DIY Solar Water Panels

John, the owner of Ahu Lani was in town from Oahu this past week. Our project was to get the solar water panels back online. The previous copper panels were leaking and so we got out diy hats on and began making a test panel which eventually will serve as the prototype for the 7 that we will replace.

This project was right down my alley, DIY all the way man. Each panel cost about $150 while buying
the panels would have been about $1200. BooYA. Some tests showed that the panels made of
PEX 1/2" tubing and heat transfer plates is about 85% as effective as the $1200 copper panels. So the
trade off seems legit. I did some testing with an infrared laser and in full sun the panel reached temps of over 160 degrees F. Thats some free hot water baby!

More pictures to come, of panel two. I eventually was to make a video and post it to youtube as a

DIY help video.