How to Make Solar Water Heating Panels

More and more, people are looking to solar solutions for their energy needs. After the initial investment, solar power is free and clean, straight from the sun. It's been used in a number of ways, including to heat water. The first step, if you're going to attempt this yourself, is to make the solar water heating panels themselves.

Things You'll Need

• Hardwood
• Hacksaw
• Wood saw
• Drill
• Marine ply backing sheet
• Hammer
• Screwdriver
• Nails
• Screws
• Paintbrush
• Wood preservative
• Aluminum sheet
• Emery paper
• Red oxide primer
• Glass fiber wool
• Wood beading
• Matt black paint
• Glass (4 mm thick)

Instructions

The Tray and Frame

1. Cut or purchase wood (preferably hardwood, like cedar or teak) with the desired measurements. For our purposes, we'll be constructing a frame that is 1.5 meters long, 90 centimeters wide, and 0.8 centimeters thick.

2. Use a circular saw to cut out the lips (in which the collector plate and glass will soon be fitted). The lips should be about 0.5 centimeters thick. Remember that your corner joints are crucial; if well done, your panel will be quite weatherproof.

3. Drill two holes, about 1.1 centimeters in diameter, in the sides of the frame, 3 centimeters from the top and bottom of the frame. These will serve as entrance and exit points for later copper tubing (after you've made your solar water heating panel).

4. Apply a backing sheet (marine ply quality, if possible) to the back of the frame. Be sure to cut the backing sheet with the exact measurements of the frame so that it fits perfectly--this, again, is a weatherproofing must. Nail the sheet to the bottom of the frame.

5. Coat the frame and backing sheet in their entirety with wood preservative. The goal is to have a lasting finish.

The Panel

1. Obtain an aluminum sheet measuring 4 feet 8 inches by 2 feet 8 inches.

2. Clean the aluminum sheet carefully. Make sure no traces of oil are left by using emery paper to etch the surface of the shiny side of the sheet.

3. Apply primer to the sheet. Red oxide works well, as does zinc chromate. Let dry.

4. Insert glass fiber wool into the tray. This will act as insulation when the plate is inserted into the tray.

5. Insert the plate into the tray. Screw strips of wood beading to the sides of the inner frame to hold the plate in place.

6. Spray the matte black paint onto the inside wall of the wooden frame in its entirety, then insert well-measured glass panels into the frame, leaving some space (about 1.5 centimeters) between the glass and the eventual copper piping).

Tips & Warnings

• Once you've finished making the solar water heating panels, the next step in your solar water heating system is to install the copper piping.