Wood Stove Water Heater

Discussion in 'Off Grid Living' started by BenP, Dec 30, 2018.


  1. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    The wood stove water heater works great! Making hot water was a big draw on our batteries so this will be a big help. My only concern now is that it will make too much. IMG_20181230_183222. IMG_20181230_152638. IMG_20181229_071441. IMG_20181230_075810_459.
     
  2. SB21

    SB21 Monkey+++

    Nice . I've been wondering about those . Do you have a recirculating pump , or will the hot water automatically recirculate as it heats up ?
     
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  3. techsar

    techsar Monkey+++

    Nice, but you seem to be missing a temp/pressure relief valve...or just didn't show it.

    Don't need a steam powered bomb going off, ya know.
     
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  4. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    My thoughts too a water heater safety valve is essential .
     
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  5. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    There is a safety valve on the water heater and no valves to allow the buildup of pressure. I bought a second relief valve but I haven't found a good place to put it. I have a circulation pump but I am not using it, the water is thermosiphoning to/from the water heater.
     
  6. deMolay

    deMolay Monkey+

    I like your pipe arrangement, did you mfg. it yourself? I rebuilt an old kitchen cookstove for the wife that has a cast iron water heater built into the firebox. Very smart
     
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  7. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    I bought the stainless coil inside the stove from a guy I found on the web and all the other parts came from Lowes.
     
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  8. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    How much hot water do you think it will make per hour?
    I want to do something like that with my coal furnace.
     
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  9. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    @BenP You should put a Copper Union, and then a Ball Valve, on each end of the FireBox Coil, so you can isolate the Coil from the Water System... By doing so, you do NOT need to drain the Hot Water, to service the Coil, or Replace it, when it finally either develops a leak, OR gets plugged up, with Hard Water Parcipitate..
    .. 40 Years of running a ThermalSyphan Domestic Water System teaches one a few things....
     
  10. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    I have not had it working for 12 hours yet so this is not a great guess. I also have a pretty long run back to the water heater tank but I think it will make 25-30 gallons an hour if the stove is really hot.
     
  11. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    If there is no water in the tubing, heating the solder joints will let things fall apart , If you block both ends from water expansion your asking for a bomb.
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2018
    BenP likes this.
  12. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    There are no valves between it and the tank so the water can expand and hit the tank blow off valve if necessary. I will put some valves in before summer and put the blow off valve in at the same time.
     
    techsar likes this.
  13. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    What would you flush the copper lines with,Vinegar & water?
     
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  14. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    3
    3 to 1 white vinegar and CLP
     
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  15. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    I usually have to replace my FireBox Coils about once every 7-10 Years... It depends on the Hardness of the water that we get from the summer Water System... During the winter we mostly use Rain Water which is very Soft, and has almost No Dissolved Minerals... I keep two spare New Coils and a set of Copper Unions that are installed after the Coil is installed in the Stove, and ready to Hook Up to the Valves....
     
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  16. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    Same here , Also use a convection system as mine is, no worry about power to move heat.
    Mine i built in 1970's and replaced in 1999-2001 or so ..
    Hot water in winter 100% summer = Solar with PV over heaters now (I was collector's) .
    DHW is the largest draw on RE .
    Sloth
    Fisher stove , your in the PNW/BC area
     
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  17. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    Kentucky
     
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  18. Merkun

    Merkun furious dreamer

    Not necessarily, Eastern Region here. Fisher coal bear.
     
  19. rmchambers

    rmchambers Monkey++

    Is it a closed loop? or are you cycling your domestic hot water through the stove? If it's a closed loop you can likely just add an expansion tank and a blow off valve to keep you safe. The expansion tank will stop it blowing off unneccessarily and you'd be able to put some conditioner in the loop to keep the pipes from collecting junk.
     
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  20. BenP

    BenP Monkey++

    I am cycling the domestic hot water through it. I am going to put an expansion tank on it. Right now I have a little piece of rubber heater hose in the loop that leaks if it builds up too much pressure. The tank relief valve will also blow if necessary.
     
    Gator 45/70 likes this.
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