How to make a heater with your own hands: an easy way. How to make an infrared heater with your own hands How to make an electric heater from improvised means

Decided to assemble a homemade heater for your home or garage, but don't know how? I bring to your attention 4 simple ideas for manufacturing electric fireplace, heat gun, candle stove and infrared burner. I will tell you how to assemble such a heater in 1 hour.

What can be made from improvised materials

Everyone can make an electric heater with their own hands, even without being a professional electrician. Consider two step by step instructions assembling a heat gun and a spiral fireplace.

Idea one - assembling an electric spiral fireplace

Such a fireplace will be a good solution for heating rooms with a small area. For example, having made an electric heater with your own hands, it will be possible to heat a home workshop or office.

Illustration	Materials and tools, and their description
	Brick solid kiln. One ceramic brick will be used as a dielectric body for winding the helix. Two bricks will be used as heat dissipators.
	Tungsten or nichrome wire. A wire made of refractory alloys is needed for winding a spiral. For normal heating, we use a wire with a diameter of at least 0.5 mm. Pay attention to the fact that the wire is initially flat. If there are areas where the wire is twisted, then it is there that the homemade spiral will quickly burn out.
	metal strip. A strip of steel 20-30 mm wide and 3 mm thick is needed in order to make a reinforcing frame of the structure.
	Grinder with a cutting disc for concrete. We will use the grinder for cutting bricks, and therefore a regular metal disc will not work.
	Welding machine. During installation, you will have to cook a metal strip. If there is no experience with welding, you can use a bolted connection.

Illustrations	Description of actions
	We make notches. On the long sides of the brick, notches are made at a distance of 10 mm from each other; The depth of the notches should be 5 mm; Notches are made on all 4 faces.
	Heating element manufacturing. Previously prepared nichrome or tungsten wire is wound over the brick, holding in the notches.
	Production of heat-accumulating surfaces. On both sides, we press the wound spiral with oven bricks; From a metal strip, as shown in the photo, we make a belt that will pull together three bricks into one.
	Installing the legs. After the heater is pulled together with a metal strip, two rectangular strips must be cut from the same metal; Having bent the metal strips, we weld them at the bottom of the heater.
	Manufacturing protective housing . The heater is almost ready, but in order to be safe to use, we assemble a pipe with a rectangular cross section from tin. Assembled pipe should be 2-3 cm wider than the brick construction. In our case, the pipe was made from perforated sheet metal. If the tin does not have holes, they must be drilled or cut so that the heated air can escape.
	Protective housing installation. Protective cover we install on top of the bricks, so that the same gap is maintained between them and the tin on all sides. Perhaps for this you will have to weld additional spacers from a metal strip.
	Wiring and trial run. A wire with a plug is connected to the two ends of the spiral, through the connecting terminals or by twisting. Before a test run, inspect the entire structure and make sure that the turns of the homemade spiral do not touch. After that, the design can be connected to the network and tested in operation.

Idea two - assembling a heat gun from a bucket and a twisted spiral

To make such a heater, you will need a metal bucket, a large built-in fan and a spiral from an old electric stove. It will suffice to assemble conventional tools, which are sure to be found in any home workshop.

The table offers simple installation instructions.

Illustration	Description of actions
	Separate the bottom. We separate the bottom from the prepared bucket so that we get a cylinder without a bottom and without a top.
	Preparing the spiral. We cut a square metal grate to the size of the bucket. We lay the spiral along the grate so that the diameter of its layout is somewhat smaller than the inner diameter of the bucket.
	Spiral installation. In the prepared bucket, we make slots into which we insert the corners of the lattice. As a result, the grate with a spiral should be indented 30 mm from the edge of the bucket.
	Wiring and switch installation. We bring out the wires from the spiral. For safety, we output the wiring through insulators. Immediately, on the sidewall of the bucket, we install an isolated block of automatic machines.
	Fan installation. On the opposite side of the grate with a spiral, install a fan. We attach the fan to the walls of the bucket with self-tapping screws and connect it to the machines.
	Installation of supports. As shown in the photo, we drill along the edges of the bucket through holes. Through the holes we pass the studs, which we fix with nuts. As a result, the structure should not sway and should be stable.
	Trial run. We turn on the gun in the network and first start the fan. After we turn on the power to the spiral.

The third idea is to make a micro-oven on a spirit lamp or a candle

Yes, this is not a typo - such a stove takes up little space, and an ordinary candle or spirit lamp is used as fuel for intensive heating!

To make a heater, you will need two clay pots different size and alcohol. Of the tools you need a drill with drill bit, pencil and ruler. So, let's get to work.

Illustration	Description of actions
	Making markings on a small pot. From the center of the bottom of the pot, mark a line that will divide the bottom in half. Now, relative to the line that has already been drawn, we draw a transverse line to make a cross. From these lines we pass to the walls and, as shown in the photo, mark a point on each side. Each of the points should recede from the bottom by 20 mm.
	Drilling holes. According to the markup, one hole must be drilled on each side of the pot. That is, there should be four holes. In the manufacture of the heater, a lot has been tried different ways drilling. The only working way is drilling under water with a concrete drill.
	Preparing a large pot. Similarly, we drill two holes in a large pot. But the holes in a large pot should not be located near the bottom, but along the edge.
	We light the fuel. We fill the spirit lamp with alcohol or similar liquid fuel. We put the spirit lamp on the stand and light it. If necessary, the spirit lamp can be replaced with an oil lamp.
	Installing the first pot. After the spirit lamp flares up, we place a large pot on top of it. We do this so that the flame from the spirit lamp knocks out of the hole for the water drain. We wait 5 minutes until the moisture collected by the ceramics during drilling is completely evaporated.
	Installing the second pot. We put a small pot on an already dried out large pot. The location of the holes relative to each other is not important, since they are needed for traction and provide it, even if they do not match.

Answers to questions on the use of the heater

How hot and for how long? If the stove is assembled correctly, the heat obtained from the spirit lamp or from the candle is sufficient to heat small room within half an hour. The fuel in the spirit stove burns out within 15-20 minutes, heating the ceramic pots and the air underneath them to a high temperature.

After that, for 10-15 minutes, the ceramic will slowly release heat into environment, that is, in the room.

How dangerous is the oven? As you can see, in the photo, the air heating temperature at the outlet of the pot, at the highest point, is very high. But in the lower part of the pot, this temperature does not rise above +30 ° C.

That is, cotton swabs or other flammable objects may lie close to them, and nothing will happen to them. But it is not recommended to touch the top of the stove during operation.

Can the stove be painted? Although the ceramic itself looks good, the pots can be coated with special heat-resistant oven paints and varnishes.

Can epoxy be used to glue pots together? No, epoxy and similar two-part formulations are not heat resistant. For example, epoxy adhesive begins to break down already at a temperature of +60 °C.

