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A Simple DIY Thermosyphon Solar Water Heater for the Tropics

Peter lives in a remote and beautiful area of Costa Rica and was looking for a DWS-120 Stops
simple solar water heating system that could be built with locally available and
affordable materials.
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He worked out a simple thermosyphon collector design that heats water in an

elevated tank. The tank gravity feeds to showers. A float valve arrangement at the
tank automatically keeps the tank topped up with water.

NEW Jan 2015: One year update...

Because copper is very expensive locally, he used CPVC pipe for the collector. Normally CPVC would not be a good choice for a glazed collector that
sees this much sun because of the potential for overheating damaging the CPVC pipe, but Peter has worked out a couple of reliable mechanisms to
keep the collector temperatures down. He allows for some circulation of air under the collector glazing, and the thermosyphoning of water from the
collector to the un-pressurized tank insures that the water temperature will not exceed 212F. Both of these protection methods are reliable and don't
depend on electrical power or pumps or controllers (which are all subject to failure).

The CPVC collector absorber in work and before paintinig.

This is a non-pressurized system in which the collector heats the water in an elevated tank. Water in the tank gravity feeds to showers, and the tank is
automatically kept topped up via a float valve in the tank that allows new cold water into the tank.
The heated water storage tank with float valve to keep it filled.

The completed system in operaftion.

Really a nice simple and effective design for situations where freeze protection is not required, or where the system could be drained during freezes.

All the details on the DIY thermosyphon solar water heater for the tropics in a 10 page pdf ...

Thanks very much to Peter for working out this design and sending in the details!

One Year Update On System From Peter:

Thanks very much to Peter for providing this one year update on the system, and some hints for even better performance:

The system has performed admirably through about a year of operation. On a typical wet-season day with
alternating sun and clouds on and off all day, there is water enough for two or three good, substantial,
 warm showers. On a day that is mostly bright, the water is near scalding, and needs a little tempering with
cold. On a hot, dry-season day it is scorching. I have never had the need for more than three showers a
day at the house, but on one of those hot, clear days the capacity would seem nearly limitless. On an
unusually consistently rainy, overcast day, the sun struggles to get much heat through. I tend to avoid
taking showers on those days, but when I have the water is at least no more chilly than from the suicide
electric showers.

Some tips and observations.

The moist weather in the cloud forest has resulted in a mildew buildup on the underside of the glazing. I
may opt to remove it at some point as dirty glazing is probably more hindrance than help. Given my
experience with this system I would not use any glazing in future in these conditions.

The only consistent problem has been the tank-fill valve. Because the diameter of the tank is small, I had
to use a shorter float arm than recommended. This does not generate adequate force to keep the valve
tightly sealed, and the tank has a tendency to overflow. I have taken to letting it fill after taking a shower
and then shutting off the water supply until the next shower. I am getting a little tired of this, and am
starting a hunt for a different variety of valve that will control the water level in the narrow tank.

The UV is hard on exposed cpvc pipes and the tank insulation, and getting them painted helps.

Building the collector with a drain valve at the low point was great, since it makes it easy to drain
everything completely when I need to for any reason.

There is about a three-foot difference in height between the two showers in the house, and man does it
make a difference in the effective water pressure. I may try to raise the tank slightly to get a bit more
pressure to the 'upstairs' shower.

Peter

January 13, 2015

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Anita Vestal

2 years ago

Hi Peter, I am in the southern zone of costa rica in the mountains and have installed a solar hot water heating system that
works great for two rental cabins. I had a second one built by a local tico and the tank is much larger than I need. I'd like a
smaller one. Can you make or sell or swap me for a 100 Liter tank mas o menos?
Reply

Gustavo Seldes

2 years ago

Peter, I think your model is absolutely wonderful. How much did it cost?
Reply

Gustavo Seldes > Gustavo Seldes

2 years ago

Nvm I see it was under 300 USD. Congrats!

