Heat gun on various types of fuel do it yourself

With the help of heat guns, you can quickly raise the air temperature even in large rooms, therefore, they are so successfully used for heating farms, greenhouses, warehouses and other industrial buildings.

But if you are looking for an inexpensive device for private use: garage heating, appliances, or drying finishing materials - the solution can be a home-made, made from quite affordable accessories. And how to assemble a heat gun with our own hands will be discussed in this article, offering you three simple options.

But first, let's look at the main varieties of these devices and their features. Also pay attention to the rules of safe operation.

Varieties of heat guns and their features

The principle of operation of all guns is almost the same - they draw in cold air, heat it and dissipate it around the room in a warm stream. The main structural elements of heat generators: the case, the engine, the fan (except IR devices) and the heating element.

The main difference of devices on which their power and productivity of work depends is the source of energy.

Consider the existing types of heat guns and the nuances of their operation.

Type No. 1 - liquid fuel aggregates

The most powerful guns, widely used for production, construction and agricultural needs, work on liquid fuel (diesel, diesel, gasoline, kerosene and even oil processing). The fuel is ignited directly in the gun chamber and heats the air injected by the compressor to high temperatures.

Thanks to non-freezing fuel, such units are effective even in the open air at temperatures of -30 degrees and below.

By type of heating are divided into:

1. Direct-flow - the most powerful devices among all types of heat guns, which impress with their productivity. Their efficiency surely reaches 100%, the maximum power is 220 kW, and the outlet air temperature is up to 400 degrees. But, despite such high efficiency, the use of such guns is limited to non-residential buildings, where there are no people or other living beings, and open construction sites. And all because with direct heating in a hot stream of air remain harmful substances to health.
2. Aggregates indirect heating - have a closed combustion chamber, equipped with an exhaust chimney, so they can be used in crowded areas. And although the efficiency of such devices will be significantly lower than that of direct-flow (about 60%), but due to the minimum power consumption and low fuel costs, they are popular both on a production scale and for private of use.

Depending on the availability and quality of filters, as well as other structural nuances, there are diesel or multi-fuel guns.

The former prefer the “winter” diesel fuel, kerosene and diesel fuel, the latter perfectly perceive cheaper types of fuel, including waste oil, therefore, are especially in demand when heating car repair shops, gas stations and other premises, where this fuel is excess.

An overview of the best manufacturers of guns direct and indirect heating, we led in this article.

Type 2 - gas heat generators

Gas heat guns can perform the role of stationary heaters and connect to the trunk pipeline with natural gas. But you can also use them as mobile structures, if you stock up with a balloon with liquefied propane / butane, which is desirable to equip gearbox for safe operation.

Like liquid-fuel, gas guns are divided into devices of direct and indirect heating.

The principle of operation of the gas unit:

• The gas flow enters the burner in the chamber.
• Ignition ignites the fuel and heats the heat exchanger to a high temperature.
• The fan circulates hot and cold air streams.
• Gas combustion products either remain in the stream (with direct heating), or are discharged into the chimney.

The disadvantages of the device include loud work (loud pops are attached to the fan noise when connected to a cylinder) and the need for regular ventilation of the room.

The power of gas heat generators reaches 140 kW, which is much higher than electrical appliances, but inferior to diesel units. The main advantages are fast space heating and low fuel cost.

Type 3 - electric heat guns

Inside the metal case of the device there is an open spiral or Heating elementthat converts electrical current into thermal energy. Thanks to the work of the fan, the air circulates along the heating element, raises its temperature and exits the “muzzle” of the gun already warm.

Advantages of electric heaters:

• The absence of harmful fumes - the device is environmentally friendly and does not pollute the air with the development of fuel.
• The availability of an energy source - for low-power devices, a conventional 220-watt power supply is sufficient, but devices with characteristics from 5 kW will require connection to a three-phase network.
• Low price - electrical devices belong to the budget segment of heat guns.
• Ability to work at low temperatures.
• Do not need refueling.

In addition to “binding” to electricity, of the drawbacks can be noted the low power of the device (from 1 to 45 kW) - for open areas or poorly insulated buildings, they are ineffective. Also, heating elements strongly dry out the air, so the room will have to be regularly aired. Well, the main disadvantage of any electrical engineering is impressive electricity bills.

View №4 - water and infrared devices

And finish the review of the range of two types of heat generators, which have significant structural differences from other guns.

