How to Use a Black Pipe to Heat Water
Using a black pipe to create a solar water heater is a great way to use renewable energy and have hot water for washing at the campsite. With a little solar technology know-how and a few supplies, you can easily build a solar water heater and have hot water in just about any location without having to carry heavy fuel canisters or hunt for firewood.
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Things You'll Need
- 3 1-by-6-inch boards, 4 feet long
- 2 1-by-6-inch boards, 6 inches long
- 1-inch screws
- Aluminum foil
- 2 5-inch screw-on PVC end caps
- 5-inch black PVC pipe with threaded ends, 3½ feet long
- Drill
- ½-inch drill bit
- ½-inch rubber tubing, 6 feet long
- Epoxy glue
- Picnic table
- 3-gallon bucket
Instructions
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1
Attach the three 4-foot-long boards together lengthwise to create a trough, using the 1-inch screws. Close the ends of the trough with the 6-inch square boards.
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2
Cover the inside of the heating box with aluminum foil.
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3
Screw the 5-inch PVC end caps onto the black 5-inch PVC pipe to create the solar water heating unit.
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4
Drill a ½-inch hole into one end of the solar water heating unit. Then insert the rubber tubing into the hole and glue it into place with the epoxy glue. Fill the solar water heating unit with water and seal it with the end cap.
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5
Drill a ½-inch hole into one end of the solar heating box. Place the solar water heating unit into the heating box. Insert the rubber tubing coming out of the solar water heating unit into the hole on the solar heating box.
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Place the water heater on a picnic table in direct sunlight with the open side of the heating box facing up. Place the 3-gallon bucket on the ground next to the picnic table and place the rubber tubing coming out of the solar water heater in the bucket. Allow about two hours in direct sunlight for the water to get hot. Tip up the closed end of the solar water heater so it will empty hot water into the bucket.
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References
- Photo Credit sun image by Sfetcu Andrei from Fotolia.com
