Tuesday, October 18, 2011

DIY Solar Water Heater Innovation for 70$

Uploaded by on Jan 26, 2011
 

This is a ZERO ENERGY HEATER, POWERING YOUR HOME with water heating solution, an ideal DIY appliance as ZERO ENERGY GREEN SOLAR HEATER and HOT WATER SOLUTION as DIY item for many Home Owners with limited technical skills. Basic material are easily available Plastic Barrel and Black Pipe. This Solar Heater in conjunction with home heating HDPE black pipe assembly is appropriately economical for many regions of the world. A True innovation on the rural technology for tourism, room heating and many more one can imagine. ... end-less possibilities for CARBON NEUTRAL APPLIANCE, CARBON CREDIT ENHANCEMENT for net ZERO BUILDING DESIGN solutions.

Cheapest and Easiest Solar joining two ends of pipe on to the plastic Barrel, and presto!
A True innovation on the rural technology, One must have product for green revolution!
An entry in GE Ecomagination Challenge you may want to support this idea and spread the skill far and wide.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Solar 'Post-it' Panels Make Debut



Solar 'Post-it' Panels Make Debut

The company that brought us Post-it Notes wants to do something similar for solar power. At the CEATEC conference in Japan, 3M unveiled its latest: a solar panel that's a translucent piece of sticky film.

 
As an added bonus, the film also blocks a good percentage -- the company claims 90 percent -- of the incoming infrared light. That means it can cool a house that has a lot of window space, or an apartment whose windows don't open, reducing both the dreaded summertime greenhouse effect and the load on the air conditioner. Then there's the ease of installation. All you have to do is stick the film onto the window.


...more : http://news.discovery.com/tech/3m-post-it-solar-111014.html#mkcpgn=fbnws1

Thursday, October 13, 2011

How to Build a Solar Bottle Bulb 2.0 ( Updated English Version)


Mute sound (video has loud, distracting music) but good information:


Thanks to Marco Bieman from Bieman Production Haus Inc. Video Directing and Editing
63-02-5029766 & Joy Aquino for Visual Directing. Amazing WORK !

1) Always scratch the sides of the bottle to create better grip to the sealant. The top part where the bottle meets the metal is the leak point in the build so use industrial strength sealant (epoxy or DOW Corning 791) on the top and bottom if possible.

2) Always put a protective cover over the bottle cap as the suns rays tend to make the original bottle cap brittle and a crack in the bottle cap will allow the water in the bottle to leak during evaporation.

3) Always RIVET the metal sheet holder on to the roof.

4) DON't USE THIN METAL ROOFING SHEETS. there will be no bite on the plastic bottle and the different expansion rates will cause leaks later on. Go for thicker roof sheet.




Comments:
  • @CommentsSurvey vulcaseal is really sticky and is rubbery. when exposed to the sun it becomes hard like a rock. caulk or silicone sealant is good for preventing leaks but a stronger adhesive is recommended so the bottle wont slide off the flange.
  • @CommentsSurvey its a pvc endcap. any endcap fitting for pipes will do.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

20-gallon Solar Heated Hot Water Heater and Shower



Build this solar heated hot water shower for as little as $25 (if you have some spare lumber and items laying around) and save on hot water heat costs! This 20 gallon capacity shower provides enough water for a family of 4-6 to take daily showers and the design is simple. The plastic cover over the top enhances the solar heating, making this a shower that can possibly be used 6 months out of the year in even the colder northern climates. You only need the south side of a garage, house, or shed to mount the frame. The shower fills with an ordinary garden hose.

This shower works great! Tell your friends about this idea - we need to do whatever we can in these times of +4$/gallon oil and gas prices!

Check Out the NEW IMPROVED version of this solar shower!

 
Also see my Blog Post About
The $5 Solar Garden Hose Shower I Built!

Materials List:
  • Old garden hose
  • Hose mender, male end mender, and on/off as shown in Step 1
  • (2) 32" 2x4's, (2) 35" 2x4's, (2) 33" 2x4's, (1) 39" 2x6, 39" 2x2 for box and frame shown in Steps 2 and-3
    39" by 35" piece of 1/2" plywood or (2) pieces 39" by 17 1/2"
  • (1) 39" 2x6 or 2x4 and 30-39" 2x2 for frame support shown in Step 4 and 5
  • Small scraps of plywood for diagonal stops (Step 2) and to hold down plastic (Step 10)
  • 35" long 3/4" x 1.5" board, 35" 2x2, 35" 2x4 ripped to 2 1/4" for Step 6
  • 4" to5 3/4" by 39" scrap of plywood or siding  for Step 6
  • 5 ft by 5 ft square of relatively clear plastic
  • Ordinary black 55 gallon contractors garbage bag
  • 8x10 tarp for privacy curtain
  • Shower head - hose sprinkler head or watering can spout works well
  • 2", 3", and 3 1/2" hex-head deck screws
See Steps 1-6: http://www.savehouseholdenergy.com/solarshower.html

