corey5988
forum member
I currently use Central Heat & Air for my home. I've been researching auxilary heating (boilers, forced air, etc.). I'm a huge DIY person and was looking at doing something myself. My idea is similar to that of a Heiss Heater (see link). They pretty much have a fire box encased in refractory concrete. Inside the concrete is ½” copper piping mazed all around. The heat from burning wood inside the fire box heats up the unit and in return the water. From there out it’s function is like that of any other boiler.
My idea is similar to that, but I would like to pour a cement retaining wall around the perimeter. I would run all my copper pipe around the unit and fill it with sand, up to where the bottom of the fire box would be. At that point I would pour my fire box from refractory concrete. Once cured, I would then run the rest of my copper pipe and fill with sand. I would probably add a small reserve box at the top of the unit with a pressure valve due to the water expansion and increased pressure with heat. I was thinking the unit would be around 516 gallon size (4’ x 3.5’ x 5’). comparable to traditional boilers with a 200 gallon firebox (2’3” x 3’ x 4’). What do you guys think of this idea? I’m going to make a unit either way, it’s just a matter of if I go for this or a traditional steel boiler. I really like this idea, as I would brick the unit when completed for a nice aesthetic finish. However I don’t want to go this route if function isn’t up to part.
My idea is similar to that, but I would like to pour a cement retaining wall around the perimeter. I would run all my copper pipe around the unit and fill it with sand, up to where the bottom of the fire box would be. At that point I would pour my fire box from refractory concrete. Once cured, I would then run the rest of my copper pipe and fill with sand. I would probably add a small reserve box at the top of the unit with a pressure valve due to the water expansion and increased pressure with heat. I was thinking the unit would be around 516 gallon size (4’ x 3.5’ x 5’). comparable to traditional boilers with a 200 gallon firebox (2’3” x 3’ x 4’). What do you guys think of this idea? I’m going to make a unit either way, it’s just a matter of if I go for this or a traditional steel boiler. I really like this idea, as I would brick the unit when completed for a nice aesthetic finish. However I don’t want to go this route if function isn’t up to part.
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