DIY Natural Gas Heater

[chicken]

Just a heads up. I started my Natural Gas heater build thread over on RC. It is at http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1771510 Feel free to ask any questions here or there. Hopefully some other large tank owners will find this useful.

-Chris

 

[JAR]

I just read your post.
It sounds like a cool inventive project.
If you can dig up that underground line and insulate it it will save you some energy.
Otherwise your heating up a lot of earth.
You could wrap a several layers foam tape around it.
The stuff you get at the plumbing supply to protect pipes embedded in concrete.

 

[Elite]

I hear PG&E is raising the gas price. You might want to check into that.

 

[GreshamH]

They said that last year (June) but haven't said much since, or rather, I haven't heard anything since.

I have heard the supply is now greater then ever so in theory prices should drop.

 

[Jbon]

Well, I have been thinking along these lines lately. I am well into tier 3 on my PG&E bill so I appreciate your situation. My system is near 300g including 100g sump/refuge in garage. I haven’t done any calcs yet but found a ½ hp titanium heat exchanger on eBay for $275 and have access to my hot water pipes. My house has recirculating hot water but I don’t use the LAING Hot Water Recirculation Pump that I have. I thought with some plumping, a temperature controller for the recirc pump and an on/off valve for water flow, I could reduce the use of the 1600W electric heaters that I have - using my current gas hot water system. I have a manifold for my main pump with spare outlets and enough capacity to get a good flow through the heat exchanger.

 

[JAR]

When you are losing a lot of heat having water in an unconditioned spaces,try to insulate the tanks,sumps and pipes from the unconditioned space.
Some return pumps add heat to the water. See if those work for you, although could cause a problem in the summer.

 

[iani]

I hear PG&E is raising the gas price. You might want to check into that.

PG&E is lowering gas prices, I think on average 15 percent.

 

[iani]

Oh the article says 9.2 percent, however the example they use is more like 30 percent. lol
http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php?id=2376

 

[chicken]

When you are losing a lot of heat having water in an unconditioned spaces,try to insulate the tanks,sumps and pipes from the unconditioned space.
Some return pumps add heat to the water. See if those work for you, although could cause a problem in the summer.

I have everything insulated that I can besides the underground plumbing. I found today a manufacture back east that makes Sch 40 insulated 2" PVC Pipe. They are working on a quote for me. The problem is about 1/3 of the run to my shed is under the concrete slab foundation of the shed. If the pipe is not that expensive I might dig up and replace the portion I can get to and leave the rest alone. Otherwise it works well during the summer. I do not even have a chiller on the system. The only time I have heat problems is about 2 times a year when we have 105+ degree temps for 3+ days in a row. I have two 12" fans that blow on top of my fuge and when they kick on its enough to keep the tank at 81 even on those days.

 

[JAR]

Fans are amazing at cooling tanks. Totally underrated.

 

[chicken]

Fans are amazing at cooling tanks. Totally underrated.

It really is. 1 gallon of water evaporation is 2369 watts of heat loss. So for all of you having open top tanks or sumps cover them up if your heaters are running!! It will save you a bundle. My first cold winter month with this tank 4 years ago it was nearly $500 to heat it. By covering up the tank, the fuge and putting 2" Styrofoam under my 300g sump and cover up as much of the top of the sump as I could I dropped it down to $175 for the next month. Well worth the $40 in Styrofoam from Home Depot.

 

[chicken]

The RC post is updated with new pictures. I am almost complete. Just need to finish up the PEX heat exchanger and install it in the sump.
Thanks

 

[Reefugee]

Chris - great post on RC. I finished reading it earlier today. I am amazed how high your heating bill is. I don't think I could afford your electricity bill.