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This past month i decided to finally build a beer can solar heater even though most of the cans are seltzer water. The full scale unit is a bit bigger than mine, i could only find a 36x72" sheet of acrylic so the dimensions are 35x72, the curvature narrowed it 1 inch. The full scale unit is closer to 4x8 feet, again, a bit narrower because of the curvature. The full scale also uses 240 cans, mine uses 144 but the result is no less than impressive.
The principle is simple, it works via natural convection, air enters the bottom of the unit, absorbs the heat from the cans and expands creating a lower pressure as it rises and collects more heat, colder air because it is more dense flows into the bottom to replace the rising air inside, tests from friday and saturday, both mid 30* days show a 120* delta in temperature, air inlet 35 ish, air outlet, 150+ even when being pushed, and then shortly after, pulled out. This is with 2/3 of the protective plastic still on the heater.
I mounted an attic thermostat inside the top plenum, it is set to come on at 100* and triggers the fan to turn on. The unit heats up to full temperature within minutes of the sun shining on it, i measured the back of the top plenum panel before installing the blower fan, the temperature reading was 200* and the air flowing up and out of the cans was just over 160*. This temperature is almost equivalent to that of what our oil furnace produces for heat, the difference is the oil furnace moves a tremendous ammount of warm air in comparison to this one moving 80cfm, i purchased a bigger fan designed for 160cfm and will test that on the next sunny day.
Total cost for material is $389.35, it took roughly 20 hours to build with help from my dad, I plan on building another one very soon.
The principle is simple, it works via natural convection, air enters the bottom of the unit, absorbs the heat from the cans and expands creating a lower pressure as it rises and collects more heat, colder air because it is more dense flows into the bottom to replace the rising air inside, tests from friday and saturday, both mid 30* days show a 120* delta in temperature, air inlet 35 ish, air outlet, 150+ even when being pushed, and then shortly after, pulled out. This is with 2/3 of the protective plastic still on the heater.
I mounted an attic thermostat inside the top plenum, it is set to come on at 100* and triggers the fan to turn on. The unit heats up to full temperature within minutes of the sun shining on it, i measured the back of the top plenum panel before installing the blower fan, the temperature reading was 200* and the air flowing up and out of the cans was just over 160*. This temperature is almost equivalent to that of what our oil furnace produces for heat, the difference is the oil furnace moves a tremendous ammount of warm air in comparison to this one moving 80cfm, i purchased a bigger fan designed for 160cfm and will test that on the next sunny day.
Total cost for material is $389.35, it took roughly 20 hours to build with help from my dad, I plan on building another one very soon.
Drunk Crew Member #003
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