A guy here at work has a small shop he is currently heating with a small stand alone wood heater. The project is to wrap copper tubing around the stove and use an automotive radiator and box fan to blow heat. He knows he needs a pump to circulate the water and the radiator cap can be used as a pop off valve he can also use a pressure tank for bleed off. The questions are 1, radiator holds about 1-1/2 gallons, how much should the coils hold-2 times or more (3-4 gallons)? What kind of pump should he use, how many gpm?
This is mostly for play and if it works great, any web sites I can point him to that may help?
Why would you need the radiator and all the hassles of a coil? Why not just hook a fan up either in front of or behind the stove and blow the heat like that.
If you're looking to put the radiator in a differnt location than the stove, maybe putting duct work in and having a squirrel cage blower would be just as efficient, without the hassles of running both a blower and a water pump.
You'll also have to look at some sort of tank for water expansion. We have a wood stove that also heats water that we circulate. We use a circulation pump like you find on a household boiler. You might be able to get away with a regular 12v water pump.
i would think a sure flow pump would be up to the task being how its not going to be alot of water.
Dale
I don't know,but wouldn't you need a lot of water,like 50-100 gallons that was 180° or so that when it was circulating it would not cool down?What would happen when that 3-4 gallons cooled off,it would not have time to heat back up circulating.I use to use a regular stand fan in my basement to move the air.Box fans are even cheaper.
I am trying to understand why, like Ron Wenrich, you are thinking of water and radiator...??
If the need for hot water and a radiator at a distance from the wood stove, then maybe that is the reason for the plan.
I heat the entire house with hot water, and there is a 9 gal water jacket around the wood 'boiler', and hot (warm) water is pumped through three different zones. I like this hot water system, as the heat from the wood can be stored in the water, and pumped when and where needed. Not so with a straight wood heater...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/WoodboilerbaFF.jpg)
That looks like a nice system BT... 8)
Did you buy that or build part of it? One problem we have with our water is it has a slight electric charge which is very well suited to promote electrolisis. I would need to circulate RV antifreese or the like.
I didn't ask why, that's his business. I think it's a more of a "just to see if I can" project than anything.
jp
I bought the "boiler" and designed and fabricated the system to work with the gas boiler (originally an oil boiler). The stainless tank is a preheat tank with a copper coil inside it to hold 30 gal of water feeding the domestic hotwater heater (the coil is connected to the boiler water).
The water in the heating system is a closed system, and is not replenished unless there is a leak. That water has had boiler chemical added, but I've never tested it for charge or PH, just add to it (last time I added was when I changed some piping in the heat run, and it was 2001) when needed.
It is a great system, and heats this home of 1400 sq ft with rec room at below 0° F temps.
This boiler was made in northern MN in the 70's, and has gone out of business. If it burns through, or ever springs a leak, I will have a replacement built. Just welded steel plate rolled to the shape, one inside the other. Flat plate on back with thimble for stack. A hydrastat to open and close the damper below the sealed door.