Idea four - making an infrared heater in 5 minutes

Heaters operating on the principle of infrared radiation are most often electric. I will show you how to make an infrared gas heater. The device is very simple and for its assembly you need: a camping gas burner, a piece of metal mesh for sifting sand and a plumbing clamp.

Illustration	Description of actions
	Diffuser manufacturing. We turn a piece of mesh 20 × 30 cm into a tube 20 cm long. That is, the tube should be wound in 3 layers.
	Installing the diffuser on the burner. We put a mesh tube on the burner nozzle. We put a plumbing clamp over the tube and tighten it with maximum effort.

From the author: hello dear friends! Usually, central heating include late autumn, and taking into account the natural climatic conditions in many regions, colds come much earlier. The best decision- this is the installation of additional heat sources. Today we will talk about how to make an infrared heater with your own hands.

Main elements and principle of operation

To create an infrared heater at home, it is necessary, first of all, to study the principle of its operation.

As you know, electromagnetic waves emanate from heat sources that directly heat all the bodies around them, in this case, in the apartment - pieces of furniture and people. At the same time, the air in the room does not heat up, and all the heat comes only from already heated objects. Infrared heaters also work according to this principle, including several main elements:

source of heat radiation. In infrared industrial heaters, the sources are thin metal filaments, which are heated by an electric current passing through them, or various lamps, for example, halogen or incandescent;
reflector with high reflectivity, the main function of which is to dissipate heat or create independent heated zones by reflecting infrared rays;
controller is also one of the main parts of industrial infrared heaters. It regulates the heating degree of the emitter. It may not be available in home-made heaters, but its installation is recommended for setting a suitable temperature range and for automatically heating the device when the temperature drops below the normal range, as well as for cooling at elevated temperatures.

Advice: to check the reflex effect, it is recommended to use food foil, which must be held over the hand for some time. Heat should emanate from the foil, which is rays reflected and directed towards your hand.

The principle of operation of ceiling infrared heaters is the same as that of other devices of this type. Only the installation method differs, on which the determination of the most comfortable heated zones depends.

Source: electricdoma.ru

This diagram shows the main advantage of infrared coolants: heat, heating physical bodies and what they swallow remains inside. Therefore, they are warmer than the ceiling. With convective heat supply, the floors always remain cold, since the material itself is not heated. Warm air rises, pushing cold air down.

Self-manufacturing of an inexpensive heater

The basis of the emitter is usually lamps or filaments that receive heating from an electric current. But there is a more productive option - using . Radiation is emitted from the battery, spreading in all directions.

For best effect, use foil after smoothing the surface for higher reflection. Stick it on the walls behind the radiators and radiators. Heat supposedly directed to the wall will be reflected in the opposite direction, heating only the room. Due to this simple trick, the heat input is increased by 20%.

Advice: It should be noted that heat-insulating reflective screens made of penofol, covered with foil on one or both sides, can be an alternative to foil.

Using existing devices in the home

If you have an old Soviet reflector, you can safely use it to make an infrared heater. In addition to it, you will need:

steel rod;
nichrome thread;
refractory dielectric material (e.g. ceramic plate)

To make a heater with your own hands, you must follow the instructions.

Remove dirt from reflector surface.
Measure the length of the spiral around the reflector cone.
Check cord, coil activation terminals and plug for damage.
Cut the steel rod to a length equal to the length of the helix.
Screw a nichrome thread onto the rod with a marking of 5 turns per centimeter.
Slowly remove the core from the wound thread.
Put the spiral on a dielectric (for example, a plate) so that the turns do not touch.
Connect the ends of the spiral to an electrical source.
The heated coil is compactly placed in the grooves of the reflex cone.
Connect contacts with spiral ends.

As a result, you will notice that the nichrome filament heats up better than the coil installed in the device before making changes. An effective radiator that reflects energy from the reflex walls and directs it to bodies that absorb heat is ready.

Use of foil and glass

For this you will need:

paraffin candle;
a device for installing a candle;
EDP glue (Boxidka);
aluminium foil;
two glasses of the same size;
sealed material;
wire with a tip in the form of a plug;
cotton napkin;
cotton buds.

Manufacturing instructions.

Remove dirt, paint and dust from the glass surface.
Light a candle and place it in the tray.
Holding the glasses in your hand, run them over the flame so that they smoke evenly. To do this, it is recommended to cool them a little in advance. The resulting dark soot will become a conductive element.
Draw straight lines around the perimeter of each glass with cotton swabs. The result should be a frame of clean strips 0.5 centimeters thick.
Measure the width of the dark soot rectangles.
Cut out two similar rectangles from the foil, which will serve as electrode strips.
Put the first glass so that the smoked side is on top.
Apply glue to its surface and distribute the edges of the foil so that they go slightly beyond the glass.
Lay the second glass on top with the smoky side inward so that it fits snugly against the adhesive surface and press carefully to secure the effect.
Apply a little sealant to the glass joints.
Check the design for power level. Not exceeding 100 W per sq.m. heater, you can safely connect to the mains using a plug with a wire.
To connect to the network, take a block of wood with two metal plates that are reinforced at both ends. To one of them you need to solder a 12 volt plug. Position the bar on the glass so that the foil extending beyond the edges of the glass is pressed tightly against the metal contacts. Your efficient and powerful electric heater is ready.

Advice: for the correct calculation of the power of the device, it is necessary, using a multimeter, to measure the resistance level of the layer that conducts electricity. Given the dependence of the current strength on the load, it is better to use stable parameters - a constant voltage of 220 V and the formulaN= U* U/ R, WhereN- the desired power indicator,U - electrical voltage AndR- resistance. For example, with a resistance of 24 ohms according to the formulaN\u003d 220 * 220/24 turns out 2016 Tues. This power is enough for normal heating of a room with an area of approximately 20 square meters. m.

When a higher value is obtained, it is necessary to increase the resistance, and if the power is low, increase it.

What to do if the power of the made heater does not meet the required parameters? It is necessary to calculate this indicator, taking into account the area of \u200b\u200bthe room (for example, 15 meters) at the rate of 100 W per sq. m. It turns out 15 * 100 \u003d 1500 watts.

With a constant resistance of 220V, derive the required indicator using the previous formula: R=220*220/1500=32 Om. Given that you previously got 24 ohms, the resistance should be increased. This means that it is necessary to reduce the smoked strip on the glass in width and calculate according to the formula R \u003d I * p / S, where R is the resistance, I is the length of the current-conducting layer (constant value), p is the resistivity (constant value), S - the cross-sectional area of the layer (directly depends on the width, a wide layer is a smaller area, a narrow one is a large one).

Thus, in order to calculate the required resistance value, it is necessary to select the desired width of the smoked strip, however, for this, the glass device will have to be disassembled.

Laminate production

To make an infrared heater with your own hands, you will need:

2 pieces of laminated paper plastic, each 1 sq.m;
box glue;
copper plates;
powdered graphite;
plug and cord;
wood.

