Fireplace Screens Blog

Are you dreaming about a long soak in your own hot tub under the stars – perhaps with some friends to share it with?

Buying and installing a conventional hot tub will cost you upwards of 4,000 dollars.  Then you have to face the heating bills. But a solar hot tub can be made for about 400 dollars, and the heating bills will be zero.  Free! 

A diy hot tub is very straightforward.  You will get a great addition to your backyard and you will be able to enjoy it in all weathers.  The water will actually get so hot that you will need to fit a pressure relief valve for safety!

Begin with a good set of diy plans.  Included should be a full list of materials needed, clear step-by-step instructions and diagrams, plumbing schematics and setting-up details.

These are the main parts of a solar hot tub:

• Solar collector box

• Stand-alone tub

• Filter

• Pump (optional, depending on the site)

• Various CPVC plumbing parts

• Pressure relief and control valves

The solar collector can be a simple sheet of corrugated tin in a shallow wood box.  A sheet of ½ inch plywood will do for the bottom of the box, edged with 2 x 6 inch lumber (or whatever you happen to have in your shed), and line it with a 1 inch sheet of insulating foam.

The water is heated in a series of ¾ inch CPVC pipes, laid and glued along each groove of the corrugated sheet in a serpentine pattern so that cold water enters at the lowest point and exits at the highest. Do not use PVC for the pipes, it has a lower heat threshold than CPVC. The whole inside of the box and the pipes are painted flat black, and a sheet of ¼ inch (or thereabouts) polycarbonate glazing is attached to the top of the box to close it.  

The tub can be any suitable stand-alone stock tank, from 150 gallons capacity (for 1 or 2 people) to 500 gallons or more.

Mounting the solar collector at least one foot lower than the tub will enable thermosyphoning of the water.  Otherwise a suitable pump of about 120 to 150 GPH rating will need to be fitted in the outlet pipe run.

Pipe runs should be as short as possible, and avoid sharp bends.  Fit an inline filter at the tub outlet to avoid the chore of regular water replacement. Finally you should fit inlet and outlet flow control valves as well as a safety valve to relieve excess pressure in the system.

After testing the solar hot tub for leaks fit as much insulation as possible – all outside plumbing, the sides of the tub and the tub cover (vital to minimize nighttime heat losses).

The tub will not need any external support so you will be free to build any structure around it you want, to hide the plumbing or provide an access platform, for instance.

Proper positioning of the solar collector is very important.  In northern latitudes place it facing due south, or within 10 degrees of it, and sloping at between 15 and 30 degrees from the horizontal. Also you should slightly tilt the solar collector lengthwise to enable better water flow.

What time can you expect to take for heating the solar hot tub water?  It depends on where you live, but it could take up to a couple of days to reach a comfortable temperature of about 110 degrees the first time. Then you will need to keep the water temperature down rather than up!

It is essential, however, that you plan in thorough detail before starting to build your solar hot tub.  Decide on the size of tub and where to locate it.  Then invest in some good professional advice – you will not regret it.

Changing over to solar electricity water heating takes some research to be sure the right water heating unit is being installed for the climate in which the individual lives. The bulk of the solar energy water heating units are engineered to work best in climates where is doesn’t fall to freezing temperatures much, if any, in the course of the year. The cause of the reason is because the water in the pipes of the system will freeze and damage the system, as the sun’s rays aren’t enough in freezing temperatures to keep it moving through the pipes without freezing. These solar energy water heating systems are efficient way of heating the water supply for a home or for commercial use, and also can be employed for solar pool heating, so saving costs and the environment.

Types of Materials and Systems

One piece of apparatus that all solar electricity water heating systems need is the solar collector which boosts the sun’s rays and converts them to energy. There are 3 differing types of solar collectors on the market today. The 1st is the flat plate collector that has a glaze on it and is insulated. They contain a plate that is intended to soak up the sun’s rays and lies underneath one cover plate, which is generally made from either plastic or glass, though with pool plates they’re regularly made from metal. Another sort of collector in solar energy water heating is the integral collector or batch system. In this system the water passes thru the tubes that are contained in an insulated, glazed box which collects the daylight and preheats the water. The 3rd system uses abandoned tube solar collectors, and is mostly only employed in commercial settings.

