# Free hot water



## moopups (May 12, 2002)

A simple, one time cost system is created by mounting a large black iron pipe lengthwise at the inside peak of your attic. Residual heat carries over to the pipe heating the water within, of course you must have a way to pump replacement water into the pipe, or use siphon as my grandfather did. Once the pipe is filled replacement water will be pulled up into the pipe, there does need to be a one way valve installed so that air cannot be sucked up from your faucet.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Sounds doable for Florida. I wouldn't try it in anyplace that reaches freezing temps at night.


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,

Interesting idea.

I think that in many areas you might get more bang for the buck with one of these batch heaters:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/ISPWH/ispwh.htm

Some people also duct hot air from the attic into the living space with a duct that picks up the hot air near the peak and a blower to blow it into the living space. 

Gary


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## JAK (Oct 15, 2005)

Just for starters, what is the cheapest and easiest way to make a 40-120 gallon water tank capable of up to 180F? 

I'm thinking concrete. I'm thinking the only reason they don't make them is because they are too expensive to ship. But what might you need to do to concrete to make it able to handle such hot water?


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## Faith Farm (Dec 13, 2004)

JAK said:


> Just for starters, what is the cheapest and easiest way to make a 40-120 gallon water tank capable of up to 180F?
> 
> I'm thinking concrete. I'm thinking the only reason they don't make them is because they are too expensive to ship. But what might you need to do to concrete to make it able to handle such hot water?



I went to a greenhouse seminar a while back. A lady built a passive
solr greenhouse using hebal block. It is a masonry product with an R value 
of 32. Check with your local concrete block supplier for the block.


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## Hip_Shot_Hanna (Apr 2, 2005)

i just built a solar batch heater using a 40 gallon well presure tank, NON blader type , ( painted black in a insulated box with a glass lid , it was 150 degrees in there at 11 am )


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## jnap31 (Sep 16, 2005)

Hip_Shot_Hanna said:


> i just built a solar batch heater using a 40 gallon well presure tank, NON blader type , ( painted black in a insulated box with a glass lid , it was 150 degrees in there at 11 am )


That sounds awesome.


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

you can add another layer of insulation around it .. do not wire it to power..


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## Hip_Shot_Hanna (Apr 2, 2005)

I use the old 60 gallon hot water tank as a insulated storage tank not wired up, its above the solar unit but inside the house so the water thermosyphons from the solar unit to the ex electric hot tank , its piped so that the feed water goes to the solar tank first ,then to the ex electric tank and from there it goes to a gas tankless boiler that only kicks in when the incoming water drops below 100 degrees .this system is virtuly new and living in TX my only worry is that the solar unit might make steam , with cloudy days in the high 80,s the gas dont have to work much at all


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## mike0331 (Jul 5, 2002)

:nerd: ok so i use a water tank ....do i have to buy a pump to generate water into it ..or does it sipon it thru condensation need help ...cause i am gonna make a batch heater with out water pressure


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## Al. Countryboy (Oct 2, 2004)

Moopups, I had thought of doing something very simular to what you posted, but was afraid of the pipe sweating with the attic being so hot and cold water coming in. My attic is very warm even during the cold winter months. Do you think that this could be a problem?


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