First you need to mix graphite with glue until a thick mass with a high degree of resistance is formed. Then apply a mixture of graphite and boxwood to the plastic in zigzag strokes, placing the rough side against the table. In the same way, you should prepare the second plastic, and then glue the two sheets, pressing firmly against each other. On the plates on opposite sides, you need to fix the copper elements with glue.

A frame is made of wood into which a device must be inserted, which then must be dried well. Next, you need to measure the resistance and calculate the power in the same way as in the previous version, except that here the resistance depends on the amount of graphite powder in the adhesive - the more it is, the higher the resistance indicator, and vice versa. After you have reached the desired power, you need to connect the structure to the network, after connecting it to the plug.

Infrared film production

One of the most modern and effective materials for a heater is an infrared film, usually three-layer.

Infrared heaters have recently been a curiosity. Now they are moving into the category of familiar devices that are used everywhere: at home, in the country, in production workshops and even in open areas. It got to the point that many Kulibins, having frozen in the garage, make an infrared heater with their own hands from improvised means. Below we will consider several methods for making ICs from improvised means.

Unlike other types of heaters, IK does not heat the air in the room. It works on the principle of our luminary: heats objects that get in the way of infrared radiation. And the heated surfaces share heat with the surrounding air.

The infrared heater consists of two main elements:

heating element-emitter;
reflector (reflector).

Both of these elements are assembled in a heat-resistant case.

The reflector is made of aluminum or polished steel. The task of the reflector is to form a radiation flux and direct it to the desired zone.

Lamps are used as a heating element (emitter):

halogen;
carbon and quartz.

Heaters with halogen lamps are cheaper than those with carbon or quartz. But they have one drawback that does not contribute to the use of the device in residential areas: their work is accompanied by the glow of the lamp. Agree that you can’t put such a heater in the bedroom, and in the nursery too. Although, on balconies and loggias, if they are not combined with the main room, you can.

Unlike halogen, carbon and quartz lamps do not give light (but their price is higher). Actually, this is their only difference from halogen lamps. Some sellers claim that carbon and quartz, in addition to heating the room, also heals the residents. Such statements should not be taken seriously: doctors unequivocally state that an infrared heater does not have any effect on human health.

In addition to the emitter and reflector, the heater design contains a fire hazard sensor and thermostats. The former automatically turn off the heater when it overheats or overturns, the latter serve to maintain the set temperature.

Making an infrared heater with your own hands

IR heater from an old reflector

You will need:

Soviet-made reflector;
nichrome thread;
steel rod;
refractory dielectric.

Tip: As a dielectric, you can use a plate of any diameter made of glazed ceramics.

Your actions:

thoroughly clean the reflector of the reflector from dirt and dust;
check the integrity of the power cord, plug, connection with the terminals for connecting the spiral;
measure the length of the spiral wound around the ceramic cone of the device;
take a steel rod of the same length and wind a nichrome thread on it. Winding step - 2 mm;
at the end of the winding, remove the spiral from the rod;
lay the spiral in a free state (its turns should not touch) on a refractory dielectric;
connect the current from the mains socket to the ends of the spiral;
turn off the heated coil and place it in the groove of the ceramic cone of the heater;
connect it to the power terminals.

Glass and foil

Necessary materials:

glass: two pieces of the same size;
aluminum foil;
sealant;
paraffin candle;
power cord with plug;
epoxy glue;
cotton buds;
clean cotton napkin;
candle holder.

What we do:

remove dust, dirt, grease, traces of paint, if any, etc. from the glass surface;
we light a candle and smoothly move the glass plates over its flame (alternately and only on one side). As a result of this operation, a uniform layer of soot should form on the glass. It will serve as a conductor in the heater;

Tip: If the glass is cooled before processing, the layer of soot will lie on its surface more evenly.

with the help of cotton swabs we form a transparent “frame” around the perimeter of the glass with a width of about five millimeters;
cut out two rectangles from a sheet of aluminum foil. Their width should be equal to the width of the conductive layer (the same soot that you diligently deposited on the glass at the beginning of work). The foil strips in our IR will act as electrodes;
we place the glass plate with the smoked side up and apply epoxy glue to its surface;
we put foil on the edges of the plate so that their ends extend beyond the glass;
carefully cover the resulting structure with a second glass plate (smoky side inward) and glue the “pie”, carefully pressing its layers to each other;
the perimeter of the structure is sealed;
measure the resistance of the conductive layer;
using the result obtained, we calculate the power of the heater using the formula:

N \u003d R x I 2, where

N - power (W);

R - resistance (Ohm);

I - current strength (A).

If everything went well and the power did not exceed the value allowed by the standards, you can connect a home-made infrared heater to the outlet. If you didn’t guess, disassemble the device and start all over again.

Note: For orientation, keep in mind that the resistance is less, the wider the soot strip. Therefore, the glass heating temperature will be higher.

Laminated IR

You will need:

paper laminate with an area of 1 sq. m - 2 blanks;
epoxy glue;
copper bus for the manufacture of terminals;
wood for making a frame;
power cord with plug.

Graphite can be "extracted" from batteries that have served their time.

What need to do:

graphite for heater

mix epoxy glue with graphite until a thick mass is obtained (thus preparing a future conductor with high resistance);
lay the plastic blank on the desktop with the rough side up;
we apply an epoxy-graphite mixture to the plastic surface with zigzag strokes;
prepare the second plate in the same way;
we put the plates on top of each other with the processed sides to each other, and glue them together;
on opposite sides of the graphite conductor we attach copper terminals;
along the perimeter of the structure we construct a fixing wooden frame;
leave the products alone until the graphite-epoxy layer is completely dry;
we measure the resistance of the conductor and calculate the power (see option 2).

The resistance value of the conductor depends on the amount of graphite in the mass. If as a result of testing it turned out that the resistance of the conductor is too low - prepare a new epoxy-graphite compound by increasing the dose of graphite. Accordingly, high resistance can be reduced by reducing the amount of graphite powder in the conductor.

After you achieve a positive result, you can connect the power cord to the terminals and plug the device into an outlet. You can improve the design by installing a simple thermostat.

We have considered only a small fraction of the methods for manufacturing infrared heaters. In fact, there are a great many options, because home craftsmen tend to use different things that have served their purpose. Their diversity determines the number of inventions of homemade infrared heaters.

Do you have any questions? Ask them in the comments!

When the house is too cold, it is difficult to call such a dwelling cozy. Sometimes accidents happen on the main heating mains, and the desire to heat the apartment becomes paramount. Everyone can make a heater with their own hands, so the topic of how to implement the plan is very relevant. But in any new business knowledge is needed. If you are tired of freezing, a reliable heat installation will not hurt.

