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Here's a cheap, solar water heater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBAi_TVNaiM
Because sunlight at 4,000 - 6,500 feet elevation is very harsh and disintegrates things, I'll be using braided, black garden hose, COVERED by sheet metal, painted black. I'll slide swimming pool "noodles," as insulation, over remaining, exposed hose: keeps heat in; keeps sun off.
I will put the coiled hosing on a piece of corrugated sheet metal, which will reflect heat back onto hose contraption, which will serve as the roof for a shed for my goats. At night, the cooling garden hose will help warm the shed and melt off snow. In a pinch, I could close the system & fire up water heater to heat floor during storms.
Although I plan no concrete, this video shows how radiant floors are, basically, constructed in a sticks & bricks house:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCgazhE3dkk
I tore up the carpet in the living area yesterday. It leaves me with an unfinished area of chip board, 4x8 feet: the exact size of a sheet of plywood I already have, outside. I'll cover underside with aluminum foil, as metal conducts heat more efficiently.
I'll attach a garden hose to the plywood, as show in the video. I'll make spacers with strips of discarded packing styrofoam and strips of wood for strength.I'll screw the plywood over the chip board flooring. I'll attach the garden hose to my "y" connector, at the water heater and attach the other end to a 'y" at my passive solar intake outside.
Water rises as it heats. Cold floor water cycles outside, onto shed roof hoses, heats, flows through h2o heater, back to floor, etc. Floor hose releases heat into cabin of trailer.
I'll just attach the garden hoses with fittings to the existing water heater. I'll need a shut-off at the inlet, as I'll need propane to heat when there's no sun.
I'll also put it on a "y" with shut offs, because I'll be running another hose Inside the trailer for my floor.
On hot days, I simply close "y" at intake and allow floor h2o to cool. I can flush cool h2o through floor grid, as needed.
The floor will only be just over an inch taller, just as one enters the front door. I'll finish the sides with sloped molding, so people won't break their toes, and cover with area rug.
I'll post videos on the project soon.
Here's a cheap, solar water heater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBAi_TVNaiM
Because sunlight at 4,000 - 6,500 feet elevation is very harsh and disintegrates things, I'll be using braided, black garden hose, COVERED by sheet metal, painted black. I'll slide swimming pool "noodles," as insulation, over remaining, exposed hose: keeps heat in; keeps sun off.
I will put the coiled hosing on a piece of corrugated sheet metal, which will reflect heat back onto hose contraption, which will serve as the roof for a shed for my goats. At night, the cooling garden hose will help warm the shed and melt off snow. In a pinch, I could close the system & fire up water heater to heat floor during storms.
Although I plan no concrete, this video shows how radiant floors are, basically, constructed in a sticks & bricks house:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCgazhE3dkk
I tore up the carpet in the living area yesterday. It leaves me with an unfinished area of chip board, 4x8 feet: the exact size of a sheet of plywood I already have, outside. I'll cover underside with aluminum foil, as metal conducts heat more efficiently.
I'll attach a garden hose to the plywood, as show in the video. I'll make spacers with strips of discarded packing styrofoam and strips of wood for strength.I'll screw the plywood over the chip board flooring. I'll attach the garden hose to my "y" connector, at the water heater and attach the other end to a 'y" at my passive solar intake outside.
Water rises as it heats. Cold floor water cycles outside, onto shed roof hoses, heats, flows through h2o heater, back to floor, etc. Floor hose releases heat into cabin of trailer.
I'll just attach the garden hoses with fittings to the existing water heater. I'll need a shut-off at the inlet, as I'll need propane to heat when there's no sun.
I'll also put it on a "y" with shut offs, because I'll be running another hose Inside the trailer for my floor.
On hot days, I simply close "y" at intake and allow floor h2o to cool. I can flush cool h2o through floor grid, as needed.
The floor will only be just over an inch taller, just as one enters the front door. I'll finish the sides with sloped molding, so people won't break their toes, and cover with area rug.
I'll post videos on the project soon.
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