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How to Build a Soda Can Heater

by falling_stone on October 1, 2010

Author:falling_stone
I'm a happily married man who is interested in creating better ways of living for my family and sharing what I've found with others.

Intro: How to Build a Soda Can Heater

Soda Can Solar Space heater This is a basic "how to" on creating your own soda can space heater. Several videos can be found on the net, but none of them really provide a step by step guide. I put this entire unit together with about 10 total hours of actual labor. If you have a source of cans, lumber, and a old double paned window (preferably), you can assembly one of these yourself. Required Materials 1 window, 46.5 " L x 23 " W (recycled/freecycle, double paned) o The selection of the window will dictate the number of cans required for the array. For this size window, the number of soda/beer cans required is 72. 4 x (1 x 6) boards (not pine or poplar). Board Insulation Great stuff foam insulation 2 x 2.5 inch vents (bottom intake vents) 1 x 3 inch vent (top) 3 x 4" squares of screen material Metal Duct Tape (for can assembly and final sealing) 1/4" plyboard (for the back of the box) in this case the measurement is 2'x4' Black spray enamel (about 2 cans is sufficient for a 72 can array and painting the box. ) 3 v computer fan. 3 v solar cell (s). screws brad nails Required Tools Screw Gun Tin Snips Brad Nail Gun 2 and 5/8 inch hole bore drill bit. Hand saw or Circular saw Jig Saw Clamps Square Tape measure Pencil

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Soda-Can-Heater/

Step 1: Cans and Manifold

Step 1 Consume beverages. Yes, you have to drink all the beers/sodas to make this heater, though alternatively, you could collect them. Whatever the method, it is important that the cans are in fairly good condition, free from dents, cracks, or tears. After youve collected the requisite amount of cans, you should sand the surfaces of the cans, both to remove the paint with sandpaper and to roughen the surface so as to make the paint adhere more easily to the can. The cans are needed to assemble the metal heating tubes. The cans will be assembled end to end, so punch a hole into the bottom. Use the punched hole to make a series of cuts with the tin snips to create a baffle between each can. Also, cut or break the pop tops off the cans to make stacking better. Step 2 Once the cans are sanded, the array must be planned. Place cans side by side along the bottom board, leaving a small space between each can. Draw the outline of the cans on the bottom board to make the first manifold. Provide enough space from each edge to make sure the board will not break when drilling the can-sized holes. Use the 2 5/8 inch hole drill bit. Use metal tape to shore up the borders between the can holes as the drill will likely create thin walls between each can hole. While you are drilling, you can drill the holes for the vents. The top of the box will house the single 3" vent. The 2 smaller vents go in the bottom of the box. You can set a square of screen material over the holes before you press the vents in, which will help to keep insects out of the heater when it is finished.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Soda-Can-Heater/

Image Notes 1. This is the can array. Each can has a hole it can be fitted into to make the array. A 2 and 5/8 inch hole bit will be necessary to make this cut. 2. The bottom board should be cut to a length that fits within the window box 3. This is a 2.5 inch vent. These are fitting into their holes with screen placed over the hole to make sure that insects cannot enter the unit once completed. 4. Optional Vent Tube for piping heated air.

Image Notes 1. Punch holes into the bottom of the cans to make an air passage.

Step 2: Can Towers and Box Construction

Step 3. Once the bottom manifold is correct, use it as a template for the top manifold and create the box necessary to hold the window. Be sure to match the pattern left to right so that the can tubes line up and run straight within the window box. Using the 1 x 6 boards, create the frame from the box for the window. Measure the boards to ensure that the window will fit snuggly within the frame. Once framed, screw the plyboard to the back of the box. Spraypaint the interior of the box with the black enamel paint, and cut in the insulation board necessary to fit the box. Be sure to leave enough space at the top of the box to create an air chamber into which the manifold will vent. The cans can now be assembled into tubes. Step 4. Each can tube should be the same number in height. For this window example, each of the eight can tubes will be 9 cans in height. Use the metal duct tape to assemble the cans into 9 can tube towers. Paint the can assemblies with black enamel paint. Make sure that the cans do not go all the way to the top or the bottom, a small chamber should exist on the top and bottom of the manifold to collect and exhaust the air.

Image Notes 1. Bottom manifold matched to the top manifold holes. 2. Foam board insulation R-15 cut to size for the box. 3. Window box frame, ensure that the window just fits within the frame. 4. Top manifold will fit in approximately here

Image Notes 1. Can tower! Assembled sanded cans with metal duct tape. This instructable uses 9 cans per tower.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Soda-Can-Heater/

Step 3: Final Assembly and Testing

Step 5 With the can tubes put together, you can now progress to final assembly. Carefully fit the painted, taped can tubes through the bottom manifold into the top manifold. Special caution should be taken in this step as rough handling will break the tape seals in the can tubes. Final assembly should have both the top and bottom boards holes drilled and vents installed. Ensure to test the assembly for effective heating before finishing the insulation and sealing the system.

