Off Grid Water Heater - Hot Water with DIY Firestove
2019 ж. 22 Мау.
1 261 881 Рет қаралды
NOTE: do not build this without a preassure valve! If preassure builds up this can be super dangerous! Get a valve!
This week i built a Firestove for my outdoorshower.
watch the outdoorshower video here is you haven´t seen it:
• Building a cheap outdo...
let me know what you think!
If you like what i do you can support me at:
/ laurakampf
For more Infos visit
www.laurakampf.com
/ laura_kampf
/ laurakampfkoeln
Music by Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com) firebox home improvement homestead
Nice! but please, add a safety relief valve at the end of the copper tubbing. I don't believe the pressure could make a pipe explode, but it could make the unions start sprinkling hot water.
Yes, you are right. I am going to do that ASAP! ❤️
I was ready to write the same. Other than that...once again Laura awesome project!!! 😀
It's not necessary here as the hot water isn't isolated from mains. A normal hot water tank has a valve to prevent water expanding back into the mains supply, but this setup doesn't have that, so pressure will always equalise with mains
@@jamesinc87 The release valve is more to let the pressure out if the water is left to boil in the copper radiator.
@@maxximumb I understand, but think about it - without a check valve, that pressure won't build. The water will expand and flow backwards into the mains water supply. It might be a good idea if Laura adds a check valve to ensure the hot water never flows backwards into the mains *and* adds a relief valve. It might also be a good idea if she expects the pipes to ever freeze (I'm Australian so that's not really a problem I've ever had to think about)
Welding on the hinge and then cutting the door was brilliant. Keeping that in my back pocket.
Make Something can’t wait to see ya weld.
I definitely would have done the door first and than struggled to weld the hinge on, this was pretty smart
That was brilliant! Was thinking a mixing valve would solve the temperature problem. A prv would also be a good idea as an added level of safety. Loved the video. You're very clever. I clicked the subscribe button as I can't wait to see what other clever projects you come up with next!
Hinge welded on before cutting the door= bright....not putting a handle and latch on said door= not so much!.....hopefully she installed one at a later point...along with a pressure relief valve on the water system......all in all a good design....the only thing I would have done differently was he decision to cut the top off for loading fire wood in through the top.....thats going to leak smoke and heat which reduces its efficiency and leaks smoke! Granted it looks to be an outdoor water heater wood stove.....me personally I'd have made it a water heater/hom or shop heater in one! I might cut the top off and weld a flat top cover with some stiffening ribs or gussets on the bottom of the flat top lid so that it doesn't warp excessively or make buckling noises and so I could cook off the top of it in a cooking pan..then I would surround the top with band of steel to provide a confinement ring for setting the original concave top back on the new flat top that I welded on in its place....id also put an access door in the side of the concave top so that when I wasn't using the flat top surface for cooking, I could place the concave top back on top of the new flat top and load small pieces wood into it to make my own grill charcoal....why would I do all this.....because I just love to over engineer stuff that's why! I'd probably even weld an e-vac pipe 180 degrees from the exhaust intake pipe and weld it in at an angle with a butter fly valve in it so that I could see if it was possible to draw exhaust smoke out more efficiently and use the butter fly valve to try and finely adjust the scavenging/ draw effect to maximize exhaust flow and the intensity of how hot the fire burns.....might work.....might not.....may have alot of fun trying different locations and other things in an attempt to make it work right......i like achieving success on my first try....but what I really like is all the stuff I learn from my failures.....my first stove will look like a hot mess of patches and cutting/welding repairs......but my second stove will be a masterpiece due to all I learned from trial and error on the first attempt.....by then I'll know what works and what doesn't, and what's practical and what isn't.....and most importantly where to stop over engineering ideas into it so that I'm able to stop at the point of sensible perfection.
Unlike my ability to stop writing at the point where it would have been a sensible amount of dialogue.
You might want to put a prv (pressure release valve) on that. You could also add in a parallel path for some of the water to bypass the heater. Then use an anti-scald valve/cartridge like in a standard shower valve.
or just a mixer tap !
@@Kayyyman Or a real shower. My god what a dumb idea that was.
