The copper coil is wrapped around the stovepipe of the kitchen woodstove. There's a water tank behind the wall that it feeds. The good news is that it does warm the water. The bad news is that it's not quite hot enough for a shower. However, it is warm enough to do dishes without getting frostbite. That's an improvement. I'll let it run overnight and see exactly how warm it gets.
If it's still too cool I'll add a copper loop directly to the back of the firebox and then feed it into the stovepipe coil. One of the dangers of this type of water heater is getting the water dangerously hot. I rather err on the side of caution. The days have been mild, so the woodstove hasn't run especially hot.
The mild weather is knocking down the snow. The warmer temperatures, plus heavy rain, is causing some flooding. My house isn't in any danger, being on a hillside.
There's still snow around my house, but that resource will soon be gone. Resource? You might ask. Indeed. The refrigerator hasn't even been plugged in since we got home. To conserve power, we've been harvesting snow and using it like a big ice box. That has worked surprisingly well. Of course, now that we are “post peak snow,” I have to make other arrangements.
I've been working on a design that will greatly reduce power needs for refrigeration -should it work. If other distractions are kept to a minimum, it won't be long before I post pics of that project.
However, distractions keep popping up. I'm in the process of cleaning out a storage unit. My daughter left a lot of stuff behind when she moved to California. I don't know why she even bothered getting a unit. There's only one thing that she wanted to keep. My lovely wife and I are picking through some of the stuff. We've offered the rest to friends and family. If they don't want anything it's going to be abandoned.
We are well into New Hampshire's 5th season -Mud Season. The yard and driveways are a mess. Once things dry out a bit, the debris from a harsh winter will get cleaned up.
At least I'm not bored.
-Sixbears
Would wrapping the pipe and coils in that photo in a layer or two of aluminium foil help trap any radiant heat and reflect it back onto the coils?
ReplyDeleteFoil would not stand up to the heat over time. I've slid the metal collar down to photograph it.
DeleteThanks for the photo Sixbears... it's a simple type of wetback system... I'm wondering why don't you have pipes going in and out of the firebox? Yes it is more complex...
ReplyDeleteIt would be hard to do with this stove,due to its construction. A small loop in the firebox would do the trick nicely.
DeleteHowever, I don't need much more as the temperature is almost there.
I have some duce and a half plates for heating batteries want them free
ReplyDeleteCould it be the sharp bent joint just below the flue on the photo? I am sure I have read somewhere that a 90 degree bend can reduce the flow by half.
ReplyDeleteIt might,but I still get enough circulation to do the trick.
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