Such an oil heater can be made by hand

Classification of heating devices

There are a huge number of homemade heaters. You can make them from improvised material. Many folk craftsmen try their best. Because of this, structures often appear that cause great troubles. Before starting work, a wise owner will think about safety.

Despite the diversity, all devices are divided into certain groups according to the main technical characteristics.

Here is a list of their differences:

Oil and water. The liquid-filled battery is still the most common type of heater due to its relative safety and reliability.
Electric fireplaces. Devices with an open element for heating air. One of the most dangerous species similar devices. Fires, burns, electric shock are the main problems that an improperly made or operated device of this type brings with it.
Fan heaters. The principle of the heater is the same as in the previous version, only the air is supplied to the room by a special fan built into the device. It is very convenient for quick heating of a certain place.
Thermal panels. The safest and most reliable type of homemade heaters. It is very easy to make it from ready-made infrared panels. Someone dares to independent production such panels from improvised material.
Fiery. Heaters that use an open flame. Very rarely used at home, but popular for fishing, camping, for heating sheds and garages. It goes without saying that with this type of heating, compliance with the rules fire safety are paying increased attention.

Types of heaters for home use

When choosing the design of a future device, it is important to pay attention not only to its safety, but also to its efficiency. Therefore, first determine what requirements and goals the future heater must meet.

Here are some criteria for such an assessment:

safety;
productivity;
profitability;
ease of assembly and maintenance;
compactness;
convenience;
efficiency.

Having compared all the pros and cons of each type and having decided on the goals, they choose the most suitable option to make a heater at home that can serve for a long time and reliably.

In that video you will learn how to make a catalytic heater;

Step by step assembly diagrams

The choice of an economical and effective option is given enough time so that later you do not have to be disappointed. Do-it-yourself assembly of an electric heater is not so difficult that a novice master could not handle it. The assembly principle of almost all structures is similar, therefore, having mastered the manufacture of one device, it is easy to switch to another.

oil battery

Oil heaters are very popular. Their principle of operation is very simple: the oil inside the pipes is heated by a heating element inserted inside. Such a device is very simple to manufacture, has good efficiency and safety indicators.

Making your own oil heater is easy, you just need to follow the instructions

They do it like this:

They take a heating element (power - 1 kW) and an electrical wire with a plug for an outlet. Some craftsmen install a thermal relay for automatic control. It is also purchased in the store.
The body is being prepared. An old water heating battery or a car radiator will do for this. You can weld the body of the apparatus from pipes yourself, if you have the skills of a welder.
Two holes are made in the body: at the bottom - for inserting a heating element, at the top - for filling oil and replacing it.
Insert the heating element into the lower part of the body and seal the attachment point well.
Oil is poured at the rate of 85% of the internal volume of the housing.
Connect control and automation devices, well isolate electrical connections.

After that, the heater is ready for use. It is preliminarily checked in different modes of operation.

Do-it-yourself infrared heater;

Mini Garage Heater

Sometimes a very compact heater is required for certain purposes. In such situations, a mini fan heater made from an ordinary tin can can help out.

To make it, do the following steps:

They are preparing a big tin can from under coffee or other products, a fan from a computer, a 12 W transformer, 1 mm nichrome wire, a diode rectifier.
A frame is cut out of textolite according to the diameter of the can and two small holes are made in it to tension the incandescent spiral.
Insert the ends of the nichrome spiral into the holes and solder them to the stripped electrical wiring. For variability of modes and reliability, several spirals are connected in parallel and a power regulator is installed.
Assemble the electrical equipment of the heater. Solder well and isolate all connections.
Mount the fan inside the can with bolts and a bracket.
The electrical wires are well fixed so that they do not overheat and do not fall into the cavity of the fan when the heater is moved.
For air access, about 30 holes are drilled in the bottom of the jar.
For safety, a metal grill or a lid with holes is put on in front.
For stability, a special stand is made of thick wire.
Connect to the network and check the device.

Such a small electric heater will warm you very quickly in the garage if you need to make urgent repairs. It will be needed in the winter in the country, when there is no time to make a fire in the main stove.

Infrared panel for heating

IN Lately Infrared ceramic heaters are becoming more and more popular. It is much more difficult to make such a device with your own hands if you do not buy ready-made thermal panels, but it is quite possible.

You can make a similar modern infrared heater at home

To do this, do the following:

Materials are prepared: fine graphite powder, epoxy glue, 2 metal-plastic or ceramic plates of 1 m², 2 copper terminals, wooden blanks for the frame, electrical wires and a switch, there may be a power regulator with a more complex version.
Draw on both plates a mirror arrangement of spirals on the inside. The distance from the edge is about 20 mm, between the turns and the terminals - at least 10 mm.
Graphite is mixed with epoxy resin 1 to 2.
Lay the plates with the pattern on the table, smooth side down.
A mixture of graphite and glue is applied in a thin layer according to the scheme.
One of the sheets is placed on top of the second sheet, with the smooth side facing you. Hold them tightly to each other.
Insert the terminals in the pre-designated output points.
Let dry.
Join electric wires and check the functionality.
Make a wooden frame for stability.
Equip the device with a thermostat.

Having made such a heater, the owner can be calm for its reliability. This option is the safest to operate and very economical.

DIY homemade heater;

Safety

Making a heater is easy. It is much more difficult to save a building from a fire when using homemade devices. Compliance with fire safety regulations is an integral part of any work with thermal heaters.

Always remember:

Faulty electrical appliances must not be used.
Do not leave such devices unattended and alone with small children.
Caring parents always try to check the inaccessibility of dangerous parts of heaters for children.
In the event of a fire, immediately turn off the power to the device, and then extinguish it. Immediately call the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

As a safety measure, wise parents always teach their children the proper handling of thermal heaters and explain what can and cannot be done and why. Observing fire safety rules and using only proven and reliable heaters, those living in the house will enjoy warmth and comfort for many years.

Algorithm of work on the manufacture of a heater with his own hands;

Those who want to make a heater with their own hands do not decrease: the prices for factory-made autonomous heating devices are not encouraging, and their declared characteristics often turn out to be overestimated compared to the real ones. It is useless to make claims: manufacturers always have an “iron excuse” - the efficiency of heating a room is highly dependent on its thermal properties. Cases when it was possible to “squeeze out” compensation from the manufacturer for the consequences of an accident that occurred due to the fault of their product are also rare. True, although it is not forbidden by law to make household heaters on your own, trouble through the fault of a homemade product will be a serious aggravating circumstance for its manufacturer and owner. Therefore, this article further describes how to correctly design and manufacture safe domestic heaters of several systems that are not inferior in thermal efficiency to the best industrial designs.

Constructions

Amateur craftsmen fence heaters often of a very intricate design, see photo in fig. Sometimes they are well made. But the overwhelming most of the home-made heating devices described in Runet have one thing in common: a high degree of danger they create, harmoniously combined with a complete mismatch of the expected specifications valid. First of all, this refers to reliability, durability and transportability.

