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[jksweld]

Hey Guys

     Im new here, been lookin around on the forum for the last 3 days, alot of info and talented people here. I live in central WV in a 1600 sq ft home, everything is electric in it. Ive been welding and fabricating for 12 years and Im lookin to build a OWB boiler. The plan is using the stove just for heat. I understand the concept of how they work with a firebox inside a water jacket and the lines running to the house with a radiator in my forced air system, dont completely understand the whole circulation pump, aqua stat, and etc. also how to keep the water from gettin to hot. Im lookin for simplicity as $$ is very, very, tight. Lookin to build out of items that can be found insted of buyin steel, and other items new. I have an abundance of wood so thats no problem. Any advice, tips, or critism is apprecited. Thanks in advance!!

[Bull]

Welcome to the site, the aquastat controls the water temp by opening the firebox vent when the water gets to low and closing it when the temp gets to your max setting. It also controls a blower to put more air into the fire if your design calls for one. The pump circulates the hot water to your house to the heat exchanger that you add to your furnace.

[jackel440]

Welcome
Lots of good info here for you to research. Take your time and have a plan layed out.you will finds all kinds of little things that you will want to change as you go.
Good luck
Just ask if you don't know.someone will always be glad to help ya out.

[jksweld]

Thanks Guys, thats the way I had the aqua stat figured. How many gallon boiler would i need just to heat my 1600 sq ft home. Could I get by with say 50 gal water jacket after my system is full?

[martyinmi]

Thanks Guys, thats the way I had the aqua stat figured. How many gallon boiler would i need just to heat my 1600 sq ft home. Could I get by with say 50 gal water jacket after my system is full?

I heated my home for the last 3 or 4 months of the winter with an Empyre Pro series 100. It holds about 30-35 gallons of water. It worked beautifully for me. There are a few different theory's about which is better- namely- small tank cycling frequently, or large tank cycling infrequently. I guess I'm a bigger fan of small water capacity with a fairly large wood capacity. The technicians and engineers that I've spoken to have agreed that cycling frequently helps keep condensate and creosote at a minimum. They've explained to me that a smoldering fire is the worst kind to have if boiler longevity is expected. My first homebuilt OWB had(has) around 80 gallons of water capacity, and for what it was(is), that seemed to be just about right. Mine was a 2' well pipe 4' long inside of a 3' well pipe 5' long. My home is close to 1800 sq.ft., not insulated all that well, and that size worked except for 10-15 days/year when I'd have to load it 3x/day.
BTW- welcome to the forum!
   Marty
   BTW-

[jksweld]

thanks marty!! If you wouldnt mind could you explain to me what you used for a circulation pump, and radiator, and how you controlled your heat in the tank or firebox?!?!  Or if its on here ill gladly look it up myself, just tell me where to go!!

[jksweld]

Well I just scored the first part of my OWB!!!! 500 gal propane tank. Havent seen it yet so im unsure of the actual sizes. Called the neighbor and he said he had one and I could have it for free!!!!

[rosewood]

just make sure you purge tank with a inert gas or this could be your last post..lol

[beeman]

grate find be sure you vent that burgger before you cut it down. i would use it as fire box it is 3/8 thick  this is how mine is i used 1/2 plate for front and back. used a a/c coil for the water that i modified  not quite done but getting closer have about 600.00 into it  thease guyes have been the best of help  with much talent some improvements i would like to do is the door hinges like willeg has best i can tell you is the old junk can be trying over new steel           by the way i would take all the valves off shoot a couple  of holes in it then start a fire around it  but then again this is me not telling you how to do it ive been told that iam not right ha ha ha ha ha

[jackel440]

There is some good info over on the Hearth website's forum about those guys cleaning out and modifying LP tanks.They used some different chemicals or soaps to remove most of the scent agent from inside the tank.I believe they were putting a little solution in then rolloing the tanks around.
You could also fill the tank with water and then start cutting the tank.
Different ways to do things.Good luck with it

[martyinmi]

thanks marty!! If you wouldnt mind could you explain to me what you used for a circulation pump, and radiator, and how you controlled your heat in the tank or firebox?!?!  Or if its on here ill gladly look it up myself, just tell me where to go!!
[/qu ote]
I use a 3 speed Grundfos pump(cheapest one they sell at Lowe's), a love controller(aquastat) and probe from Graingers, a cheap Dayton blower, around 150 CFM I believe, from Graingers also, and a 18"x20"or21" water to air heat exchanger. I'll try and remember to bring my receipts home from work and post the part #'s- if I can find them! I had around $2000.00 in to mine, but other than the pipe, every component was purchased new, so if I'd scrounged around for used, I'm sure the cost would have been half.

[jksweld]

Well I was informed today that the tank may still have some LP left in it, so they will be some purging and flushing in order!! Also called my uncle who set his house up for a wood boiler and never went through with it. I was askin bout his heat exchanger,  which my brother (who does HVAC work) took out last summer, uncle said to give him a day or so to think about it and if he decided he was never gonna use it he would just give it to me!! Brand new, never used!! Hoping for score #2!!

[peacmar]

I might suggest the fill with water to displace the lp method once you have released all the pressure as 500 gallons would burn up most of a 125 cu.ft. bottle of inert gas and you could still have lp left over even afterwards. If you have your own well then the water is almost free and once filled to the point where it is over flowing you can be sure there is absolutely no flammable gas left inside. Fill it to the brim with water, lay out some cuts, and use a cordless drill to make a small hole and let it drain out and it will he full of air afterwards.

[jksweld]

I believe water is what im gonna go with to purge out the tank. I found a piece of 24" pipe today about 5' long, its got a few pieces of angle welded to it and some dents in it but there is enough there to make a good firebox out of, and both ends are capped with plate so one end is already done!!

[jksweld]

Well i got my firebox home and got the coil off of my uncle!! 20" x 22" 4 stack!! never used!! Gonna try and get the propane tank home today!!