| If you're home during the day and own a home | | | | numerous angles as it moves across the sky |
| or rent an apartment with south facing exposure | | | | while at the same time providing a path for the |
| you should consider a solar window space heater. | | | | air to circulate from one end of the box to the |
| Not only can you harness the radiant energy of | | | | other. |
| the sun to heat entire rooms, but once it's in | | | | One way this done is to line the interior of the |
| place you'll be getting free heat for as long as the | | | | box with a sheet of aluminum or copper to |
| sun shines. | | | | conduct the heat and use wooden baffles to |
| If you've never seen a solar window heater it can | | | | direct the airflow. Other methods employ |
| be described as a 3' x 2' box, 4 or 5 inches deep, | | | | aluminum tubing or even recycled soda cans as |
| that fits within the window frame on the inside of | | | | combination collector/circulators. |
| the room. The front of the box, facing the sun, is | | | | The second component of the collector system is |
| covered by a sheet of Plexiglas. The back of the | | | | the application of Hi-Temp flat black spray paint to |
| box is a solid sheet of plywood or sheet metal | | | | increase the absorption of the collectors. Most, |
| with the exception of two - five inch holes, or | | | | but not all indoor window heaters are |
| ports, cut out at diagonally facing corners. | | | | thermostatically controlled. Those that don't have |
| The fan is housed in the port at the bottom | | | | a digital display that shows the temperature the |
| corner, and the exhaust port is located diagonally | | | | collector is generating. |
| across at the top. The fan draws air from the | | | | The only on-going cost associated with a solar |
| room into the box where it circulates through a | | | | space heater is the cost of electricity to run the |
| series of baffles until it exits back into the room | | | | 12V fan. Although the cost to run a 4.7" diameter |
| through the exhaust port at the top. The | | | | fan is minimal, you could get off the grid and |
| temperature of the air re-entering the room is | | | | operate it cost free with a 6 watt solar panel that |
| around 120 -130 F (49 - 54 C). The inside of the | | | | can be purchased for around $35. |
| box has two components that work together to | | | | The price of a factory built heater is around $200, |
| retain and concentrate the radiant heat from the | | | | but if you enjoy a rewarding do it yourself |
| sun. | | | | project you could probably build one for less than |
| The first is a system to collect the sun's rays at | | | | $100. |