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mobile solar water heater

Mobile solar water heater on wheels, connected to tap when heated
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Today I was cleaning dishes, thinking about heating and an idea suddenly came into my mind: I have an electric water heater, its in a block of flats, electric heating is one of the most expensive in our country, but what if I build a solar water heater on wheels? I could get myself a pickup truck, mount solar heater on it, it would be connected to 0.5-1 cu.m. tank full of water. In the day I place the vehicle in an open space not far away from my house (so I dont have to pay a lot for gas:D ) and it would heat the water in the tank. In the evening, I would drive the truck to my home, connect pipes to water circuit and either refill an empty tank at home or exchange via pump the hot water in the tank with cool water in the electric heater in the flat. The trucks tank of course should be well insulated to minimize the heat loss. What do you think?
dreamtechnics, Apr 10 2017

Wait for rain! https://www.youtube...watch?v=TxQRCZlBmgg
The man who didn't wash his dishes. [popbottle, Apr 12 2017]

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       Kids will throw rocks at it.
8th of 7, Apr 10 2017
  

       It has the advantage that you can vary its placement over the year, to take advantage of the sunniest parts of your yard.   

       Can the pickup be modified to dump some of the waste heat from the engine into the water too?
Wrongfellow, Apr 10 2017
  

       a. There exist black plastic solar collectors that are used to heat swimming pool water. They have no glass to break. Some plastic mirrors are also hard to break.   

       b. If the water coming into a water heater is very cold (say from a well ) a second tank before the water heater can allow water to reach room temperature before entering water heater.   

       c. There must be quick connect fittings of some sort available. Even screwing on a garden hose will get tedious.   

       d. If you have gas range, perhaps heat your dishwater on the stove. Add a tap and hose to a large kettle, maybe.   

       e. Install gas water heater   

       f. Eat out often or paper plates.
popbottle, Apr 11 2017
  

       Well, the problem of kids can get fixed in many ways, I dont find it a concern. As to popbottles comment, preheat is a very good idea, but having room temperature water in your system you have a risk of legioneliosis. As to my house of flats, we have no gas and the requirements for gas boilers are strict enought to make me contemplate of mobile solar heaters. And paper plates, well, are out of the question:)
dreamtechnics, Apr 11 2017
  

       which is more gas(1) or gas(2)? If gas(1) is cheaper then you could actually have the exhaust pass through a coil immersed in the water, along with the solar, to heat it more cheaply than gas(2). However if gas(2) is cheaper then the mileage concerns from transporting a bunch of solar warmable water in a giant thermos might be more than using gas(2). (gas1 = gasoline, gas2 = CH4)
beanangel, Apr 11 2017
  


 

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