per piece. Calculating the cost of 30 modules is quite simple (+)

Users note the following disadvantages:

• high prices for the equipment needed to put the system into operation;
• direct dependence of the amount of heat produced on the geographic location and weather;
• obligatory availability of a backup source, for example, a gas boiler (in practice, a solar system often turns out to be a backup).

To achieve greater returns, you have to regularly monitor the health of the collectors, clean them of debris and protect them from ice formation in frost. If the temperature often drops below 0ºС, you need to take care of additional thermal insulation not only of the elements of the solar system, but also of the house as a whole.

Advantages and disadvantages

Air-type solar systems have their own advantages, which include:

• low cost of the already produced structure;
• simple manufacturing method, even from waste material;
• ease of installation and maintenance.

But also solar air collector energy has its drawbacks:

• the device is not intended for heating water;
• have large dimensions due to the small amount of heat capacity;
• modest Efficiency.

A do-it-yourself solar air heating device cannot cope with heating large areas, but with the right amount of energy it will be enough to heat, for example, a farm building with animals, a greenhouse, or can be used as an additional or combined heat source. This approach to business brings some savings to the family budget.

How is a solar collector arranged?

The solar collector is a hydraulic system that consists of three main elements:

• solar panel;
• fore-chambers;
• storage tank.

Solar panels, to put it simply, are a tubular radiator enclosed in a box with a glass front wall. It is placed in some sunny place, for example, on the roof. The water entering the radiators of the solar panels is heated and moved to the fore-chamber. Here, cold water is replaced by an already hot coolant and a constant dynamic pressure is maintained in the system. At the same time, cold water moves into the radiators of solar panels, and hot enters the storage tank, from which it is transferred to the heating system of the house.

It is best to place the solar collector on the south side of the roof at an angle of 35-45 degrees.The radiator and the inside of the box are best painted black.

This type of solar collector uses the so-called thermosiphon process. When heated, the density of water changes, its heated layers expand and displace cold water. As a result for organizing heating on the no solar panels needed pump, the movement of the coolant through the system occurs under the influence of natural processes.

Solar collector saving opportunity

It is possible to connect several heat carrier heating sources to the heating circuit. Often solid fuel boilers operate in parallel with electric ones. this allows you to support operating mode of the heating system at night or in the absence of the owners for several days.

But such a regime cannot be called economical - electricity is one of the most expensive resources. Modern developments make it possible to use for heating the coolant solar energy by installing a solar collector.

A solar collector is an installation that can be used all year round even at cloudy temperatures. On sunny days, it is most efficient and heats up to the temperature of the boiler supply circuit - up to 70-90 degrees.

Homemade solar collector

The solar collector is a fairly simple device, it is not difficult to make it yourself. In terms of efficiency, a home-made solar water heater may be inferior to industrial models, but given their price - from 10 to 150 thousand rubles, a do-it-yourself solar collector will very quickly justify itself.

For its manufacture you need:

• a coil made of a metal tube, usually copper, you can take a suitable one from an old refrigerator;
• cuttings of a copper pipe with a thread of 16 mm on one side;
• plugs and valves;
• pipes for connection to the collector node;
• storage tank with a volume of 50 to 80 liters;
• wooden planks for the manufacture of the frame;
• expanded polystyrene sheet 30-40 mm thick;
• glass, you can take window glass;
• aluminum thick foil.

The coil is freed from freon residues by washing it with a stream of running water. From a wooden slat or bar, a frame is made with a size slightly larger than the coil. Holes are drilled in the lower part of the frame for the output of the coil tubes.

Back to him attached with glue or self-tapping styrofoam sheet - this will be the bottom of the collector. This material has excellent thermal insulation characteristics, which will help reduce heat loss.

The top of the solar collector is covered with glass, fixing it on glazing beads or rails. Pipes are attached to the ends of the coil for connection to the heating manifold assembly. This can be done using adapters or flexible piping.