Make a heater for the house, households. premises or hiking autonomous for summer cottages, tourism and fishing, the following systems are possible (from left to right in the figure):

With direct air heating on natural convection - electric fireplace.
With forced blowing of the heater - fan heater.
With indirect air heating, natural convection or forced air - oil or water-air heater.
In the form of a surface emitting thermal (infrared, IR) rays - a thermal panel.
Fiery autonomous.

The latter differs from a stove, stove or hot water boiler in that it most often does not have a built-in burner / furnace, but uses the waste heat of heating and cooking appliances. However, the line here is very blurred: gas heaters with a built-in burner are on sale and are made independently. On many of them you can cook or heat food. Here, at the end, a fiery heater will also be described, which is not on wood, not on liquid fuel, not on gas, and certainly not a stove. And others are considered in descending order of their degree of safety and reliability. Which, nevertheless, with proper execution and for the “worst” samples, fully comply with the requirements in household autonomous heating appliances.

Thermal panel

This is a rather complicated and time-consuming, but the safest and most effective type of household electric heater: double-sided radiation thermal panel for 400 W in a room of 12 sq. m in concrete house heats from +15 to +18 degrees. The required power of the electric fireplace in this case is 1200-1300 watts. The cost of funds for the independent production of thermal panels is small. Thermal panels work in the so-called. far (more distant from the red region of the visible spectrum) or long-wave IR, so the heat is soft, not burning. Due to the relatively weak heating of heat-radiating elements, if they are made correctly (see below), there is practically no operational wear of thermal panels, and their durability and reliability are limited by unforeseen external influences.

The heat-radiating element (emitter) of the thermal panel consists of a thin flat conductor made of a material with high electrical resistivity, sandwiched between 2 plates - plates of a dielectric transparent to IR. Thermal panel heaters are made using thin-film technology, and the linings are made of a special plastic composite. Both are not available at home, so many amateurs try to make heat emitters based on a carbon coating sandwiched between 2 glasses (pos. 1 in the figure below); ordinary silicate glass is almost transparent to IR.

Such a technical solution is a typical surrogate, unreliable and short-lived. A conductive film is obtained either from candle soot, or by spreading an epoxy compound filled with ground graphite or electrical coal on glass. major vice both methods - uneven film thickness. Carbon in amorphous (coal) or graphite allotropic modification- a semiconductor with a high intrinsic conductivity for this class of substances. The effects characteristic of semiconductors are weakly manifested in it, almost imperceptibly. But with an increase in the temperature of the conductive layer, the electrical resistivity of the carbon film does not grow linearly, as in metals. Consequence - thin places are heated more strongly, burn out. The current density in the thicker ones grows, they also heat up, they also burn out, and the entire film soon burns out. This is the so-called. avalanche burnout.

In addition, the soot film is very unstable, it quickly crumbles on its own. In order to obtain the required heater power, up to 2 volumes of carbon filler must be added to the epoxy adhesive. In fact, it is possible up to 3, and if 5-10% by volume of a plasticizer - dibutyl phthalate - is added to the resin before the introduction of the hardener, then up to 5 volumes of filler. But the ready-to-use (not hardened) compound turns out to be thick and viscous, like plasticine or greasy clay, and it is unrealistic to apply it with a thin film - epoxy sticks to everything in the world, except for paraffin hydrocarbons and fluoroplast. You can make a spatula from the latter, but the compound will follow it with beds and lumps.

Finally, graphite and coal dust are very harmful to health (have you heard of silicosis in miners?) and extremely dirty substances. It is impossible to remove or wash their traces, soiled things have to be thrown away, they stain others. Who ever dealt with graphite grease(this is the same finely crushed graphite) - as they say, I will live, I will not forget. That is, home-made emitters for thermal panels need to be made in some other way. Fortunately, the calculation shows that the “good old”, proven for many decades and inexpensive nichrome wire is suitable for this.

Calculation

Approx. 8.5 W/sq. dm ik. From the “pie” of the thermal panel emitter, 17 watts will go in both directions. Let's set the dimensions of the emitter 10x7 cm (0.7 sq. dm), such pieces can be cut from the battlefield and cutting waste in almost unlimited quantities. Then one emitter will give us a room of 11.9 watts.

Let's take the heater power of 500 W (see above). Then you need 500/11.9 = 42.01 or 42 emitters. Structurally, the panel will represent a matrix of 6x7 emitters with dimensions without a frame of 600x490 mm. Let's throw it on the frame up to 750x550 mm - it passes in terms of ergonomics, it is quite compact.

The current consumed from the network is 500 W / 220 V = 2.27 A. The electrical resistance of the entire heater is 220 V / 2.27 A = 96.97 or 97 Ohm (Ohm's law). The resistance of one emitter is 97 Ohm / 42 \u003d 2.31 Ohm. The specific resistance of nichrome is almost exactly 1.0 (Ohm * sq. mm) / m, but what section and length of wire is needed for one emitter? Will the nichrome "snake" (pos. 2 in the figure) fit between 10x7 cm glasses?

Current density in open, i.e. in contact with air, nichrome electric coils - 12-18 A / sq. mm. At the same time, they glow from dark to light red (600-800 degrees Celsius). Let's take 700 degrees at a current density of 16 A/sq. mm. Under the condition of free IR radiation, the temperature of nichrome depends on the current density approximately by the square root. We will reduce it by half, to 8 A/sq. mm, we get the operating temperature of nichrome at 700 / (2 ^ 2) \u003d 175 degrees, it is safe for silicate glass. Temperature outer surface in this case (excluding heat removal due to convection) will not exceed 70 degrees with an outside temperature of 20 degrees - it is suitable both for heat transfer with “soft” IR and for safety if the radiating surfaces are covered with a protective mesh (see below).

A rated operating current of 2.27 A will give a nichrome cross section of 2.27 / 8 \u003d 0.28375 square meters. mm. According to the school formula for the area of a circle, we find the diameter of the wire - 0.601 or 0.6 mm. With a margin, we will take it 0.7 mm, then the heater power will be 460 W, because. it depends on its operating current squared. 460 W is enough for heating, 400 W would be enough, and the durability of the device will increase several times.

1 m of nichrome wire with a diameter of 0.7 mm has a resistance of 2.041 ohms (0.7 squared \u003d 0.49; 1 / 0.49 \u003d 2.0408 ...). To obtain the resistance of one emitter of 2.31 ohms, you will need 2.31 / 2.041 \u003d 1.132 ... or 1.13 m of wire. Let's take the width of the nichrome "snake" in 5 cm (1 cm margin from the edges). For the wrapping of 1 mm nails (see below), we add 2.5 mm each, for a total of 5.25 cm per branch of the snake. The branches will need 113 cm / 5.25 cm = 21.52 ..., let's take 21.5 branches. Their total width is 22x0.07 cm (wire diameter) = 1.54 cm. Let's take a snake length of 8 cm (1 cm margin from short edges), then the wire laying ratio is 1.54/8 = 0.1925. In the lousiest Chinese low-power power transformers, it is approx. 0.25, i.e. we have enough space for the bends and gaps between the branches of the snake. Phew, the fundamental issues have been resolved, you can move on to R & D (experimental design work) and technical design.

