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12v dc voltage system to run “micro sized” hydronic heating system

freewillieklr | Posted in General Questions on

Hi Folks

My name is Bill and i would like to heat a small sleeping area in a mobile off the grid environment hydronically.

there are two ways i think may work but thought i would ask the more experienced group here to get some direction…

1st thought is to source a 12v controller that could run a 12v 4 way mix valve and also a very small 12v circulation pump to circulate water at a rate of less than .25 GPM

2nd is a 12v controller using and an injection valve that could be hand adjusted. In this case a very small 12v circulation pump {@ max output be .25 GPM} would be speed controlled only by the controller?.

Looking forward to thoughts and possibilities maybe an existing unit already out there?

maybe there is some combination of the above etc…. that could be used. ?

thanks in advance for any help.

Bill

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Replies

  1. Greenconfusion | | #1

    There is a drain back system design on builditsolar.com that uses 12V Toyota prius inverter pump. No controls , sun hits PV panel, pump comes on. Not sure if that is helpful.

  2. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #2

    Bill,
    A 12-volt circulation pump that is often specified is one of the El Sid pumps made by Ivan Labs. Here are some links:

    https://www.simplesolar.ca/store/p19/El_Sid_Solar_Circulating_Pump.html

    http://www.energyconscious.com/media/pdf/Sol5001.pdf

    http://shop.solardirect.com/product_info.php?products_id=363

    -- Martin Holladay

  3. PAUL KUENN | | #3

    Bill, the El Sids are great. I currently have a 10 year old one that still is perfect and my old house still has the one I bought over 20 years ago. For any temperature controls, you could contact Guy at:http://www.arttec.net/.

  4. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #4

    Bill,
    If you use a gas kitchen stove to heat a pot of water, with the idea that the hot water can be used for space heating, you have to worry about two possibilities:

    1. The water in the pot will evaporate (if the pot is open to the atmosphere) or the system will explode (if the pot is not open to the atmosphere).

    2. The fumes from the gas stove will lower the indoor air quality. (Operating a range hood to exhaust the fumes from the stove will, of course, work at counter-purposes to your goal, which is heating the space.)

    -- Martin Holladay

  5. freewillieklr | | #5

    all info is helpful .. thank you ..sometimes being pointed in other directions i can stumble on to even more idea's .. I forgot to add earlier that the heat source will be a very small gas stove that will heat a closed but very low pressure or non-pressure reservoir ,the same stove is also used for cooking when not heating the frugal sleeping area .

    Bill

  6. freewillieklr | | #6

    Thanks Martin et all

    The stove will be outside the sleeping unit ..i will be spending some time trying to make a lightweight weather deflection to keep high winds from blowing the stove flame out. i was thinking that if i ran the stove low enough it may curb evaporation.. some of the small pressure cookers with a tig welded side input and out put may be the answer for the "boiler" ?

    Bill ...

  7. freewillieklr | | #7

    Maybe i should focus more on having something that would change the stove BTU output to keep water temp in check instead of trying to mix return water with incoming water {mix valve} .. not sure if something like that even exists at the micro scale..but it maybe would consume less 12v energy than a heat controller and mix valve motor

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