In infrared devices, thermal energy is converted into a stream of infrared radiation, which heats the air a second time, because the main amount of heat goes to objects that the "muzzle" is directed to. Therefore, such heaters are widely used in severe frosts to start equipment, as well as at the construction site - for drying materials, screeds, plaster, paints and varnishes. The device itself is working on the DP or diesel.

The design of the water gun is supplemented with a heat exchanger with hot water. In fact, these are familiar heaters or an extra battery with a fan that connects to the central heating system.

The essence of the device is simple - the circulating hot water transfers its heat to the heat exchanger pipes, they heat the air, and the fan distributes it throughout the entire volume of the room.

Variants of self-manufacturing heatpush

If it is better to purchase a water and infrared unit in its finished form, it is quite affordable to make an electric, diesel or even gas heater with your own hands.

Let us consider in more detail the sequence of work on the manufacture of simple low-power guns.

Homemade # 1 - DIY Gas Gun

For heating a garage, a country house or a small greenhouse, you can make a heat unit that will be connected to a gas cylinder. But for this you need a grinder, a drill with metal drills and a welding machine.

Have you ever done welding? In this case, we recommend an educational program for electric welding for beginners.

To assemble the structure, you need the following elements:

• thick-walled refractory pipe, which will play the role of the body, 1-1.5 m long and up to 18 cm in diameter;
• the second metal pipe with a smaller diameter - for the combustion chamber;
• metal strip plates with a thickness of 2 mm - 4-8 pcs;
• burner (can be from a gas boiler or column);
• Schlag with gear to adjust the gas supply;
• a fan whose size coincides with the inner diameter of the future case;
• fittings for legs or the pallet on which the gun will be placed.

Step by step instructions for making:

1. In the pipe you need to drill holes on both sides at a distance of 2-3 cm from the edge. The first is designed to supply gas, so its diameter must match the size of the hose. The second is for the hot air outlet, about 5 cm in diameter.
2. A narrower tube is inserted inside the body - the future combustion chamber. Metal plates must be welded to it, which will reliably fix the structure, and this “core” is installed so that its edge protrudes beyond the boundaries of the large pipe.
3. Metal sheet grinder cutand then a circle of such size is welded to hermetically close the end gap formed between the inner and outer tube.
4. Now a burner is installed in the combustion chamber (some craftsmen replace this with a metal shower head, but it is better to use the factory part). Then a hole is drilled for ignition and joins. gas supply hose.
5. The opening of the housing on the second side is closed by a fan, which is fixed with screws on the metal flange and welded to the pipe.
6. To properly install the device, it is important to think of a stable base, for example, to make a frame structure of iron reinforcement.

After assembling the heat gun, you need to check the quality of the joints and the tightness of all connections (especially the gas hose). Only after that you can do a test run: light the burner through the ignition hole, open the fuel supply valve, make sure that the gas starts to burn and turn on the fan.

Additionally, you can equip the gun with a thermostat so that it stops when the temperature in the room will reach the programmed rate (and, accordingly, turned on when the degrees).

And to control the power of the air flow will help gate or rotating flap installed between the homemade metal and factory fan flanges.

Homemade # 2 - electric heater with heating elements

The mains air trap is the easiest device to manufacture. However, due to the large electricity consumption, it is rarely used as the main heating, but this is a good option. in order to reduce the humidity and quickly warm up the room for spending the night in a country house or while working in the garage, workshop.

For the manufacture will need:

• Preparation for the body - it can be a sheet of galvanized metal with a thickness of 1 mm, asbestos pipe, an old pan or other container with a diameter of up to 25 cm (it is better to be oriented on the size of the fan and TENA).
• A heating element.
• An electric motor with an impeller - depending on the size and power of the gun, it can be either a fan from a domestic exhaust or an element from an old Soviet vacuum cleaner.
• A switch that opens and connects the circuit to the network.
• Pad for fixing the heater.
• Safety automatics - for a spiral on 25 A and for an engine on 6A.

First, we manufacture a case with a diameter of 20-25 cm - if it is a sheet of iron, it must be bent, giving the shape of a cylinder, weld or fix with rivets. Inside the “barrel” is placed the heater and fixed at a right angle to the walls of the case.

Instead of ready-made heaters, you can also use nichrome thread, wound on a frame of a strip of asbestos sheet or other suitable material. This design will take a large area (almost the entire length of the pipe) and, accordingly, will heat the room faster.

