Solar Hot water

Started by Amanda_931, May 22, 2005, 06:19:50 AM

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Amanda_931

from an Irish builder.  He's talking about the glass-covered collectors, not like John's bread box ones.  And it's a free report from Walnut Books.  Not sure how long this link will last.
 
http://www.walnutbooks.com/product_info.php/products_id/594?osCsid=f9d069da00aa1eff2663e6dacbc657cc

Amanda_931

#1
And solar hot water really on the cheap from Australia.  Includes instructions on repairing a poly jug.  More usable than black garden hose on the built-up roof, though.

But clipping pex pipe down on a black sheet of something isn't a bad idea to remember for other projects.

http://www.ata.org.au/articles/63shw.htm


Chuckca

#2
Take a look at this:

http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/purchase/products-found.jhtml?_requestid=79239

I fixed  the link...sorry :)

We have this  propane shower, the PEP shower enclosure, shower grate, and Port Potti...all the comforts of home

We're headed to area 51 over the long holiday...

BTW:  We have 2 adults and 2 Golden Reteivers + lots of confort items in our 89 Westfalia Pop Top Camper (aka Westy)

glenn kangiser

The Wirsbo clear Aquapex will not hold up in UV.  It must be completely covered with heavy tape or within walls etc.  I took their warning lightly at first figuring that like PVC it would still  take quite a bit before getting damage.  Not so - I used it on my hot tub heater and left it exposed.  In about six months it became brittle with cracks that easily break upon bending.  Quite a change from the new stuff that is properly kept from UV.

I have recently seen colored plastic water lines in large apartment complexes.  They seem to be a pex type.  Don't know if they will take UV but they are approved for hot water.  

Maybe someone else knows more ???
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

Amanda_931

"One limitation cited by PEX manufacturers concerns exposure to sunlight. The properties of PEX can degrade through UV exposure, and the material is therefore not recommended for aboveground, outdoor applications. (No problem below-ground outdoors, however.)"

from here:

http://www.supplyht.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,5333,79645,00.html

So, winding copper around in that super-cheap solar water heater would be longer lasting.  might take a long time for it to be cheaper, though.

Could you put it between two layers of, say, black aluminum roofing?

Oh, yes, Pex is cross-linked polyethylene.