There are two basic types of systems in solar power water heating: active and passive.  The active systems have a sort of pump that moves the water or the antifreeze through the pipes so that it can be heated by the collection plates.  The passive systems hold the water in a collection container where the solar panels are so that it can be heated and then move by way of the hot water rising to the top, into the storage tank.  Each system has its benefits, with the active systems being more effective at heating the water and the passive systems typically lasting longer and being more reliable.  Both systems use a backup heater in the storage tank so that it can be used when there are a series of cloudy days outside and the water cannot be heated by the sun.

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Evans D. Smith

Home Solar Power Systems

In many households, solar panels are useful systems that convert sunlight into usable electricity for the homeowners. The silicon wafers will seize photons from the sun and turn it into DC power. This power is then changed to 120 volt AC power and connected and along the present electrical scheme in the house or business office. This can also be connected to the localized electric control grid. As the sun shines, you may be able to acquire more electricity then you consume. Your meter can actually spin backwards.

The commitment to use solar panels is truly an effective financial strategy. They are quite a good investment for the household or business proprietor. This type of home solar power systems can deliver affordable electricity and power for years, maybe decades to come. There are some generous incentives of aid off set the initial costs. A good range of local, state and federal bonuses such as grants, rebates, loans, direct equipment sales, leasing and tax credits will help to offset the prices.

Some of the most effective vendors and installers of the solar panels will tell you that simple is better. The more complex systems will necessitate more technical support and will lessen dependability. There are a few items you will need to make your home into a solar home that can produce all of your energy needs. They are the solar generator, the home solar panels and the solar collector. The certified companies will maintain the insurance and the proper documentation to protect the home proprietor or business proprietor from any worker liabilities.

A registered company will help to insure how much and what and where. During a site inspection the sales person will help to decide what type of solar panels will perform for your requirements. Also placement of the system is very important. A Solar Pathfinder is used to determine the daily and seasonal shades. While the solar panels are developed for decades of unattended use, it is important to provide for regular maintenance. The panels might require a little annual cleaning.

If the cost for getting a professionally installed solar panel is too much for you to handle, you may want to try doing it yourself. This method has been a popular practice at the present time. It is because the process has been made easy by some DIY solar panel installation guides along with instructional videos.

No garden activity area is complete without an outdoor solar shower.  It can be anything from a simple piece of flexible water pipe to a proper shower enclosure with proper drainage, privacy and decking to keep feet clean whilst drying off.  

We will look at a simple diy solar shower located in your garden or backyard, maybe beside a spa or pool, both of which could share the solar water heating arrangements with the shower.

Your primary concern must be proper drainage for the solar heated shower.  Your local authorities might permit drainage into a simple pit or into a vegetable patch.  Others might demand a more elaborate system that drains into the main sewer or septic tank.  You will be responsible for following whatever rules apply to your locality.  

The design of your outdoor solar shower will depend on other criteria as well:

Screening.  Do you need to avoid being overlooked? If yes, then you need to find a secluded spot away from upstairs windows for your solar heated shower.

Water Supply.  You will experience a small drop in water pressure if your shower is a long way from your mains supply. You could increase this by fitting a water storage tank mounted above the height of the shower head.

Sunshine.  The solar collector (hose, cylinder or both) needs good exposure to the sun’s heat.  It should only take about 15 minutes to make enough hot water for the next shower, but it will need much longer if there is shade over the solar heating system for a significant part of the day.

Purpose.  How do you intend to use the solar heated shower? After a swim, perhaps?  To cool off after a sunbathe?  These things will have a strong influence on your shower design.

Litter.  The shower pan can be a great magnet for every fallen leaf.  Try to cover this with a wooden lid or similar device when not in use, and locate the shower as far as possible from your trees.

