technical standpoint, the a custom enclosure much the batch heater's tank exterior enclosure is the like the one shown on our (including installation of least important part of front cover, matching a "selective surface" the batch heater. Most of your home's existing absorber coating); the decisions regarding siding and trim for an constructing the the enclosure are eye-pleasing "built-in" sophisticated aesthetic, and have more appearance. Or, by curved reflector to do with your taste, enlarging the enclosure, frame; building the budget, and imagination, you can build the batch supporting frames that than with any element of heater as a freestanding house the reflector; the batch heater's tool shed, and use the constructing our special, performance. For space beneath the batch low-cost triple-glazing example, if low cost is heater for storage. Or you system; and connecting your primary objective, can add it to a garage, or the hatch heater to your you can sheathe the a workshop... the list of existing water supply. assembly options is almost endless. Because the design of the enclosure is to the proper Photo One Photo Two Following The "flashing functioning of your the instructions in the layout line" will help you heater, we'll limit our text, it's easy to draw the mount aluminum flashing discussion of this step to correct involute and cusp to form the sharp point of a general run-through of for any tank using only a the cusp. Simply place a the major concepts and length of wire and a scrap of flashing at the procedures. Only you pencil. Here you can see point of the cusp, bend it know what type of how the curve is formed slightly to follow the exterior enclosure will automatically as you curve of the involute, and work best at your home, move the pencil away make a pencil mark so we'll leave the from the tank. The where the flashing ends. specific details plywood will be cut We'll refer to this mark in of this one step to you. along this line to create a later Building a batch heater the "involute patterns" step. isn't very difficult, and if shown in the next steps. you know how to hammer, saw, and solder, the entire job Photo Four The involute should take about five Photo Six When the pattern is the keystone of
the batch heater's tank (including installation of a "selective surface" absorber coating); constructing the sophisticated curved reflector frame; building the supporting frames that house the reflector; constructing our special, low-cost triple-glazing system; and connecting the hatch heater to your existing water supply. technical standpoint, the exterior enclosure is the least important part of the batch heater. Most of the decisions regarding the enclosure are aesthetic, and have more to do with your taste, budget, and imagination, than with any element of the batch heater's performance. For example, if low cost is your primary objective, you can sheathe the assembly a custom enclosure much like the one shown on our front cover, matching your home's existing siding and trim for an eye-pleasing "built-in" appearance. Or, by enlarging the enclosure, you can build the batch heater as a freestanding tool shed, and use the space beneath the batch heater for storage. Or you can add it to a garage, or a workshop... the list of options is almost endless. Because the design of the enclosure is to the proper functioning of your heater, we'll limit our discussion of this step to a general run-through of the major concepts and procedures. Only you know what type of exterior enclosure will work best at your home, so we'll leave the specific details of this one step to you. Building a batch heater isn't very difficult, and if you know how to hammer, saw, and solder, the entire job should take about five Photo One Following the instructions in the text, it's easy to draw the correct involute and cusp for any tank using only a length of wire and a pencil. Here you can see how the curve is formed automatically as you move the pencil away from the tank. The plywood will be cut along this line to create the "involute patterns" shown in the next steps. Photo Six When the Photo Two The "flashing layout line" will help you mount aluminum flashing to form the sharp point of the cusp. Simply place a scrap of flashing at the point of the cusp, bend it slightly to follow the curve of the involute, and make a pencil mark where the flashing ends. We'll refer to this mark in a later step. Photo Four The involute pattern is the keystone of
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