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natural building

Solar heater

John F Dean

master steward

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Location: southern Illinois, USA

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posted 4 years ago

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I am looking for a design for a simple solar heater ... such as one that can be inserted in a window.

Some people age like fine wine. I aged like milk … sour and chunky.

John C Daley

pollinator

Posts: 5699

Location: Bendigo , Australia

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posted 4 years ago

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Air or water heater

John Daley Bendigo, Australia The Enemy of progress is the hope of a perfect plan
Benefits of rainfall collection https://permies.com/t/88043/benefits-rainfall-collection
GOOD DEBT/ BAD DEBT https://permies.com/t/179218/mortgages-good-debt-bad-debt

John F Dean

master steward

Posts: 7670

Location: southern Illinois, USA

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posted 4 years ago

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Hi John,

Great question. Actually, the answer is both. But not necessarily in the same unit.

Some people age like fine wine. I aged like milk … sour and chunky.

Rebecca Norman

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Posts: 2564

Location: Ladakh, Indian Himalayas at 10,500 feet, zone 5

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Do you want to heat a room?

The key is to have exact south facing glazing, whatever the exact method is. Any other direction tends to overheat in summer and autumn, and not give much heat in winter. Is the window or wall south facing? The amount of heat collected is limited by the area of south-facing surface.

I heat my house with a detachable greenhouse. I put up the plastic in October or November and take it down in late April or May. But I designed my house with the long wall facing south, and the rooms that we want to be heated all on that south side.

There are hot air generating collectors that can be roof mounted. But honestly hot air blowing into a room doesn't really give much thermal comfort unless there's really a lot of it, and then there are other comfort issues.

Works at a residential alternative high school in the Himalayas SECMOL.org . "Back home" is Cape Cod, E Coast USA.

Mike Haasl

steward

Posts: 15879

Location: Northern WI (zone 4)

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