Is it possible to tell (how) if a piece of glass is UV treated?
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If its flat glass it usually isn't. However if it originally came out of a house or is one half of an insulated unit, then it might be. To tell if it has a uv coating use a bic lighter next to it on both sides. On one side you will see 2 reflections. One is the glass surface and the other is the uv coating.
Interesting... I have no clue what these originally were for... they are about 3x6' pieces... not very small. I think there are two of them (hoping for sure).
I haven't picked them up yet, they are down the road but I have been told I can have them. I just need some help as I am sure they are pretty heavy.
I haven't picked them up yet, they are down the road but I have been told I can have them. I just need some help as I am sure they are pretty heavy.
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Those most likely are for sliding glass doors. If they are very old they most likely won't be tempered and can be cut down, though if you don't know how it is more trouble than it is worth with big glass, and dangerous as well. If they are newer as in 20-25 years old they will most likely be tempered and can't be cut. Some tempered glass will have tempering bugs in the corner though some older stuff won't. When you go to cut tempered glass it will explode all over the room.
I would probably pass, as 3'x6' glass takes up a lot of room in a shop or yard and transporting it is tough without a glass rack.
As a side note, I am not sure how tempering would effect the UV properties. Some say it does, some say it doesn't. I've never tried to use it for screen printing uses. I have a shop full of glass, so I just use 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch flat glass. Tempered glass has a nasty habit of exploding when you smack the edge. Not fun in a shop setting.
I would probably pass, as 3'x6' glass takes up a lot of room in a shop or yard and transporting it is tough without a glass rack.
As a side note, I am not sure how tempering would effect the UV properties. Some say it does, some say it doesn't. I've never tried to use it for screen printing uses. I have a shop full of glass, so I just use 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch flat glass. Tempered glass has a nasty habit of exploding when you smack the edge. Not fun in a shop setting.
Good info... thanks!!!
Well, if it's not UV (it probably is tempered) then I can certainly use it for my solar water heater with out much problems... the bigger the better there!
Not sure that it is for a sliding glass door... it looks pretty thick... I'll have to give it a look. Might try to get someone to help tomorrow. It's really only a couple of houses down so transporting it really isn't that big of an issue... just grabbing it is.
Well, if it's not UV (it probably is tempered) then I can certainly use it for my solar water heater with out much problems... the bigger the better there!
Not sure that it is for a sliding glass door... it looks pretty thick... I'll have to give it a look. Might try to get someone to help tomorrow. It's really only a couple of houses down so transporting it really isn't that big of an issue... just grabbing it is.
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Cool. They would work great for that.
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I am interested in hearing about this solar water heater. I have been wanting one, but dont know a lot about them.
Whew... my plans are basically a thermal siphon system using a 55 gallon drum (plastic style) as my reservoir. Cold water supply enters in the bottom and hot water exits out of the top (like your typical water heater). Then also coming out of the bottom is the part that thermal siphons to the collection grid. I'm gonna either use some refrigerator coils or AC coils... maybe I'll splurge for some new copper tubing, it isn't that expensive. I also have a lead on some free stainless tubing that will be bent for me... but that might be vaporware Either way, this will be encased in a box painted black and topped with glass that sits on the roof... making an "S" with the pipping/tubing from the lower side to the top side. Out of the top it will return back to the tank at the top. I have read about and will experiment with some check valves (automotive might work) in the line so that once in the collector it will be "trapped" until it heats up to a certain temperature (therefor increasing pressure) and then the valve will crack open and suck out all that hot water pulling in cooler water and reducing the pressure causing the valves to close back... repeating the cycle all over again.
In theory it is very sound... I just have to play with it and see how to make it the most efficient.
I'll probably also have to plumb in some pressure relief valves just in case I build TOO much pressure... Though wouldn't it balance itself out by pushing back against the mains? I honestly don't know, it just came to me.
Either way, this will be encased in a box painted black and topped with glass that sits on the roof... making an "S" with the pipping/tubing from the lower side to the top side. Out of the top it will return back to the tank at the top. I have read about and will experiment with some check valves (automotive might work) in the line so that once in the collector it will be "trapped" until it heats up to a certain temperature (therefor increasing pressure) and then the valve will crack open and suck out all that hot water pulling in cooler water and reducing the pressure causing the valves to close back... repeating the cycle all over again.In theory it is very sound... I just have to play with it and see how to make it the most efficient.
I'll probably also have to plumb in some pressure relief valves just in case I build TOO much pressure... Though wouldn't it balance itself out by pushing back against the mains? I honestly don't know, it just came to me.
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If you use a homemade sytem, you will also need to design something that will allow the water to cool to a temperature you can use. It will get so hot in the heater that it will scald you as soon as you try and use it. A friend of mine lives off the grid and he uses a tankless water heater at the house to blend the hot and cold and bring the water to the correct temperature.
That is true... I forgot to mention the mixing valve that should be placed.
Basically after the hot water tank you put in a valve that ties into the cold water (with a "T") and mixes in some cold water to achieve a max of X temp (that you set).
Lots of new houses are using this kind of thing to protect against scalding scenarios.
Basically after the hot water tank you put in a valve that ties into the cold water (with a "T") and mixes in some cold water to achieve a max of X temp (that you set).
Lots of new houses are using this kind of thing to protect against scalding scenarios.
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You have me motivated. I found a website builditsolar.com that seems to have a lot of info to help me. I am not into the whole green movement, but I am always interested in saving some money.
Depending on what you are looking to do and where you live... there is a LOT of free energy available... regardless of whether you like Al Gore or not... who couldn't use some free money
You can EASILY supply enough hot water for a small shop, possibly more. I will know the further I get into this project. This is all a large scale experiment to see how I will install it on my home that I build and if I end up growing this screen printing into a new shop I will be doing the same thing there.
Just leave a black garden hose pressured up in the sun for a few hours then go spray it... be careful it will be VERY hot! That will demonstrate the energy and heat you can harness from a solar water heater.
You can EASILY supply enough hot water for a small shop, possibly more. I will know the further I get into this project. This is all a large scale experiment to see how I will install it on my home that I build and if I end up growing this screen printing into a new shop I will be doing the same thing there.
Just leave a black garden hose pressured up in the sun for a few hours then go spray it... be careful it will be VERY hot! That will demonstrate the energy and heat you can harness from a solar water heater.
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