Condensing Diesel Heater Hack Is Dripping With Efficiency
Not a huge percentage of our readers probably get their heat from diesel fuel, but itâs not uncommon in remote areas where other fuels are hard to come-by. If youâre in one of those areas, this latest hack from [Hangin with the Hursts] could save you some change, or keep you ̶2̶0̶%̶ ̶c̶o̶o̶l̶e̶r̶ 25% warmer on the same fuel burn.
Itâs bog simple: he takes his off-the-shelf hydronic diesel heater, which is already 71% efficient according to a previous test, and hooks its exhaust to a heat exchanger. Now, you donât want to restrict the exhaust on one of these units, as that can mess with the air fuel mix, but [Hurst] gets around that with a 3âł intercooler meant for automotive intake. Sure, itâs not made for exhaust gas, but this is a clean-burning heater, and it wouldnât be a hack if some of the parts werenât out of spec.
Since itâs a hydronic heater, heâs able to use the exhaust gas to pre-heat the water going into the burner. The intercooler does a very good job of that, sucking enough heat out of the exhaust to turn this into a condensing furnace. Thatâs great for efficiency â he calculates 95%, a number so good he doesnât trust it â but not so good for the longevity of the system, since this intercooler isnât made to deal with the slightly-acidic condensation. The efficiency numbers are combustion efficiency, to be clear. Heâs only accounting for the energy in the diesel fuel, not the energy that heats the water in his test, for the record; the electrical power going into the blower is considered free. Thatâs fair, since thatâs how the numbers are calculated in the heating industry in general â the natural gas furnace keeping this author from freezing to death, for example, is a condensing unit that is also 95% efficient.
Another thing you can do to get the most from your diesel heating fuel is add some brains to the operation. Since this is a hydronic system, the cheapest option, long-term, might be to add some solar energy to the water. Sunlight is free, and diesel sure isnât getting any cheaper.
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