Shop floor heat

[OTHill]

Hi.I have a 30'x40' workshop.currently it is floor heated with a 40 gal. nat. gas water heater.I have 7' W x14' H south facing space which I would like to use for a solar collector.Having observed how hot water gets in a garden hose in summer would it work to build a collector with black ABS headers and black plastic pipe in between every 3 or 4 inches.seems it would be simpler than all these aluminum fins etc.that are being used.Front of collector would be glazed in and rear would either be black or foil reflective.Circulation would be with existing pump.This is in northern BC Canada.Any pros or cons.Could cover in summer to avoid over heating.

[Mike90250]

This is how it's done:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects.../solarshed.htm
Great article. And an updated build here
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...Space/Main.htm

[Wy_White_Wolf]

I think I'd look at a different material. The heat rating under pressure for ABS is only 100F. That's not high enough for a solar collector.

WWWCapture.PNG

[J.P.M.]

OP: See a website called : builditsolar.com. Lots of DIY projects. Start small and read/learn before you build. Solar thermal can/will work in situations such as you describe, but the results will probably be less than you expect or hope for, at least initially. Still, output can be perhaps measureable, if less than cost effective, if partially for the fun of learning. Having dome a fair amount of such stuff a long time ago, a hint: Keep the designs flexible and serviceable - that will save time on the way to a workable design.

Good luck.

[nate379]

Is there any sunlight in winter? Like around here it'd be completely worthless to try and get heat from.

[inetdog]

I think I'd look at a different material. The heat rating under pressure for ABS is only 100F. That's not high enough for a solar collector.

Having a circulating pump does not necessarily mean operating under pressure. With a low flow rate the pressure differential in a pumped open system would not be high enough to cause problems for the ABS.
If "under pressure" meant zero psi gauge everywhere you could not run a vertical pipe in a thermosiphon system or have a panel tilted from horizontal.

Pressure combined with temperature can cause particular problems at a point where barb type couplings are used, so keep that mind when designing.

[OTHill]

Lots of sunny days but short days.I built this collector last winter but can't get any heat out of it. No problem getting 40 Celcius inside it in -10 but can't get the heat to move.even set up a fan to pull air through it . 2016-09-13 08.29.00.jpg

[Fecteve]

Lots of sunny days but short days.I built this collector last winter but can't get any heat out of it. No problem getting 40 Celcius inside it in -10 but can't get the heat to move.even set up a fan to pull air through it .

Great post here.

http://www.wordsiseek.com/squatty-potty-reviews/