Image Notes 1. Painted can towers installed into the manifolds. 2. notice board insulation placed on the sides and cut to allow the window to sink into the frame. 3. Space for the top vent heating exhaust

Image Notes 1. Calibrated thermometer. 2. Notice: Partial Sun! 3. Note: this unit is not sealed yet. Do not forget to clean the window before sealing and final assembly!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Soda-Can-Heater/

Image Notes 1. Even in partial sun, the uninsulated heater is capable of increasing the temperature from 90F to 141F. (The 66F value is actually from my wine cellar, I stole the thermometer for this experiment)

Step 4: Sealing, Insulation, and Clamping

Step 6 After testing the final assembly, you can now finish the box. Install the top vent and bottom vents into the pre-drilled holes. Seal the insulation and cracks with the Great Stuff foam insulation. Be sparing with this insulation as over application will cause too much expansion and could damage your cans. Put beads of the great stuff foam insulation on the face of the boards, to act as a glue for the window. Then use two sets of clamps to set the window into place. Using the metal duct tape, seal the window into place, and seal any cracks or edges around the outside of the box.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Soda-Can-Heater/

Image Notes 1. Metal Duct tape for sealing 2. Clamp and board for even pressure. 3. a bead of great stuff insulation was placed on the window before setting to both insulate and as an adhesive. 4. top vent. 5. Don't forget to clean the window before sealing!!

Image Notes 1. Bottom vent. 2. seal with metal tape.

Step 5: Solar Powered Fan

Step 7 Create a solar vent fan that will assist in drawing hot air out of the solar heating assembly. Cut the computer board fitting from the computer fan, and splice with the solar cell (like wire colors). Use black electrical tape to finish the splicing. Place the solar fan just above the top vent, with some spacers that will allow the fan to spin freely. Ensure to affix the solar cell to the front of the unit so that when the sun hits it the fan will engage. The more direct sunlight the unit gets, the more efficiently it will operate, and the more free heat you can pump into your space be it your home, your green house or your man-cave. Good luck!!

Image Notes 1. cut off the computer input plug. 2. Splice the solar cell to the computer fan. 3. 3V computer fan. If you pick the wrong voltage, the fan will not spin, and you will have to add more solar cells to get the same effect. 4. guitar pick, for scale.

Image Notes 1. in 70 degree (F) air temperature, in direct sun, this unit will produce air at a temperature >160F. The fan improves the efficiency of the unit. 2. fan will move very quickly in the direct sunlight.

Comments
12 comments Add Comment

jakdedert says:
Is there a reason to restrict airflow through the tube (by not cutting out the entire bottom of the can), or what it just easier?

Jun 24, 2012. 1:13 PM REPLY

falling_stone says:

Jun 25, 2012. 11:20 AM REPLY I think there is a good reason to restrict/control the air flow in and out of the unit (and again this is thinking, I haven't actually proved this to myself yet). If you increase the residence time of the air in the unit (by restricting the air flow), you give the air more time to heat up. If the air runs too quickly through the unit, you won't get as much heat from the unit as you might. But if you restrict the airflow too much, you run the risk of the unit overheating. The unit can get very hot in direct sunlight. Depending on your situation, you could modulate this with a stronger fan (or even an intake fan) to really control your residence time. I'd be interested to see if you could build a smaller version that could heat the air up more or a larger unit that could heat the air up a little less and see if that could be used to deliver the right temperature of air.

jmicari says:

Aug 9, 2011. 3:44 PM REPLY looks like a thermaltake fan, can you tell me which models, newegg doesnt have enough info, and when they do it seems they are all 12v. Thanks

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Soda-Can-Heater/

falling_stone says:

It's actually a computer fan, that requires about 3.4 volts to run. I've since added another small solar panel so it will fire up more easily on a cloudy day. Radio Shack: http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2063071&allCount=68&fbc=1&f=PAD%2FProduct+Type%2FStandard+case+fans&fbn=Type%2FStandard NewEgg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835129028 Just run on down to your local computer supply store and tool around. I'm sure you'll find one. Good luck!

lukeyj15 says:

Jan 19, 2011. 7:49 PM REPLY With your baffle idea, you could use heat sinks to heat the inside of the box. Have a box like you have, but use black heat sinks instead of aluminum cans.

falling_stone says:
i like this idea as well. So, you'd essentially put air chambers around the heat sinks?

Jan 20, 2011. 10:59 AM REPLY

lukeyj15 says:
The formatting in that didn't work, but you get the idea.

Jan 22, 2011. 10:57 PM REPLY

lukeyj15 says:
Yeah. I was thinking that you could make tubes like this out of metal | ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| ||| |___| In a U shape, connecting the Us with another upside down U Attach them together with heatsinks attached to the insides of the tubes.

Jan 22, 2011. 10:56 PM REPLY

falling_stone says:

Jan 26, 2011. 5:17 AM REPLY Alternatively, you could use heat sinks inside the can tubes, there is a surprising amount of room on the inside. You could take your suggestion and use wire to suspend the heat sinks inside of the tubes. When I build my next one I may have to steal your idea ^_^

lukeyj15 says:
It's not stealing if I put my idea into the public domain.

Jan 26, 2011. 6:00 PM REPLY

drbill says:
I had an idea like this when I lived up state NY. I had No idea it produced this much heat. Have you experimented with a higher volume of cool air to determine what temp the unit will drop to.

Nov 24, 2010. 4:52 PM REPLY

You can control the speed of a nice squrril cage fan with a light dimmer to experiment with air flow (CFM) to heat output ratio. This might turn out to be a saleable product.

falling_stone says:

Nov 26, 2010. 3:57 PM REPLY I'm a big fan of your idea of using a larger volume of cool air, but I think the current design would need to be updated with a better baffling system to accommodate the colder air, so that the colder air could have a longer residence time in the heating unit. It would be more efficient to have the intake be outside as well. I like the idea of the dimmer switch fan, but currently, the solar panel powered fan actually does the same job by increasing or decreasing the fan speed with the intensity of the incident light.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Soda-Can-Heater/