See Steps 7-11: http://www.savehouseholdenergy.com/solarshower-steps7thru11.html

New Improved 20-gallon Solar Shower! - Free Building Plans: 

solar shower
This new improved solar shower features an exterior of recycled slab wood (scraps from a lumber mill that are normally discarded), a glass top on a weather stripped frame that flips open and seals in heat much better, a door that opens and closes securely, and a light that illuminates the shower after dark. So now I can take a shower in the morning and the water is still luke warm (hot summer weather). Also, now no tools are needed to replace the bags just flip open and secure the top with the rope pulley system. All-in-all these were some nice changes that I think will greatly increase the use-ability. The steps I used to build this shower are given below.

more: http://www.savehouseholdenergy.com/solarshower-new.html 

IDE's Treadle Pump & Drip Irrigation

IDE's Original Sensation: Treadle Pump

The treadle pump is a human-powered irrigation device that sits on top of a well. Pumping is activated by stepping up and down on treadles which drive pistons, creating cylinder suction that draws groundwater to the surface. Treadle pumps free farmers from dependence on rain-fed irrigation, provide capacity to raise crops in two growing seasons per year, and help farmers maximize return on their small plots of land. Pump prices, including installation, range from US$20 – $100 based on country of purchase and type of pump.

In Bangladesh, IDE played an instrumental role in popularizing treadle pump technology through focused value chain and social marketing interventions. Presently, 84 manufacturers now produce treadle pumps and 1.4 million treadle pumps have been sold to small plot Bangladeshi farmers since 1985. IDE's successful treadle program in Bangladesh stimulated organizations such as the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), KickStart, and Enterprise Works to begin their own treadle pump initiatives in other countries, and triggered a groundswell of interest in the design of small-scale water technologies for poor farmers.

If you're interested in supporting our technology development, please visit our Affordable Technologies Initiative page.

iDE
Creating Income and Livelihood Opportunities for the Rural Poor 
Our Method
Our Technologies

Our Results
Our Locations
Our Network
Get Involved

Also see Drip Irrigation w/$5 hanging bag system:

http://www.ideorg.org/OurTechnologies/DripIrrigation.aspx



Entry into High Value Produce Markets

Drip irrigation provides farmers the most efficient way to grow crops in water scarce areas, but historically has been too expensive for small-plot farmers. After first approaching manufacturers of commercial drip irrigation systems, IDE developed its own design for small farmers. Our designers lowered the cost of drip systems by replacing conventional emitters with holes and micro tubes, shifting water distribution lines extending to crops, and customizing system layouts for small plots. Development of a hanging plastic water storage bag further lowered the cost to about $5 for a household garden kit covering 20 square meters (215 square feet).

In fact, any plot under .4 hectare (one acre) can benefit from these systems, but their modular design allows for expansion above that. They provide water savings of 30–70 percent, greatly reduce labor, and accurately deliver fertilizers. This makes cultivation during the dry season possible, with resulting yield increases of up to 30 percent.

IDE promotes drip irrigation throughout the developing world. Our drip systems have helped people with HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe to improve their nutrition by growing vegetables, as well as coffee-growing families in Nicaragua by reducing the flowering time of plants from three years to one and a half years. In 2008, IDE sold approximately 8,500 drip systems to small farmers across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

And lots more: http://www.ideorg.org/OurStory/

IDE is a Social Enterprise

We operate in eleven countries creating income opportunities for poor rural households. By providing our customers with low cost access to water for agricultural use, and profitable links to markets, we can immediately double their income, creating economically stable communities and providing our farmers with life-altering choices. Over the last 28 years we have worked with more than 3.8 million families, increasing their aggregate income by over one billion dollars.


Facebook: Paul Polak, Founder at IDE - International Development Enterprises
 
https://www.facebook.com/paul.polak?sk=info

Friday, October 7, 2011

DIY Passive Solar Water Heater Construction


Go to debeshbhattarai's blog where you can print out the 10 individual pages of detailed instructions. Also watch the YouTube videos for instructions on the Do It Yourself Water Heater.

DIY Solar Water Heater Innovation for 70$ 

 http://youtu.be/2LEJmLyuBAI




DIY Passive Solar Water Heater- Vol. 2 

http://youtu.be/qe7ZZKCApFk









DIY Passive Solar Water Heater Construction: see all diagrams and instructions online

Very interesting, Do It Yourself (DIY) simple solar hot water heater with black pipe and water storage tank. We are going to try this in Guatemala soon. Thanks to

Excerpt:

Conserve and produce GREEN ENERGY from low cost Innovative Passive Solar Water Heater as easy as joining two ends of pipe and Presto!...

For more information Please visit my Youtube link at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eACHyZ_UlI0 or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe7ZZKCApFk