Help on the choice of glass for thermal air panel

[owen]

Hello,

I am in the middle of designing a thermal solar panel with cans of beer, coke, soda. ( www.cansolair.com )

I'm in the process of drilling cans.

However, I am thinking of the type of plexy, polycarbonate or glass tile to cover the box ??

Can you advise me ?

please

[Woodcutter]

Apparently, on the site you link, the "glass" is Lexan (polycarbonate).
Maybe there is a reason?

My opinion on:
- plexiglass, too fragile, and it seems to me that it loses its transparency over time
- the glass, too heavy


It's funny this thing, it's like a little Trombe wall added, but without inertia, right?

[bham]

Yes nice this thing, I do not understand how the cans are "stuck" to each other but in principle, our friends from Quebec give us an explanation in French:
http://www.dispaq.com/CHAUFFAGE_SOLAIRE.htm

[Christophe]

Maybe there is a reason?

My opinion on:
- plexiglass, too fragile, and it seems to me that it loses its transparency over time
- the glass, too heavy

I would add (PC against glass):

- ease of work (and movement) of the PC compared to glass (especially for large areas)
- price
- possible curves, to a certain extent, with the PC (impossible in glass)

Otherwise during the renovation of our greenhouse, I found PVC sheets that looked like 2 drops of water to the "classic" honeycomb Polycarbonate sheets.

They say it will hold both UV and PC and the price of PVC is divided by 2 / PC. I still doubt ... because even the PC sheets have a special UV treated side to "age better" ...

I think I also saw small plexiglass plates also but overpriced ...

[owen]

I have provided in the size of the can column 20 cans in length by 20 cans in width. Knowing that the size of a can is 6,5 cm x 11,5 cm it gives me the surface of the can
130 cm wide by 230 high.

So my panel with the frame will be 250 high and 140 wide.

or will i find a glass or pc of this size?

[Christophe]

250 is not a problem: the PC panels are 2, 3 ... up to 6 m long!

On the other hand the width is generally either 0.98m or 1.05m.

In addition, polycarbonate generally has a double wall and you are looking for as little radiation as possible this is not the ideal solution ... The advantage is that it insulates (a little).

As you need the most transparent surface possible, you could go on plexiglass in this case:

http://www.leboutte.be/catalogue_FR_Toi ... glass.html

Apparently it's cheaper than I thought but it's still salty ... (the price is per m² not per plate eh!)

ps: Bucheron, apparently the plexiglass has excellent resistance over time to the outside see http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/PMMA

# excellent resistance to atmospheric agents;
# excellent resistance to ultraviolet rays, to corrosion;

Maybe you confuse with transparent PVC (untreated)?

On the other hand according to this page http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycarbonate

Its sensitivity to chemical agents and ultraviolet rays, however, limits its use. Particular care should be taken during prolonged contact with water, especially at temperatures above 60 ° C. There is a risk of strong hydrolysis.

Plexiglass would therefore be more suitable in the case of a single wall solar collector! So strange that the industrialists use Lexan (PC) surely a history of cost ... and with an anti UV treatment one arrives can be at the same performances?

[owen]

I used the following site to do my work.

http://www.freeweb.hu/napenergia/gyak/szp/sztgyi_en.htm

They use polycarbonate.

on the english video of the site cansolair.com in google, the designer uditlise of polycarbonate.

I obviously watched many videos on youtube or google video with the keywords can beer solar or solar heater

It is either glass or polycarbonate.

Now the question I ask myself, would not plexyglass translated into English not be considered polycarbonate?

[Christophe]

Now the question I ask myself, would not plexyglass translated into English not be considered polycarbonate?

Ouch ... well I hope not ... but PC is maybe a generic term in American to say transparent plastic?

But good after this explanation of translation: https://www.econologie.com/forums/post121091.html#121091
nothing surprises me anymore...

In any case, according to wiki, it is clear that plexiglass is better for making a solar panel than the PC: it is more transparent (more than glass!), Less sensitive to UV and atmospheric pollution ... but it is is "a little" more expensive too ...

[owen]

In the plexyglass sales site, these are dimensions that do not suit me because the size I want to use is not included.

1) My donation question for plexiglass, how to join 2 plates to make only one?

2) How to manage the condensation inside the box? I'm afraid that over time water droplets will appear.

3) I live in Belgium in the Charleroi region. Do you know a store that sells plexi sheets?

please

[owen]

someone have an answer to join 2 plexy plates to make only one?

What are the means of joining between 2 plates?

please