Comments on: Homemade Solar Parabolic Trough Hits 300 degrees.

By: Allie

Allie — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:08:37 +0000

ok, thanks! But how did you actually shape the wood or whatever material you used into that parabolic shape? I understand how to draw it, but how did you actually make it? Did you carve it? Or did you bend the plywood into a parabolic shape somehow? I’m still sort of confused.

By: renewable

renewable — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:52:26 +0000

I did a Google search for "draw a parabola" and ended up using this technique Adjusting the length of the string will increase or decrease the angle of the parabola. I went with a rather wide angle similar to most of the commercial units I've seen online.

By: Allie

Allie — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:32:50 +0000

How did you create the parabolic shape? From your supplies list, it looks like you made it out of plywood (and/or wall paneling?) lined with mylar, but how did you get it to hold its shape? I have been trying to create one of these parabolic reflector water heaters but have had trouble figuring out how to get whatever reflective surface I use to be parabolic.

By: renewable

renewable — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:26:21 +0000

Certainly. It’s actually a pretty simple design and I’m looking at improving it significantly over the next few months. This was just a “Science Project” for my daughter.

By: Peter Villeneuve

Peter Villeneuve — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:13:22 +0000

Thank you for nailing the youtube guy. He is quite the knob. Have you located a good reflective material that is easy to work with?

Peter

By: Dave Preston

Dave Preston — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:57:13 +0000

Not bad for something you threw together out of junk lying around your garage. Let me know when you have it doing something productive rather than just heating up a copper tube.