One I did yesterday

[DidIdothat]

There is another source of heat.

Sink pipes down to you houshold waste and wrap then around your sewage pipes, slowly pump water in and he-presto warm water for zilch.

Apart from the digging and the massive excavation but if your on a re-build/extension, think about it. Once you have dug down near those pipes there is a tonne of heat for nothing.

Phil

[Andy H]

You`re back Phil!!!
So where are the details on your solar thing? pipe size length etc.

And we don`t want that old excuse of too busy at the moment

[TicToc]

Nice Andy..... Yeah Phil no excuses crack on what's been occurring

[DidIdothat]

Sorry boys but the airline business is taking a lot of my time at the momment, bit like paddling a canoe up Niagra.

Going back to the original solar panel, the pipe was from B and Q and was the cheap black pipe that is used for the auto irrigation systems which is about £15 for 50mtrs of 15mm.

I am still maitaining the pond at 16C where the other pond which is not heated is now at 12C (it's hard up North tha knows!). It's only 4 degrees but it's not cost me a penny. If we only had a bit of sun the story might be different, I can normally see a rise of at least 1/2 a degree per day when the yellow ball shines.

Phil

[TicToc]

Hi Phil,

Some more piccies of the one you did yesterday, all shinny, working and installed would be nice when you come up for air

Eahhh ey Hovis, all northerners are rock hard me lad!

TicToc

[Andy H]

Thanks Phil

Did you have either black matt or silver as a background???

This is my main question if anyone knows the answer...

On my fridge one, the backing is silver, the theory being the light reflects back onto the black pipes for another go.

The back is only hardboard but the outside back of the box was always cool.

Some say that if the inside of the box was also painted matt black then more heat would be absorbed??

I reckon in this instance the back of the box would get hot, losing heat but it may attract more in the first place?

Get what I mean!

My only other thing is, is there a way it could cool instead? I intend to have gravity fed from filter back down to settlement chamber where pump is...

[GDL]

Andy,

The outside of the back of the box is cool because you are reflecting the heat from it.
I would have all of the inside of the box black - so that it absorbs the light and radiates as heat.
I would then insulate the outside of the box to stop it radiating the heat outwards - by all means use foil backed insulation.

That way you would raise the temperature of the whole of the inside of the box and get more heat gain into the pipes.

Cheers

Gordon

[DidIdothat]

The unit is linned with Black Firestone Butyl, this absorbs heat and does not reflect it. This way no heat is reflected past the pipes outward again, all the heat is kept inside the unit and when the sun shines this is considerable.
In the tropics people wear white to reflect heat.

I have thought of using the silver paper to reflect heat into the unit but I would leave the actual heat collector black and Matt Black, this absorbs heat better, so the duller the better.

Sorry TicToc but I have not had chance to advance the project because of pressure of work and so the pictures on the first page still stand. The wifes going mad but I will get around to it eventualy.

Phil

[Andy H]

Ha! Read Gordons post and thought, black all over then read Phil`s who mentions thinking about the silver!

I can see why both would work though theoretially.

I may go for the black background and insulate the box after all.

I hope the B & Q irrigation pipe can handle it, I guess as I am not sure about possible cooling I could switch it off and drain at night.

[Andy H]

I insulated the box and it is all black but outside of the matt pipe the black background is "slightly" shiney and when you feel the glass over the pipe it is cold, over the shinier but it is warmer so it must be reflecting heat back out past the glass so silver is OUT and MATT black is the way to go.

Sorry this thread is old but just re-reading it and thought I would reply.

[Andy H]

And to add to the debate, the water heater does produce a cooling effect at certain temps as the water running through it finally froze!

So the only way to get a benefit would be to have a solar pump only running when the sun is out and self draining when the pump goes off.

Matt black all over the backing and NOT silver.(or shiney black)