@@user-vj1hy8si7p Quit trolling. It;'s a great idea and plenty of people do this in summer homes (Dacha).
@@Kayyyman If you have a garden hose line that comes from a city tap... ... run the hose through a 2-point garden hose split-ter. One half goes through the copper pipes, the other half goes straight to a mixing valve?? Because if you can do this in a back or side yard. That means you could do this in, say, a camper van? - Cathy (&, accidentally, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown
If you’re going to explain an acronym, why use an acronym?
Good job and your English language is the best
I love seeing the sketch-up and the process of how you worked through from a “need” to a solution. It’s the creative innovation that impresses me most.
If you use soft copper tubing and wrap it around the stove in an upward helical you will operate much more efficiently. Also you can use an old water heater tank to store your hot water in for days. When you run out just make a fire on again. Be sure to plum your up tube of storage tank to the upper end of your heat coil and the bottom to bottom. This allows for the system to work with no power or pump to heat the water. Only need to pump when showering from the reservoir tank.
I’ve always loved the saying, “where there is a will, there is a way”. It seems as though there is also a maker video. You always inspire me, Laura!
Joseph Erwin I thought is was “if there is a Will, there is a tax collector”
Awesome as always Laura!! Thank you for sharing this kind of unexpected projects, they are so inspiring!
Sweet! Love seeing the joy in your face from making something out of nothing....keep on keeping on!
I love this .. you needed a way to heat your shower water and you did it! It’s very Fallout and totally brilliant in my opinion! Love your vibe Laura, you inspire me to no end!
You're a great mechanic!!I always admire your idea!
It is really cool to hear you laughing when the things goes well!
I'll say it again, it's so 'Fallout' and I love it! And Smudo is really getting better at his internet photobombing! 😅👍
Yes! He has been practising
Photobombing❓ More like Videobombing!
Pic? 😂
@@laurakampf A still could be called a "Smudofoto" or "Smudobombe" My High School German has pretty much left my brain...that there was to begin with anyway...lol.
Smart solution Laura. You can use it to heat your house with too. Just burn all the scrapwood you made from other projects. You got a nice and warm house and you are rid of your waste
Perfectly imperfect. Makes me smile ear to ear.
I believe you can make anything, anytime, anywhere, you're brilliant. Also Smudo is a big time scene stealer. Boop for Smudo being a good doggo.
I always love these videos. I can't think this way, nor do I have patience. But seeing you and your friends working together, makes me smile. Thank You.
Great project, thanks. (Bet you just LOVE all the unsolicited advice!)
i love this comment John, but you should really put a check valve next to the Reply. and remember to use a double seal joint compound when adding a comment. and make sure to rough up the like button so the hot water doesn't leak out and burn any subscribed buttons.
Hahaha
Bravo! Its amazing how much heat comes from burning wood: Enough to heat my house & provide hot water too. No idea how you will stop it freezing in the winter & bursting the copper pipes, but many showers before such worries! Thanks for sharing!
You are PHENOMENAL!! Your work on this, as on your other projects, is fantastic. So cool!
What a great project, made a heater like that but without the copper pipes. Great idea, must give that a go. Mine got quite hot at times (glowing) with the draft. If that is the case with yours please be careful with the zink coated galvanized steal as you could die or get sick in confined places.
What kind of metal should she have used
I am very impressed with your building skills. Boiler is almost perfect just missing pressure relieve valve .Also you should add temperature gauge on the water outlet pipe tords end of copper line. Other than that is great build.
Lovely design, great skills and cool video. Thank you so much ! So nice to see someone else (you !) making something I have been thinking/dreaming about.
That’s insanely cool! Some of the best projects are when you test it and have that “it works too well” moment
Sehr Schon! Ver 2.0 could be a passive convection system with hot water storage barrel above the fire. No water pressure needed. Fill up barrel. Build fire. Heated water rises to barrel , forcing cold water down into pipes. Then use gravity feed for shower head. What fun -Eric.
