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Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 10:25 am
by windyhill4.2
Check out the MONSTER output units that member Matthewd shows on the pics of your boiler thread, 1million + BTU . BTU needs would likely drop some with the drier air ,less time for fans to run trying to remove the moisture,better bird health all around .

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 12:02 pm
by Phil May
The main problem you will have is the ammonia that is in the chicken house will destroy a fan coil in no time. You would have to use outside clean air to stop the corrosion. Maybe you could get a shop to fab a coil out of a good grade of stainless. The better option would be radiant heat in the floor. That might make the ammonia worse by warming the litter.

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 3:16 pm
by Lightning
Phil May wrote: That might make the ammonia worse by warming the litter.
Um yeah. I would go along with that! :out:

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 3:30 pm
by Wallyp
Thank you everyone for all that great information- knew I could count on this forum 's members for some good info . I prefer going the forced air route for simplicity and lower initial costs of a complete installation . We have sold outdoor wood fired boilers for 23 years and know how to do that end of things . We have set up poultry barns using outdoor boilers and radiant finned tubing and all customers indicate better bird housing conditions . So now what I need is someone's name who is actually using forced air heating in poultry barns . Thanks again for all the answers .

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 3:55 pm
by Starting Out
Go to Keystoker's web page Keystoker.com and click on testimonials. There is a person using exactly what Wallyp is looking for. They heat greenhouses with 450K. units. They use 8 of them.

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 3:57 pm
by Pacowy
I go along with the simplicity; not sure about the cost. AFAIK there are a lot more good used big boilers around than good used big furnaces. If the options are a good used big boiler vs. a new big furnace, a big boiler set-up might still be less. Plus, as mentioned previously, some big boilers potentially could heat multiple buildings.

Mike

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 5:45 pm
by windyhill4.2
There is a big difference between heating a greenhouse & heating a chicken house ,both have moisture issues but the chicken house also has dust issues,imagine the massive return air filter needed for a hot air furnace,& then to get the air to return to the furnace while big fans are pulling air from the building. My choice would be a good recon boiler with modine style heaters & no worry about return air issue OR duct work for the 600' building.Duct work or pex for 600',pex seems easier to me, a good recon boiler setting in a separate building between 2 buildings & have the coal storage in the boiler building. But ,our lives are full of choices,we all can choose to spend our money on what we like & what we perceive will work best for us, & then we get to enjoy or regret our choice with no one else to blame. :)

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 8:31 pm
by Wallyp
Thanks for more input - but am still looking for a contact to learn more about forced air heating with a large anthracite burning furnace for a poultry barn application - I understand there are some out there but so far have had no luck finding someone . Have been to see Rocky Ridge Greenhouses using anthracite furnaces for greenhouses and had the pleasure of meeting with LaRue, the owner . Also cannot figure how to respond by personal email to members of the forum- can you help me Mike ?

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 8:34 pm
by Lightning
Wallyp wrote:Also cannot figure how to respond by personal email to members of the forum
Um do you mean private messages? Use the "PM" button. It's easiest to PM thru a post done by the member you want to contact. That way his name and subject is already filled in for you.

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 8:36 pm
by Pacowy
Hit the button that says "Send Reply".

Mike

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 8:39 pm
by Lightning
Pacowy wrote:Hit the button that says "Send Reply".

Mike
:lol: oops, I misread thought he wanted to send a message..

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 9:03 pm
by Wallyp
Please don't count me out, but where is the " send reply " button

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Wed. Apr. 16, 2014 9:19 pm
by Scottscoaled
Here's how to deal with this problem. It is called an Air Handler. It take outside air and passes it thru a coil. It also takes some of the air in the space and mixes it with the new incoming air, That keeps the operating expense within reason. the amount of air that is drawn from outside is proportional to the amount of moist, ammonia tinged, dusty air that is purged by the exhaust fans. The temperature that we are talking about keeping the barn at is above freezing. Not 60 or 70 degrees. It only needs to be kept warm enough that the chickens wattles don't freeze and the feed/water/poop doesn't freeze either. It's also important not to have the cold air blowing on the livestock too much as they don't do well in cold drafty conditions. The dry, heated, outside air that has been mixed with the heated air from the top of the space, should be introduced into the bottom of one end of the barn and pulled out of the barn by the exhaust fans. That way the poultry always has warmer air gently flowing across their space drying the poop and carrying out the moisture/smells/ ammonia dust. So an air handler equipped with a Variable Speed Drive to match the incoming air to the exhausting air would be ideal. Low maintenence, less chance of dust clogging the coil due to excessive dust, able to be mounted to outside or inside of building to suit the need. And the most important part, a big efficient coal boiler to supply the heat. I know of several that would fit the bill.

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Thu. Apr. 17, 2014 2:45 pm
by Phil May
I would think an air handler would be Ok as long as it is using outside air. The dust and amonia from the inside air would destroy anything that is not plastic or stainless. In my hog finishing houses just putting copper or brass inside corrodes it beyond use in 1 winter. Even galvanized bolts rot away.

Re: Barn Heating

Posted: Sat. Apr. 26, 2014 9:25 am
by Wallyp
Thanks for all the help so far received from many forum members, re; heating poultry barn with anthracite forced air . I have found a farmer who does use forced air in poultry barns but so far have not been in direct contact . Have also learned that in the long run, perhaps a boiler and fan coils may be of equal value . Just need more time to put things to-gether . Interesting that 1 member thought a boiler may garner more efficiency than a forced air furnace from the actual anthracite .