View Full Version : Endless hot water without electricity
With the winter season approaching (already there in some states), I figured this to be rather timely. I'm an FNG to the HSLD redneck engineering field, and I'm rather impressed by this. It doesn't look like it will keep the water hot per se, but warm enough to bathe in. I'm sure to you folks with 'still design experience, this is nothing new. However, for newbies like me, it's good to have tools like this in the proverbial toolbox:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IRLVCJ1olA
An alternate:
Google "Wood Gasifier"
or here: https://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46480&highlight=Gasifier
They are available commercially or DIY kits. I think more versatile, in that the gasifier can run a genset. That, in turn, will produce AC power for where ever you want..
:munchin
My home's wood burner/stove is located in close proximity to our hot water cylinder, thru an internal wall.
The wood burner/stove has a pipe running from it to the hot water cylinder to transfer heat to the hot water cylinder.
We also run an integrated solar water heating system from our roof to our hot water cylinder.
In winter, it requires a bit of wood being burned to turn off the hot water cylinder electric element.
in summer, our roof mounted solar hot water heater can easily max out the temperature to scalding.
Since heating water can take up to 40% of a family electric bill(assuming not running gas/oil), we've had a really big drop in our electric bill(post tax dollars) over the last 4-5 years we've been running them.