The collector is placed on the southern slope of the roof. Pipes lead to a storage tank equipped with an air valve, and from there to heating distribution manifold.

Video: how to make a solar heater yourself

Collector heating system is the most efficient way to connect various heaters to one or more heat sources. With it, you can ensure a stable temperature and comfort in the house, as well as uninterrupted and coordinated operation of all elements of the system.

Connection diagrams for the heating system

solar do-it-yourself heating must be finally implemented by connecting it to the heating system. The best way would be to use a warm floor, the coolant temperature for which does not exceed 55 degrees. Consider the connection schemes that provide heating of the house with solar energy:

With water manifold

Water collectors are directly connected to the heating circuit of the house. There are two connection options: summer and winter.

Summertime is usually used to supply hot water in the shower or for other needs, since the heating of the house is not needed in summer. The scheme is the simplest - the collector is installed in an open area, the water, heating up, rises into the storage tank, installed at a higher level. As it is dismantled, the container becomes empty, so it is constantly supplied with make-up, which enters the collector and receives thermal energy in it. This method is simple and can be easily implemented with your own hands.

The winter version is more difficult. A collector installed in an open area supplies a heated coolant (it is recommended to use antifreeze) to the heat exchanger coil. It is a vertically mounted container with a coil inside. There are two loops - in one the antifreeze circulates (in a circle of the collector-heat exchanger), in the other the coolant circulates (from the heat exchanger to the heating circuit and back). The circulation of antifreeze must be ensured using a circulation pump, otherwise the system will not work. The circulation of the coolant can be organized both naturally and forcibly, using a pump. The best heating option contours - underfloor heating system, allowing you to get the maximum effect both in the daytime and at night.

With solar battery

Heating from the sun with your own hands, created solar powered, carried out by installing an electric heater. In this case, photovoltaic cells only provide power to the heating elements installed in the electric boiler, without being directly related to the heating circuit.

The heating system and solar panels with the entire set of equipment are mounted separately. The connection method is chosen arbitrarily, based on the characteristics of both systems. Connection of the boiler, pump and other devices is carried out in the usual way, there are no specific requirements.

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 with foam. With the help of a galvanized iron sheet, it is necessary to additionally insulate the bottom of the device. Be sure to paint the materials black to speed up the heating process, with the exception of the glass cover, 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. The empty space must be filled. For this, sawdust, sand, expanded clay, etc. are suitable.

Do-it-yourself tools and materials for a water heater

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

• glass with a 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;
• pipe for the radiator;
• fasteners (for example, clamps);
• galvanized iron sheet;
• iron tank with a large volume (300 liters is enough);
• paint black, white and silver plated;
• wooden bars.

Manufacturing process of solar water heater

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 is as follows:

1. First you need to make a box for the tank, which needs to be strengthened with bars.
2. A heat-insulating material is applied from below, on top of which a metal sheet is installed.
3. A radiator is placed on top, which must be properly fixed with prepared fasteners.
4. The smallest cracks in the body of the structure must be smeared and sealed.
5. Pipes and metal sheet must be painted black.
6. The barrel and box are painted silver and after drying, the tank is installed in a wooden structure.
7. Empty space is filled with prepared filler.
8. To ensure constant pressure, you can purchase an aqua chamber with a float, which is installed in the water storage tank.
9. The design should be placed in sunny space at an angle to the horizon.
10. Further, the system is interconnected by pipes (their number and material depends on the size and type of the project).
11. To avoid the formation of air locks, you need to start filling from the bottom of the radiator.
12. According to such a system, heated water moves upward, thereby displacing cold water, which subsequently enters the radiator and heats up.

If everything is calculated correctly, after a while warm water will come 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 between the water temperature at the inlet and outlet will be 10-15 degrees. At night, it is recommended to block the access of water, in order to avoid heat loss.