OKR

Thermal conductivity and transparency for IR silicate glass vary greatly from grade to grade and batch to batch. Therefore, first you will need to make 1 (one) emitter, see below, and test it. Depending on their result, you may have to change the diameter of the wire, so do not buy a lot of nichrome at once. In this case, the rated current and power of the heater will change:

Wire 0.5 mm - 1.6 A, 350 W.
Wire 0.6 mm - 1.9 A, 420 W.
Wire 0.7 mm - 2.27 A, 500 W.
Wire 0.8 mm - 2.4 A, 530 W.
Wire 0.9 mm - 2.6 A, 570 W.

Note: who is literate in electricity - the rated current, as you can see, does not change according to the square of the wire diameter. Why? On the one hand, thin wires have a relatively large radiating surface. On the other hand, with a thick wire, it is impossible to exceed the permissible IR power transmitted by the glass.

For testing, the finished sample is placed vertically, supported by something non-combustible and heat-resistant, on a fireproof surface. Then the rated current is fed into it from a regulated power supply (IP) of 3 A or more or LATR. In the latter case, it is impossible to leave the sample unattended all the time of testing! The current is controlled by a digital tester, the probes of which must be tightly compressed with current-carrying wires with a screw with a nut and washers. If prototype powered by LATR, the tester must measure the power alternating current(limit AC 3A or AC 5A).

First of all, you need to check how the glass behaves. If it overheats and cracks within 20-30 minutes, then the entire batch is probably unsuitable. For example, dust and dirt eat into used glass over time. Cutting them is sheer agony and the death of a diamond glass cutter. And such glasses crack at much weaker heating than new ones of the same grade.

Then, after 1-1.5 hours, the strength of the IR radiation is checked. Glass temperature is not an indicator here, because. the main part of the IR emits nichrome. Since you most likely will not find a photometer with an IR filter, you will have to check with your palms: they are held parallel to the emitting surfaces at a distance of approx. 15 cm from them for at least 3 minutes. Then, within 5-10 minutes, even soft heat should be felt. If the IR from the emitter starts to burn the skin immediately, we reduce the diameter of the nichrome. If after 15-20 minutes a slight burning sensation (as in the sun in the middle of summer) is not felt, nichrome should be taken thicker.

How to bend a snake

The emitter device of a homemade panel heater is given in pos. 2 fig. higher; the nichrome snake is shown conditionally. Glass plates cut to size are cleaned of dirt and washed with a brush in water with the addition of any dishwashing detergent, then they are also washed with a brush under running clean water. "Ears" - contact lamellae 25x50 mm in size made of copper foil - are glued to one of the plates with epoxy glue or instant cyanoacrylate (superglue). Entry of the "ear" on the lining - 5 mm; 20 mm sticks out. To prevent the lamella from falling off until the glue has set, something 3 mm thick is placed under it (the thickness of the lining glass).

Next, you need to form the very snake of nichrome wire. This is done on a mandrel template, the scheme of which is given in pos. 3, a detailed drawing- in fig. Here. “Tails” for annealing the snake (see below) must be given from 5 cm. The bitten ends of the nails are ground to roundness on an emery stone, otherwise it will be impossible to remove the finished snake without crushing it.

Nichrome is quite elastic, so the wire wound on the template must be annealed so that the snake keeps its shape. This should be done in semi-darkness or low light. The snake is supplied with a voltage of 5-6 V from the IP for at least 3 A (this is what a refractory lining is needed on a tree for). When the nichrome glows cherry, the current is turned off, the threads are allowed to cool completely, and this procedure is repeated 3-4 times.

The next step is to press the snake with your fingers through the plywood strip superimposed on it and carefully unwind the tails wound on 2 mm nails. Each tail is straightened and formed: a quarter of the turn remains on the 2 mm nail, and the rest is cut flush with the edge of the template. The rest of the “tail” of 5 mm is cleaned with a sharp knife.

Now the snake must be removed from the mandrel, without bending it, and fixed on the substrate, ensuring reliable electrical contact between the leads and the lamellas. They are removed with a pair of knives: their blades are slipped from the outside under the bends of the branches on 1-mm nails, carefully pry off and lift the crimped thread of the heater. Then the snake is placed on the substrate and the leads are slightly folded, if required, so that they lie approx. in the middle of the slats.

Nichrome is not soldered with metal solders with an inactive flux, and the remains of an active flux can corrode the contact over time. Therefore, nichrome to copper is "soldered" the so-called. liquid solder - conductive paste; It is sold in radio shops. A drop of liquid solder is squeezed out onto the contact of the stripped nichrome with copper and through a piece polyethylene film press down with a finger so that the paste does not bulge upward from the wire. You can immediately press down with some kind of flat weight instead of a finger. The weight and film are removed after the paste has hardened, from an hour to a day (the time is indicated on the tube).

The "solder" has frozen - it's time to assemble the emitter. Along the middle we squeeze out a thin snake, not thicker than 1.5 mm, a “sausage” of an ordinary building silicone sealant, this will prevent slipping and shorting of the wire bends. After that, the same sealant is squeezed out with a roller already thicker, 3-4 mm, along the contour of the substrate, stepping back from the edge approx. by 5 mm. We put on a cover glass and very carefully so that it does not slip sideways and does not pull the snake along with it, press down until it lies tightly, and put the emitter to dry.

The drying rate of silicone is 2 mm per day, but after 3-4 days, as it may seem, it is still impossible to take the emitter further into work, you need to let the inner roller fixing the bends dry. It will take approx. a week. If a lot of emitters are already made for a working heater, they can be dried in a pile. The bottom layer is laid out polyethylene film, it is also covered from above. Elements next. layers are laid across the underlying ones, etc., separating the layers with a film. The stack, for a guarantee, dries 2 weeks. After drying, the excess silicone that has come out is cut off with a safety razor blade or a sharp mounting knife. Silicone sagging must also be completely removed from the contact lamellas, see below!

Installation

While the radiators are drying, we make 2 identical frames from hardwood slats (oak, beech, hornbeam) (pos. 4 in the figure with a panel heater diagram). Connections are made with a half-tree tie-in and fastened with small self-tapping screws. MFD, plywood and wood materials on synthetic binders (chipboard, OSB) are not suitable, because prolonged heating, albeit not strong, is categorically contraindicated for them. If you have the opportunity to cut frame parts from textolite or fiberglass - generally excellent, but ebonite, bakelite, textolite, carbolite and thermoplastic plastics are unsuitable. Before assembly, wooden parts are impregnated twice with a water-polymer emulsion or diluted twice acrylic varnish water based.

