Living Environment Tips

contributed by Oakland Community College

DO-IT-YOURSELF SOLAR AIR COLLECTOR GUIDELINES

Possible Materials List

• Solar glazing (UV stabilized plastic or tempered glass)
• Thermax (C) foil faced insulation
• lxB’s pine, f it or redwood for the frame • 1x2s for front face trim or molding (see drawing)
• Neoprene weatherstrip tape for sealing the glazing
• Silicone caulk
• Thin aluminum sheet for absorber plate
• 2-4 mil polyethylene for a back draft damper (K-Mart (C) bags will do)
• 2” 19 zinc wood screws to build frame
• Panel adhesive (to attach thermax to frame)
• Galvanized ducts for vents

To build frame, screw together 1x6’s (do not use wolmanized wood.) The top end will overlap the sides and the bottom end should be between the sides. Leave off the top piece.

Cut Insulation for back and the inner surface of the frame. Glue insulation to frame, uSifl9 panel adhesive. Caulk along joints with silicone caulk.

Cut aluminum sheet to fit Inside the frame as the absorber plate. Paint with flat black, high temperature paint. Slit the thermax on the sides of the collector, 2½” In front of the thermax b.acklng and insert the absorber plate in the slit insulation If the absorber plate Is thin enough to flex with expansion and contraction, attach a support block on the back of the absorber plate to prevent popping back and forth of the absorber plate. Attach the top board of the collector frame.

Attach neoprene tape to front and inner edge of 1x6 frame. Place glass or solar glazIng on the tape. Leve ‘A” on all sides for expansion and contraction of the glass.

Rout out the 1x2 to the same depth as the glazing plus tape to act as trim or batten board. Also cut a diagonal edge so water will drip off the collector (see drawing). An easy alternative Is to purchase molding in this shape. Screw the 1x2’s to the frame. Caulk the inside edge. Your collector Is now ready for Installation.

The vents in the back of the collector can be one standard size residential heating vent for every 4 foot width of the collector. Cut through the house wall, the vents at the bottom of the collector, and the vents at the very top of the collector. The top vent should preferably be as wide as possible. After cutting the holes through the wall, (do not cut through the studs of the wall), hold the collector up against the outside wall. From the inside, mark the vent holes on the thermax. Then cut out the vents In the Thermax. Attach the collector to the wall (materials and instructions not included here because of the different possibilities of brick, aluminum siding, etc.). Protect exposed Studs inside the vent with Thermax.

On the Inside of the house, the vents will be covered with vent covers. Before Installing the lower vent cover, cut out the polyethylene to cover the holes in the vent covers. Using double sided tape, attach the polyethylene sheet to the inside top of the vent cover. Then attach the vent to the wall and you are done!!! You have just completed construction of the thermosiphoning air collector. This i just one design out of many possible ways to use solar energy in Michigan. including roof mounted or ground mounted air and liquid collectors, windowbox collectors, batch heaters, etc.