Good deal on glass solar capture tubes (Gently used by Uncle Sam)

(Cross-posted this in DU Marketplace Forum)

Remember all those solar collectors installed on Federal Buildings when Jimmy Carter was President?........many of which have unwisely been removed?......

We have recently acquired a large quantity of used Carter Era solar collectors. These were part of a large federal installation,
and are still in great working condition. Here’s a chance to pick up some high-quality,
U. S. manufactured, glass evacuated solar thermal collector tubes, at a very reasonable price.

I will offer a special 20% discount to any DU’ers who are interested in a great deal on these recycled solar capture tubes.
PM me for a DU discount.

Our related website URLS:
http://www.fossilfreedom.com
http://www.fossilfreedom.com/solar-thermal-tubes.html
http://www.fossilfreedom.com/products.html


Description below:




Gently used by Uncle Sam!


These are evacuated thermal solar collector tubes, the most efficient solar collectors available. They are 46 inches long, by 2 inches in diameter. Water flows in the central tube and collector space, surrounded by two outer tubes with a vacuum between them. The water gets so hot that it will boil, so water must be kept moving by a circulation pump.

Maximum temperature is about 250 degrees F….. Hot enough to heat your home with a hydronic radiator system, or heat your domestic hot water.

Each tube captures approximately 80-150 watts or 300-450 BTU/HR.
Works even in the coldest climates!

They mount on 4-inch centers and are 2 inches OD.
They are often combined with multiple tubes in an array, however, just the solar capture tubes are being offered. Combined with manifolds, this is an inexpensive way to capture a lot of solar energy to make domestic hot water or heat for the home.

Manifolds are not included, but we will provide plans for do-it yourself manifolds, using standard plumbing fittings that can be found at any good home improvement store, or we can provide tube-ready manifolds at a very reasonable cost.

Each evacuated tube consists of two glass tubes made from extremely strong borosilicate glass. The outer tube is transparent allowing light rays to pass through with minimal reflection. The inner tube is coated with a special selective coating, which features excellent solar radiation absorption when compared to conventional flat plate collector systems. The top of the two tubes are fused together and the air contained in the space between the two layers of glass is pumped out while exposing the tube to high temperatures. This "evacuation" of the gasses forms a vacuum, which is an important factor in the performance of the evacuated tubes.

A heat pipe is inserted into the length of the tube. The heat pipes contain a special fluid that allows solar radiation to be absorbed and transferred to the stored hot water very efficiently. Solar heat energy gets trapped inside, and cannot escape except via the fluid…. air if you prefer. The solar heating fluid is separate from the water to be heated and is connected to the solar cylinder via a heat exchanger. The maximum temperature reaches 250 degrees F+ in bright sunlight and each tube can boil more than a pound of water per hour, but you would not want to let steam actually form, so about 180 F maximum water delivery temperature (determined by flow rate).

The tubes must be angled at a specific degree above horizontal so that the process of vaporizing and condensing functions. There are two types of collector connection to the solar circulation system. Either the heat exchanger extends directly into the manifold ("wet connection") or it is connected to the manifold by a heat-conducting material ("dry connection"). A "dry connection" allows to exchange individual tubes without emptying the entire system of its fluid.

Evacuated tubes offer the advantage that they work efficiently with high absorber temperatures and with low radiation. Higher temperatures also may be obtained for applications such as hot water heating, steam production, and air conditioning. Evacuated tubes can still work efficiently even on cloudy days, because it is able to absorb the energy from infrared rays passed through clouds.

You can also use the heat to desorb ammonia from calcium chloride salt to make your own “Crosley Icy Ball” solar powered refrigerator for off-grid living!

These solar capture tubes were made by Owings-Illinois Glass Company, for Sunpac.

The tubes are made of extremely strong borosilicate glass.

These cost Uncle Sam $250.00 per tube new.

Just the tubes only…in used, working condition.

These solar capture tubes were working well, when removed from a large hot water system in order to add on to an existing building. Each tube is re-tested before sale.


CAT No: SECT-1A
SOLAR ENERGY CAPTURE TUBES

Quantity Price each
1-4 TUBES $40.00 EACH
5-9 TUBES $38.00 EACH
10-18 TUBES $36.00 EACH
19-38 TUBES $32.00 EACH
39-57 TUBES $30.00 EACH
58-74 TUBES $28.00 EACH
75-99 TUBES $27.00 EACH
100-149 TUBES $26.00 EACH
150-199 TUBES $25.00 EACH
200-499 TUBES $24.00 EACH
500-999 TUBES $23.50 EACH

http://www.fossilfreedom.com
http://www.fossilfreedom.com/solar-thermal-tubes.html
http://www.fossilfreedom.com/products.html

Selling 'em like hot-cakes on ebay!...

I'm replying now so I can be sure to find this tomorrow and show my husband.

I just haven't decided what to do with them yet. 5 tubes with semicircular reflectors and a large insulated manifold. A friend gave them to me.

I never knew they were THAT effective. I'd better get researching these "hydronic radiators"

Ronald Regan (republic anti-solar pro-nuclear asshole) removed them from the White House and placed them in storage (they were in perfect condition and fully operational despite Reagan's anti-solar lies).

Unity College in Unity Maine acquired them in 1992 and used them on their cafeteria roof for more than 12 years...

http://moralequivalent.info/?p=29

Any idea of the shipping cost to NY State?

Probably about 60 bucks to ship a 16 pack

They are glass, so they are fragile, but much stronger than a flourescent tube (for example)

They are selling that array at a pretty good price. We're working on array designs that are uncovered and also designs that are covered with a clear panel, and have reflectors behind the tubes, for maximum efficiency. I have one customer who recently bought a bunch of tubes for his home somewhere in the Caribbean where he is actually concerned with protecting them from volcanic debris. He got evacuated three weeks ago due to volcanic activity, and doesn't know when he'll be allowed back. I guess that has to be worse case scenario for trying to protect the tubes, but we're going to figure it out.

PM sent