Finished emitters are placed in one of the frames (pos. 5). The overlapping lamellae are electrically connected by drops of liquid solder, as are the jumpers on the sidewalls, which form a series connection of all emitters. It is better to solder lead wires (from 0.75 sq. mm) with ordinary low-melting solder (eg POS-61) with inactive flux paste (composition: rosin, ethyl alcohol, lanolin, see on the vial or tube). Soldering iron - 60-80 W, but you need to solder quickly so that the emitter does not stick.

The next step at this stage is to impose a second frame and mark on it where the lead wires fell, you will need to cut grooves under them. After that, we assemble the frame with emitters on small self-tapping screws, pos. 6. Take a closer look at the location of the attachment points: they should not fall on live parts, otherwise the fastener heads will be energized! Also, to prevent accidental contact with the edges of the lamellas, all ends of the panel are pasted over with non-combustible plastic with a thickness of 1 mm, for example. PVC filled with chalk from cable ducts (wiring boxes). For the same purpose, and for greater structural strength, silicone sealant is applied to all glass joints with frame parts.

The final steps are, firstly, the installation of legs with a height of 100 mm. Sketch wooden leg panel heater is given in pos. 7. The second is the application of a protective steel mesh made of thin wire with a mesh of 3-5 mm to the sidewalls of the panel. The third is the design of the cable entry with a plastic box: it contains contact terminals, a light indicator. Perhaps - a thyristor voltage regulator and a protective thermal relay. Everything, you can turn on and warm up.

Thermopicture

If the power of the described thermal panel does not exceed 350 W, a picture heater can be made from it. To do this, foil isol is applied to the back side, the same one that is used for thermal insulation. Its foil side should be facing the panel, and the porous plastic side should be out. front side the heater is decorated with a fragment of photo wallpaper on plastic; thin plastic - not so hot what an obstacle to IR. In order for the heating picture to warm better, it must be hung on the wall at an angle of approx. 20 degrees.

What about foil?

As you can see, a homemade panel heater is a rather laborious task. Is it possible to simplify the work by using instead of nichrome, say, aluminum foil? Foil thickness of baking sleeve approx. 0.1 mm, it seems to be already a thin film. No, the point here is not the thickness of the film, but the resistivity of its material. For aluminum, it is low, 0.028 (Ohm * sq. mm) / m. Without giving detailed (and very boring) calculations, we will indicate their result: the area of a thermal panel for a power of 500 W on an aluminum film 0.1 mm thick turns out to be almost 4 square meters. m. Still, the film turned out to be thick.

12 V

A homemade fan heater can be quite safe in a low-voltage, 12 V version. Power over 150-200 W cannot be achieved from it, too large, heavy and expensive, you will need a step-down transformer or power supply. However, 100-120 W is just enough to keep a small plus in the basement or cellar all winter, which guarantees against frozen vegetables and jars of homemade preparations bursting from frost, and 12 V is the voltage allowed in rooms with any degree of danger of electric shock. More can not be served in the basement / cellar, because. they are electrically dangerous.

The basis of the heater-fan heater for 12 V is an ordinary red working hollow (hollow) brick. One and a half thickness of 88 mm is best suited (top left in the figure), but a double thickness of 125 mm will also work (in the same place below). The main thing is that the voids are through and the same.

The device of a "brick" 12 V fan heater for the basement is given in the same place in fig. Let's count the nichrome heating coils for it. We take a power of 120 W, this is with some margin. Current, respectively, 10 A, heater resistance 1.2 Ohm. On the one hand, the spirals are blown. On the other hand, this heater should work unattended for a long time in rather difficult conditions. Therefore, it is better to turn on all the spirals in parallel: one will burn out, the rest will be extended. And it is convenient to regulate the power - just turn off 1-2-several spirals.

There are 24 channels in a hollow brick. The spiral current of each channel is 10/24 \u003d 0.42 A. Not enough, nichrome needs very thin and, therefore, unreliable. This option would fit for a household fan heater up to 1 kW or more. Then the heater must be calculated, as described above, for a current density of 12-15 A/sq. mm, and divide the resulting wire length by 24. 20 cm are added to each segment for 10 cm connecting "tails", and the middle is twisted into a spiral with a diameter of 15-25 mm. With "tails" all the spirals are connected in series with the help of copper foil clamps: its tape 30-35 mm wide is wound in 2-3 layers on folded nichrome wires and twist 3-5 turns with a pair of small pliers. To power the fans, you will have to install a low-power 12 V transformer. Such a heater is well suited for a garage or warming up a car before a trip: like all fan heaters, it quickly warms up the middle of the room without wasting heat on heat loss through the walls.

Note: computer fans often called coolers (lit. - coolers). In fact, the cooler is the whole cooling device. For example, a processor cooler is a finned heatsink in a block with a fan. And the fan itself is also a fan in America.

But back to the basement. Let's see how much nichrome is needed for a reduced to 10 A / sq. mm for reasons of reliability current density. The cross section of the wire, clearly without calculations - 1 sq. mm. Diameter, see calculations above - 1.3 mm. Such nichrome is on sale without difficulty. The required length for a resistance of 1.2 Ohm is 1.2 m. And what is the total length of the channels in the brick? We take one and a half thickness (weighs less), 0.088 m. 0.088x24 \u003d 2.188. So we just need to pass a piece of nichrome through the voids of the brick. It is possible through one, because channels, according to the calculation, 1.2 / 0.088 = 13, (67), i.e. 14 is enough. So the basement is heated. And it is quite reliable - such a thick nichrome and strong acid will not corrode soon.

Note: the brick in the body is fixed with small steel corners on the bolts. In a powerful 12 V circuit, an automatic protective device, eg. automatic plug for 25 A. Inexpensive and quite reliable.

IP and UPS

It is better to take (make) a transformer on iron for basement heating with powerful winding taps for 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 V, this will allow you to adjust the heating power over a wide range. 1.2 mm nichrome with blowing will also pull 25-30 A. To power the fans, then you need a separate winding for 12 V 0.5 A and also a separate cable with thin cores. To power the heater, wires from 3.5 square meters are needed. mm. A powerful cable can be the crappiest - PUNP, KG, 12 V leaks and breakdowns can not be feared.