The second edge of the cannon is closed by an impeller and is fixed to the standard fastenings. After that, it remains to separately connect the heating element and the fan to the power cord through the fuses and connect a switch disconnecting the power grid.

Obligatory moment - all wires and the ends of the spiral outside the gun must be carefully insulated.

If a sheet of metal was used for the body, it is worth thinking about its additional thermal insulation and a stand from the same reinforcement. And for convenient transportation you need to equip the gun with 1-2 handles.

Do not want to bother with the manufacture of homemade? In this case, it is easier to buy a ready-made gun in the store - we recommend that you read the best manufacturers such equipment.

Homemade # 3 - diesel gun

To assemble a unit that runs on liquid fuel, you need to make three basic structural elements - a housing, a combustion chamber and a fuel tank equipped with a pump. And for this you need a welding machine and a good experience with it.

Algorithm of actions for assembling a liquid fuel gun:

1. For the body you need to choose a cylindrical tank or galvanized pipe of large diameter. A combustion chamber is placed inside - a thick-walled pipe with a diameter half the size of the body, at the end of which the nozzle is attached. Also, the combustion chamber must be equipped with a spark-forming device, such as piezo igniter or a candle.
2. After installing and centering the camera, the outer casing is sealed on one side, and on the other side it is closed by a fan. Only the technological openings for the chimney pipe and for the nozzle remain open.
3. For fuel you need to choose a container with a volume of 5-10 liters. You can buy a finished tank or do it yourself, the main requirement is that it be made of a material with low thermal conductivity, which prevents the structure from overheating. If this is not found, take a container made of metal and simply wrap it with thermal insulation.
4. Then you need to place between the upper casing and the lower fuel tank high pressure pump and cleaning filter.
5. Now we connect the nozzle with the pump and the filter using an annealed red-copper tube to supply fuel, and equip the fan with a dimmer and connect it to the electrical grid.
6. At the final stage, it remains to weld a branch pipe with a pipe or corrugation to the body for the output of combustion products.

Before testing the device, be sure to show it to a professional — for example, a specialist from a car service center.

Rules for the safe use of guns

It's no secret that all homemade devices are objects of increased danger, because the wrong design and assembly may cause a fire, a person being shocked and others troubles.

But most accidents happen not so much because of design errors, but rather because of elementary neglect of safety measures.

Recall the basic rules of operation:

1. All heat traps for direct heating can be used only if there is good (best forced) ventilation. But even in such conditions, staying longer than a couple of hours in a room with a direct-flow diesel or gas gun is fraught with headaches and other symptoms of poisoning.
2. The body of the gun (especially if it is made of metal) is very hot during operation, because in contrast from factory models, homemade devices are not equipped with insulating layers inside casing. Therefore, it is important to take care of a stable base, which will exclude the spontaneous rolling of the cylinder, and not heating up the handle.
3. The “muzzle” of units with open burners should be covered with a protective mesh screen, and it is advisable to equip the electric gun with grounding.
4. Never direct the flow of hot air towards fuel canisters or gas cylinders. And in general, the distance from the exit of hot air to the nearest object should be at least 2 meters.
5. To ignite the burner in the gas and diesel gun, use a special lighter on a long handle.
6. Before shutting down, allow the fan to run without fuel for several minutes so that it can cool the device.

And finally - no matter how confident you are in the quality of the assembly and the safety of the connections, never leave a home-made gun to work unattended.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

To get a visual representation of the guns, working from various sources of energy, we have prepared several videos with tips from the masters who have already collected devices from all sorts of assistants materials. Perhaps one example will inspire you to experiment.

Gas gun made to heat the garage:

How to make an electric gun from an old fire extinguisher:

The self-made heatgenerator working on working off of oil:

Electric cans from conventional pans:

Although it seems that a home-made gun is the most budgetary solution to the issue of heating non-residential premises, its production requires certain knowledge and experience.

The cost of a mistake can be an explosion of equipment, fire, poisoning by combustion products and even human life. Therefore, really appreciate your skills and think: perhaps it is worth to enlist the support of experts or just buy ready device.

You have decided to assemble a heat gun from scrap materials and want to clarify a couple of nuances? Ask your questions to our experts and other site visitors in the block under this article.

Or maybe we already use a homemade gun and want to advise something to newcomers in this business? Share a unique photo of your creation, write recommendations, leave valuable comments.