Solar still Project Page 1

Standard EPSEA version, foam sealed in a wood box with a pane of glass on top, worked okish for 2 days and then started leaking from one corner.
So back to the drawing board for more sealing and whatnot.

another view of the same version, I also used a toilet cistern fill mechanism for the autofill feature, but made my own float because the standard toilet one was too heavy and not the right shape.

Alas I used some isotherm foam and sealed it with high heat silicone, which didnt help much in the 75 degree C enviroment and it bulged like crazy.

The upgraded version... silicone on fibre mat, hacked aluminium deo can for the float and tin foil on the sides to reflect heat off the foam.

Well... only the deodorant can float worked, the cooking foil retained enough heat to fry the foam and the silicone started leaking around the edges where I tried sealing it to the piece of space/thermal blanket that I used on the bottom.

Of course Murphy was still hanging around when I lifted the glass cover to do the upgrades, however I managed to rescue some of it with the use of a glass cutter.

Oh yes the pre-heater black irrigation pipe at the back worked well from the beginning...small mercies I guess.

My result of a "back to the drawing board" visit, build a glass box on the inside of the wooden one and insulate it with Vermiculite.
After drilling holes for outlets and inlets with a diamond hole saw, I siliconed some glass and poured vermiculite down the 1cm gap, and sealed up the top with more silicone.

Heres the right-hand wall, still the back one and front one to go, and bobs yer auntie.

The only reservations I had about using vermiculite was the possibility of it swelling up if it gets wet....so I soaked a handfull of the stuff to see how much it would swell, well it didnt really, so thats sorted.

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This Project was last updated on: November 12, 2007 12:33pm v7.01

WARNING! Many, if not all of the projects described within these pages, contain dangerous and potentially fatal consequences if you do not exercise proper precautions and follow standard safety procedures. The owner of this site takes no responsibility for injury sustained by anyone attempting to duplicate or utilize any of the information on this site. The information here is strictly for Educational Purposes! -USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

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