Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Pools & Hot Tubs => Topic started by: terpjr on May 08, 2017, 08:40:41 PM
-
I have a woodmaster4400, have an 18' round above ground pool.
Only spent $400 on it a couple years ago, to hold us over until we can put in our dream pool.
Would love it if we could warm up our pool and extend our season a little...has not really been economically feasible until now...or so I think. I am looking for a temporary stop gap that does not cost me much $$.
A local guy is stilling a stainless steel tube-style heat exchanger (designed for OWB and pool), 10K btu for $75. This is a solid deal.
Pool is roughly 100' from OWB.
My thoughts:
1. Plumb a pex loop to heat exchanger close to back of OWB. Like 2' from it. I have an extra Taco 007 pump on my supply Shelf. IS this pump appropriate for a short loop?
2. Run a cheap, flexible on the ground surface on days that I want to heat the pool (before company comes...after a a couple cool days), so, not run it too often, just often enough to make the pool a little better.
I know I will lose lots of heat but I would rather have flexible hoses that I can roll up and store when not in use.
How would I circulate water from pool at such a great distance?
Is this do-able?
-
Big question is whether or not your pool pump will push water clear to the stove and back.
-
I am guessing the heat exchanger is more than 10k btu. that wouldn't be much of a heat exchanger.
If you want to run pool water to the boiler, you will probably need a separate pump. If you have big enough lines, one of those cheap filter pumps that they use on inflatable pools may work. You will want enough flow on the pool water side so it doesn't get that hot. If you have water under 100 degrees going back to the pool you shouldn't have that much heat loss even if laying on the ground. If you can use black lines and they are in the sun you might be able to even gain a little heat on the way.
-
Those are questions I was wondering...
How do I hook into my existing pool pump system to move water 200' while not impacting its regular function?
Separate pump?
-
We've done quite a few pool hookups where we use a cheap $50 utility pump from Amazon dropped in the pool and garden hoses to pump through the heat exchanger mounted right on the return line in the back of the stove. The furnace water is routed through the heat exchanger continuously, drop the utility pump in the pool, run until a toe check shows sufficient temp, pull the pump, roll up hoses.
We use a small flat plate as it can transfer much much more btu's but it MUST be flushed with fresh water after you're done or the copper brazing will corrode out. So far we have never had that happen over 10 years of doing them that way. But your all stainless one wouldn't be a bad idea, just slower to heat up, assuming it's only 10k btu's. I wonder what flow rates and temps they're figuring off of?
-
That is awesome info. Kind of what I was thinking.
Do you have a link to the pump you use? By utility pump - you mean like a sump pump? What about hose? Just regular garden hose or something bigger dia/more HD?
I was incorrect about the BTU's - missed a 0. It is 100K.
As far as the furnace end of things - I use a Taco 011 to run my loop to the basement, but with such a short, continuous loop, would an 007 work?
Thanks,
-
Sure the 007 will work, but splicing it in the return line from your basement loop will also work if it is a continuous run pump. And yes just a sump pump with a garden hose fitting. I'd say your heat exchanger will work fine but you may not be able to put it in the back of the furnace, so you may want to mount it outside the furnace and use your 007 to supply it. E Yoder can give you his link where he gets his pumps and correct me , but I've seen this system work great with a flat plate. Just use regular garden hose.
-
https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pump-91250-Thermoplastic-Submersible/dp/B000X05G1A (https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pump-91250-Thermoplastic-Submersible/dp/B000X05G1A)
1/4 HP, $50.
A 100K heat exchanger will have nice hot return water on the return hose, it'll go limp but it'll be OK as there is no pressure.
As was mentioned you could plumb the heat exchanger into the return line or pump a loop through it with your 007. Be prepared to burn a lot of wood the first day or two.
I think you'll love it!
-
This setup is also really handy for washing salt off vehicles in the winter . Lots of steam.
-
This is a garden hose/sump pump hookup, heat exchanger in the basement. Took less than 2 hrs to add on. Can heat pool, water to wash vehicles in the winter, whatever.
Note the smudges on the corner of the pool, paw prints from a bear! Hope he doesn't tear it...