State of installation: Massachusetts
Type of house: Custom ranch
Size of house: approx. 4000 sf

I installed this unit to an addition of my house that was built on lally columns. This room was constantly cold due to high ceilings and the amount of exposed walls, floors, etc.

I mounted the Solarmax on the wall of the southern exposed side of the addition. I had to mount the panel horizontally (which still works well) due to the low height of the walls of the addition.

During clear days, this panel continuously pumps out hot air around 100 degrees. The room now gets so warm, I have to turn on the ceiling fan to disperse the heat to the adjoining kitchen. I have an indoor thermometer in the kitchen that records temperatures around 74 degrees when the panel and ceiling fan is on. The room seems to stay warmer into the night, I’m assuming the furniture is absorbing the heat?

I have definitely saved money on oil since the heating zone on this part of the house does not turn on when the sun is out.

I would have given this unit 5 stars if Cansolair installs a lower temp fan trigger inside the panel. The automatic fan will turn on when the inside of the panel reaches a certain temp. I find it more efficient turning the panel on and off myself since you can start pumping hot air before the trigger is tripped.

Massachusetts does not charge sales tax on this, or other, alternative energy products. I also got a nice write off on my taxes at the end of the year.

The folks at Alternative Energy are easy to work with. In fact, I just purchased the SolarSheet system from them for my rooftop.

I’ll have reviews posted for that system next year.

Feel free to email me with any questions, comments or pictures of the install.

Justin

This product is an excellent alternative heating source under the proper conditions. I was reluctant to permanently install the unit (i.e. cut holes in my house) until I knew what results to expect. One side of the house had a southern exposure, but was situated in a bit of a valley with some neighbor\‘s pine trees further affecting/blocking the sun during mid-afternoon. I built a rack up against the house to hold the unit and made some heavily insulated duct work to vent it. The ducts went through windows in 2 different rooms that I fitted with 2 inches of foam board with cutouts for the fan assembly and output louver.

During the periods of good sun exposure and from about 9:30 to 2:00, and 3:30 to sundown, the unit delivered air approaching and occasionally exceeding 100 degrees F.

I de-installed the unit in the spring. The next year I rebuilt the rack about 5 feet higher and further toward the front, to help compensate for the pine trees that blocked some sun. It also vented out from and into 2 different windows. The room with the output vent became quite warm on sunny days, but I had to put a small, slow speed fan in the doorway to move the warm air into the rest of the house.

I know I saved money on heating costs, though I was unable to determine exactly how much. I was pleased with the overall performance of this product. However, I would urge anyone considering one to fully understand the installation location and sun exposure aspects and also the input and output locations and air movement within the house. I have since moved and as the unit was never permanently installed I took it with me.

The RA 240 did what it said it was going to do and we are very happy with it. The installation of the RA 240 was very simple and fast about 3 hrs doing it myself. Everyone that has seen it working is in love with it and at 1st no one belived me there were cans doing most of the work and could not belive how great it looks and works. Iam going to order a second one to put next to the 1st only because I can and like the idea my furnace doesnt run on sunny cold days. This is an awsomne product.

At however many mega degrees our sun is; you would think someone would have done this way, way back.

I bought the cansolair ra240 last march 05 but when I took the protective paper off the lense one of the cans was askew.

I called the cansolair owner-inventor guy up in New Foundland and his concern was great and he acted responsibly and effectively. Wild accents up there in Newfieland! I did return it to the warehouse got a replacement, installed it and have had some fine results ever since.

He explained that they had just received an order for 2500 units which overwhelmed the small local factory and so the error was due to a demand he had never seen, I understand. They had only sold several hundred during the past few years.

I hope to see more of these in use. I notice the times I do not have to heat now and the oil guy has been just driving by without stopping. They estimate some reasonable savings which I am not likley to dispute it seems to me. Other than condensation forming blowing an initial moisture content when it first fires up I have no concerns about the longevity or effectivness of this panel.

The moisture might be a bonus in these drier months, I am just a bit concerned as to the materials being ill effected by it on the insides over some period of years.

It also worked as a dehumidifier at certain times during the summer although when it got really hot I covered the face with a foil pad to keep it from baking. It heats considerably at either end of the season here in the hills of north central Ma and when the snows reflection is present it amplifies the time on quite a bit in fact. I chose this over the flat panel because I wanted to support a small company and also the convexed shape looked like it would catch more rays. I thus far feel it was a wise investment and would recomend it indeed.

The thing really works. I’m located in upstate New York and I have it on south facing wall, 2nd story. At 9 30 in AM sun would start. They say it is supposed to take 15 minutes to kick on, but last winter it would kick on in 5 to 10 minutes. And it would run straight until 4 30 in the afternoon! In fact, I’m thinking of getting a second one for this winter. I’ve purchased a Bergey wind turbine system, a solar electric system and this Solarmax air heating system — by far, the Solarmax has given me the best bang for my buck.