Trying to find super cheap way to collect solar

[triffid]

try www.solarcooking.org for a whole lot of ideas on how to heat water with solar power.triffid

[buzneg]

Would a one way mirror have a better greenhouse effect then normal green house glass?

[TechStuf]

No, such is used to cool buildings, not warm them.  Unless your idea is to face the reflective face inward....which, due mostly to light/energy conversion characteristics of matter prevent such from proving more efficient than transparent materials.

Allowing as much light to enter the structure and convert such rays into heat has long proven more beneficial.


Of course, if your objective is increased green house effect, placing mirrors on the ground at the correct angle to multiply the amount of light entering the structure, should prove beneficial.


TS

[triffid]

for more ideas on solar heaters try www.solarcooking.org they have cookers from all over the world.Triffid

[JamesThomas]

I don't know if this adds anything as I have not read through the entire thread. I am working on a solar preheater for my trailer propane water heater. Basically black hose in a well insulated box with at least two layers of plastic for the sun to shine through with air trapped tightly between. Also I am using black painted brick as the background for the hose to lay against as brick will retain some of the day-time heat transferring some of that to the hose at night. A well insulated storage tank for the hot solar heated water that goes between the solar heater and main water heater is an important addition. An old water heater can be used for this.

That said, low-tech solar hot water heating is a super underutilized green energy storehouse. Very sad; but glad you are making yours. 

jt