A typical outdoor solar shower will be a 3 or 4 foot square cubicle raised on decking about one foot above ground, to allow the installation of a simple galvanized steel drainage box under the shower to take soiled water away to the soakaway or other drainage system you have provided.

The decking can be extended for 4 or 5 feet at the shower entrance, to allow comfortable drying off without getting feet dirty.  Pressure-treated softwood 4×4 posts can be used at each corner of the shower stall, joined by side panels made from pretty much anything you like – plywood, clapboard, cedar shingles are some materials of choice.  

It is very easy to make the solar heating part of the shower. It could be as basic as fixing a shower head to 500 feet of flexible pipe coiled in the sun. A better way is to coil the water pipe in an open tray over the shower and facing towards the sun. If you need more hot water you could use an old water tank or hot water cylinder in the solar heating pipe, but this would have to be higher than the shower head to give you enough pressure.

In warmer climates it is advisable to fit a mixer, for allowing hot and cold water to merge before you burn yourself in the shower!

If you would like expert advice we have a strongly recommended guide to help you select and build the right outdoor solar shower for you.  The guide includes good quality plans, schematic diagrams and clear instructions to make the whole process easy and fun.

Do you dream of a hot tub in your backyard, luxuriating under the stars after a hard day’s work – maybe with some friends to share it with?

Buying a hot tub will set you back at least ,000 and probably a lot more.  Then come the heating bills. But you can build a solar hot tub for under 0, with no heating costs at all.  Zilch! 

Making a solar powered hot tub is simple.  You will have a great centerpiece for your backyard, and it will work in any climate.  These systems get so hot that you will need a safety valve to prevent steam building up!

Begin with a good set of diy plans.  These should include clear step-by-step instructions, a materials list, schematics and diagrams to show you exactly how to build the solar hot tub.

Basic parts of a solar hot tub are:

• Solar collector box

• Stand-alone tub

• Filter

• Pump (option, site-dependent)

• Various CPVC plumbing parts

• Safety, inlet and outlet valves

The solar collector can be a simple sheet of corrugated tin in a shallow wood box.  Make the box bottom from a sheet of ½ inch plywood, edged with 2 x 6 inch lumber (or whatever you happen to have in your shed), and line it with a 1 inch sheet of insulating foam.

A series of ¾ inch CPVC pipes are fixed in each corrugation allowing cold water to enter the solar collector at the bottom and exit at the top. Do not use PVC for the pipes, it has a lower heat threshold than CPVC. Paint the inside of the solar collector box and the pipes flat black, and close the top with a sheet of polycarbonate glazing.  

Use a stand-alone tub of between 150 and 500 gallons, depending on how many will be in it.

Mounting the solar collector at least one foot lower than the tub will enable thermosyphoning of the water.  If unable to do this you will have to install a suitable pump (150 GPH should do) close to the tub outlet.

Short pipe runs with no sharp bends are best.  Fitting an inline filter near the tub water outlet will avoid the task of having to clean out the tub from time to time. Finally you should fit inlet and outlet flow control valves as well as a safety valve to relieve excess pressure in the system.

Test the hot tub system for leaks, then fit insulation everywhere – any exposed pipes, the external walls of the tub, and the tub cover (vital to lower nighttime heat loss).

Because the tub is designed to stand alone, any surrounding structure that you decide to add will be purely for convenient access and aesthetics, such as covering up the plumbing.

Proper positioning of the solar collector is very important.  In the northern hemisphere it should face due south, or no more than plus or minus 10 degrees from it, and it should slope between 15 and 30 degrees from horizontal. It also needs to have a slight tilt lengthwise to permit better water flow.

What time can you expect to take for heating the solar hot tub water?  It might take as long as two days to establish a comfortable 110 degrees first time around. Then you will need to keep the water temperature down rather than up!

Remember, proper planning is essential before you start to build the solar hot tub.  Know what size of tub you want and where you want to site it.  Then the best, and safest, bet is to get some good professional advice.