Did that at summer camp many times. Just add a storage tank and it will naturally circulate. In the morning, there will be LOTS of hot water that can be mixed with a little cold to support however many would like a warm shower. Good project
*schön
@@TheWoodFly You read my mind. 😀
And of the water tank is open to Atmosphere, there is absolutely No danger of over-pressure
Pressure release valve asap. Pressure in the pipes will rise fast. For temp controll use a thermostat tap like for indoor showers and mix with cold water for constant temperature of the water.
Nice video! I liked how you included the sketching and thinking in the beginning.
I really enjoy the 'music video' style of building videos. Awesome!
Wie immer super Video! Daumen hoch 👍🏻 VG Laurens
Ich understand none L0L
@@edwinreiser2328 If I recall my high school German lessons correctly, what you want to say is "Ich verstehe nicht". ("I don't understand"). One of the few phrases I've held onto, just in case I ever get to visit Germany 😜
nice build. you could (should!) add a thermostatic shower mixer valve so you dont get instantly blasted by boiling steam if something goes wrong. same for some/a pressure release valves in case of a blockage. steam explosion = big bomb.
Don't forget, she has garden hose going there- in which case when steam builds up, its pressure gets compensated by stretching walls of garden hose. It sure can pop tho.
The Gardena fittings will slip off the hose long before the pressure gets dangerous enough for your over-dramatic "steam explosion / big bomb". If this happens often enough the inconvenience will probably demand upgrades to the pressure handling (else, if it ain't broken, don't fix it!). I like the mixer idea, but then again, it's a rustic outdoor shower and as long as you stand clear for the initial hot water coming out, you can control the heat of the shower by adjusting the flow rate at the tap where the hose on the input side plugs in to.
laura, galvanized sheet metal strapping in contact with the copper pipe will eventually corrode the pipes in contact with it, I would recommend putting rubber strips to fit behind the sheet metal straps. I especially enjoy your content, keep making.
Using the Leatherman blade as a pry-bar naughty, naughty. But welding the hinge on first before completing the door cuts was genius. 👍
Putting the hinge before cutting the rest of the 3 sides is the smartest thing I've seen today
you must sleeve this for minimizing your heat lost to the atmosphere
@@2blackdanes It was only steam with the water that was left to sit in the copper pipes. Once the water was moving, it soon cooler the system. Also it's summer in Germany, It will need insulation in winter, maybe even spring and autumn.
Yes - because there will be recognition of wood consumption (insulation = smaller fire) and the water may remain warmer for that little bit longer. The other issue is freezing water in pipes in winter..
@@2blackdanes having taking showers in 0 degree (Celsius) weather while camping you really shouldn't dismiss a winter use case. Pressure release valves and temperature control aren't over engineering and not having them could be considered a safety issue. It's unlikely that either will be a problem, but if it does it is an issue of safety. That and temperature control is really nice to have.
Came here to say this. Any form of sleeve or insulation outside the copper pipes would help immensely.
Shemp NutsLy
Accidental steampunk shower. Amazing. Congrats on another spectacular build
Great way to dispose of some of the scarp lumber! LOVE THIS!
I love how you made it too well! And in a one-day build too. Awesome! (Hi Ellen!)
I stopped at 7:18 to ask you the following question: Why not buy a coil of soft 15mm copper pipe, coil it up until it fits INSIDE the stove, make two holes to lead the pipe ends outside, and Voilá, no soldering and a very high efficiency factor... Copper can easily resist the fire temperature inside the stove. Ok, your outside copper pipes look more interesting tough.
I had the same thought. This is a fairly innefeciant design, but it is esthetically pleasing. Also she wont be able to touch or move the unit while in operation. You could go on forever making this type of heater more and more efficient, but you get diminishing returns pretty quickly. I would add a blanket, but that's about it
My thought as well, because screw having to make that many connections. She also needs a "T" off the spigot so she can have a cold line and use a standard shower mixing valve. Then she can control the temperature live rather than having to build up or partially douse the heating fire.
Glad it wasn't just me that thought that.
