3218 solar water heating

Have you seen those "black hot-water-bottles" which you just tack to a post and hey-preto - instant hot shower!! I think they are sold for camping enthusiasts, but - I promise you - they work (in the summer..)!!
I really don't think anybody is going to present "permission" problems - (though it perhaps depends on where you are proposing to erect said radiator in a box). More likely that your neighbours - instead of runnning to the Comune - will consider it your charming eccentricity on a par with the old Fiat 500 which houses their chickens, and which you would never consider a problem!!

Making your own basic solar water heater is actually pretty easy, either using the black radiator method on the television program, or something along these lines: [url]http://www.reuk.co.uk/DIY-Solar-Water-Heating.htm[/url].

The only trouble with these basic sorts of solar water heaters is that they only work really well in the summer when you don't actually need that much hot water. On a really cold day it will act as a radiator and warm up the world as your water gets cooler which is not ideal.

There are far superior solar water heaters on sale which use evacuated glass tubes to protect your water from ambient temperature differences. These will heat up water even when the air temp is well below zero just as long as the sun is shining - and even when it is not - but they do cost. However, Italian utilities costing what they do, every degree you preheat your water, the less you'll be spending. 4 square metres of efficient solar water heaters will save you 2/3 of your water heating costs each year.

Regarding the BBC2 TV program It's Not Easy Being Green ([url]http://www.reuk.co.uk/Its-Not-Easy-Being-Green.htm[/url]), I seem to remember his car being a 10+ year old Audi convertible which he says gives 25 mpg. You could probably get the same model for around £3-4k on eBay which is probably a lot less than your Daihatsu, and 25mpg is not that bad. He said in the first episode that the car has to go anyway although he loves it.

This infomation is cool :cool: well hot (warm) actually!
As we don't have a shower or bath yet at our Trullo and we go out next week, I'm on the hunt for a black hot water bottle! Should keep us going until problem solved, thank you all! :)

Dave went of to [URL="http://www.attwoolls.co.uk/"]http://www.attwoolls.co.uk/[/URL] today and we now have a black hot water bottle sitting in the English sun as a test run. Should be cooked about 4:30 so will report back with result! :)

If you prefer baths to showers then I remember seeing something useful on a BBC2 program about the Romans.

The presenter (who also advertises all things Inland Revenue on the telly) got an old bath and drilled two holes in one end - one hole at the bottom of the end, and the other about 12 inches further up. Copper pipes were then fitted/welded into those holes and connected in a similar way to a large sealed metal can which sat on top of a little wood fire. The bath was then filled up until the water was a few inches over the height of the top hole.

The fire heats up the water in the can with the hot water rising and passing out of the can into the bath. That changes the pressure/temperature of the water in the can resulting in cold water being drawn into it which then gets heated up. This cycle carries on ad infinitum (as the Romans said) giving you a lovely hot bath for as long as you have wood to burn. Best of all, you can sit in it while it is being heated without risking a burnt bottom.

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="3"]Diahatsu charade £5,900 new
mpg 60
number of people carried 4 plus 2 dogs.
One year's tax £40
25mpg c...p! Sorry I dont want to come over as a smart alec and it really would be easier in a 4x4 as I also travel around to Craft fairs and transport wood.My green credentials are not good as I use Ryan Air and feel very guilty!!! but this guy is promoting his lifestyle as a green one so I just felt his car was a bit of a joke!

Relaxed....I have 2 old fiat 500s dumped in the hedge! Perhaps I could put them back to use for my poultry.I'm sure my neighbour/s one eldery farmer and a few owls will not be too worried!

Good advice also about the superior types of solar panels.......... oh and I have a solar shower and so far only managed to get it luke warm in UK so gave the dog a shower! I am going to take one out to Abruzzo in June so my eldery neighbour will have a laugh!

Becky[/SIZE][/FONT]

While I plan to place an order very soon, I haven't actually bought anything from [URL="http://www.navitron.org.uk/index.htm"]this company[/URL] which has a good range of alternative energy stuff, including the high-efficiency evacuated tube solar water heaters. There are links to interesting documents which go into some detail about how the things are made, how they work and how to install them.

(There's also a link to explain how the company has been involved with your favourite [URL="http://www.navitron.org.uk/bbc2.htm"]slightly green TV personality[/URL], Becky!)

The company also -- unlike most I've seen in the field -- is very up-front about the [URL="http://www.navitron.org.uk/pricelist.htm"]prices[/URL] of the stuff they sell. What I've seen most often is that companies in this field are very reluctant to say what one of their installations will cost because they know it will immediately frighten off potential customers.

The company cites some very interesting figures on the page where it explains the [URL="http://www.navitron.org.uk/solar_training.htm"]training[/URL] it offers to people who want to install their own solar water heating system or go into business installing the systems.

As I say, I haven't actually bought anything from them yet, so I can't comment on the service they provide, but I do like their stated philosophy and I know they've been around for a while now and slowly expanding their range.

Al

[quote=neilmcn]If you prefer baths to showers then I remember seeing something useful on a BBC2 program about the Romans.

The presenter (who also advertises all things Inland Revenue on the telly) got an old bath and drilled two holes in one end - one hole at the bottom of the end, and the other about 12 inches further up. Copper pipes were then fitted/welded into those holes and connected in a similar way to a large sealed metal can which sat on top of a little wood fire. The bath was then filled up until the water was a few inches over the height of the top hole.

The fire heats up the water in the can with the hot water rising and passing out of the can into the bath. That changes the pressure/temperature of the water in the can resulting in cold water being drawn into it which then gets heated up. This cycle carries on ad infinitum (as the Romans said) giving you a lovely hot bath for as long as you have wood to burn. Best of all, you can sit in it while it is being heated without risking a burnt bottom.[/quote]

Funny that, we were only joking about getting an old bath and lighting a fire under it!
Yep, have to say April English sun didn't work on black hot water bottle, so stuck it in my nice hot bath to warm up. Only to see if it was possible for 2 to get a shower out of 20 ltrs. That bit worked, just! :D

Well, in April in Puglia, the solar shower worked on sunny days but the weather was not too warm except two days. Am seriously looking at the [URL="http://www.navitron.org.uk"]www.navitron.org.uk[/URL] web site and at £395 for a solar panel plus bits, total estimated cost for system with solar tank, shower etc. £1000. But do we need planning permission to put up a solar collector on our land - not on the roof as we have a Trullo and it would look silly apart from being difficult to fit to that curve!!

Also need to know where I can buy DIY items such as copper pipe, wire (electrical and data) etc for various bits and pieces, shower and bath items. Ideally in the Martina Franca area of Puglia