How to make a real wood fired pool heater

This is one of the first videos that I started as Sculpture for a Small Planet. It is about a real working wood fired pool heater that I actually use and have been using for years.
Sorry about some of the out of focus video but this goes back before I had an auto focus camera.

[@dorothywang182]

I can confirm this works! I am the biggest wimp for cold pool water and after this wood heater I am totally spoiled by warm pool water! Game changer!

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Thanks! Never nice to be uncomfortably cold.

[@teemic3019]

finally someone with enough brains to figure out it needs a lot more flow . 160 degree water at 1/2 pipe size wont cut it ! .

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Thank you!

[@jamiegrowthanddevelopment9664]

Dude this will 100% be a project for me to do and also pass along to others 🤘🤠🤘 thank you so much for the video and have an awesome day good sir.

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Please do and let me know if you have any questions! Thanks,

[@lucusfridenmaker5062]

I think this is awesome. Some people are probably going to jump you though about "no green house gas emissions" from this burner.🤣

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Yeah probably! Burning wood does produce Co2, but it is short cycle Co2, which means that unless you keep the fuel wood from rotting it is going to turn into Co2 anyway. So that is why it's not a GHG. Thanks for the heads up!

[@teemic3019]

i like the long burn tube . i think shelf in the top with the smoke pipe up by the feed door with heat exchanger in the shelf . the fire would heat that shelf and by routing the exhaust back thru the opening wouls let the tubes be in the heat longer . the only thing is it might cut down the draft for the fire

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Long burn tube is not negotiable. I like your shelf idea but I think I’d have to see a diagram to fully understand. Thanks,

[@gordonmercer7020]

Great video, I've got a double barrel wood stove, so I think I'll try using it. Thank you

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

There you go! You might want check out my video on mistakes to avoid with wood fired pool heaters. Thanks,

[@foxyredsheri]

I was a little concerned about the mixed reviews, but I used it last year and hooked it up again this year and it was great kzbin.infoUgkx-izdrK3eF-HMvjzeBOxToD6Fx-4ulJUh . I couldn't get my 10' Intex pool above 76 degrees the year prior and last year I got it to 90 and had to put ice in it. This worked so well! I have just 1 mat hooked up to a 1,000 GPH Intex pump and it makes a significant reduction in the flow rate coming back into the pool, but that is to be expected with how far the water has to travel through the mat.

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Oh no what happened?

[@mikegrok]

I have a suggestion. Put an automotive radiator across your smoke stack instead. All of the post combustion air then passes over the heat exchanger without dead zones. And you get massive surface area.

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think the small fin like space might get filled with creosote and ash though. It's a pretty nasty environment in there!

[@mikegrok]

@@sculptureforasmallplanet for the ash, it will also act as a spark arrestor. The ash being held against it will burn up, or fall down at the end of the day, periodic rain will clear the rest. For the creosote and other gunk. Periodically disconnect it and run it through the dishwasher.

[@jpwdowiak]

You can also be mindful of the wood you’re burning to avoid creosote. It doesn’t eliminate it but it will definitely prolong the build up.

[@markwhitcomb9484]

I tried using an automotive radiator as the heat exchanger and it immediately was caked with creosote (and I was burning cherry wood). It didn't transfer much heat and I was pretty disappointed with the results.

[@SeanOliver5981]

FYI if you use copper pipe in the fire place you can remove the pump as the heat will make a natural pump pulling in water and sending it out.

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Yes, you can get this to work when you have enough elevation difference between the pool and where the heat is. The pool heater would need to be low enough to let the heat pull the water back into the pool and circulate through. But running all the water through from the main circulation pump gets the most heat into the pool. Plus it will keep the heat exchangers cooler so they last longer. Thanks,

[@mjd3381]

I wish I could hire you to make this thing at my house.

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Thanks but I’m swamped. I would be happy if someone would pick up this design and make them to sell though!

[@lii1Il]

Nice job!!!

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Thanks!

[@godrulesme8619]

Great video...thank you!

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Glad you liked it! Thanks,

[@Aerialit]

Ive just built 1 of these from an old oil drum but i need decent water pump

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Cool! Hope it works well for you!

[@stanllystaber]

I'm trying to pump antifreeze thought the heat exchanger, then inside the garage to a radiator/fan. I guess I'm trying to build more of a "boiler", now that I'm explaining it here. But this gave me some good ideas! Thanks man!

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Sounds like a plan. I have a system with antifreeze in thermal solar panels and a heat exchanger in the top of my chimney. I’ll do a couple of videos on it as soon as work lets up. Love to hear how you make out. Thanks

[@migueljrcaceres]

Do you think this will work if I only have a 55 gallon drum?

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Sure. The key is to the manifold aspect of the heat exchanger and the large volume of water. Get as much surface area as possible in your heat exchanger and put at the top of the barrel on it's side and you'll get a lot of the heat!

[@TheCollegeman321]

Do you have any issues with solder Melting with that much heat on those joints

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Hello, Not if there is water in the pipes. Just make sure the water is circulating through before you start the fire and use a good pump. I have video on mistakes to avoid that you might want to check out. Thanks,

[@TheCollegeman321]

@@sculptureforasmallplanet thank you very much. Looking forward to building something soon

[@migueljrcaceres]

Can you make a part list for this project please

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Hello. I only can provide a general materials list because I made this thing a while ago, sorry. This is made of type L copper tubing, 1/2” and 2”. About 30’ straight and 50’ of the coil and 10 of the 2”. I used 4, 2” end caps and 10 street 90’s. My pool uses 1.5” PVC pipe so the 2” copper is close to the same O.D. But try to make your manifold pipe close to whatever your pool’s circulation pipes O. D. is. Then use Fernco couplings to connect copper to PVC. I made the lower tube out of the inner tank of an old hot water heater. The other tubes are a thin sheet metal like 18 or 20 gauge. I used a higher temp silver solder but not sure if it is necessary as long as you keep water in the pipes lower temp solder should be fine. Hope this helps!

[@migueljrcaceres]

Also… how do you send the water from the 1st heat exchanger to the 2nd one?

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Hello, look at 1:14 of this video and 1:10 of Pool Heater Mistakes to Avoid, video and you’ll see the PVC pipe connection with Fernco couplings. Hope this helps!

[@loekvanbentum3907]

greenhouse gas free? huh. you mean it burns without CO2 emissions? where do you get this wood?

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

Thanks, I should’ve said without fossil fuels. The wood is from trees in my yard, limbs mostly, and all just stuff that is going to rot.

[@nonstopband5410]

Liar, No chainsaw to cut down the wood? 😂

[@sculptureforasmallplanet]

I do have gas powered chainsaws but hardly use them since my electric one is so much easier. However you are correct if we are counting emissions once removed. Thanks,