Same as my Idea, just use a soft copper pipe and coil it. If you want, you can even put it inside your stove just watch the temperature. The design you made will trap steam at the top, if this happens it will boil off all the water in the copper pipe. You can also just make an insulated tank (at least 2" of insulation) and connect the input and output of the copper tube there and let thermosiphon do the work
If she puts in in the tank, it's going to get all gunked up from the resins and stuff she burns. Also she has taken advantage of the height of the stove. And: it looks freaking cool. Which begs the question: Are we making things for the outcome or for the making in and of itself and if yes, the cooler the thing looks (especially on video) then maybe the ultimate efficiency is secondary? Just a thought.
Great job. Has a cool steampunk look about it.
Excellent new series - loving every bit of it! Cheers! JM
Having tried to heat my house with a coal stove (MANY years ago), fuel is a huge pain in the ass. So an objective is reduce the need for fuel In your case, as you have guessed, smaller fire (less fuel). To minimize fuel, esp in those frigid German winters, heat conducted into the tubing would significantly be lost. I suggest, before next winter, than you figure out how to wrap the entire tank in insulation. I would wrap in hardware cloth or chicken wire first to allow hot to be trapped air around the pipes. Then wrap with, eg, fiberglass insulation Good work, creative and entertaining.
I d put the a copper coil inside the fire chamber, i guess u went for the looks! Nice Jon.
Rafael Lima --- Then you'd end up oxidising the copper. Into the black nasty copper oxide form, not the nice green patina...
Too hot
Shorter Pipes! Cheaper and more efficient, i wouldnt mind the Black oxide, it wouldnt be visible anyway
I'm so glad this popped up on my recommendation. Iv got a log burner in my garage but would like to heat it better along with my other outbuildings. I thought of radiators as heating water from my log burner makes sense to utilise is heat to boiler water. You'v givin me some good ideas and inspiration to make this happen. Many thanks for your upload. 👍
I loved this one. A absolutely inspiring video. TKS!
"I dont know how to do.but i do"... Thats philosophy of success
I like that where is that from ?
@@guyvernon9796 quote:laura
*At the register* Cashier: so... plumbing your bathroom I see Laura: something like that
Sadly allmost no smalltalk with German Homedepot emloyee.
That is one well improvised tankless hot water heater!!! Also, did I see Ellen sneak in there for just a minute (Hi Ellen!!)? I love watching you prototype and getting to see you problem solving in real time. Cheers!
'Ok, so it actually works too well...' LOLOLOL. Great project Laura and you're now an official off-grid guru! Stay safe and keep up the good work. 👍🐕😊
Laura, that type of system, must have a pressure relief valve .... check with a mechanical engineer... it is regulation! Also, with that design... for the coils,.... you may have air on the top... and air expands .... fast... Notice,... it works, but the coils would have a better design if they look like a spring around ...! Just in case ... install a pressure relief valve,... or at least get the opinion of a mechanical eng.... You don’t want to see the effect of a burst ... on people! Nice video! Many thanks! Cheers
Faszinierend!
cidberlin geil! oder? Der is echt besorgt... 😂
sissimaus20 , understand the following... that “device” is more or less a boiler... to fully understand what I’m saying, search the web for accident and casualties as an outcome of a misuse of boilers...! I kindly advise you to think, if possible, before commenting...! Although there is no medicine for stupidity... there is always a hope for improvement...! Try to use the grey cells ... they are not manure to grow hair! Respectfully....
Actually you could use a thermostatic valve. Combine the cold through a bypass pipe and the hot through the pipe you already installed. Then you'll have exact constant temperature always.
I was wondering this. Is this how typical showers work as well?
@@BrianSantero ... Yes, public showers or faucets use thermostatic valves to guarantee no one will get burned from hot water. I don't know the reaction time for these valves to compensate but The hot water coming from her fire, should change temperature slowly as she uses the hot water up.
Great job. I"m always impressed with what you can build.
Phew. You've already listened to someone telling you about a pressure valve. A pipefitter friend of mine once gave me a friendly warning about using copper piping to heat water (I was thinking of under a fire pit), and that is that cold to hot pressure changes could lead to sudden failure basically anywhere. Oh - also starting a fire - then adding water - might lead to a steam jet on the output pipe! We like you ... and don't want you to get hurt!
