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DIY Pop can heater to heat H2O

Here I am in 2 layers of fleece dreaming of warmer days....And the old online DIY popcan heater plans that there are so many of online comes to mind...And a few ideas beginning to gel..so has anyone used one of these heaters to run a coil of pipe carrying heated air through either a hot water tank or a FT to keep it warm? Results? I realize that this will only work during daylight hours...but I was wondering if anyone had given this a try and what the results were..and what you'd do differently, etc...Or was it a raving success?
Being in the PNW this won't be a primary heat source, but every little step in the less-$-investment direction to keeping the AP unit running in the winter, I feel, is a step in the right direction. I just don't want to step off a cliff on the way, and am willing to learn from others' experiences.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on February 13, 2013 at 8:58am

High Converse, can you clarify your question a bit more? I am so confused by hot air thru a hot water tank, etc. What is a "popcan heater? I heat my AP GH system air and water with my home made wood stove but I haven't a clue what you're talking about. Sounds interesting. Here's a pic of my GH wood stove in our unfinished GH:

Permalink Reply by Randy on March 15, 2013 at 6:41am

I have thought of making a solar collector by enclosing a flat coil of black tubing in a frame covered with clear plastic. Water will absorb heat better than air. A pump in the FT and the collector should be all you need.