14 Minutes

Eric • 18th Feb 2007 • Energy

Saturday morning I finished up my “concept model” solar heating panel. I call this a “concept model” because it’s not pretty, and does not have all the features I’d like in the final build (for one: there’s a 12v battery in there, instead of a solar panel to power the fan).

Well, I put down the weather stripping, attached the plexiglass (note: plexiglass can still break – very easily), and carried the unit upstairs. I put the panel in the dining room, absorbing the sun’s rays through the back door, and in 14 minutes, the fan kicked on and pumped out air at 85º. I was psyched!

Then the sun went away, and hasn’t been out for longer than 5 minutes all weekend. So each day… I watch the sun at the back door in the morning, and the back window at lunchtime. Laura wants this concept a bit more proven before I drill holes in the house, so I’ve devised a way to hook it up temporarily.

There’s a big sun on Friday’s weather forecast, which means Thursday should be a good day to test again (weather man is always a day late when looking a week ahead).