The idea of using aluminum cans to heat a house may sound a little nutty at first, but a company in Canada has proved the idea makes great sense. Cansolair Inc. has used aluminum cans in it's solar panels for over 10 years now, and they've even won awards for their design.
Why Use Aluminum Cans?
The company's heaters, made with used aluminum cans, are not only cheaper than other types, but have proven to be very efficient as well. The company reports exponential growth over the past few years.
The Cansolair unit, which measures a little under 4 ft. wide by 8 ft. tall, produces up to 10,000 BTUs per hour and can raise the temperature of the air passing through it by 50F or more. It uses a fan to force the air through, increasing it's efficiency.
How They Work
The heaters are designed to attach to the outside of a south-facing wall of a building (north-facing if in the southern hemisphere). They provide more than enough heat for the nearest room on sunny winter days, and a surprising amount of heat even on cloudy days.
The heaters are designed to draw air from the floor level of a room and pass it directly to the solar panel outside, where it is forced through the cans, which have holes cut in the tops and bottoms to allow air flow. The air is then returned through the wall near the ceiling level and at up to 50F higher temperature.
Aluminum is an excellent thermal conductor, which makes the cans ideal for this purpose. While aluminum tubing could be used instead of the cans, the cans are not only cheaper, but actually perform better because their walls are very thin, which increases the heat transfer rate. They are also painted black to improve heat absorption.
Excellent Project For Do-It-Yourselfers
Cansolair may be the only company that is producing these units commercially, but there have been many other people who have built their own using readily available materials.
Daniel Strohl of Vermont made a unit to heat his garage in the winter, while Frank Gombik of Ontario, Canada built one to heat his workshop.
Daniel used the south-facing side of his garage as a location for his solar furnace after noting that sunshine was just bouncing off the garage and being wasted. He built a small free-standing heater that contains 45 pop cans and uses vacuum cleaner hoses to pipe air to and from his garage.
Frank needed a new double-door entry for his workshop, and since it was facing south, he decided to include solar heaters into the new doors. He used a total of 176 cans in his heater, and added some temperature sensing and recording devices to measure the efficiency of his new heaters.
Building this type of solar heater is certainly within the ability of the average handyman. All the materials are either inexpensive or free. Not only are you getting free heating for your effort, but you're doing your part to help conserve natural resources.
Why Use Aluminum Cans?
The company's heaters, made with used aluminum cans, are not only cheaper than other types, but have proven to be very efficient as well. The company reports exponential growth over the past few years.
The Cansolair unit, which measures a little under 4 ft. wide by 8 ft. tall, produces up to 10,000 BTUs per hour and can raise the temperature of the air passing through it by 50F or more. It uses a fan to force the air through, increasing it's efficiency.
How They Work
The heaters are designed to attach to the outside of a south-facing wall of a building (north-facing if in the southern hemisphere). They provide more than enough heat for the nearest room on sunny winter days, and a surprising amount of heat even on cloudy days.
The heaters are designed to draw air from the floor level of a room and pass it directly to the solar panel outside, where it is forced through the cans, which have holes cut in the tops and bottoms to allow air flow. The air is then returned through the wall near the ceiling level and at up to 50F higher temperature.
Aluminum is an excellent thermal conductor, which makes the cans ideal for this purpose. While aluminum tubing could be used instead of the cans, the cans are not only cheaper, but actually perform better because their walls are very thin, which increases the heat transfer rate. They are also painted black to improve heat absorption.
Excellent Project For Do-It-Yourselfers
Cansolair may be the only company that is producing these units commercially, but there have been many other people who have built their own using readily available materials.
Daniel Strohl of Vermont made a unit to heat his garage in the winter, while Frank Gombik of Ontario, Canada built one to heat his workshop.
Daniel used the south-facing side of his garage as a location for his solar furnace after noting that sunshine was just bouncing off the garage and being wasted. He built a small free-standing heater that contains 45 pop cans and uses vacuum cleaner hoses to pipe air to and from his garage.
Frank needed a new double-door entry for his workshop, and since it was facing south, he decided to include solar heaters into the new doors. He used a total of 176 cans in his heater, and added some temperature sensing and recording devices to measure the efficiency of his new heaters.
Building this type of solar heater is certainly within the ability of the average handyman. All the materials are either inexpensive or free. Not only are you getting free heating for your effort, but you're doing your part to help conserve natural resources.
About the Author:
About the author: John Horning has a website devoted to solar project for the Do-It-Yourselfer. Learn more about making a solar-powered heater out of recycled cans on his website, www.DIY-Solar-Power.net.
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