Solar Space & Water Heating -- With Folding Collectors

Kenneth has incorporated some very nice and new features in his innovative solar space and water heating system -- including:

• Folding collectors that allow more collector area for winter and less for summer
  
  
• Some unique new tools for collector making, including a homemade "Tee Puller', and new designs for forming and clamping the collector fins to the collector tubes.
  
  
• Use of a surplus stainless steel bulk milk tank for heat storage.

The system is built using the Solar Shed concept, meaning its a separate building that acts as both a storage or garden shed, supports collectors and provides space for the heat storage tank.

A few hightlights below, and 5 pages of construction detail here...

Folding Collectors
The two pictures below show the folding collector feature. 



The top photo shows collectors folded out for winter -- 8 active collectors.
The bottom photo shows collectors folded in for summer -- 4 active collectors (along with Kenneth).

Homemade Tee Puller
Kenneth made a tool for drawing a Tee out of a copper collector manifold part -- this allows the collector risers to be connected to the manifold without using reducing Tee fittings or brazing.

Bulk Milk Tank for Heat Storage
Kenneth used a 750 gallon surplus stainless steel bulk milk tank for heat storage.
The tank is mostly buried (to allow drainback from collectors) and insulated with 4 inches of polyiso insulation.

Gary