Wood Burning Water Heater?

[sparklewater]

I'm from Upstate. (Bradford country) just a stones throw from New York. we don't have solar heat due to all the trees we have. Lucky about 2 years ago 2 trees were cut and it gives direct access for the sun to hit the pool. It raised it about 5 degrees. I really want to try to design a wood burning water heater this year to see if we can heat the pool without the use of our propane which is quite expensive in our area. We live in the country so we have plenty of wood and I could get wooden skids anywhere. Has anyone on this site ever designed or built one. I was thinking of maybe using a double barrel wood stove and make the top of the stove a heat ex changer to heat the pool.

[PoolDoc]

Nothing wrong with wanting to do that . . . but it's sort of far afield of what we do here. And, it's the sort of thing that can go badly, if you get the engineering wrong. Heating water under pressure to temperatures at or above boiling can be extraordinarily dangerous.

Do you have the plumbing and engineering training that would allow you do this safely?

If not, I'd encourage you to purchase and read some boiler operations manuals, and some steamfitters guides, and training materials, to get some idea what you're up against.

I'm not just talking out of the side of my mouth here -- I'm a licensed master plumber, and have in the past worked on a variety of both steam and hot water systems. The dangers I'm talking about are the sort that destroy -- as in flatten -- a house, and kill 5 people in the process. It happens every so often when a homeowner, who doesn't understand the function or purpose of the T&P valve on a water heater, and puts a plug in one when it leaks!

You might want to email the guy at this site:
http://www.truetex.com/poolcontrol.htm
I gather that your question is the sort of thing that interests him.

[Phillbo]

Sounds like you need a moonshine still :)