mauijimb
08-01-2011, 05:17 PM
Aloha, I'm trying to put together my own solar water heating system. I have a used 30 gal tank that I'll use for storage. For the collector I was thinking about using some coiled 3/4" copper tubing that I have on hand. I was going to put it in a glass covered box. But then it occurred to me that the coil (about 40') may not be best for the thermosiphon action. Will the hot water be able to 'rise' throughout the coil? Does anyone have any thoughts??
Thanks in advance, Jim
zootjeff
08-23-2011, 07:41 AM
So the only way this is going to work is if you put the storage tank above the collector, and the path of the cold water has to come out the bottom of the tank and flow down hill to the bottom of the collector before it starts to get heated. Then the hot water has to flow up hill the whole time. If you put any loops that go back up hill for the cold, or down hill for the hot, it won't work. Also you would be good to take the pipe and manifold it out so there is less resistance..
Also, 40 feet of copper pipe isn't going to do much..