The content of the article:
The problem of hot water becomes urgent where there is no centralized hot water supply: in country cottages, private urban and country houses. Today, the installation of a ready-made device for heating water to the required temperatures requires serious investment. An alternative way of supplying hot water is an indirect heating boiler, which can be manufactured independently. Its advantage is that hot water supply of residential premises is carried out in an economical mode and with minimal financial costs.
Features and the scheme of manufacturing of the boiler of indirect heating by own hands
In appearance, an indirect heating boiler is a large storage tank, independent of energy sources (gas, electricity, etc.). Inside the tank, made of corrosion-resistant material, a spiral tube is installed along which the coolant circulates. Cold water in the tank is fed through the inlet tube, usually located below. The water in the boiler is heated evenly by the moving heat carrier of the heating system. The outlet pipe for hot water is installed at the top. For convenience of use, the pipes are equipped with ball valves. Outside, the tank is covered with a layer of thermal insulation.
A drawing of manufacturing an indirect heater with a volume of 100 liters is shown below:
Schematic diagram of the boiler:
Heating water from the boiler enters the capacity of the water heater, where, passing through a spiral tube, it is converted into a cold one at the output. The return chilled water is returned to the boiler.
Advantages and disadvantages of an indirect heating boiler
Advantages of using a boiler made by yourself:
- connection to the central heating system;
- installation near the boiler;
- low installation costs;
- a significant reduction in energy consumption;
- providing constant temperature water.
The disadvantages are the following:
- for the installation of a boiler a large area or a separate room is required;
- for heating a large volume of water a long time is required, with heating of the premises to be carried out with less intensity;
- rapid formation of deposits on a serpentine tube, requiring cleaning by chemical or mechanical means twice a year.
This option for obtaining hot water is suitable during the heating season. At other times, the role of the heat carrier can be performed by the electric heater built into the boiler tank.
Then the water will be heated by electricity. In this case, the boiler can be switched on at night, when night, low tariffs or as needed.
Manufacture of a boiler with own hands
Due to the rather simple principle of operation, such a device can be made independently. Now let's look at how to make a boiler of indirect heating with your own hands.
All work on the manufacture of a water heater consists of assembling the components of the structure:
Tank
The tank is used as the capacity of the boiler. Its volume depends on the needs of the owners of the house in hot water and is calculated from the amount of 50-70 liters per person daily. Approximately a family of 4 people fit a 200-liter boiler.
For the heating device, the tank must be made of stainless steel, aluminum alloys or other material that is resistant to corrosion. As an alternative - a gas cylinder, but its walls must first be cleaned and primed. Without this action, hot water will have a smell of gas.
5 holes are made in the tank: 2 on the side for mounting the coil, one at the bottom for the inlet pipe, one at the top for water extraction and one at the bottom for the drain cock. To use the boiler outside the heating season, it is necessary to provide for the installation of a heating element. The lower hole is also drilled for it. Locked elements or ball valves are attached to the holes made.
Coil
A copper or brass tube is suitable for this element, the diameter and length of which depend on the volume of the tank. On average, for every 10 liters, the thermal power of the serpentine tube is calculated. You can use a tube made of metal-plastic or another metal with good heat transfer.
The tube is wound in a spiral on a cylindrical mandrel. For this, you can take a log or a pipe of large diameter.
When winding the coil, it is important to monitor the coils:
- in order to ensure the best contact of the heating surface of the tube with the water being heated, the turns must not touch each other;
- it is not necessary to do the winding with excessive force, then it will not be easy to remove the coil from the mandrel.
- The number of turns on the coil is calculated from the volume and height of the tank.
Thermal insulation
From the outside, the tank must be covered with a layer of insulation. It is necessary to increase the efficiency and reduce heat losses. For the insulation of the tank suitable mounting foam, mineral wool or any other thermal insulation material, which is attached to the base of wire, glue or strip ties. For a neat appearance, the tank body is better covered with a thin sheet metal or foil insulation.
You can also heat the tank with another container of larger diameter. To do this, the made boiler is inserted into the big tank with its own hands, and the chamber is filled with a heat-insulating material or foam plastic on the thermos principle.
Installation
Assembly of the boiler, made by own hands, is carried out after preparation of all components:
- the coil along the center or along the walls is mounted inside the tank, nozzles are soldered to its inlet and outlet pipes;
- for a vertically standing boiler, the supports are welded to the bottom, for the hinged device - hinges "ears
- a heater is installed;
- The boiler is tightly closed with a lid;
- connection of the coil according to the scheme for manufacturing an indirect heating boiler to the heating circuit contour;
- connection of the water inlet / outlet pipe;
- Piping the pipe into the kitchen or into the bathroom at the point of draw-off.
