Set up an elegant solar hot water system - plumbing.wood.solarhot PEP BB

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum.  Completing this BB is part of getting the wood badge in Plumbing.

In this Badge Bit, you will build an elegant solar hot water system.  You can buy the panels but you get more points if you build them.

Here's one example of how you could do it (some of the foam stuff could be more elegant):


Points awarded vary from 16 to 32 depending on the elegance of the system and how DIY it is.
  - store bought solar collectors on a system - 16 points
  - homemade solar collectors on a system - 24 points
  - if it's below -10F, it turns on/off appropriately and works - 4 more points
  - another-worldly in the "elegant" department - 4 to 8 more points

Minimum requirements to satisfy this BB:
  - supply hot water powered by the sun
  - works in winter or easily winterizeable
  - at least 40 gallons of 140F+ water available
  - can be tied into a conventional water heater if you want (for cloudy stretches)

To show you've completed this Badge Bit, provide proof of the following as pics or video (less than two minutes):
  - the spot where the solar collector will go
  - the collector under construction (if applicable)
  - the collector installed
  - piping underway in the structure
  - piping completed
  - evidence of temperature coming from panel on a sunny day
  - evidence of 140F water from the solar system
  - full description of how the system works