Visitors to the American Youth Hostel in West Tisbury now can bathe in solar-heated water. A 3-by-8-foot collector has been attached to the roof of the hostel’s bike shed, and heats water for the nearby outdoor shower.

Inside the collector are six cylindrical tanks. They’re filled with water, and when exposed to four hours of strong sunlight, enough water is heated for five hot showers.

Besides saving money, hostel manager Jeff Munroe states in a release that he likes how the heater is serving as an educational tool about the benefits of solar heating.

Chris Fried of Vineyard Haven, the designer of the system, is offering plans so that homeowners can build their own heaters, a process that requires about $200 worth of materials and a day’s labor. More information is available by calling 508-693-7741.