From Scientific American:
[quote author=“SCIAM OBSERVATIONS”]66 beer bottles = one cheap rooftop solar water heater
Take 66 beer bottles. Fill them with water and connect so that it flows slowly from bottle to bottle. Place apparatus on roof (or better yet, build it in place) and voila, you have the ultimate in DIY solar thermal hot water systems. Not only do you get the pleasure of consuming 66 bottles of beer on the way, you also get the joy of providing hot water for your mother to shower in comfort.
That’s Ma Yanjun, a farmer in Qiqiao village, Shaanxi province—the heartland of China. He built the contraption for his mother, according to Weird Asia News, making him both a devoted son and one of the numerous backyard enthusiasts who have discovered a simple way to harness the power of the sun. From the cold of Vermont to the baking heat of South Africa, such solar water collectors—whether made from beer bottles, soda cans, or anything else—are a cheap and simple way to heat water for your home—a different type of recycling if you will. You do need to remember, however, that the sun doesn’t always shine and plan accordingly.
Beer; is there anything it can’t do?!