Laura, you've just made a small bomb! like the other comments a pressure release valve is essential, and an anti-scald mixer would stop very bad accidents.
you will get really bad uv burn if you don’t cover your skin while welding, and it really hurts the next day.... i’ve been there and done it more than once.
so the welding put out uv light?
@@meandnature6452 actually electric arc is one of the best source of uv light.
Yes but maybe she was trying to kill Covid-19.
@@paultrauzzi5360 hahahahhahaha
Honestly such a cool build! Great use of resources.
I never would have thought of welding the hinge before cutting the door. Brilliant!
A cap on the top of the chimney to reduce the diameter would slow down the intensity the fire burns at, wouldn't it? Thus providing better control of the water temperature?
@@2blackdanes, she suggests as much in the video. I guess it all depends on how long she'd need to be heating the water. Small fires need to be tended more frequently from lack of fuel.
A very interesting project but that kind of welding will have problems if it takes a very high temperature, you should have used silver solder, A greeting
Since it will always have water inside it the solder will be fine
nice job great skill set. I especially like the way you went about the doors and hinges a very clever way of doing it. Thanks for the video I enjoyed it.
fun project! just some angle grinder tips; if you cut a radius or a circle use a bit thicker disc, about 2mm and lean the machine into the turn and you get a perfect cut! and put a guard on it as well.
How about a solar preheater so you might not even need a fire or even a smaller fire?
That might be a good idea because lighting up a fire each time she needs to take a shower would probably mean she would be buying a lot of baby wipes instead…😉
@@pixelised she could even run a natural convection setup with a small tank that could keep 5 or 10 gallons at a comfortable temp. Fire up the woodburner and start the shower on solar!
You could make a solar powered version with the same material...
Felipe Marinho actually, she can make a cheaper version just with a black pipe and an acumulador tank. This way, generation can be done at different time than consumption
N9 hot showers at night though
Laura: My family is from Germany and we visited them after world war II. My family lived outside Stuttgart in a huge house built by my great grandfather in the early 1900's. We had a bathtub on the first floor which was heated by a wood fired furnace. the furnace was built from a gas hot water heater and the fire pit was under the base of the hot water heater. we were responsible for feeding the fire so the next person could have a hot bath. This was great tschüß. Paul
that is a great project ...love that old ambulance in the background also
So, why don't you used a steel or cast iron pipe inside of the furnace? I think it's more efficient than the system you have made. But no matter. Great idea!
yes that is a really bad heat exchanger
Rusty pipes = rusty water. Could use stainless pipe but then you have to weld them with argon etc etc so way more complicated.
Inside pipes will build up creosote and waste, making it less efficient as time goes by.
以盘管的形式在炉膛内吧环绕,热效率会倍增
Лучше спираль из медной трубки намотать катушкой и поместить не снаружи а внутри !
Endlich mal jemand der mitdenkt und das Scharnier vorher anschweißt und dann zusende den Ausschnitt flext, das hat mich bei allen anderen immer genervt.
just paint the damn thing black and forget the fire when the sun is out.
that would only work for about the first 15 seconds of shower...
You should have put the copper pipe on the inside, it will be way more efficiënt.
But much harder to service if you need too. #pickyourposion lol
@@MikeTheMaker1 But how often do you need to do that? If you burn nice and clean never really.
Brink Shows I honestly don’t know. I guess it depends on how good the person is at soldering and the piping? I doubt it’s easy to keep it clean burning but I don’t know if the soot will matter?
@@MikeTheMaker1 I would be more concearned about creasode build up in your chimney than in the burner/stove itself. It isn't really a problem because if it would buildup on the inside wall or on the pipes inself, it will limit the heat transfer but not really that much though.
Thank you for the idea , I copied this for my protocol type as a paddling pool heater,I eventually removed the coil from the outside of tank, it compressed easy and I dropped it inside of the tank, a few minor adjustments with the hose pipe attachments as they need to be poked back through the wall of tank. But it was super super efficient, all the heat is trapped direct to the copper. Thanks for the idea.
