The main advantage of the device is the economical use of hot water at minimum cost. To heat the water, the masters use different sources: electric heating elements, solar energy, heat from the boiler. This article will describe how to make a water heater.
Indirect heating boiler design
Indirect heating boiler is a storage tank, which is not dependent on energy resources (gas, electricity, etc.). Inside the container made of stainless steel, there is TEN1 in the form of a spiral.
Cold water enters the tank through the inlet pipe located at the bottom of the device. Water heating in the unit is carried out using a moving coolant heating system. The hot water outlet pipe is located at the top. To use the tank was convenient, it is equipped with ball valves. The outer part of the device is covered with insulating material.
The water heater diagram is presented below.
Device advantages
The advantages of the unit include:
- the ability to connect to a central heating system;
- installation near a heating boiler;
- low cash costs when installing the circuit;
- economical use of energy resources;
- water supply with a constant temperature indicator.
Minuses
- Installation of a boiler requires a large area or a separate room.
- To heat a large volume of water will take a lot of time, while the level of heating of the room will noticeably decrease.
- Scale quickly forms on the coil. It needs to be cleaned with chemicals. You can apply the mechanical method. The procedure is carried out twice a year.
DIY assembly
Since the principle of operation of the device is simple, to build a water heater with your own hands is anyone's strength. The whole process is built on the assembly of components.
To make a water heater with your own hands, you need to perform the following steps:
- prepare a special container;
- make a coil;
- provide thermal insulation;
- assemble the water heater yourself;
- connect the heating element;
- provide cold water;
- build pipe wiring;
- install water taps.
What components are needed
- Copper coil or pipe-based heat exchanger.
- 32 mm nut.
- Pipes made of plastic.
- Apparatus for welding.
- Nitrogrunting.
The right choice of capacity
The storage tank acts as a tank. The indicator of its volume depends on the needs of users in hot water. The calculation is carried out according to the following principle: 50-70 liters of water per person daily. For a family of four, a 200-liter capacity is suitable.
When choosing a material, you should pay attention to how susceptible it is to corrosion. As a rule, aluminum alloy or plastic is used. Do-it-yourself boiler can be made of steel treated with rust protection agents.
The basis of the storage water heater can be a pipe from a heat main. So you get a seamless cylinder. But experts advise making a water heater from a material such as stainless steel. The price for it is acceptable. Iron, as you know, releases substances harmful to the body. A stainless steel water heater will be absolutely safe for health.
You should also think about the weight of the pipe. A running meter 720X10 weighs approximately 140 kg. The price of one kg is 12 p. How much is a stainless steel? Price 1 kg of the AISI304 series is 130 p. The weight of a sheet measuring 2000x1000x1 is 16 kg.
Making a boiler with your own hands will cost you 2000 rubles. If the metal is bent along the length, you will get a cylinder with a height of 1 m and a diameter of about 63 cm. A thicker steel sheet will not work, since it is difficult to work with it. The volume of the tank will be approximately 318 liters.
The result is a wonderful home-made tank in which you can install a heater for factory-made water. Its power should be 6 kW. He will be able to heat 300 liters of water in three hours. If you apply a heater with a power of 2 kW, then you need a whole night.
The tank is supplied with two openings. One is located at the top of the case. It serves to supply hot water. The other is downstairs. Its function is to supply cold water. Each hole is equipped with ball valves.
An alternative to the tank is a gas cylinder.
Gas cylinder boiler
If you decide to make a boiler out of a gas cylinder, then it is better to purchase it new and without a valve. If an old tank is used, hot water may have a gas odor.
The cylinder needs a preliminary primer. To this end, it is cut into two halves. To prevent an explosion, we recommend pre-filling it with water. The interior of the structure is cleaned and primed. This prevents rusting. After that, the cylinder is brewed.
Two holes are cut out in the container, designed to drain hot and cold water. At the inlet of cold water, the supply pipe is equipped with a check valve. This prevents leakage of water from the tank.
In order to get an indirect type heater that will operate from the heating system, in addition to the outlets for hot and cold water, two more holes are made for installing a heat exchanger. In it, one pipe is adjacent to another.
The coil is installed in the center of the tank or along its walls. Pipes are welded to its inlet and outlet pipe.
