Anyone Heating Their Clothes Dryer With Water?

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ktm rider
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Post by ktm rider » Fri. Jun. 16, 2006 4:29 am

I have been looking at ways to reduce my electrical use and I have been checking out the water to air heat exchangers for our clothes dryer. There are 5 people in my houshold and our dryer is ALWAYS running. I figured that since the boiler is already heating everything else why not the dryer also.
I know that these heat exchangers are available, I was just wondering if anyone here uses one and how hard was it to retrofit it into your standard dryer? I can't seem to find much info about this on the web. Thanks....

 
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LsFarm
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Post by LsFarm » Sat. Jul. 01, 2006 2:10 pm

Hi Shawn,

I'm not sure this would work in a regular dryer. The heat that a gas or electric dryer creates is quite a bit hotter than the maximum you could get out of a water to air heat exchanger.

The max water temp in a non pressurized system would be around 200-210* and maybe 220* in a pressurized system. I'm pretty sure that the flame or electric element creates heat somwhere above 300*.

I'm doing laundry this afternoon, so I'll put the laser thermometer to work and try to get a reading on the temperature inside the dryer's drum.

I have thought about using hot water for clothes drying, but I think would have to be a extra hot room with clothes lines and exhaust fans. But maybe the dryer is not a shot as I think it is. I'll know later today.

See Ya, still planning on a pilgramage for a load of bulk coal this summer.

Take care, Greg


 
ktm rider
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Post by ktm rider » Mon. Jul. 03, 2006 12:12 am

Greg,

That was my question. The reason I asked was because I have seen a few outdoor furnace sites that are selling these heat exchanger designed solely for clothes dryers. I was wondering if anyone has tried one out and if they actually work or not.
Let me know when you are coming for the coal.

 
ktm rider
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Location: Western Md.

Post by ktm rider » Tue. Jul. 04, 2006 9:58 pm

this is just about all I have found about this item

BTW, I used to own one of these furnaces. They work O.K. especially if you REALLY, REALLY like cutting firewood.
Last edited by ktm rider on Fri. Mar. 31, 2017 11:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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