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

Device and principle of operation

Solar heating of a private house is an innovative technology that not everyone has a clear idea about yet. Meanwhile, almost any homeowner has all the possibilities for installing and using the corresponding complexes. The need for financial investments exists only for the purchase of equipment or equipment, he will receive everything else for free.

There are two options for organizing solar heating:

1. Solar panels;
2. Solar collectors.

The use of solar panels is a more expensive method, requiring the presence of a large amount of equipment. Photovoltaic cells are used, located in an open area at the right angle for the most perpendicular incidence of sunlight.They generate electric current, which is accumulated in batteries, converted into alternating current with standard parameters, and then sent to heating devices.

Heating from solar panels in a private house gives a lot of additional opportunities. This method has a significant advantage - the electric current generated by solar panels can be used not only to heat the house, but also to power any appliances, lighting or other needs.

Solar collectors operate on a different principle. They do not produce, but receive thermal energy from the Sun, which heats the coolant in containers or tubes. In principle, any container of water exposed to the sun can be considered a collector, but there are special designs that can demonstrate the greatest efficiency. This version of the system is much simpler, cheaper and available for self-production.

The resulting heat is immediately realized in an increase in the temperature of the coolant, which is accumulated in the storage tank, from where it is distributed to the heating circuits of the house. The best way to heat is to use low temperature systems such as underfloor heating. They do not need strong heating, which corresponds to the capabilities of solar collectors. At night, the coolant heated during the day is consumed.

2 Making a collector - the first steps

A simple and at the same time quite effective solar heater is easy to make from available and inexpensive materials. We can make the body of the collector from a block of wood with OSB board, a plywood sheet or an ordinary wooden board. There is also a more expensive build option.It involves the use of aluminum or steel profiles and metal sheets. Such a body will be more durable. But you will have to tinker with it longer. It is easier to work with wooden products. It is possible to increase their service life by treating wood with paints and varnishes, emulsions on a water-polymer basis.

We assemble the body from the selected materials. At its bottom we install a heat-insulating layer - mineral wool, expanded polystyrene plates, polystyrene. Instead, it is allowed to use more modern heaters, for example, foil. But in this case, the cost of manufacturing the structure will increase. We put an absorber (heat receiver, heat circuit) on the insulation. Qualitatively fasten it to the bottom of the case. Absorber is best to do from copper pipes. Instead, less expensive materials are used. Craftsmen make a thermal circuit from a polypropylene hose, metal panel radiators, polyethylene pipes, a heat exchanger of an old refrigeration unit and other structures.

Let's make an elementary absorber. For this we use 100 meters of a polypropylene hose with a cross section of 2 cm. Such a heat exchanger allows you to heat about 15–20 liters of water. If you want to increase the volume of hot liquid, you will have to take a longer hose or connect a circulation pump to a home-made system. We bend the polypropylene product with a spiral. We put the resulting coil into the body, fix it. Additionally, it is recommended to fasten the spiral rings together. Then our absorber will not be deformed during operation.

We perform similar actions when using copper pipes. By the way, it is not necessary to mount them in the form of a coil. It is allowed to lay pipes in relation to each other in parallel. At the same time, it should be understood that spiral structures have fewer connections, which means that the coolant moves in them as evenly as possible. And the risk of leaks in such cases is reduced to almost zero.

After all the pipes are mounted and fixed, we cover the body of our system using glass, monolithic polycarbonate, acrylic sheet or other translucent material. It can be both corrugated and absolutely smooth. It remains to paint the box black. The dark surface will more actively absorb heat from the sun's rays.

1 Solar system - main parts and features

The maintenance of a private house requires considerable financial costs. The lion's share of the costs in this case falls on the payment of consumed energy resources. The solar collector (SC) allows you to save the latter. It is a solar system with which you can get free thermal energy and use it for home heating and water heating. SC for a private house has a fairly simple design. If desired, it is easy to assemble and put it into work with your own hands.

