Solar water heating

**DrAndy** · 02-05-2006, 05:44 PM

Does anybody know of cheap (ish) solar water heaters?

Most of the imported ones seem very expensive.

There must be a simple and cheap version that works well enough in Thailand...even just a few pipes laid out make hot water, so a panel on the roof with a storage tank would work fine without too much refinement.

maybe there is a Chinese manufacturer?

**aging one** · 02-05-2006, 05:47 PM

I really want to know the answer to this one as even in winter here its hot enough and surely sunny enough to make a shit load of hot water.

**lom** · 02-05-2006, 05:51 PM

http://hotproducts.alibaba.com/manuf...er_Heater.html

China is full of them manufacturers..

**dirtydog** · 02-05-2006, 06:01 PM

Some links here.

http://www.leonics.com/html/en/pd_ec...pv.php#homesys

http://www.siamsolar.com/index_en.asp

http://www.swdsbd.com/productbyband....id=1&band_id=1

http://www.solartron.co.th/

**Thetyim** · 02-05-2006, 06:21 PM

Some bloke on TV made his own from PVC water pipes that were painted black. He said it worked well.

If anyone can remember the posters nick please post it here for the good Dr.

**Airportwo** · 02-05-2006, 06:46 PM

There a place that makes solar "stuff' on the Road to Udon, about midway between Khon Kean and Udon, has any one checked them out, believe it is German and most of product is exported, but some is released local.

**DrAndy** · 02-05-2006, 08:11 PM

Thanks for those links

there are no prices attached, and from what I saw, they would export a minimum of 20 sets

has anyone in Thailand set up a business importing them, and what do they sell them for?

**Mr Earl** · 02-05-2006, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Thanks for those links

there are no prices attached, and from what I saw, they would export a minimum of 20 sets

has anyone in Thailand set up a business importing them, and what do they sell them for?

I see them used all over Phuket. I've noticed a store which specializes in them in Phuket town, been meaning to stop in sometime.

**dirtydog** · 02-05-2006, 10:20 PM

Ok tomorrow I will tell you how to make your own solar water system, it is real easy simple and cheap, but by fok it will be a long post

**nycjoe** · 03-05-2006, 08:35 AM

I remember from my hippie days, using a silver painted 55 gallon drum, thats as cheap as it gets.

**BillyZ** · 03-05-2006, 09:05 AM

Get a drum or metal box and paint it black, stick it outside, preferrably on the roof to get maximum exposure to the sun. That's the easiest way.

When I was building my house, I looked into it. A friend of mine actually sells the set-ups here in Ban Chang. But I looked at the cost and the guarantee (5 years) and the fact that they typically need to be replaced after 15 years, max. There wasn't really a cost savings at that time. So I decided to go with the point-of-use water heaters.

Now the price of electricity has gone up a bit, but I still don't use the hot water much.

The Thai government hasn't done much to promote solar heater units, so the price typically remains high, as a lot of units are imported.

**peterpan** · 03-05-2006, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Airportwo

There a place that makes solar "stuff' on the Road to Udon, about midway between Khon Kean and Udon, has any one checked them out, believe it is German and most of product is exported, but some is released local.

They are manufactures of Solar panels to produce electricity, They manufacture a big variety of these, including small panels to power fish pond pumps, storage units that accumulate during the day and power a light at night, plus the regular range of flat panels. In the big hardware place in Udon, (I forget the name) they had on display a few locally made solar water heating systems. At the price they were selling for I wouldn't bother making my own.

**DrAndy** · 03-05-2006, 01:23 PM

I suppose the only time I NEED hot water is during the cool months, when the temperature drops to 16C or so at night (Chiang Mai)

It is always useful for washing up etc, but a warm shower is nice.

The sun is usually shining in the day, although not so hot as the "hot" months.

any prices for those units Peterpan? I am sure a bought one would be a lot neater and efficient than one I made myself!!

**spliff** · 03-05-2006, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by Airportwo

There a place that makes solar "stuff' on the Road to Udon, about midway between Khon Kean and Udon, has any one checked them out, believe it is German and most of product is exported, but some is released local.

I know this guy but I believe he only does solar lighting. I'll ask him and get back w/ an update.

**qwerty** · 03-05-2006, 02:28 PM

Here's a fairly detailed article on making your own solar water heater:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/libra...r_Water_Heater

There are many more articles available on the internet. If you're not a handy guy yourself, or if you don't have the time or resources to tackle a project like this, I bet a Thai builder could work off of the parts list and diagrams.

**DrAndy** · 03-05-2006, 07:42 PM

Yes qwerty (that was easy) but hot water flushing the toilet could be seen as a luxury

**aging one** · 03-05-2006, 07:58 PM

If it was 20 years ago I'd get 50 meters of black pvc pipe, lay it out on my roof that faces west, and off I'd go.

But that is the second conditional, Its not 20 years ago and I aint going up on that roof that is hotter than fire.

**DrAndy** · 03-05-2006, 10:27 PM

sounds good, but I want to use some of my (flat) roof, not have it like a snake farm

**KID** · 03-05-2006, 10:59 PM

THE BLACK BARREL WILL WORK OR EVEN A OLD WATER BED MATTRESS. here is a good link for the earth minded memeber's www.motherearthnews.com the best artical was about how to save on the air/con bill.... the guy dug a trench 8 ft deep from his house to a patch of trees droped in sewer piping spouted one end out of the ground in the nest of trees with a fan to pull the air in the piping the spouted one end into the bottom of his floor of the house with another fan to help pull the air out of the pipe.. the air was cooled by the temp. of the air being 8 ft under the ground!!!!! ohhh he also used screens before and after each fan to keep bugs and dust out of the pipe

**DrAndy** · 04-05-2006, 02:06 PM

another method of keeping cool

get several bargirls to wave large fronds above your head as you sit contemplating your navel

anyway, thanks for the information guys, and if someone can find the actual cost of one of those cheap units, I would be even more grateful

**DrAndy** · 11-05-2006, 06:36 PM

any costs yet available please

**mrsquirrel** · 14-05-2006, 09:55 PM

There is a solar panel company near me in CHacheongsao

Siamn Solar I think

**DrAndy** · 14-05-2006, 11:27 PM

yes, well MrsQ, what to do?

**mrsquirrel** · 15-05-2006, 06:11 AM

The easiest thing to do would be to get on your push bike ride hear and have a chat with them/

**Marmite the Dog** · 15-05-2006, 12:20 PM

http://www.siamsolar.com/

They even manage to have a few prices on the website.

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