Cheap home made boilers idea's

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4acrefarm

Member
Hearth Supporter
Jan 11, 2009
159
western ma
ss looking for feedback and or ss on building cheap boilers. I am ss running a 55 gal ss stove with 5 ss tubes running through it. it heats 3000 sf in MA via radiant staple up. I'm thinking of building one out of an oil tank and 50' of tube. It would be partitioned of into fire box ash bin and exhaust chamber. It would be fan forced like my current setup. My current setup cost less than $500.00 to build with no welding. Big brother would not be much more money, I just need to learn how to weld.
 
sory for typo's and bad abreveations. ss = stainless steel.
 
all I can add is it would have to be a non pressurized system as the oil tank won't hold any pressure to speak of. Also, do you have any concerns about insurance.
 
The oil tank is dry. 8 or 10 stainless steel tubes carry wter through the firebox and exhaust chamber. I have a 55 gallon barral with 5 33" 3/4 tubes that is working but i need more btu's.
 
if your happy with your first one

build another and fire both when the load demand is high - one when not
 
Hi 4acre; Be carefull with a water tube boiler, if it flashes to steam it won't be pretty. You might want to consider using larger diameter tubes for your larger boiler as this should be safer. Good luck, Randy
 
My GW is a water tube boiler and has steamed off with no ill results. Very scary though and if the tube is not thick enough to withstand the press. it could be ugly.
 
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