I see there is a lot of people wondering how to make their own wood fired pool heater. I live in MA and it can be frustrating playing "superman" jumping into a pool that's less than 75 degrees Fahrenheit. I did it at 50 deg.F! I am an HVAC technician and I will teach you how I am making my "Old #2" vertical water tube boiler.
Started with a 55gallon metal drum...
First thing I welded a door on the middle. You can just cut a hole near the bottom too. Next I made a nice cut for the chimney and screwed in some chicken wire over the hole, ever see leaves fly way up in the air on fire? I will be burning lots of brush so this will help. Next I installed 60' of soft copper tubing coiled around the inside wall of the drum at the top. I was planing on giving it legs and weld a solid grate on the bottom but for now it will sit on a grate on a few cinder blocks. This will allow the air to feed it from underneath and easily remove the ash. I still have to make the stack but I will return for pictures of the process and results of the performance. I have read a lot about copper staining the pool but I have an above ground and I am not worried about it. Copper does kill green algae! No more buying algacide!! I will let you know how bad if any the water does get.
Started with a 55gallon metal drum...
First thing I welded a door on the middle. You can just cut a hole near the bottom too. Next I made a nice cut for the chimney and screwed in some chicken wire over the hole, ever see leaves fly way up in the air on fire? I will be burning lots of brush so this will help. Next I installed 60' of soft copper tubing coiled around the inside wall of the drum at the top. I was planing on giving it legs and weld a solid grate on the bottom but for now it will sit on a grate on a few cinder blocks. This will allow the air to feed it from underneath and easily remove the ash. I still have to make the stack but I will return for pictures of the process and results of the performance. I have read a lot about copper staining the pool but I have an above ground and I am not worried about it. Copper does kill green algae! No more buying algacide!! I will let you know how bad if any the water does get.