I'll be posting pictures of my own pretty soon.
Reply

PeterCR > Gustavo Seldes

2 years ago

I started off trying to keep track of all the parts, but did not do a great job of that in the end. The tank and four bulkhead
fittings ran somewhere around $100 (bought in the US, so in dollars). That was by far the biggest expense. I think that the
rest together ended up being about 80,000 colones or $150ish.
Reply
 Reply

Rick Gray

2 years ago

Peter, For your tank fill valve, I would recommend using a toilet bowl fill valve. It may be a little expensive but most are
adjustable in height and can handle very tight areas. The newest ones out have only a arm that is a few inches and can handle
pretty good pressures.
Reply

Gijs van Oort > Rick Gray

2 years ago

Couldn't you add an extra floating device to the lever (the piece of material that floats on the water)? Twice the volume of
floating device gives twice the force to close the valve.
Reply

PeterCR > Rick Gray

2 years ago

But what about temperature rating? I fear that they would melt in the temperatures that the water in the top of the tank can
reach.
Reply

GaryBIS

2 years ago

Note that Peter has provided a one year update on the system -- see above.
Gary
Reply

Alan

2 years ago

Peter's great design and detailed instructions are sufficient for me to attempt one here in Honduras. However his narrative
stops at day one. I would be curious to know if there are any new details/data or lessons-learned after eight months of use.
Peter....???
Reply

Luke Breza

2 years ago

I am still looking for a barrel in Costa Rica to put on our hot water system. Does any one know if construplaza or EPA might
have one? Are there any industrial supply stores in Costa Rica
that might carry a Bergen Barrel?
Reply

Guest

2 years ago

This is a great site! Glad I came across it, thanks for all the how tos.
Reply

GaryBIS > Guest

2 years ago

Hi Michael,
Thanks.
Took a look at your electric car site -- very nice.
Hope you will document your new build with Li batteries as you go -- should be very interesting.
The $20 AC is very clever -- I can think of a couple uses for it.
Gary
Reply

Dae trip

2 years ago

What size is the tank and how long are the showers?
Reply

murage

3 years ago

would like to know where someone can get the cpvc pipes. how good are thy in terms of heat conductivity and emission?
Reply

PeterCR > murage

2 years ago

I had no difficulty getting cpvc pipes in the small town of Santa Elena up in the cordillera, so I would assume they are
available almost anywhere. However, sizes larger than half inch were not to be found, so I brought in the larger pipe and Ts
 available almost anywhere. However, sizes larger than half inch were not to be found, so I brought in the larger pipe and Ts
for the header and footer. The larger ferreterias in the cities may have that, but I found it easier to throw it in a suitcase. The
selection of fittings was a bit limited locally, but with a little hunting it should not be hard to find whatever you need in half
inch.
Reply

GaryBIS > murage

3 years ago

Hi,
I think Peter will address the availability.
On the thermal performance, I believe that the CPVC will provide about 85% of the thermal performance of a collector with
copper tubes and aluminum fins -- based on this test: http://www.builditsolar.com/Ex...
If you space the CPVC pipes closer together, the performance can be nearly equal to the copper with aluminum fins:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Pr...
Not sure what you mean by emissions? Associated with the manufacture of them, or operation?
Gary
Reply

Dustin

3 years ago

Just an odd question here, but if the water is already hot. What is the point of heating it more with a "Solar Hot Water Heater"?
Reply

PeterCR > Dustin

2 years ago

I realize that this is a semantic point and not really about the system, but to clarify, the water coming out of the taps is
anything but hot. We are well up in the mountains (5300ft / 1600m) and it gets chilly up there.
Reply

GaryBIS > Dustin

3 years ago

Good point -- maybe I should change that to Solar Cold Water Heater !!
Gary
Reply

Dustin > GaryBIS

3 years ago

Also acceptable; Solar Water Heater, Solar Hot Water System, Water Heater, Hot Water System, or anything else that
doesn't have "Hot" & "Heater" in the same name. Small pet peeve of mine, maybe a bit OCD, I compare it to a Burned Food
Cooker, Frozen Ice, or a Pumped Water Pump.
Reply

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