If you want your device to stand, then supports should be welded to it. For the attachment, loops in the form of “ears” will be required.
A 32 mm nut is welded to the place where the heater will be installed. It must have an internal thread. It is advisable to install a heating element for water with the presence of thermoregulation or a signaling sensor. Its power should be 1.2–2 kW.
The result is an indirect heating boiler. In this case, the gas cylinder is the main structural element.
How to make a coil?
The coil is an important part of the device. For its basis, you can take a metal or metal-plastic pipe with a small diameter. As a rule, copper or brass are used, as they are characterized by a high level of heat transfer. The diameter of the coil manufacturer can choose at his discretion. The main condition is that its contact with water is maximum.
The serpentine tube is spirally screwed onto a cylinder-shaped mandrel. For this purpose, a log or pipe with a large diameter is used. When winding the coil, it is necessary to monitor the turns. They should not touch each other.
Do not wind tight, as removing the coil from the mandrel will be very difficult.
The number of turns on the coil is directly dependent on the volume and height of the tank. As a rule, 1.5 kW of the coil’s thermal power is used for every 10 liters.
Thermal insulation
To minimize heat loss, the tank should be wrapped with a layer of thermal insulation.
For this purpose apply:
- construction foam;
- Isolon
- polyurethane foam;
- foam;
- mineral wool.
Some craftsmen use a foil-based laminate backing. The water heater is wrapped in this case, like a thermos. The insulation is fastened with wire, glue or strip ties. We recommend warming the entire case.
The casing will provide not only a long-term preservation of hot water, but also reduce the duration of heating the tank, which will reduce the flow of coolant. Without a well-equipped thermal insulation, the water in the device will cool quickly.
Often they resort to the construction of a double tank: a small tank is placed inside a large one. The space created between them also performs a heat-insulating function.
To fix the tank, hinges are welded onto the upper part of its body, and a metal corner is mounted on the wall to which they are attached.
Other methods of manufacturing a water heater
You can build a water heater that functions from the sun. This is a fairly common design, which is characterized by efficiency. The device is often found in country houses. The manufacture of the device is not particularly difficult, so many can build it with their own hands.
You will need:
- large capacity tank (100 l or more);
- PVC pipes for filling the tank and supplying water to it;
- corners made of steel 20 mm in size or square bars made of wood 50 mm in size for the frame under the tank.
It is more expedient to use plastic barrels as a container. They are distinguished by durability. They should stand in a sunny place in which there is no wind. As a rule, for installation choose the roof of a summer shower.
In order for the barrel to heat up better, it needs to be painted black. On the leeward side, screens are mounted for protection. They are constructed from boards coated with reflective foil type material. In this case, the sun's rays are directed to the tank and increase the temperature of the water. In hot weather, in a container of 200 liters, you can get water, the temperature of which will be 45 º.
Water Bottle Heater
Do-it-yourself water heater from ordinary plastic bottles can be made in one day. They form the basis of the storage tank. The number of bottles depends on the desired capacity.
For installation you will need:
- sealant;
- PVC pipes;
- drill;
- two ball valves or taps.
First of all, bottles are prepared. A hole is drilled in the bottom of each, the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the neck. A neck of another is inserted into the opening of the bottom of the bottle. So their connection occurs. Each battery consists of 10 bottles. The number of batteries is unlimited. All joints are sealed.
Ready-made modules are located on the south side of the roof on the internal waves of the slate coating. The output of each section is connected to a PVC pipe, which is perpendicular to them. The insertion of each section is carried out by analogy with the connection of the bottles into the battery, followed by glue processing of all joints.
In the main pipe to which the outputs of each battery are connected, valves are mounted on both sides for supplying cold water and draining hot water.
Such a home-made water heater has a fairly high level of functionality. To take a shower, one person needs 100 liters of water. Based on this indicator, it is possible to calculate the volume of the structure.
In summer, in sunny weather, you can heat 60 liters of water per hour to 45 º in an hour. This temperature is quite suitable for domestic and household needs in the country.
Conclusion
The rapid rise in price of energy forces many to create cheap alternative devices. Many people build a water heater with their own hands and create comfort at minimal cost.