Solar heat collector for the shop.

I'm keeping tabs on this. My only two windows face nothingness and the wonderful builder did NOT insulate the garage at all...

I actually own two of the E36 M3ty Floodlights just for the heat they throw off..

It's almost as if you're in my head as I've been contemplating a similar apparatus for keeping the temps in the garage more manageable when it's 0 outside.

Windows can be more effective. But that's assuming the window has no leaks. The other downside is you cannot use that hunk of wall. With a solar collector mounted on the exterior wall you're only losing the space dedicated to the supply and return vent.
As far as the heat loss from reversing, a simple flap on the output vent stops that from happening. There's no issue with excess heat during the summer months because the sun isn't hitting the panel at an angle that produces heat. I've had mine in for a few years and it's very effective.

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: You can't imagine how sad I was when all my kids got past science fair age. We had a lot of fun with those. I still build them, I just show them to you guys instead.

Well at least the sadness of outgrowing science fairs can be partially offset by their reaching the age of boating and boat building (among other fun stuff).

Thank you for the build thread Toyman, this is fascinating!

@Dr. Boost- since we live in the same part of the world, yours puts out heat despite our cloudy miserable winter weather?

paranoid_android74 wrote: Thank you for the build thread Toyman, this is fascinating! @Dr. Boost- since we live in the same part of the world, yours puts out heat despite our cloudy miserable winter weather?

Uhhhhh.......no. The one I built was a test panel to see if i wanted to build one that encompassed the entire south wall of my garage. It works GREAT, but only if there's enough sun to cast a decent shadow. So, in MI, it's not producing much of anything from November to mid January.
To build one to cover my 24' garage wall would have been expensive and it just wasn't worth it to me. But if anyone is thinking about building on, do it. Mine kicks out heat after about 5 mins of sun. But use three passes of black aluminum screen like Toyoman. Way easier, more efficient, and cheaper than pop (soda) cans painted black.

In reply to DrBoost:

Ok, I thought this was the case but I wanted to be sure.

I can totally see how this would work for the cooler but sunny weather like spring and fall. Winter is- well, just winter here in MI.

Our winters, on the other hand, are pretty mild and fairly sunny. I'm going to try to get this thing plumbed in this weekend for a trial run.