How to Heat Water Using Solar Energy

Last Updated: October 19, 2022

Solar energy is energy given off in the form of light and heat. There are many ways to turn this into energy we can use, from the high- to low-tech. This is a very low-tech and cheap method of heating water while running it though a garden hose

Steps

1
Cut the bottom out of large plastic bottles, the wider the better.
2
Thread the bottles onto a hose. Try to get enough bottles to cover as much of the hose as possible.

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3
Lay the hose out in full sunlight, run a little water through it to make sure there is water resting throughout the length of the hose.
4
Wait about half an hour for the air in the bottles to heat up.
5
Run the water through the hose slowly and it will come out warm.
6
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Could the water get too hot, requiring a pressure release?

Community Answer

Yes. Water tanks have pressure releases on them. If they don't work, the tank can explode.
Question

What are the forms of energy available?

Debra Bish

Community Answer

Wood, heating oil, propane, Natural gas, electric, solar, and wind are just a few off the top of my head. While not all forms are available everywhere, there are usually more than a few options available for heating water in the US.

Warnings

It is NOT advisable to use a dark hose in a solar application for "cooking", as dark colored hoses when heated will leach plastic and rubber toxins from the hose into the water. This application is best for washing and showering, not for digesting.

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Helpful 17 Not Helpful 2
The water will never get as hot as that from a boiler.

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Helpful 10 Not Helpful 4
It can take a while to collect enough bottles so start before summer. Keep them in a box for next time.

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Helpful 8 Not Helpful 3
This will only work if there is sunshine.

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