# solar heating



## thinker1 (Jan 27, 2009)

I have a question for you all. I was online looking for heat for the shop when I came across a solar panels made of popcans 2*4 plywood and glass. It looked like a free way to heat shop I am cheep for sure. The idea of it is that you use a shopvac to pull heat into the shop? I was thinking a bath fan so it would not pull cold air also. What is the feeling on this would it work or is it a wasteful idea?


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Depends on the area you want to heat. Maybe two fans??
I've seen the arrangement you describe used for supplementary water heating. That unit was 12X6. I imagine it was that large to provide plenty of area for the copper piping…more pipe, more heated water.
I use a ProComm propane unit in my 24X36 shop. At $200, I couldn't build anything that would give me the same heat. BUT, the propane is an ongoing expense.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I have thought of this but I do not want to get out and clean glass on the solar collector every so often. It would have to be very large to do much good, as will the duct and the fan.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Just a thought. Jim jogged my brain. You'd really need some sort of a heat sink for storage. Most folks who do solar heat, use big skylites, and windows and let the sun warm cement floors, walls etc. Stays warm over night….hopefully. Don't know how you'd do it on a roof with out a large array of panels and copper piping to carry a liquid to storage tank. A lot of work, money and space.


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## joeybealis (Jul 16, 2011)

It would be fine for day time when you wanted to be in there but would not have a storage of that heat. Heat this winter has not been an issue for us down here in Mississippi. I am putting my AC back in tomorrow so I can stay in there in the day time.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I had a cold frame for winter garden years ago. I was amazed at how much heat it collected even on cloudy days. It would take a lot of surface area to heat a house.


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## BlankMan (Mar 21, 2009)

I don't think cleaning the glass on them would be an issue. I've had solar panels (PV) on my roof for going on 6 years now, never cleaned them once, rain does wonders. I monitor the power output on a daily basis, here, so I'd know if they were producing less power based on the suns intensity, doesn't seem to be the case.


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

If you have a wall with lots of sun exposure there is another method that involves cutting 2 slots, one near the top of the wall and a second near the bottom. Then a cold frame is made that fits over the whole section of wall coverin both slots. The inside of the frame towards the back is lined with black tarp. The sun of course heats up the inside of the cold frame, the warm air escapes through the top slot and sucks cold air in the bottom. It is supposed to work quite well. The cold frame is sized based on the hours of light and sq ft to be heated. Just can't remember what it is called but there are plenty of diagrams online.


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## thinker1 (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks for the feed back it gave me something to think about.


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## vbwoodworks (Aug 3, 2011)

There is something called a Tromble wall, (not sure if that is the actual name or spelling) it is a heat sink as has been mentioned, usually a masonary wall covered by a glass of some sort that will absorb heat all day and slowly release it at night. It is a passive system and has been used and proven for many many years. Altho its not a bad idea to have a back up or helper system also.


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## NedB (Aug 21, 2008)

a little late to the party, but check out builditsolar.com for solar projects and tips (no affiliation, but that's where I've learned about my solar project)


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