Anybody try to use the Boiler like, heater exchange.

[vio]

I just got 220 Gal. Acrylic, i will set up at work, but i still want to have one cube in my basement, so how about, to warm the Tank from Boiler, using stain steel (316) like heater exchange, my boiler is set up for 125 Degr F, today i mod. one heater, i remove the nickel-chromium alloy resistance heating wire, i use the bimetal thermal switch, just to control ,one pump , when need heat or not, i was curios if anyboby make this already ?!


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-Matic...Box-Coil-/221394045148?_trksid=p2054897.l5672

 

[duromega]

 

[vio]

i make a mistake on diagram wire, pump is connected direct to the two wires from (former heater) i was thinking about my floating switch (ATO) or was almost 2 am, i have to go work.lol

 

[lnevo]

Get rid of former heater as thermostat!!!! Thats the biggest reason most heaters fail because of bad thermostats....get a real temperature controller for the pump or use a probe on an apex or something...

I dont think you need to use stainless steel, you could get probably get away with a coil of pex tubing instead. Just my thought.

 

[NewfiDog]

What is that your calling a boiler, an indirect water heater? One thing is you may need a way to get the air out of the coil or the pump will not be able to circulate. Im not so sure an ehiem would be able to pump threw the coil of the tank but it may be able to. Also don't think the ehiem will handle the heat.

 

[qy7400]

Eheim pumps are not rated for 125* water, specs have high temp at 95*
Like lnevo mentioned use a real controller, re purposed glass heater is failure waiting to happen.
For the heat exchanger either use a PEX coil or get a titanium coil.
Are you planning to use a hot water heater or boiler?

 

[qy7400]

RC has a few threads on this....

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1561871

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2232513

 

[jamesonwhiskey]

I just got 220 Gal. Acrylic, i will set up at work, but i still want to have one cube in my basement, so how about, to warm the Tank from Boiler, using stain steel (316) like heater exchange, my boiler is set up for 125 Degr F, today i mod. one heater, i remove the nickel-chromium alloy resistance heating wire, i use the bimetal thermal switch, just to control ,one pump , when need heat or not, i was curios if anyboby make this already ?!


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Micro-Matic...Box-Coil-/221394045148?_trksid=p2054897.l5672

Genius idea!! I've been struggling to come up with a way to more efficiently heat my setup. My 220g is on my 1st floor, usually between 60-70 degrees depending on if i'm home or not. My 120g refugium and 55g sump are in my un-insulated basement usually in the 50's! My heaters have been running just about 24x7.

My biggest concern in this setup, besides the comments mentioned already about not re-using your old heater, would be to maybe have some sort of double relay to trigger the call to the heat loop. One on the low end as you have it now and another on the high end to prevent overheating. Running a loop of 120 degree water through your tank could EASILY overheat it if was to malfunction in the on position.

 

[albano]

3x Zebra Barred Dartfish (I had 6, but 3 jumped out the other day... egg crate covers arrive tmrw)

Sorry, off topic, but...egg crate is useless to keep dartfish in tank!...you need maximum 1/4" screen, and doubled up would help!

 

[vio]

I think its a big misunderstanding, either my english or my diagram. I'm trying to run a coil around the boiler (stainless steel coil) to take the heat transfer. You cannot use a pex coil around the boiler tank, I will use the pex only on the swamp. If i run the SS coil around Boiler tank ,this doesnt mean I have 125 degrees in the coil, i may have 95, i may use a Insulated Sleeve, to drop the temp. more, will be to hot, unless the pump never stop. And about the apex, I never trusted the temp probe. It needs all the time calibration, plus to be clean. This was the first reason, why i mod. the heater. I got Apex b4. About air inside the line, i think about Thermal Expansion Tank, Also not necessary Eheim, or external pump, i call boiler , the domestic hot water heater for house.Thank You for all. qy7400 i will go to study the links.

 

[strgazr27]

Your contact patch for the stainless coil is minimal at best and will result in very poor heat transfer to the stainless coil even if insulated. Unless you plan on running the tube inside the jacket of the hot water heater so it is in direct contact with the hot water chamber itself. Even this will really not be very efficient. PVC does not like warm to hot water run through it constantly and a search will turn up it not being a good idea. PEX pipe or PVC for the coil in the sump/tank will result in very poor heat transfer to the tank water. In reality a very poor way of heating your tanks. If it was a viable and efficient way of doing it there would be thousands of us doing it. I did residential boiler/HWH and radiant installation for 12 years. Leave the boilers to heating your house and HWH to making hot water for baths and cooking, not heating your tank.

