Gravity systems

Ian_M

I am in the midst of designing a gravity-fed heating system for my son who is off-grid. He doesn't want to use any power for circulation and will be using wood for the heating fuel.

 My vision to date includes the boiler situated outside the house with the supply going to a header in the attic. From the header I want to pipe the glycol to four loops controlled with thermostatic valves with a fifth loop equipped with a reverse-acting thermostatic valve for a heat-dump in case the loops are all satisfied and the wood fire, uncontrolled as it is, continues to heat the medium.

My question is this...Would there be any problems with using baseboard heating cabinets in the rooms below the attic space? There is no basement and the return would be located under the house (with the heat-dump loop)

hot_rod

you need to meet Larry

he built a solar powered, gravity flow, radiant wall heated home in California. Nice fellow! he stops by this site often.



http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/whh/pages/hummingbird-home.html

jumper

outside boiler

Outside boiler house is good idea. Locate it lower than bottom of house. Fire should be controlled. Ideally wood is burnt in two stages. First stage is incomplete combustion. It is simpler to buy coal and supplement with some free wood.