using water coil on hitzer 50-93 to heat outdoor hot tub?

Just as the title states, anyone doing this? My idea is to plum the pipes from the stove to a outdoor stock tank as a hot tub and keep it heated all winter (heating so long as the stove is on, since you probably want to keep the water flowing through these devises while the stove is running).

I was looking at home made stock tank hot tubs online and I want to build one! Google them if your not farmiliar.

Not really asking if this can be done, I already know it would work for a smaller stock tank, just kinda wondering what size stock tank would fit the capacity for a water coil in a hitzer 50-93? The stock tank will be outside and not insulated so I just dont want to purchase a stock tank too large where the stove and coil cant suficiently keep it heated... Would love to hear of someone with a similar setup, but please give me some input!

What might be helpful for me is to tell me how many gallons hot water heater your stove coil solely heats on its own. The stock tanks I'm looking at are in the area of 150-350 gallons.

-Tyler.

Welcome to the forum,

First off, I am not sure what a "stock tank" is but it is probably some sort of water storage tank. Here are a couple things to keep in mind while embarking on one of these projects.

1) If your heating loop will be a closed system you need to include a pressure relief valve and an expansion tank. These will prevent your heating loop from exploding.

2) If your heating loop will be an open system you will need to come up with ways to limit corrosion.

3) Stove heating coils have a very small amount of surface area to collect heat. This means that the amount of gallons per minute that can be heated is also very small so recovery time is long.

Good Luck!
-Don

Yeah, so I kept my 400 gallon hot tub warm this way when I ran a hand fed coal furnace.. I used a stainless steel coil and pex lines.. do not use copper. It kept my tub in the 90's, sometimes warmer when I pushed the stove hard. Keep in mind that a hot tub is insulated like a Thermos or better and there is some heating from the filtering pump.

You will need to insulate that tank somehow and have an insulated lid.... and I would advise using two or three of the biggest coils that will fit in your stove, plumbed in series with a small circulator.

If you don't insulate the tub and don't have an insulated lid, the best you'll do is keep the water from freezing...

U, I got a 150 gall. tank & I doubt if it would even be worth it for that size. Hell, if I set up a hot tub I'd want to be able to at least be able to get Momma in there with me!!!! LOL

Freetown fred, I just need it for me and my woman, and I like to keep her close lol. But alright, I can insulate this thing, even beneth. Let me see if I can post a pic of what I'm talking about. I'l see if I can post a smaller one and also of a larger stock tank to show what I'm talking about.

accidental post. see below.

Sorry, try these links. But honestly I suggest just googleing "stock tank hot tub"


https://islandhottub.com/product/chofu-heater-for ... nk-package

https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/news/a43 ... k-hot-tub/

The links worked O.

It's a trial and error deal.. you might do all that work and spend money on coils just to find out they can't absorb enough heat to keep it warm enough.. no guarantees it will work.. The more coils you get into the stove, the better the results will be.

But best of luck if you decide to pursue it.

I'm very interested in this idea. I run a 50-93 in my garage and could do this and keep it in the garage where it isn't perfectly insulated but better then being outside.
What do you guys/gals think would happen to a coil that is in the stove with no water to it if i don't have it set up for a while? damage to the coil? I'd leave the ends open the so no pressure could be built up.

I'm kinda thinking nothing, its stainless steel. My guess is that they want water constantly circulating to avoid any possibility at all at creating steam and pressure....

If you are buying the coil then ask the manufacturer. If you are making the coil find the maximum temperature rated on the tube/pipe.

My guess is not much of anything could happen. Obviously if it is kept glowing red for hours on end if could be ruined.

IMHO, using a standard coal stove and plumbing would be more trouble and less effective than it's worth. For washing dishes or keeping a small pot of wash-water handy for inside the house, it might be feasible. However, for the volume of water typical of an outside hot tub, using a large steel or masonry tank with wood seats and floor slats inside and a dedicated firebox underneath and to one side with a built-on chimney would work far better.

Years ago I thought about heating a water circuit inside a little travel trailer using the wood stove I had inside it. But it turned out just leaving a big canning pot full of water on top to dip into was far cheaper, easier, and actually practical.

I'd really like to heat some hydronic in-floor circuits with coal heat, but again it would take a dedicated high-capacity stoker furnace with lots of coils and a strong dependable electric pump to pull it off. I could probably have a complete and trouble-free installation done in a month fueled with nearby natural gas, but for that one-time price (not to mention ongoing connection and fuel gas costs) I could buy coal for my present heater for the rest of my life.