LOL is like some comments here are from people that do not realize u can do multiple things, and are not stuck in one choice. IE they can do this AND have windows too *GASP* ... this is a great idea, considering cost of materials, (and being that there is no lack of bottles to use) and could even work well (Or a variation of) in developed countries to cut down on power costs during the day.
You can buy these skylights - Solatube is one brand name- that works on the same concept. A friend has it and the amount of light it provides is surreal.
This is old, and porch lights with separate solar panel are really cheap now. I bet porch lights have replaced old coke bottles. They work even at night.
Many houses in the United States do something similar with glass blocks. But if all you have is plastic bottles, this is a very innovative solution. It's amazing what you can do if you just step back and think about what you have available.
For example: I tried buying "greenhouse seed starter' kits, but I don't use them anymore. Instead I cut gallon milk jugs mostly in half (leaving a flap to connect them), fill them with dirt, seeds, water, then tape it up. Works MUCH better. And it's cheaper.
Eh... maybe? But honestly - I haven't traveled the Philippines, but Kenya, Mali and Senegal all had plenty of domestically sourced bottles. It's not like coke doesn't exist outside the US - they're absurdly global. And it's probably cheaper to domestically source them.
It's not the hole in the roof, but the bottle being used to diffuse the light over a larger area that's the solution here. Sure, a hole will let light in, but it will be more of a direct beam instead of broad and diffused.
The bleach isn't for bacteria but rather algae, which would start forming nearly instantly in direct sunlight and basically make the whole bottle useless for that purpose.
Heh, "experts." More like "Person who keeps aquariums and HOLY SHIT do I hate algae which spreads like wildfire in sunlight." Also I've done some DIY novelty lamps that incorporated water and used bleach to keep the water free of the same. Algae spores are like yeast spores, it's endemic everywhere and not even treated tapwater can guarantee it won't grow in sunlight..
Came here to mention these. I've worked on a couple ships that have them and it's remarkable how much light they cast into a cabin. If the water bottles are half as effective, they're worth doing if you didn't have reliable electric lighting options.
The added bleach will help with that, but yeah it's not a permanent solution. It is, however, much better than nothing and it looks like the water bottles are placed in replaceable metal frames (ie, you can't pull out and replace the water bottle, but you can pull up and replace the bottle + metal frame).
Chrisantemus
How to put the lights out of I want to watch a movie?
fiorideiliberi11
https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1ZGJnZXBva3dnZnJ0MHZuYXV0bXJ0c2I4bXQxNGlrYm1tYWR2Y3N2byZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/9PnKmLSWBYYohFdlo4/200w.webp
theskepticinme
Great until the UV destroys the plastic.
NorrinxRadd
Wow, that's a great idea I'm gonna have to use this
AtmaDarkwolf
LOL is like some comments here are from people that do not realize u can do multiple things, and are not stuck in one choice. IE they can do this AND have windows too *GASP* ... this is a great idea, considering cost of materials, (and being that there is no lack of bottles to use) and could even work well (Or a variation of) in developed countries to cut down on power costs during the day.
metalhippy1977
https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1YXNyOWF0NHpueW82aGJmaGxvZjJiN3dzaXYxbXEwdzdnaDVhNmNuZiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/fqIBaMWI7m7O8/200w.webp
atinyviolin
It’s a cheap window.
eastend666
You can buy these skylights - Solatube is one brand name- that works on the same concept. A friend has it and the amount of light it provides is surreal.
charondaboatman
They make clear corrugated panels. Just sayin.
PurifiedInTheWatersOfLakeMinnetonka
Except that would let direct sunlight into the structure and turn it into a greenhouse. This solution radiates the light outward.
PanNonOpticon
This is old, and porch lights with separate solar panel are really cheap now. I bet porch lights have replaced old coke bottles. They work even at night.
OhIfIMust
Deck prisms!!
RPCharImages
Ah...How long has it been? 10 years since this first made the rounds? New video though
SacrificialClam
Wow this was illuminating
ArkoneAxon
Many houses in the United States do something similar with glass blocks. But if all you have is plastic bottles, this is a very innovative solution. It's amazing what you can do if you just step back and think about what you have available.
For example: I tried buying "greenhouse seed starter' kits, but I don't use them anymore. Instead I cut gallon milk jugs mostly in half (leaving a flap to connect them), fill them with dirt, seeds, water, then tape it up. Works MUCH better. And it's cheaper.
swedeonamoose
Hey is that those bottles the western companies promised me were sent to be recycled ? /s
SgtKashim
Eh... maybe? But honestly - I haven't traveled the Philippines, but Kenya, Mali and Senegal all had plenty of domestically sourced bottles. It's not like coke doesn't exist outside the US - they're absurdly global. And it's probably cheaper to domestically source them.
Mechwarrior719
Not sarcastic answer: probably.
samanthadlcruz
a small tiny tiny percentage of the plastic waste we've dumped in those countries...
chatawillybilly
Needs an on/off switch.
RPCharImages
Curtain
DoveLeiger
So the innovative electricity-free lighting solution is a hole in the roof? Just wait until someone invents windows, wow.
cookieduster
Yeah. They can just pay renewal by Anderson to come install them. Good thinking.
ImHereToGetDownvotes
It's not the hole in the roof, but the bottle being used to diffuse the light over a larger area that's the solution here. Sure, a hole will let light in, but it will be more of a direct beam instead of broad and diffused.
IslaNublar
The bleach isn't for bacteria but rather algae, which would start forming nearly instantly in direct sunlight and basically make the whole bottle useless for that purpose.
Fulustreka
I love experts
IslaNublar
Heh, "experts." More like "Person who keeps aquariums and HOLY SHIT do I hate algae which spreads like wildfire in sunlight." Also I've done some DIY novelty lamps that incorporated water and used bleach to keep the water free of the same. Algae spores are like yeast spores, it's endemic everywhere and not even treated tapwater can guarantee it won't grow in sunlight..
Fulustreka
I love to learn from you guys here ❣️ thanks for sharing
Mechwarrior719
It works. It isn’t going to be 100W bright, but it’s better than nothing.
AntiProtonBoy
Well on the plus side, there’s no shortage of plastic bottles, so one can install as many as needed.
darbythemiddle
Just make your whole roof out of water bottles!
Perkunas687
Reminds me of https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_prism
istrandedjebediahonthemun
Came here to mention these. I've worked on a couple ships that have them and it's remarkable how much light they cast into a cabin. If the water bottles are half as effective, they're worth doing if you didn't have reliable electric lighting options.
FelonyRaptor
Electric companies are probably working tirelessly to ban and outlaw these.
CyanideBreathMint
With help from Nestle :/
asalleer
it will get dimmer when algae starts forming and if they are seal in place, it will be very hard to change the water or clean the bottle.
NotSomoneElse68
Isn't that what the bleach is for?
donpat
Allow me to introduce you to a wonderful aphorism: Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
TinyBadger101
The added bleach will help with that, but yeah it's not a permanent solution. It is, however, much better than nothing and it looks like the water bottles are placed in replaceable metal frames (ie, you can't pull out and replace the water bottle, but you can pull up and replace the bottle + metal frame).
EntropyReign
i get it. permanent 'solution.'