COLLECTING AND STORING SOLAR HEAT IN A WATER CISTERN SYSTEM.

Since there is considerable sunshine in the summer in interior Alaska, it seemed that it might be economical to collect and store some of the solar energy in a water cistern system in the author's house near Fairbanks. A description is given of the construction, assembly and the operation of the solar panels, some of which were covered with plastic and fiberglass glazing to capture the insolation and prevent water evaporation and contamination. The method of data collection and cost estimation is outlined, and the results of an economic analysis of the solar collector system are presented.