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Date:         Thu, 15 May 2008 13:46:09 -0700
Reply-To:     Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: [NVC] Beer bottle solar heater
Comments: To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <71d9cdf90805151227i74198c16uac776477314b2684@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Pfft. Two problems with the Coleman unit.

1. We're trying to maximize solar energy gathering area per unit volume of water. The 5-gallon Coleman bag is about 12'' x 18'' square as I recall, which provides about 1400cm^2 of surface for 19000ml of water, giving us .07^2cm/ml of exposure. Assuming that we build our beer bottle heater using 650ml "Bomber" bottles, and assuming an o.d. of 8cm (I don't have one handy) and i.d. of 7cm, the height (excluding the neck) would be around 17cm (including bottom and shoulders). This bottle would cast a shadow of 136 square cm, which comes to 136cm^2/650ml = .210cm^2/ml of water, or about 3 times the energy-gathering capability of a stupid bag of water, and

2. You can't get a Coleman black plastic 5 gallon bag by drinking a lot of beers.

Sheesh.

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano KG6RCR

On 5/15/2008 12:27 PM Jake de Villiers wrote:

> Hey fellas, Coleman's already done the drinking for you! > > http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-5-Gallon-PVC-Camp-Shower/dp/B0009PUT20 > > Its also lightweight and unbreakable, so you can concentrate on what's in > the cooler.......... :) > > On Thu, May 15, 2008 at 9:22 AM, Tom Buese <tombuese@comcast.net> wrote: > >> On May 14, 2008, at 10:11 PM, Mike Elliott wrote: >> >> Not related to Vanagons except in the "useful for camping" sense... >>> "A Chinese peasant has made a solar water heater - using only beers >>> bottles and hoses." >>> >>> http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2850151.html >>> >>> It's very nearly the most perfect invention ever in so many ways. A >>> cheap source of solar-heater water for showering, and the inventor >>> "... >>> will build a public bathroom for the village using his invention >>> when he >>> has the money to buy enough beers." What makes it so nearly perfect is >>> that any money you spend on beers can be expensed as cost of goods >>> sold, >>> and the "manufacturing process" needed to convert beers into empty >>> bottles involves drinking those beers. >>> >>> Maybe there's a way to make a Westy version. Hey Buese? You want to >>> help >>> develop this into a product? You figure out from the photo how the rig >>> works. I'll start "making" beer bottles right away. >>> >> I will continue to work on the beer bottles, but might have to start >> drinking, I mean making, brown bottles for the design, but until I >> have the BZ shelves out the door, NO NEW PROJECTS! >> >> I like a lot of the other ideas suggested & will steal those ideas as >> appropriate once the time is ready. I am designing some projects w/ >> solar water heat, PV panels & GSHP(Ground Source Heat Pumps) >> presently, but of course I rely on my mechanical engineers to figure >> out the hard stuff. >> >> >> YMMV, >> >> Mr. BZ >> >> >> > > > -- > Jake > 1984 Vanagon GL > 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie" > Crescent Beach, BC > www.crescentbeachguitar.com > http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27 >


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