How many times have you found yourself without hot water? It could be a power outage, the hot water heater failing or a water supply disruption.
Regardless of why you are without hot water, it is more than a minor inconvenience. We need hot water to clean ourselves, wash dishes, and launder our clothes.
The good news is that there are many projects that you can build to provide a constant supply of hot water in those times when getting it from traditional sources is impossible.
Even better, these are things that you can construct today and keep on hand for those times that you need them.
Wood Stove Water Heater
There are a few ways to convert a wood stove into a continuous hot water source. The easiest way is to use a wood stove with a water heater attached. This comes at a cost though, and making one yourself can often be less expensive.
You can make a wood stove out of an old propane tank, steel drum, or fabricate one out of sheet steel. There are even ways to turn an old ammo can into a wood stove.
A wood stove’s chimney gets extremely hot, and that heat energy is wasted as it radiates into the air. Wrap flexible copper plumbing pipe around the chimney to take advantage of this wasted heat. To do this, you must fill the pipe with sand and carefully wrap it in a coil around the chimney. Once it is in the right shape, remove the sand and solder some plumbing fixtures on each end. Cold water will enter the bottom of the coil, and hot water will exit through the top.
Another method is to make a zig-zagging pattern of copper pipe, which you can wrap around the stove’s body. This will require a lot of soldered joints and will be harder to build than just wrapping flexible pipe around the chimney. The advantage is that you can use a larger diameter pipe to heat more water as it travels around the heater body.
You’ll need a method of storing this heated water, and an old hot water tank would be a great option. Wrapping the tank in insulation will help to keep the water inside nice and hot.
In either of these cases, all you need to do is fire up the stove and allow water to run through the plumbing. You must be careful not to let the water sit stagnant in the pipe. What may happen is that the water starts to boil and generate steam, which can cause the fittings to burst.
Wood Stove Hot Water Tank
If you have some fabrication skills and access to stainless steel, you can build a custom water tank that will hang off the side of the stove. Alternatively, a stainless-steel tank placed on the stove will also work quite well.
You’ll have to ensure that the water inside these tanks does not boil because that will generate steam and create a lot of pressure, leading to the tank bursting.
If you go this route, you’ll need to ensure that all welds on and inside the tank are sanitary welds as to not contaminate your hot water.
Rocket Stove Water Heater
A rocket stove water heater works the same way as the wood stove heater, but the coil of copper water pipe will be built into the stove’s body. Like the wood stove water heater, you’ll need an old hot water tank to store the heated water.
Related: DIY Rainwater Harvesting System
Rocket stoves are more efficient than traditional wood stoves, which is better in situations where access to fuel to burn may be limited.
Solar Water Heaters
There are many ways to harness the sun’s power to heat water. This can be a great option in warmer climates and during the summer months. Still, if you can place a solar water heater inside your home with access to direct sunlight, you could also use it in the colder months.
There are many ways to construct these solar water heaters, and most are straightforward enough for anyone with some basic construction skills.
One excellent method is to place a coil of PEX pipe painted flat black in a box with a plexiglass lid. The inlet and outlet of the pipe have fittings attached to them, which allow you to connect them to hoses and valves.
Solar Drum Heater
You can also use 55-gallon drums painted black and placed on your home’s roof as a solar water heater.
Since the drums will be elevated, they will provide water pressure as gravity pulls the water down.
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You’ll need to ensure that your roof can handle the extra weight, and you’ll probably have to build and install a platform to hold the drums.
Fire
Sometimes, the old ways are the best. If you have fire and water, you have endless hot water.
You can hang a pot over a campfire or make a fire pit with an elevated grate on top of which you place a large pot full of water.
As long as you have fire, the water will be heated, but you won’t be able to plumb it into your home’s plumbing.
Failure of the grid shouldn’t keep you from a steady supply of nice hot water. These projects are worth investing in now so that you’ll be good to go when the grid goes down.
Even though your access to this heated water will look much different than when we have unlimited access to electricity, you’ll be the only one on the block with unlimited clean, piping hot water.
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All good suggestions if people are mechanically inclined to construct such projects on their own if supplies are still available.
A recent off topic being researched once again is the elements of the cover up of the JFK assassination, being revealed of leaks of mistakes made in the investigation.
We see the Deep State agencies can not keep conspiracy theory under wraps forever without the truth being revealed.
The same is happening with Trump and the J6th political prisoners too.
I like the solar drum water heater method, works great.
Off topic; With Trump, J6th, the Constitution, freewill, student loans of federal versus private loans are a form of slavery to the federal gov’t. Compound interest kills the student borrowers by the liberal elitist like Joe Biden.
The student borrowers like doctors to truck drivers become burger flippers to pay off a debt.
The Teamster union pension fund never lost money in Los Vegas. They should have run the student loan program maybe.
John Adams mentioned the best way to enslave a person is by debt.
1965 the student loan system original loans were free of interest. Joe Biden in 1972-1973 made student loans tied to interest compounded a cash cow for the government as the federal dept of education took over.
The right to file bankruptcy was removed causing student loans to be a crushing debt on borrowers.
Solution is to return bankruptcy option to the student loans. As the loans and interest are developed out of thin air. The paper money we have is fiat money and so is the corrupt IRS system borne of congress to collect ill-gotten interest on money loaned.
Colleges and universities teach outdated technology, train graduates to work for a multi-national corporation of no allegiance to America.
Those who have paid their student loans must be compensated as a long term IRS tax relief credit or a specific monetary amount paid of the past student loans to be fair.