Congratulations, your creativity and genius is perfect. ;)
Laura why do you do this to me its 5am must watch later.....now nap time
She is using alot of electricity for someone living off the grid...
Is it off the grid?
You need to wear a full face shield when your using that cutoff wheel. They are supposed to break away and fall to the ground, sometimes they go flying at your face. Great Video, Nice work!!!
I think your idea is great, may I make one suggestion, try using 3/4 soft copper and wrap it around your fire box ,that would eliminate the sweating of all those elbows.
Not exactly carbon friendly. A solar heater would be more efficient and less dangerous.
This is such a great idea!! An idea i have to control the temperature is to splice in a cold line at the shower head for fine adjustments. OMG, Ellen!!
Yes! I've been waiting for this ever since I saw it on your Instagram!
Very cleverly done. I've seen a few variations of the rocket water heater, this one is fab. 👏🏽👏🏽
Wow! Amazing design. Great job!
You are really great Laura. This project is amazing. love you and Smudo The Photobomber xx
Great creativity, and talent to think about how to create something for off the grid , there are many ways to do a water heater , and you made one ...
Don't forget a vent and grate on the bottom. You can make a simple and long last grate out of rebar. I really love this whole concept of yours. We had an outdoor shower when I was a kid. It was mainly used to cool off during the hot summer days of running and playing, but my dad loved to take cool showers out there when he would come home after working in hot tight, and cramped spaces welding boilers.
Hey, and clever way to get rid of sawdust and shop scraps. Nice.
you can put a Y-connector on the beginning of the hose, so you have a seperate cold and warm water flow. Then you can connect them after one flow got heated up and then you merge them together with a valve just like a Mischbatterie. So it doesn't matter how hot the water gets you can always just add more cold water. It makes the system a bit more complex but I think it would be a lot more convenient. Great video btw!
Great video and the project was an easy, quick build. I would use a fiberglass blanket or other insulation around the tank to make it even more efficient and a pressure relief valve to accommodate water expansion when it is hot. Being that you experienced the water being quite hot, you can regulate the hot water by either a faster flow rate or just adding another tank of cold water joined by appropriate piping to mix the two coming out of one exit pipe much like you see in common home piping. Thanks for sharing your project. Looking forward to more of your creations!
You came up with awesome ideas .All you need is a little more PPE so you can keep making videos.
Back at the boy scouts, we used a copper spiral in an old oil barrel in half, hooked up to a pump from the creek. Hottest shower I ever had. Later we made a hot tub in the winter using an old home radioator that lay on a big fire. The hot tub was 3 x 3 x 1 meter, so that was a lof of water to heat up, but in the end it was 50 degrees Celsius... very comfy 😉
Wonderful job. Well done showing all the process and some oops. Love it.
Very cool! Using some bi metal valve contraption like on a radiator in order to regulate for more constant temperatures might be a cool followup project. :)
Not Bad!!! You may want to include a small reservoir and a battery operated circulation pump and of coarse a relief valve.Good job.....
Thank you for making this video. I'm inspired as I design my off grid shower. Way to weld and solder thumbs up.
So cool. Steampunk shower. : ) Great video, looks like you all were having fun. Can't wait to see the finished shop. Namaste. : )
I've wanted to make something similar to heat up the kids paddling pool but with a cool of pipe under a glass sheet and a solar pump, thank you for sharing Laura! 😁
Hi laura, just a tip, use a jig saw for cutting the holes and door, ive used a 14-4v jig saw on old gas bottles for wood burning stoves in motor homes, cuts through no problem, for circles, drill 8mm starter hole and jig round the circle.
It’s amazing you can do anything at all Laura, without the input of all of youtube first.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THESE SOLUTIONS! I LIVE IN BRAZIL AND THIS WILL HELP A LOT IN MY PROJECT !! VERY, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!
Brilliant job Laura, thanks for sharing!
Please install a thermostatic valve ,a safety valve and put insulation sleeve, that will help a lots, nice video 👍
I believe it's called thermal siphon. If you connect your water heater to the tank in your shower the water would circulate on its own. That's my two cents. Concept and execution are quite brilliant, and you got skills, girl.