DIY wet back for wood stove

**123rover50** · 27th February 2015, 08:29 AM

Thanks.
Good idea.
On second thoughts I may purchase one of those instead of winding my own coil.
Time seems more precious as I get older.
Keith

**dero** · 6th April 2015, 08:29 PM

I have seen all the above suggestions in practice & they all work , as long as you have thermal siphoning you will get hot water .
If you plan on putting a plate in to protect the coil [ good idea ] may I suggest mesh to allow direct heating .
Don't forget that every mm of space you use means less wood space ie shorter logs . Pay good heed to the warning about the valves & potential for explosion , personally I would not put any valves in the system .

**dromader driver** · 7th April 2015, 03:51 PM

One of the relo's has an outdoor water boiler to run the shower in the bush hut. We suspect that due to the pipe work being too small it tends to become a steam generator with associated rumblings and spitting. No valves in the circuit just a large coil in the top of a 20 gal drum with fire below. Tank is about 2metres head above and adjacent.

Takes about 30mins to heat 120 litres to boiling. Shepherds crook for over pressure.

Be careful !

**Tank** · 14th April 2015, 10:23 AM

Before you go modifying water heater connections to your stove it would pay to check with your Home insurance co. and Council and have/get proper approvals/permission.
Your Household insurance could be Null and Void if your house burns down or the Hot Water Service blows up, esp. if there is non-approved or faulty workmanship done by an unlicensed installer.
Domestic Wood Heater/Slow Combustion Stoves owners have found out the hard way after their house has burnt down that they have no insurance because of lack of Approval by council or homemade modifications.
You need to have council approval for the Stove/DWH and has been installed (and maintained) by an approved/licensed installer, or kiss your expensive home insurance bye, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by mattyg

Has anyone made one / retrofitted one to a wood heater? If so, please fill me in!

I have a BIG wood heater (arrow 2400) in my house which is good for heating about 35 squares. My house is about 20 squares and to get the heater up to operating temp can be too hot to sit in front of so I'd like to transfer a bit of that heat to the HWS.

The hot water service is already a low pressure type in the ceiling space so that part is easy.
I would have thought there would be a heap of diy projects on the net for this but I haven't been able to find any. As far as I can see you just need a constantly rising pipe ladder or coil through the back of the heater and then a rising hot water line to the tank to ensure thermo siphon effect. Is there any more in it than that?? Water volume in heat? Pipe diameter? Pipe material? Pipe wall thickness?

Any help appreciated. Cheers Matt

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