How to Build Water Solar Panels

Make your own solar panel at home

Heating water using solar energy makes sense economically and ecologically. Variations on water solar panels are used around the world. You can buy all the components to make your own. Or you can collect recycled materials and build a fully functioning panel. It's a fun project that can produce very good results at little cost.

Things You'll Need

• Metal back coil of an old refrigerator
• Bolt cutter
• 4 wood strips, 24 inches long
• 4 wood strips, 36 inches long
• Hammer
• Nails
• 24-by-36-inch rubber mat
• 24-by-36-inch aluminum foil
• Electric drill
• Wood screws
• Duct tape
• Saw
• Air pump hose
• Brackets
• 24-by-36-inch piece of glass
• Screws

Instructions

1. Cut the back coil of a refrigerator off its base using a bolt cutter. The coil will be your heat collector.

2. Lay the heat collector on the ground and position four wood strips around it like a frame. The size of refrigerator coils will differ, but usually these are 17 inches wide and 30 inches long. If you are using the same size coils, then use two 24-inch and two 36-inch wood strips to make the frame. Nail the wood strips together to make a rectangle. Make another frame the same size as the first.

3. Cut two notches in the bottom of one slat of one of the wooden frames that you made. These notches are for the outlets for the entry and return lines to the collector. Use a saw and cut 1-by-1/2-inch slots in the wood.

4. Layer all the components of the solar panel together. Lay the wooden frame with the notches on the ground. Then lay a rubber mat on top of it. Then put down a piece of aluminum foil above the rubber mat. Put the heat collector over the foil and then lay the second wooden frame on top.

5. Attach the heat collector to the rubber backing so it won't fall off. Attach it with brackets, nailing them in with a hammer and nails.

6. Secure the panel that you layered together. Drive wood screws into the top wooden frame, through the rubber mat and the bottom wooden frame. Drill holes with an electric drill and insert the wood screws.

7. Use duct tape to seal all the connecting points of the frame panel.

8. Attach a length of air pump hose to the ends of the entry and return line outlets. Seal around the connection with duct tape.

9. Lay the piece of glass on top of the whole framed panel. Attach it with duct tape all the way around. Insert screws on the sides of the frame to hold it more securely. The screws should go all the way through the duct tape and wood frame.

10. Set the panel up so it leans on an angle. The glass top of the panel should be facing the sun. Place the entry line into a bucket of water. Put a pump on the return line and suck the water through the collector to prime the panel by running water through it. Place the bucket of water higher than the return line so gravity will help run the water through.

Tips & Warnings

• You can modify the design of your solar water panel, experimenting with different materials for the components.

• The water coming out through the panel is scalding hot and can burn.

References

• Welcome to The Sietch--Projects: Build Your Own Solar Thermal Panel
• Biggin Hill: Build Your Own Solar Water Heating Panel