Solar Powered Water Heater

[Freelander]

Here is a nifty idea, if you have extra solar, you can build a solar powered water heater.

He has some things in the video that are above the skill level of a lot of us, me included, but it does you an idea on how to make this work.

 

[MrNoodly]

The key phrase is "excess solar."

 

[DLTooley]

The Chinese make a cheap passive solar water heater, very popular in country.

If you are in to experiments a mobile installation might be worth a try.

 

[Psyckosama]

Excessive.

You can make an effective, probably more effective passive solar water heater using PVA drain pipe, plumbing fittings, PVA glue, and a water sprayer that is not only 100% passively powered, but would probably be more effective than this.

And if you need indoor, well... work something around this and a temperature controller off of ebay.

https://www.amazon.com/Watt-Submersible-Water-Heater-Element/dp/B00KLKGJ1I
https://www.amazon.com/DZS-Elec-Tem...ure+controller+12v&qid=1611258728&s=hi&sr=1-2

Just get a used cooler and transform it with technology. Same job, infinitely smaller price tag and barrier for entry.

 

[XERTYX]

Oh my lord. I love the search feature.

I LITERALLY just watched that video earlier and have been racking my brain on how to do the same thing but more via solid state technology and not arduino controlled via raspberry pi i/o so and and so forth.

Which lead to my discovery of hott rod water heater elements which allow you to retrofit an RV propane water heater to be augmented by smaller wattage heating elements by way of the drain plug.

And then I stumbled across something even more intriguing to me. You can NEVER use a 120v heating element in a 240v water heater (duh) BUT you can use a 240v element in a 120v water heater. But the wattage is greatly reduced.

Ergo a 1000 watt 240v heating element installed into a 120v hot water heater only uses 250 watts. The plot thickens thicker.

So now I wonder if I could get one of those cute little Dickensian water heaters like he has and swap out the heating element with a 240v one and using a relay as a dump load when my batteries are full if I can divert 250 watts of surplus solar production into a hot shower. XD

 

[XERTYX]

Oh and a side note. I watched a video earlier of a dude fitting one of those 12v elements rated at 150w into a Coleman cooler drain plug and after 1 hour he had 120° water. I'd imagine 250 watts would work much better. And in a cast iron receptacle wrapped in asbestos no less. Probs better insulation than a deer cooler.

 

[WanderingRose]

I discovered last summer that a 2 liter bottle of water heated in the sun provides a very adequate shower.

Soap lightly, then rinse.

 

[hugemoth]

Another idea for excess solar panel output is to make hydrogen with an electrolizer. It can no burned in a stove or heater. Very simple to make but not so simple to store. I used air mattresses tied down with a rope. Looked pretty funny having several floating air mattresses tied to my fence.

 

[XERTYX]

While that is a really really cool idea and I have made small amounts before as an experiment I wouldnt store Hydrogen gas. A spark can cause it to recombine with atmospheric O² and then you have the Hindenburg all over again.

 

[Ramblin McPete]

The soda bottle in the sun hack is an awesome idea, and so simple.

 

[eDJ_]

I don't have solar....yet.  And even with the space I have in my rig,  I'm trying to use it wisely.  Hot water heating has been a concern as with heating the interior.  Recently I saw this Chinese Diesel heater that was small and could provide heated air and hot water. 

My rig is going to be as simple and minimalist as I can keep it.

The video in Youtube

Chinese Diesel Air & Water Heater

 

[XERTYX]

That's a very interesting concept, the plumbing to run water lines to the exhaust pipe of the heater under your vehicle would be a nightmare I'd imagine. And your water would freeze in cold temps if the heater wasn't working. I think a butane stove would be a better option.

 

[vanstu]

I'm a firm believer in the KISS method-- less complex-- less that can go wrong...

I'm working on my solar (batch) water heater now. I'm using 2 4" 8' long ABS pipes as my collector-- (capacity 10.5 gallons total.) By plumbing them with the output pipes at the bottom of the collector pipes I can force all the water out and use all the capacity of the system as I am just going to install a tire valve to the bottom of the first pipe and use my 12V compressor as a "pump"  to increase flow... ( I'm 6'4" and a simple gravity system will have me showering on my knees)

no moving parts (except the compressor) and you will flush all the water out of the system so freezing isn't a problem... Won't work in winter up North but I haul butt to the South when it starts getting cold!