Hybrid Solar Power-Heater DIY

Harnessing the two potential energies from the sun. The light and the heat energies.

* Photovoltaic panel. (5volt, 1watt for this example project)
* 2 feet length copper tube (3/8" diameter for this project. size 1" is advisable for the real installation)
* copper tube tee fitting (3/8" for this project)
* copper cap
* used Glass container (size is enough to fit the solar panel.
* plywood 4"X12"
* 2 pcs bracket 4" length
* a pair if wires
* soldering lead
* pipe tightener
* screws
* double adhesive tape
* aluminum foil
* soda can aluminum
* screws for tightening
* A piece if wood

Cut a pair of wires for about 1foot to 2 feet length. Solder the wire to positive and negative terminals/points of solar panel.

Cut the copper tube into 3.
* one pc with 1" length
* two pcs with 1/2" length

Assemble the copper tubes into T form.
* the 1" length goes to the middle
* the 1/2" length tubes fir the left and right of the the tee fitting

Put copper cap to the end of 1" length tube end.

Weld all the joints of the copper tubes.

Cut rectangular shape of cardboard with the width less than the diameter of the inner openning of the glass container. Cut and wrap a rectangular shape aluminum sheet or soda can.

Add two tube tighteners to the center of the separator.

Cut four circles from soda can with a size of inner mouth of the glass container.

Cut two card boards with the same size of the aluminum.

Punch or drill a hole that enough for the copper tube cap and wire to pass through.
Punch two holes for screw on both sides of the circles were cut.

Assemble the wafer as shown in the image.
Fix it with two screws.

Fix two brackets to the edge of the wood as shown in the image.
Put and screw the cover of the container to the brackets.

Make a hole to the cap of the container about one centimeter larger than the tube, to have a space for the solar panel wires.

Insert the tube to the hole of the cap. Then, to the inner wafer.



Fix the heater absorber to the separator. Use pipe tighter to fix with absorber. Make half of an inch allowance from the edge if the absorber to the edge tube.

On the other side of the absorber, fix the solar panel with double adhesive tape. align the solar panel with the edge of the absorber.

Insert the solar panel assembly and wafer to the glass container. Make sure that the wires are inserted to the holes of the wafer and container' cap.

Add charger circuit or booster power circuit. In this example the booster power circuit is regulating the voltage to 5volts output. The input voltage ranges from 0.3 volt to 5volts.

Place it under the sun.

Add hose in both ends of the tube.
One from the source water and the other is to the hot water consumption line.

You can able to charge any smart phone and table while heating the water.

You may add an array of this items to add capacity of water and power to be heated and generated.