The main advantage of the device is the economical consumption of hot water at minimal cost. Masters use different sources to heat water: electric heater, solar energy, heat from the boiler. This article will describe how to make a water heater.
Design of indirect heating boiler
Indirect heating boiler is a storage tank that is not dependent on energy resources (gas, electricity, etc.). Inside the tank, made of stainless steel, there is a heating element in the form of a spiral.
Cold water enters the tank through the inlet pipe located at the bottom of the device. Heating of water in the unit is carried out by means of the moving heat carrier of system of heating. The outlet pipe for hot water is located at the top. To make the use of the tank convenient, it is equipped with ball valves. The outer part of the device is covered with heat-insulating material.
The water heater circuit is shown below.
Pros of the device
To plusesaggregate can be attributed to:
- possibility of connection to the central heating system;
- installation near the heating boiler;
- small cash costs when installing the circuit;
- energy savings;
- constant temperature water supply.
Cons
- Installing a boiler requires a large area or a separate room.
- It will take a long time to heat a large volume of water, and the heating level of the room will noticeably decrease.
- Scaling quickly forms on the coil. It needs to be cleaned with chemicals. You can also use the mechanical method. The procedure is carried out twice a year.
Making the unit with your own hands
Since the principle of operation of the device is simple, anyone can build a water heater with their own hands. The whole process is based on the assembly of component parts.
To make a water heater with your own hands, you need to follow these steps:
- prepare a special container;
- make a serpentine;
- provide thermal insulation;
- self-assemble water heater;
- connect the heating element;
- provide cold water supply;
- build piping;
- install taps.
What components will be needed
- Copper coil or tube heat exchanger.
- 32mm nut.
- Pipesplastic.
- Welding machine.
- Nitro primer.
Correct choice of capacity
A storage tank acts as a container. The indicator of its volume depends on the needs of users for hot water. The calculation is carried out according to the following principle: 50-70 liters of water per person daily. A 200 liter container will do for a family of four.
When choosing a material, you should pay attention to how susceptible it is to corrosion. As a rule, aluminum alloy or plastic is used. A do-it-yourself boiler can be made from steel treated with anti-rust protective agents.
The basis of a storage water heater can be a pipe from a heat main. So you get a cylinder without a seam. But experts advise making a water heater from a material such as stainless steel. Its price is acceptable. Iron, as you know, releases substances harmful to the body. A stainless steel water heater will be absolutely safe for he alth.
You should also think about the weight of the pipe. A linear meter 720X10 weighs approximately 140 kg. The price of one kg is 12 rubles. How much does stainless steel cost? The price of 1 kg of the AISI304 series is 130 rubles. The weight of a 2000x1000x1 sheet is 16 kg.
To make a boiler with your own hands will cost you 2000 rubles. If the metal is bent along the length, then a cylinder will be obtained, the height of which will be 1 m, and the diameter will be approximately 63 cm. A thicker steel sheet will not work, as it is difficult to work with. Volumetank will be approximately 318 liters.
The result is a wonderful home-made container in which you can install a factory-made heating element for water. Its power should be 6 kW. He will be able to heat 300 liters of water in three hours. If you use a heating element with a power of 2 kW, then it will take a whole night.
The tank is supplied with two holes. One is located at the top of the case. It serves to supply hot water. The other is below. Its function is to supply cold water. Each port is equipped with ball valves.
An alternative to a tank is a gas bottle.
Cylinder boiler
If you decide to make a boiler from a gas cylinder, then it is better to purchase it new and without a valve. If an old container is used, the hot water may smell of gas.
Cylinder needs pre-priming. For this purpose, it is cut into two halves. To prevent an explosion, we advise you to pre-fill it with water. The interior of the structure is cleaned and primed. Thus rusting is prevented. After that, the balloon is brewed.
Two holes are cut into the tank to drain hot and cold water. At the cold water inlet, the supply pipe is equipped with a check valve. This prevents water from running out of the tank.
In order to get an indirect type heater that will function from the heating system, in addition to the outlets for hot and cold water, two more holes are made for installationheat exchanger. It has one pipe adjacent to another.
The coil is installed in the center of the tank or along its walls. Branch pipes are welded to its inlet and outlet pipes.
If you want your device to stand, then you should weld supports to it. Attachment will require loops in the form of "lugs".
A 32 mm nut is welded to the place where the heating element 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 main element of the design is a gas cylinder.
How to make a serpentine?
The coil is an important part of the device. It can be based on a metal or metal-plastic pipe with a small diameter. As a rule, copper or brass are used, as they have a high level of heat transfer. The manufacturer can choose the diameter of the coil at his discretion. The main condition is that its contact with water should be maximum.
The serpentine tube is wound in a spiral 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 must not touch each other.
Do not make the coil tight as it will be very difficult to remove the coil from the mandrel.
The number of turns on the coil is directly dependent on the volume and height of the tank. howas a rule, for every 10 liters, 1.5 kW of heating coil power is used.
Insulation
In order to minimize heat loss, the tank should be wrapped with a layer of thermal insulation.
For this purpose, apply:
- building foam;
- isolon;
- polyurethane foam;
- foam;
- mineral wool.
Some craftsmen use a foil-based laminate underlay. The water heater is wrapped in this case like a thermos. The insulation is attached with wire, glue or strip ties. We advise you to insulate the entire body.
Sheathing will not only ensure long-term preservation of hot water, but also reduce the duration of heating the tank, which will reduce the flow of coolant. Without well-equipped thermal insulation, the water in the device will quickly cool down.
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 container, loops are welded to the upper part of its body, and a metal corner is installed on the wall to which they are attached.
Other ways to make a water heater
You can build a solar-powered water heater. This is a fairly common design, which is distinguished by efficiency. The device is often found in country houses. Making the device is not particularly difficult, so many people can build it with their own hands.
You will need:
- big tankcontainers (100 l and more);
- PVC pipes for filling the tank and supplying water to it;
- 20 mm steel angles or 50 mm square wood bars for container frame.
As a container, it is more expedient to use polyethylene barrels. They are distinguished by strength. They should stand in a sunny place where there is no wind. As a rule, the summer shower roof is chosen for installation.
In order for the barrel to heat up better, it must be painted black. Screens are mounted on the leeward side for protection. They are constructed from boards covered with reflective material like foil. In this case, the sun's rays are directed to the tank and increase the temperature of the water. In hot weather, in a 200 liter container, you can get water at a temperature of 45 ºС.
PET bottle water 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 valves or ball valves.
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. The neck of another is inserted into the hole in the bottom of the bottle. This is how they connect. Each battery consists of 10 bottles. The number of batteries is not limited. All joints are treated with sealant.
Finished modules are located on the southernside of the roof on the internal waves of the slate coating. The output of each section is connected to a PVC pipe, which is located perpendicular to them. The insertion of each section is carried out by analogy with the connection of bottles into a battery, followed by the processing of all joints with glue.
In the main pipe, to which the outlets of each battery are connected, valves are mounted on both sides for supplying cold water and discharging hot water.
This homemade water heater has a fairly high level of functionality. One person needs 100 liters of water to take a shower. Based on this indicator, it is possible to calculate the volume of the structure.
In summer, in sunny weather, 60 liters of water can be heated up to 45 ºС in an hour. This temperature is quite suitable for domestic and household needs in the country.
Conclusion
The skyrocketing cost of energy is forcing many to create cheap alternatives. Many build a water heater with their own hands and create comfort at minimal cost.
