A batch heater is a simple solar water heater that uses one or more black tanks filled with water and placed in an insulated, glazed box. Solar box cookers are inexpensive to buy and easy to build and use. They consist of a roomy, insulated box lined with reflective material, covered with glazing, and fitted with an external reflector. Black cooking pots serve as absorbers, heating up more quickly than shiny aluminum or stainless steel cookware. Box cookers can also be used to kill bacteria in water if the temperature can reach the boiling point.
Solar stills provide inexpensive distilled water from even salty or badly contaminated water.
They work on the principle that water in an open container will evaporate. A solar still uses solar energy to speed up the evaporation process. The stills consist of an insulated, dark-colored container covered with glazing that is tilted so the condensing fresh water can trickle into a collection trough. A small solar still, which is about the size of your kitchen stove, can produce two gallons of distilled water on a sunny day. The following organizations can provide you with information to help you find the solar water heater that is right for you.