Loans and insurance are semi-scams on the public to make money from thin air theory. Just the federal reserve program is not part of the US government. The federal reserve bank is run on fraud by foreign international bankers bleeding American finances.
We need to get our government like congress who holds the money purse strings of finance to reinstate our paper dollars back on the gold and silver standard. That will destroy the globalist takeover of America through their digital currency that will totally control our lives til the second coming of God.
SpMmer dude nobody cares you voted for biden
Just look up COP28.
This is how they want us to live.
You will own nothing and you will be happy…
Dose that work for you and your family. You will comply… or else…
We are many they are few, globalist have always tried to rule the masses. The elites in power always have a bad ending on their part.
We don’t need to live their way, we will live our way in our God given blessed America.
You don’t need their digital currency, the mark of the beast. We do have weak sheeple who are led by their nose rings, like a bull is.
Woke is part of the Antichrist, Europe is the spawning point for the Antichrist.
DEPORT, DEPORT, DEPORT IN 2024, NUFF SAID!
The liberals or communist sympathizers are hinting not if maybe decocting a plot to physically takeout Trump. What kind of liberals in America would do such a thing? How far will China Joe and Hillary go to take out Trump?
The last election liberals cheated by mail in ballots, ballot harvesting, no voter ID and hackable voting machines. Now these Marxist are are using corrupt judges, lawyers to keep Trump out of the 2024 presidential election.
If something terrible happens, there can be a second civil war brewing.
I know this is off topic but… We inherited 15.44 acres in the Ozark mountains with two trailer houses, a shed, and tornado shelter. Can anybody tell me where I can list this for a prepper? We already have our bug out place and can’t use this. Thanks so much.
Interested can you email me info, asking price and pictures at gradybunch60@gmail.com
Where is this located in Ar?
I have an abundance of fire and water of the soul. Have done a couple of these projects they work on the same plain as cheaply made Chinese products sold in America. Nothing beats genuine made American products, even after their warranty use is up. We can modify these to make the before a mentioned projects as we have good bones foundation to start with. Cheap Chinese products are just that junk inferior quality that breakdown before warranty period does.
WARNING – DO NOT do the zig zag method mentioned in the wood stove water heater, stick to a coil around the flue. The reason for this is a potential build up of pressure which could potentially cause an explosion due to airlocks and steam build up caused by the up and down zig zag method… If you have the coil method this will work perfectly with the cold feed at the bottom.
Solar panels can be connected directly to a hot water heating element. Inverters or any other devices are not required. The only warning here is you still need to turn them off when the water gets to hot, and if you connect many of them electrically in series, be aware not to exceed the voltage that the heating element is designed for. Solar panels provide DC current, so the thermostat might burn out prematurely….
Another good method for small amounts ( think a few cups of tea or enough to wash your face) is the Kelly Kettle. It only needs small twigs and can heat water really fast because the water chamber surrounds the flame and is the chimney. Mine is mid sized and made of stainless I think they still are available in aluminum or stainless.
Kelly kettles are amazing, although bulkier than modern stoves these can be used with any natural combustable material meaning unless you’re in a barren wasteland, you’ll be able to find fuel… And you can put a pan on top of the chimney to cook with. Definitely worth their weight in gold
simple physics 101
great article michael
water of any kind can be heated simply by put in container of anykind , left in sun for a period of time , means of moving to another source of storage or use , then recirculated with new
simple process , size and depth, height , mass of container determines time for heating
like the example s shown above , copper coils around heated pipe of exuast, flu s , chimineys , or like will do this
remember : container or pipes can be anything as long as it does not exceed the rated temp of water or heat source
metal to metal , plastic to plastic , remember your week links are the joints or connection pts
never use plasic for boiling water , common sense 101
since the education system installed by the propaganda machine want you dumber than a stump and stupid like those with lots of money , they will not teach you how to live with out them as your source of provision
so Stand Up , Speak Up , Train yourself , Learn to be independant and with out the need for the rich to provide for you
NO welfare, NO socialist Garbage of control thru work, jobs and income providers
Just learn to be minimals , so you can use your resources for preppers and improvement
God Bless , Good luck , Wish you the best thru the invasion and take down , socialist control
A water heater can even be made with a wooden or plastic barrel by attaching a metal pipe to the bottom of the barrel. The pipe is long enough to have the capped off end of it in a fire. The fire heats the water and it percolates into the bottom of the barrel like a coffee maker. Insulating the pipe except the end in the fire pit makes it more efficient. Water can be dipped out or drained out of a spigot on the side of the barrel.
While living overseas, I found a gas water heater at the dump with burned out gas heater at the bottom. Took it home, removed the gas portion, hooked up the lines and built small fire each morning in the space where the gas heating portion was originally. Wa La, 30 gallons of hot water. Amazing how little fire was needed to heat the whole tank as the heat went up the central pipe. Used for several years. It was too easy.
Excelente artigo obrigado por este ensinamento. Comentários úteis e bem explicados também, obrigado.
Unless I missed something my wood burning cook stove has a tank to provide water and I have added additional lines to a hot water tank, never run out of hot water. Invest in a wood burning stove one of your best investments.
For the affluent an external boiler is the top tier improvement. The heated primary water loop can be routed to multiple structures with multiple hot water tanks, heat exchangers (radiators) in forced air systems, underfloor tube systems, old style radiator systems, etc. Most external boilers can be fuel by various fuels (wood, coal, oil, etc). Most can be fueled and “bunkered” to last 24 hours or more before attending again.