All domestic solar water heaters operate on the same principle. They capture the energy of the sun and transfer it to the coolant:

• air;
• water;
• mixtures of water and antifreeze liquid composition.

The air collector has low operational efficiency and efficiency. This is due to the fact that gas is a poor conductor of heat. But water structures are quite popular.Such solar systems consist of a heat accumulator, a housing and a special circuit in which heat exchange takes place. Under the first understand the capacity for the coolant. The collector circuit consists of tubes that are laid out in the form of a coil. Sometimes they are connected in series with the input and output highways of the system. The coolant circulates through the tubes due to natural physical phenomena (pressure drops, liquid evaporation, changes in the state of aggregation and density of water or air).

Solar water heaters operate in several temperature ranges. From this point of view, they are high-, medium- and low-temperature. The first ones are not used in everyday life. The coolant in them can be heated to a mark above 80 ° C. They are typically installed in commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Medium-temperature devices are capable of generating energy, which is enough to heat the coolant up to 50–80 °. Such systems for heating a house and heating water can really be done independently. The easiest way to make a low-temperature collector. It is used exclusively for heating water up to 30 °. Low-temperature SC is not used as a heating system.

Design features and principle of operation

Solar systems are today used as efficient auxiliary heating equipment. Thanks to such collectors, it is possible to convert solar radiation into heat and other energy. In the southern regions, such devices are able to provide full heating and hot water supply to a private house. In many ways, the efficiency of the solar system will depend on the climatic conditions in the region, as well as on the specific dimensions of the device.

To date, there are various types of solar water collectors, while all equipment has a similar principle of operation. Any solar system will have a closed loop, in which devices are sequentially located that convert solar energy into thermal energy and transfer it to the consumer. Inside the solar collector there is a system of tubes connected to the inlet and outlet lines. Heated air, technical water or a heat carrier from a non-freezing liquid circulate through the tubes.

Convert solar energy into heat and electricity for your home

The upper part of the housing is made of materials that transmit light. It can be tempered silicate glass, plexiglass or various transparent polymeric materials. The body of the device must be durable and maintain its transparency throughout the entire life of the equipment. It is preferable to use tempered glass, since the polymers are exposed to ultraviolet rays over time, and when heated, they expand, which contributes to depressurization of the case.

Water can be used as a coolant if the collector is operated only in the warm season, or special liquids with antifreeze, which helps prevent the entire system from freezing in winter.

Depending on their type, the devices can be divided into single and double-circuit. Simple in design, solar single-circuit collectors will be an excellent solution for heating a small building where there is no need to additionally solve problems with hot water supply.Double-circuit solar systems have a much more complex design, they are effective, but it is often not possible to make them on your own.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The manufacturing process of an elementary solar collector:

How to assemble and commission a solar system:

Naturally, a self-made solar collector will not be able to compete with industrial models. Using improvised materials, it is quite difficult to achieve the high efficiency that industrial designs have. But the financial costs will be much less compared to the purchase of ready-made installations.

However, a homemade solar heating system will significantly increase the comfort level and reduce the cost of energy that is generated by traditional sources.

Do you have experience in building a solar collector? Or do you have any questions about the content? Please share information with our readers. You can leave in the form below.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Thematic videos will help you better imagine the installation of home solar stations and reveal some of the secrets of installing equipment.

Video #1 The following technical information about solar panels and charge controllers is available:

Video #2 Useful experience of using solar panels in the Moscow region:

Video #3 An example of a successfully operating solar station, completely self-assembled, providing both domestic hot water and home heating:

As you can see, a solar-powered heating system is a very real phenomenon that you can bring to life on your own.The field of alternative ways of obtaining energy is constantly developing, perhaps tomorrow you will hear about a new discovery.

We invite you to actively comment on the material. Express your attitude to "green energy", share experience in the design of the system from solar panels, you can tell only you the known subtleties in the block below.