For a preheater to be of any significant net gain you must have a hood AND must catch the condensation and channel it away from the evaporator. I understand the most efficient one even use a damper in the steam stack, I do not.
For a preheater to be of any significant net gain you must have a hood AND must catch the condensation and channel it away from the evaporator. I understand the most efficient one even use a damper in the steam stack, I do not.
Dave Klish, I recently bought a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
Pvc will droop and melt etc. I used pvc once to feed the preheater and it was trashed after one day. That ran next to the hood not even in it. Its now stainless milk pipe, no more worries.
Well, for the sake of argument, what about PEX? It's used for radiant floor heating, so I suppose it could take the heat.
I admit that if the choice was to buy PEX or copper, you should go with the copper. But if it's a question of using PEX you already have on hand versus buying new copper.... I'd do the PEX over no pre-heater at all.
Patrick
Wood fired barrel boiler and squirrel cage forced air
Slowly warping plexi steam hood
shiny selfmade copper pre-heater
Fiddy something taps
10x12 raised platform shack
not enough coffee
picked a bad year to give up ice cream
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I ran copper around the flu, I baught a 50 ft roll of 5/8th roll and this makes the sap drop in around 100 degrees. It doesnt always have to be right above the hood
I have built a few preheaters based on Leader's design. If you know how to block solder (with an iron) you can make one for less than $200. I just built one for my 7' flue pan for $140 (1" copper pipe, unions, box manifolds, etc. Go to your local sheet metal shop and have them make up a drip tray and you're good to go. Besides why would you want to spend the time materials to make something that could melt or give the finished product an off flavor possibly?
2.5x10 Dallaire Intens-o-fire w Hood
Vac on 875
Homemade 550 Gal Round Bottom Tank
Homemade Preheater
Lapierre DBl Vertical
Busch R5 Pulling 27"
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