Maybe you don’t have the opportunity to use a step-down transformer, but a switching power supply (UPS) from an unusable computer was lying around. Its 5 V channel is enough for power; the standard is 5 V 20 A. Then, firstly, you need to recalculate the heater to 5 V and the power of 85-90 W so as not to overload the UPS (the wire diameter comes out 1.8 mm; the length is the same). Secondly, to supply 5 V, you need to connect together all the red wires (+5 V) and the same number of black wires (GND common wire). 12 V for fans is taken from any yellow wire (+12 V) and any black one. Thirdly, you need to short the PC-ON logic start circuit to a common wire, otherwise the UPS simply will not turn on. Usually the PC-ON wire is green, but you need to check: remove the casing from the UPS and look at the designations on the board, from above or from the mounting side.

heating elements

For heaters. types you will have to buy a heating element: 220 V electrical appliances with open heaters are extremely dangerous. Here, sorry for the expression, you need to think first of all about your own skin with property, whether there is a formal ban or not. With 12-volt devices it is easier: according to statistics, the degree of danger decreases in proportion to the square of the ratio of supply voltages.

If you already have an electric fireplace, but it doesn’t heat well enough, it makes sense to replace it with a simple air heater With smooth surface(pos. 1 in the figure) on ribbed, pos. 2. The nature of the convection will then change significantly (see below) and the heating will improve when the power of the finned heating element is 80-85% of the smooth one.

Cartridge heating element in a housing made of of stainless steel(pos. 3) can heat both water and oil in a tank made of any structural material. If you take one, be sure to check that the kit includes gaskets made of oil-thermo-petrol-resistant rubber or silicone.

The copper water heating element for the boiler is supplied with a tube for the temperature sensor and a magnesium protector, pos. 4 which is good. But they can only heat water and only in a stainless steel or enameled tank. The heat capacity of oil is much less than that of water, and the body of the copper heating element will soon burn out in oil. The consequences are severe and fatal. If the tank is made of aluminum or ordinary structural steel, then electrocorrosion due to the presence of a contact potential difference between metals will very quickly eat the protector, and after that it will eat through the body of the heating element.

T. naz. dry heating elements (pos. 5), like cartridge heating elements, are capable of heating both oil and water without additional measures protection. In addition, their heating element can be changed without opening the tank and without draining the liquid from there. The only drawback is that they are very expensive.

Fireplace

You can improve an ordinary electric fireplace, or make your own efficient one based on a purchased heating element, using an additional casing that creates a secondary convection circuit. From an ordinary electric fireplace, firstly, the air goes up in a rather hot, but weak jet. It quickly rises to the ceiling and heats through it more the floor of the neighbors, the attic or the roof than the master's room. Secondly, the IR going down from the heating element in the same way heats the neighbors from below, the underground or basement.

In the design shown in Fig. on the right, downward IR is reflected into the outer casing and heats the air in it. The thrust is further enhanced by the suction of hot air from the inner casing, which is less heated from the outer one in the narrowing of the latter. As a result, the air from the electric fireplace with a double convection circuit comes out in a wide, moderately heated jet, spreads to the sides, not reaching the ceiling, and effectively heats the room.

Oil and water

The effect described above is also given by oil and water-air heaters, which is why they are popular. Oil heaters industrial production are made airtight with non-replaceable dressing, but it is by no means recommended to repeat them on your own. Without an accurate calculation of the volume of the housing, internal convection in it and the degree of filling with oil, a housing rupture, power failure, oil spillage and fire may occur. Underfilling is just as dangerous as overfilling: in the latter case, the oil simply tears the body under pressure when heated, and in the first case it boils first. If, however, the body is made of a deliberately larger volume, then the heater will heat disproportionately weakly compared to electricity consumption.

In amateur conditions, it is possible to build an oil or water-air heater open type With expansion tank. The scheme of its device is shown in fig. Once upon a time, they made quite a lot of them, for garages. The air from the radiator is slightly heated, the temperature difference between inside and outside is kept to a minimum, which is why heat losses are reduced. But with the advent of panel heaters, oil homemade products are coming to naught: thermal panels are better in every respect and are quite safe.

If you still decide to make yourself an oil heater, keep in mind that it must be reliably grounded, and you need to fill it only and only with very expensive transformer oil. Any liquid oil gradually bituminizes. Raising the temperature speeds up this process. Engine oils are designed to circulate oil through moving parts under the influence of vibrations. Bituminous particles in it form a suspension that only pollutes the oil, which is why it has to be changed from time to time. In the heater, nothing will prevent them from depositing soot on the heating element and in the tubes, which is why the heating element overheats. If it bursts - the consequences of accidents oil heaters are almost always very heavy. Transformer oil is expensive because the bituminous particles in it do not settle into soot. There are few sources of raw materials for mineral transformer oil in the world, and the cost of synthetic oil is high.

fiery

Powerful gas heaters for large rooms with catalytic afterburning are expensive, but record-breaking economical and efficient. It is impossible to reproduce them in amateur conditions: you need a microperforated ceramic plate with platinum coating in the pores and a special burner made of parts made with precision precision. At retail, one or the other will cost more than a new heater with a guarantee.

Tourists, hunters and fishermen have long invented afterburner heaters low power in the form of a prefix to a camp stove. These are also produced on an industrial scale, pos. 1 in fig. Their efficiency is not so hot, but it is enough to heat the tent until lights out in sleeping bags. The design of the afterburner is rather complicated (pos. 2), which is why factory tent heaters are not cheap. Fans of these also make a lot, from tin cans or, for example. from automotive oil filters. In this case, the heater can work both from a gas flame and from a candle, see video:

Video: portable oil filter heaters

With the advent of heat-resistant and heat-resistant steels in wide use, lovers of outdoor activities increasingly prefer gas camping heaters with afterburning on a grid, pos. 3 and 4 - they are more economical and heat better. And again, amateur creativity combined both options into a mini-heater combined type, pos. 5., able to work both from a gas burner and from a candle.

A drawing of a home-made mini-heater for afterburning is shown in fig. on right. If it is used occasionally or temporarily, it can be made entirely from cans. Banks from tomato paste and so on. Replacing the perforated mesh cover significantly reduces warm-up time and fuel consumption. A larger and very durable option can be assembled from car rims, see next. video clip. This is already considered a stove, because. you can cook on it.

Video: heater-stove from a rim

From a candle

A lighting candle, by the way, is a fairly strong source of heat. For a long time, this property of hers was considered a hindrance: in the old days, at balls, ladies and gentlemen were bathed in sweat, makeup flowed, powder was lumpy. How after that they also twisted cupids, without hot water supply and shower, modern man difficult to understand.

The heat from a candle in a cold room is wasted for the same reason that a single-circuit convection heater does not heat well: hot exhaust gases rise too quickly and cool down, giving soot. Meanwhile, it is easier to make them burn out and give heat than a gas flame, see fig. In this system, the 3-circuit afterburner is assembled from ceramic flower pots; baked clay is a good IR emitter. A candle heater is intended for local heating, for example, so as not to shiver while sitting at a computer, but the heat from just one candle gives surprisingly much. It is only necessary, using it, to slightly open the window, and when going to bed, be sure to extinguish the candle: it also consumes a lot of oxygen for combustion.