Solar Power Clothes Dryer

This low-tech energy saver consists of a 20-foot length of rope and twenty or so clothes pins.

Step 1:

Using a drying rack inside also works well, but it takes a little longer to dry clothes.

Comments

[Dr. P]

Our power bill dropped about 25% when my SPD was put into service. It won't work in the rain, regardless of how we wiggle the wires, but I can deal with that.

[mr.green]

Thank you for the nice commet. I am glad you understood the spirit of my posting.

[diy_bloke]

i have one exactly like that, but it is wind powered

[mr.green]

I must disagree--in that the wind is caused by rising air heated by the sun your clothes dry is still solar powered.

[diy_bloke]

got me there.Hmm, but then so are windmills :-)

[J2SARET]

Misleading I have been using one of these for the past 6 decades and I can assure it works even at night. It does not rely on solar power.

[aristide202]

It's true, mine does work in shade or during night too . I must say that a clear sky usually means low relative humidity and this promotes a quicker exchange of water between your clothes and atmosphere. A moderate wind, space between cloths rows, the absence of foldinngs and any sort of roofing during nights and rainy days will encrease the efficacy of the process. Natural fibers ropes are less durable, expensive and may stain the clothes, I never heard of using natural ropes in the last decades

[mr.green]

It is funny how people think about my “solar powered clothes dried.” I wanted people to see how simple it is to be sustainable. “ Solar Powered Clothes Drier” is just word play. Someday I will learn that irony never works.

And you are right it will work in the moonlight. I guess I should have called it the relative humidity clothes dried. As long as there is less moisture in the air then in the cloth then the clothes will dry.

Your Friend in sustainability

[J2SARET]

actually I thought you were recycling an old joke from around the founding of Earth Day when an ad was placed in the Inquirer or some other such rag for plans to build a solar powered clothes dryer.

[DomSquaddie]

LOL, I thought it was a great play on words/theme.
Some people are just a bit too serious to get the joke.

Nice way to demonstrate a point, well done.

[cherishedpotato]

although this is a good green concept, it's a bit misleading to call this a "solar power clothes dryer" when it's just a clothesline!

[mr.green]

You're right, it is just a clothesline. However, the sun does heat the air that dries the clothes and grows the vegetables that I eat to give me energy to hang the clothes. So just chalk it up to a little marketing. It did get you to look at it. Your friend, Mr. Green

[AnaLou]

I'm a seamstress and I wish more people would wash their clothes in cold water and line dry. Much easier on the environment and hot water and dryers deteriorate the fibers in clothing, causing your clothing to fall apart much faster.

[ecat]

It's not merely a solar powered clothes dryer, it is both solar and wind powered. Most significantly, the device maximizes the synergy of both power sources to dry clothes very efficiently when conditions are both sunny and windy.

Another benefit of the device is its additional sanitation feature afforded by the ultraviolet radiation automatically applied to the laundry through the direct use of solar energy.

[mr.green]

Thanks for your imput I also like hang drying because of the exercise I get.

[mr.green]

Thanks AnaLou

I never thought about the eco saving from less clothing wear--I just considered the energy saving.

For other sustainable Ideas look at my other instructables on my profile
mr.green

 

[Rev_William]

Hehe I used to sell solar powered clothes dryers thru the mail like this in highschool til the postmaster got involved. also sold antigue cigarete lighters at 4 dollars a pop, at that time a small box of strike anywhere matches were about .25 cents postmaster didnt like that either :}

[mr.green]

That is funny because I got the Idea from a story I had heard years ago about a fellow that was stopped by the postal sevice from selling solar power clothes dyers through the mail.

[Rev_William]

That is funny it was 12 ft of clothes line and 2 nails for 25 bucks. don't know if it was me but that was back in '78-'79 helped pay for senoir yr stuff lol

[k_man93]

that was good... good work! for the lazier people out there, there is an instructable about using attic heat in the summer time to run through the dryer, rather than making it produce its own hot air

[freecyclenut]

I laughed at this.......not negatively...I laughed because I got caught by "solar powered clothes dryer" and was expecting some really cool dohickey......You got me. I hang my clothes to dry all the time......thanks for the laugh, great way to get folks to look at it. I like the way you think.

[mr.green]

thanks for you nice comment freecyclenut. please look at my sustainable Instructable-- http://www.instructables.com/id/Sustainable_Living_Ideas/

[wolfkeeper]

One subtle advantage is that it kills dust mites as well, because dust mites hate the sun (although so does tumble drying, but that's not solar powered).

[vindextempest]

Nice. It is "Solar powered", just not obviously so.