Build It Solar -- free plans for hundreds of solar projects

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The Renewable Energy site for Do-It-Yourselfers                

Build It Solar -- plans to build solar energy projects

 

 Welcome To Build-It-Solar

Plans, tools and information  to do  renewable energy and conservation projects.

Hundreds of projects -- from changing a light bulb to building a solar home.

Design information and tools  for building renewable energy projects.

An Experimental section for backyard inventors.

Nothing For Sale here -- just free ideas, plans, and information.

The renewable energy site for do-it-yourselfers

 

 Holy Solar Cow!

Our Solar Home Heater is Cover Story  in Mother Earth News


Frugal Energy Saving Projects...
A collection of projects that cost little and save a lot -- 90 solid ideas from bubble wrap to sunspaces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Ads...  
 Some New Work

A $1000, cold climate, high performance, durable, Domestic Solar Water Heating System ...
 

 

Two new versions of solar water heating collectors:

A collector using PEX tubing instead of copper ($4/sqft)...

 

 


A low  cost, high performance, copper/aluminum collector ($6/sqft)...

 

 New Content    
Last update November 21, 2008

Ghost Mine -- A unique, 90% solar heated, low cost home design -->
 

 


Final Update on Tom's turbine -- up and running -->

Update glazing ref -- add Coroplast...

An electric MINI...

EPA mpg for plug-ins difficult to determine...

EcoRenovator -- DIY energy saving projects ...

New pump for $1000 solar water heater project...

Update on multiwall polycarbonate storm windows...

Update on PET bottle solar water heater design...
 
Keeping the pipes from freezing when away (without fuel)...

Freedom's solar heated stock watering tank...

October performance for $1K solar water heating system ...

Tom's 5.5KW wind turbine, and 140 ft tilt-up tower -- full construction details...  ----->

Canuckle sun tracker...

Solar Livestock Handbook available again...


Bob's Insulated Stock Tank -- full build-it details...

Earthbag Building -- an excellent book...

Finding a professional installer....

Energy Ball wind turbine...

Kid Wind -- great site for kids (and others) to learn about wind power...

Updated collector glazing materials overview ...

New collection of Frugal Energy Saving Ideas...

Nice rain barrel project...

Solar water heater from PET bottles...

A bit of performance on $1000 water heater ...

 

Older New Content items ...

What's Here?

Getting Started

Getting Started

Why Solar?

Solar Site Survey

 Projects - Hundreds of them

Conservation

Energy

Water

Solar Homes

Home

Design

Plans
Construction

"I-Did-It"

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Sun Spaces

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Cooling

Passive

Efficient active

 

Solar Electricity

PV

Wind

Hydro

Water Pumping

Bio Fuels

Bio Diesel

Veggie Oil

Wood
Methane

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Cooking

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Wood Kilns

Lighting

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Efficient Lighting

Vehicles

Solar

Efficient
Concepts

Solar For Kids

Projects

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Frugal Solar

Frugal Projects
Top 10 Solar
Half

More ...

Solar Engines

Refrigeration

Other...

The "Half" Program
Our family's program to cut our energy use, energy costs, and CO2 emissions in half.


Half
The Half Program -- cut energy use and CO2 in half

Half Main

Projects

Progress

Your Half Plan

lessons

Design Information & Tools

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Web Sites

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Solar Associations

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Overhang & Shading Tools & CAD

Windows

Home Heat Loss Calculator

Insulation Upgrade Calculator

CO2 Calculators

Electrical Tools

Plumbing Tools

HVAC Tools

Fuels Data

Collector Design & Ratings

Measurements & Testing
Measuring Collector Efficiency

Material Properties

Properties of materials used in renewable energy projects.

 

Government Incentives

Government offered Incentives for doing renewable energy projects.

 

Suppliers

List of potential suppliers for all types of materials and products used in renewable energy projects.

Other DIY

Interesting DIY sites having nothing to do with renewable energy.

 

Experimental
An area for backyard inventors.


Promising ideas

Tests

Questions?

Getting questions answered

 

Site Map


Site Map

 BIS Needs Your Projects

Most of the projects on Build-It-Solar come from people like you who find or build renewable energy projects and send them in ...

 


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