 

[vio]

Your contact patch for the stainless coil is minimal at best and will result in very poor heat transfer to the stainless coil even if insulated. Unless you plan on running the tube inside the jacket of the hot water heater so it is in direct contact with the hot water chamber itself. Even this will really not be very efficient. PVC does not like warm to hot water run through it constantly and a search will turn up it not being a good idea. PEX pipe or PVC for the coil in the sump/tank will result in very poor heat transfer to the tank water. In reality a very poor way of heating your tanks. If it was a viable and efficient way of doing it there would be thousands of us doing it. I did residential boiler/HWH and radiant installation for 12 years. Leave the boilers to heating your house and HWH to making hot water for baths and cooking, not heating your tank.

Ha,ha,ha u fanny, just to let u now , u totally wrong, on heat transfer SS is next to cooper ( may be u refer to Aluminium) most of refrigerators use 1/4 tubs to cool water , in stand plastic tanks (is cheap that way) the idea was for big Tanks , not nano, you far away from this subject, thanks for advice.

 

[qy7400]

vio... strgazr is correct, PEX or PVC in the sump will work but is a very poor choice. The links i sent one guy was using 100 feet of PEX to transfer heat the sump, the second used a titanium heat exchanger and in both cases the water was fed thru the boiler or hot water heater not wrapped around it. Even if the idea worked how would you handle heating the tank in fall or spring when home heat is not called but tank heat is? Your plan may actually lower the tank temp as the water for heating is below 75*

 

[strgazr27]

Unless you plan on flattening that stainless tubing you have VERY LITTLE SURFACE AREA for transfer. The point of contact is where most of it will take place. I was not talking about the type of material.

And ha, ha, ha u funny too but stainless isn't even close to copper or aluminum as far as thermal transfer factors go. The higher the value the better a material is at transmitting heat from itself to another substance or medium. Copper has a value of 401, aluminum is 205 and Stainless is 16. And as far as your "Swamp" transfer loop plastic has a value of .03, less than the value of a quality hardwood such as Oak or Maple which is .16

And all of those are based on maximum contact area for transfer.

The larger the volume of water the more inefficient your "System" will be. But you seem to know have all the answers so I will leave it at that. Just offering up some info and help. Can't wait to see how this works out.

 

[ravi197699]

heater

I think its a big misunderstanding, either my english or my diagram. I'm trying to run a coil around the boiler (stainless steel coil) to take the heat transfer. You cannot use a pex coil around the boiler tank, I will use the pex only on the swamp. If i run the SS coil around Boiler tank ,this doesnt mean I have 125 degrees in the coil, i may have 95, i may use a Insulated Sleeve, to drop the temp. more, will be to hot, unless the pump never stop. And about the apex, I never trusted the temp probe. It needs all the time calibration, plus to be clean. This was the first reason, why i mod. the heater. I got Apex b4. About air inside the line, i think about Thermal Expansion Tank, Also not necessary Eheim, or external pump, i call boiler , the domestic hot water heater for house.Thank You for all. qy7400 i will go to study the links.

Hey Vio why don't you use hot water from your heater and make coil out of pex pipe and leave it in your sump and connect the low flow heat pump to one side of the pex tube and you can control this pump with your apex and when the temp goes low in your sump then pump will be turn on and hot water will start circulating through pex and heat will transfer to water in sump.... I am planning to do something similar...

 

[Omrid]

Don't use a boiler it's not good for the water you'll have rust/carbon monoxide coming from a plumber

 

[vio]

Hey Vio why don't you use hot water from your heater and make coil out of pex pipe and leave it in your sump and connect the low flow heat pump to one side of the pex tube and you can control this pump with your apex and when the temp goes low in your sump then pump will be turn on and hot water will start circulating through pex and heat will transfer to water in sump.... I am planning to do something similar...

that was the idea, not to debate about....http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html.
and i never say i will, just ask, if anybody try ?!
all u need , is to warm 8-10 degr. , let's say u got 68 degr. in basement so just to go 76-78.

 

[vio]

vio... strgazr is correct, PEX or PVC in the sump will work but is a very poor choice. The links i sent one guy was using 100 feet of PEX to transfer heat the sump, the second used a titanium heat exchanger and in both cases the water was fed thru the boiler or hot water heater not wrapped around it. Even if the idea worked how would you handle heating the tank in fall or spring when home heat is not called but tank heat is? Your plan may actually lower the tank temp as the water for heating is below 75*

Not sure, what they try, i stop reading ,when i see Apex , i say Boiler not, home furnace,
Boiler is for domestic hot water (shower,cooking etc.)
Furnace is for warm up the house.
Ravi got the full idea, i am glad. Thank You.

 

[Omrid]

Water heaters are for hot water in you're whole house boiler is for the heat

 

[vio]

Water heaters are for hot water in you're whole house boiler is for the heat

Ok, then water heater, Thank You.