:?: Hey, All; Anybody know anything about solar stills? I'm interested in constructing and operating one to get the 'pure water'. After that maybe solar water heating assist system. Get some more benefit from the energy ol' Sol is graciously pouring down on us every day. Hank
Hank I have no experience with solar stills but I did find a couple of websites that tell you how to build and use one. Hope they help. http://www.ehow.com/how_12584_make-solar-still.html http://www.solaqua.com/solstilbas.html
I've always found them interesting - aside from occasional kits for campers that look like mostly plastic and a funnel for a bottle, I haven't seen them but it's a great idea. Let us know what you end up doing.
When I taught survival school for the US Navy, we also taught how to build the solar still for safe drinking water. Very easy to do and they do work. If anyone wants the directions, let me know! I would be happy to give them!
Hello, All; EILEEN; I will check out those web sites and thank you for the help in locating them...... CAPT.KIRK; Yes, I'm interested in any info that you have and if it is printed materials I am willing to pay shipping costs to my snail mail address (I will send address in PM if you need it). Thanks to all for the replies..............Hank
It is so simple I can do the instructions right here! " First dig a hole in the ground about 18inches deep and 18 inches in diameter. Place a coffee can sized container in the bottom. Stretch a piece of black plastic, such as a trash bag over the hole. (single layer) Place a pebble in the center of the bag to wait it down, so that it forms a cone over the container. Scoop dirt arond the edge of the bag to seal it off. It works through osmosis. Condensation forms on the underside of the bag, runs down the cone and drips into the container. After 8 or so hours in the sun, you should have about 1/2 a container or more. The moisture comes from the ground so that will determine how much water the still will make in a given amout of time. The more moisture in the soil, the more the still will provide. Also if you enlarge the hole and the plastic, you must enlarge the container too. As I described it to you, you would have to tear it apart to empty the container. But if you take a piece of tubing and place it in the container and out from under the plastic, you can sifon out the water without disturbing the rest of it. The water will be pure with no chemicals or anything else in it. It works so well, that we taught our students that the could urinate into the hole, set up the still and the water would still be pure. A new form of recycling. This still would normally be used in a desert or other low moisture area. If you want, just print this post off and you have it! See I said it was simple!
Well, I spent considerable time today searching the internet via Google for information on solar energy. Man!! there is tons of it out there in cyberspace. A couple of sights offered plans for construction of solar stills but when I tried them on their phone numbers I couldn't reach them; that may turn out to be $$$ saving because after reading thru some of the stuff I've downloaded I believe that I can engineer my own design. EILEEN: My search began with your suggested web sites and thanks. CAPTKIRK: I appreciate your info very much and know that your method will work, thank you for taking the time to send it to me. I'll keep you posted on my efforts, with pics hopefully. Hank
