Scrap wood is used for a frame, and a black plastic bag is used for an absorber plate. Water enters through a PVC pipe at the top of the collector. Small holes distribute water from the top of the collector to a PVC trough at the bottom. A polyethylene film is then used as an exterior glazing. It’s secured to the wooden frame with strips of PVC. Not exactly a glamour collector, but the cost is under $20. Mel holds up the bottom flap of the exterior polyethylene glazing to show the PVC gutter where the trickle-down water is collected. The gutter is simply a PVC pipe with a slit cut into one side.
A bilge pump is used to pump water from a bucket back to the top of the collector. In a half hour the water temperature goes from 60*F to 120*F. I was so pleased with the results of this first MTD experiment that I decided to, unplug the pump and take a brake for lunch and record the results. When I returned to the first experiment I found that the PVC melted and the black plastic absorber wrinkled beyond recognition.
There was plenty of heat but the PVC and polyethylene did not last long without water to moderate temperature. What have we learned and what shall our next experiment be?
A bilge pump is used to pump water from a bucket back to the top of the collector. In a half hour the water temperature goes from 60*F to 120*F. I was so pleased with the results of this first MTD experiment that I decided to, unplug the pump and take a brake for lunch and record the results. When I returned to the first experiment I found that the PVC melted and the black plastic absorber wrinkled beyond recognition.There was plenty of heat but the PVC and polyethylene did not last long without water to moderate temperature. What have we learned and what shall our next experiment be?
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