Renewable Energy Questions/Discussion > Solar (heating or electric)

Passive solar air heater - for home

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joemtl:
Hello,

I have been looking over a few ideas for the house.

I like a variety of solar ides have crossed my way, but one that seems most interesting is:

Making a air heater, and pumping the heated air into the home.

I have seen a variety of heating systems based on tin cans, to just paining the inside of a box black, that has plexiglass allowing sun to enter and heat the air.

The idea seems rather good.  I have been looking at ways to get it into the house, and I know how I could accomplish this.

My last remaining question is something that is not easily measured, or calculated.  I want to be able to get an idea of how much heat can be had out of a passive solar air heater, so that I do not make it too small, large.

Or, might I consider making one, and that find a way to add one in series or parallel?

I am not looking for an answer, as there likely is not a simple back and white answer.  But, feedback on the idea, and what to look at/for.

Thanks

Joseph

eidolon:
People are attracted to these things because of their simplicity. Done wrong they can loose as much heat as they gain. Very hard to measure. Probably the reason many think they are wonderful. Any solar project is quite site dependent.  Here is a nifty cheap controller you can use to operate a set of fans.  Good luck with your project.   http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-Thermostats-Temperature-heat-sensor-switch-50-110-C-AD/112176134648?_trksid=p2481888.c100678.m3607&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908131621%26meid%3D97847831ac204f0bbf9685870b2c6848%26pid%3D100678%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D410991690870&_trkparms=pageci%253Abd4abf77-3a70-11e7-9034-74dbd1807d1c%257Cparentrq%253A12ceaff315c0ab6bace20539fffdb0dc%257Ciid%253A1

joemtl:
Thanks for your reply.

The thermostat, this is to do what, exactly?

Might it be to measure the temperature with in the passive solar heater, so one knows when to use it or not?

This idea had crossed my mind, but I was not sure how to go about it, yet.

The idea is to possibly have a pipe up to the roof of our house to feed it with cold air (but warmer than the outside air).  Then, reheat the air, and pipe it in to 2-3 rooms in the house.

I had thought of having a fan at each exit.  It could be controlled by the thermostat that you proposed.  But then the idea of having all three open at once, and each fan might just draw air out of the other two, in a worse case scenario.

Then, an idea of have 1 main fan before the duct splits to each of the rooms. The exit could be opened by the thermostat, which would allow the air to flow.  But, how do you make sure that each duct gets some heat?  Meaning, what if one duct gets preferential air flow?

There also needs to be a main controller that makes sure that thee is actually warm air in the passive solar heater.  If it is too cold, it woudl nto work and all ducts are closed.

Getting back to your comment about if done wrong, all the het made could be lost.  Could you explain what you mean?   What can go wrong?  What are things to avoid or look for?

Thanks

Joe

eidolon:
That controller is to turn on the fan when the air is hot. It has differential and delay setting so the doesn't rapid cycle when the temp drops a couple degrees.  All these systems provide an opening to the outside world.  Just a little flap door will let heat out.  In a small system the heat loss when no sun can be nearly as much as that gained with sun. People have used this principle since the dawn of time to some degree.  Yet, it hasn't made it into standard building practice. As much as you would like to think, it isn't because people are just stupid.  Myself, I'd do PV heating if I had the logistics for it.  Just a cleaner install.

joemtl:
Hello again,

When you say PV heating, you mean what exactly?

Generate electricity with pholtovoltaics, and that use that electrity to power the heat making system in the house?

I could agree with the losing heat easily if the system is ill designed, or poorly implemented.  If the ducts leading to and from the systems are leaky, this wold guarantee a net loss, and wasted time and effort.

Thanks

Joseph

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