Check out these two sites. These companies both make nice, compact, low
electrical draw heat exchangers. I replaced my hot air with a hot water
furnace, and used the pro-air models. They would also work well drawing heat
out of an engine loop.
http://www.proairllc.com/product_main.html
http://rdac.com/
Hope this info is useful. Tony Bad
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Ronald Kazi
To:
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2000 11:24 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: Water heaters? Suburban, Atwood, American Standard,
PotontheStove
> I am thinking of modifying my tank and simply wrapping some copper tube
around
> the tank. If the tank is made of aluminum, I might change my mind unless
I can
> find some aluminum tube. If I can weld it to the outside (I have had
aluminum
> welding wire sitting for 11 years in my garage from the yacht yard I used
to work
> at ) great, if not, I have some epoxy that works great with aluminum.
>From the
> emails I have received, there is a lot of heat generated by the system. I
also
> intend to hook up a fan coil unit in line with the water heater with a
valve so
> that I can heat the rear of the coach while under way and not have to use
the
> furnace.
>
> Ron.
>
>
> > In a message dated 3/12/00 6:40:36 PM Mountain Standard Time,
> >
> > > Engine coolant flows back to a very simple heat exchanger which is
part
> > of
> > the OEM water heater. A 5/8" tube made of the same material as the
water
> > heater tank (aluminum, or stainless if you have a stainless tank) is
welded
> > to the front of the tank in a semicircle. It's only about 15" +/- in
> > contact
> > with the tank, but it's enough to transfer quite a lot of heat. >>
> >
> > Hi Rick -- must be that GM made another design change or else changed
> > vendors. My 77 hot water heater has a "well" built into the same side
as the
> > water lines and the heating element. There is a loop that has two hose
> > fittings that go from the engine and back. This slides into the "well"
and
> > provides more surface area for heating.
> >
> > It is important to note that anyone contemplating modifying their heater
> > should never just weld a pipe or tube through the tank and hook the
hoses to
> > the ends as the engine coolant contains ethylene glycol antifreeze which
is
> > poisonous, even in fairly small quantities. A pinhole or crack in a
weld
> > might cause the antifreeze to leak into the water heater.
> >
> > Emery Stora
> > 77 Kingsley
> > Santa Fe, NM
>
>
electrical draw heat exchangers. I replaced my hot air with a hot water
furnace, and used the pro-air models. They would also work well drawing heat
out of an engine loop.
http://www.proairllc.com/product_main.html
http://rdac.com/
Hope this info is useful. Tony Bad
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Ronald Kazi
To:
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2000 11:24 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: Water heaters? Suburban, Atwood, American Standard,
PotontheStove
> I am thinking of modifying my tank and simply wrapping some copper tube
around
> the tank. If the tank is made of aluminum, I might change my mind unless
I can
> find some aluminum tube. If I can weld it to the outside (I have had
aluminum
> welding wire sitting for 11 years in my garage from the yacht yard I used
to work
> at ) great, if not, I have some epoxy that works great with aluminum.
>From the
> emails I have received, there is a lot of heat generated by the system. I
also
> intend to hook up a fan coil unit in line with the water heater with a
valve so
> that I can heat the rear of the coach while under way and not have to use
the
> furnace.
>
> Ron.
>
>
> > In a message dated 3/12/00 6:40:36 PM Mountain Standard Time,
> >
> > > Engine coolant flows back to a very simple heat exchanger which is
part
> > of
> > the OEM water heater. A 5/8" tube made of the same material as the
water
> > heater tank (aluminum, or stainless if you have a stainless tank) is
welded
> > to the front of the tank in a semicircle. It's only about 15" +/- in
> > contact
> > with the tank, but it's enough to transfer quite a lot of heat. >>
> >
> > Hi Rick -- must be that GM made another design change or else changed
> > vendors. My 77 hot water heater has a "well" built into the same side
as the
> > water lines and the heating element. There is a loop that has two hose
> > fittings that go from the engine and back. This slides into the "well"
and
> > provides more surface area for heating.
> >
> > It is important to note that anyone contemplating modifying their heater
> > should never just weld a pipe or tube through the tank and hook the
hoses to
> > the ends as the engine coolant contains ethylene glycol antifreeze which
is
> > poisonous, even in fairly small quantities. A pinhole or crack in a
weld
> > might cause the antifreeze to leak into the water heater.
> >
> > Emery Stora
> > 77 Kingsley
> > Santa Fe, NM
>
>
