BadDog
06-22-2011, 08:16 PM
About 2 months ago I pulled an old propane heater out of my pool plumbing. The diverter valve was both badly corroded and damaged, and that was causing flow problems. It was ancient and too expensive to run anyway, so I just removed it figuring I'll do solar heat if anything (just to expand the swim season).
But that's not the point of this post, only the back story. I've now got 3 pieces I'm thinking might be interesting project fodder.
1) There is a nice cast iron and copper heat exchanger. Apparently it will bring (I'm told) over $60 in scrap all by itself. However, I was wondering if it might be useful as the focal element of a parabolic solar reflector? Build the reflector and tracking mechanism is probably more trouble than I'll be interested in, but the idea is intriguing. But realistically a static system if far simpler and therefore far more likely.
2) The propane heating element (and a rather large tank). Wonder what I could use that for?
3) The main thing that caught my imagination is the rather nice refractory blocks inside. Originally they formed 4 walls, each a solid piece of refractory, and together form a vertical square chimney with the propane burner on bottom, and heat exchanger on top. I was thinking that maybe taking the original housing, turning it on it's side, and building a refractory back as well as a front vertical swing up-and-over door to form a heat treat oven. But I suspect the refractory material isn't up to that type of heat. And it's only about 2.5" thick. I don't think I would want the propane burner, but rather electrical heat as discussed in other threads. Question is, would these pieces be useful as a starting point, or just a hassle and waste of time?
Anyone got advice or other suggestions on how these might be usefully re-purposed?
But that's not the point of this post, only the back story. I've now got 3 pieces I'm thinking might be interesting project fodder.
1) There is a nice cast iron and copper heat exchanger. Apparently it will bring (I'm told) over $60 in scrap all by itself. However, I was wondering if it might be useful as the focal element of a parabolic solar reflector? Build the reflector and tracking mechanism is probably more trouble than I'll be interested in, but the idea is intriguing. But realistically a static system if far simpler and therefore far more likely.
2) The propane heating element (and a rather large tank). Wonder what I could use that for?
3) The main thing that caught my imagination is the rather nice refractory blocks inside. Originally they formed 4 walls, each a solid piece of refractory, and together form a vertical square chimney with the propane burner on bottom, and heat exchanger on top. I was thinking that maybe taking the original housing, turning it on it's side, and building a refractory back as well as a front vertical swing up-and-over door to form a heat treat oven. But I suspect the refractory material isn't up to that type of heat. And it's only about 2.5" thick. I don't think I would want the propane burner, but rather electrical heat as discussed in other threads. Question is, would these pieces be useful as a starting point, or just a hassle and waste of time?
Anyone got advice or other suggestions on how these might be usefully re-purposed?