Hi guys, I'm new here, just came across the forum yesterday.
I'm interested in solar pv and inverters etc ... but recently came across a heap of (cheap) evacauted solar tubes and was trying to work out if I could make use of them.
I quickly discovered that they have no collector in them ... if that's what you call the copper tube and bulb that sticks out the top to transfer the heat to a manifold.
That straight away limits the options of course ... but interested in any suggestions as to how they could still be put to work.
In my searches I came across people who have fitted copper tubes down the centre to allow air in ... which then heats as it flows back out between the tube and the inner face of the glass.
Some have used a spiral type device to force the air to spend a bit more time in the tube so it collects more heat ... but these were all pretty basic experiments, so very hard to know whether that extreme was worth the trouble.
If anyone has any ideas I am all ears as it seems like too good an opportunity to pass up. Thanks.
I'm interested in solar pv and inverters etc ... but recently came across a heap of (cheap) evacauted solar tubes and was trying to work out if I could make use of them.
I quickly discovered that they have no collector in them ... if that's what you call the copper tube and bulb that sticks out the top to transfer the heat to a manifold.
That straight away limits the options of course ... but interested in any suggestions as to how they could still be put to work.
In my searches I came across people who have fitted copper tubes down the centre to allow air in ... which then heats as it flows back out between the tube and the inner face of the glass.
Some have used a spiral type device to force the air to spend a bit more time in the tube so it collects more heat ... but these were all pretty basic experiments, so very hard to know whether that extreme was worth the trouble.
If anyone has any ideas I am all ears as it seems like too good an opportunity to pass up. Thanks.