Can you not take some metal duct and make coil it. Then run the hot air through and the heat will be pulled out leaving the moist air to continue out..
I asked myself this question: use dryer heat to heat the room/house or make a better vent door/flap that seals when the dryer is off. I did that and can't believe how warm the room stays now. Check the temp. of the vent pipe when the dryer is not in use. You'll be surprised how cold it gets. A dryer gets used for an hour then not for the other 23 hours of the day. The room can get quite cool/cold from a cold vent pipe especially if you leave the dryer door open. Check it, you'll be surprised.
Over thought over kill, but smart. Check out the idea behing the rocket stove, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Just make the exhaust pipe super long.
I used it for a year and it worked good. I didn't want the moisture entering the house but wanted to try and recover some of the heat going outside. If I made a new one I would use 3 inch pipes and more of them going through the drum. I would also route the inlet to the top of the drum and the exit to the bottom of the drum. I did not have any moisture or lint problems. I moved and now use a gas dryer so I do not use it any more because of the possibility of carbon monoxide gas.
@OnTheEdgeInEauClaire I know its a moot point after so long, but you could buy a CO detector for not that much and use it with a gas drier. Also, feeding the heat exchanger outlet into the air intake of the drier (if possible) would let you increase its efficiency during summer months when you dont want the heat in your house. Good catch though on needing the inlet at the top, heat exchangers work a lot better when the two flows are against eachother instead of in the same direction.
I'm really digging this idea. Just so I'm following along, the drum is intended to keep all lint and moisture from getting into your house. There are small contraptions that cost $10 or so that redirect dryer vents to indoors that filter lint but not the moisture, hence, possible humidity and mold issues. So how is it holding up so far? Any moisture concerns? Possible changes if you did it again?
Thanks. The best part is thinking of an idea and seeing it take shape as you build it. Some work and some don't. You keep the good and scrap the bad. Glad to here your project turned out well.
I like your contraption you made. Dont ya just love all these people that run down your project, and tell you wont work?, Well i had people tell me i couldnt make furnace out of a wood burner, they said it would not work, well, i built it anyway, and its been working great for years, saved me thousands of dollars over the years.Dont let anyone tell you it wont work until you figure it out for yourself it wont work. great job on your heater.
Ran it for a year and looked inside. There was hardly any lint. With the removable cover you could take it apart (although it would be a pain) or you can stick a vacuum cleaner throught the inlet and outlet pipe.
You may want to look at a simpler solution. Whenver I was looking at putting a dryer into a house that didn't have a vent I came across a contraption that used a bubbler, sort of like an old oil bath carb. The dryer vent went to the water and when it came out the vent picked up the water, sort of like an oilbath or a bubbler on a whiskey still. It wasn't a very big device, all you had to do is keep an eye on the water level and dump it out periodically.
I see a net loss of cost to heat. the materials are more than you will save in heating which is $1 a quarter. and using the fan well now its negative, good job. I bet you get more heat from the exposed pipe in that room than from the holy barrel. poor design, poor math. If you like this contraption you are also mathematically challenged. What a monumental waste of time.
You're full of shit. Using your great "math", where did you come up with $1 per quarter? I like how you state this as if it's a preconceived fact. Using the fan is a neagative? You sir are a moron...a moron who thinks he knows something, but does not. I don't know that the design is efficient, but YOU DO THE MATH...what is a typical dryers kWhr usage for 50 min.? What does that equate to per month? Can't say, too many variables. STFU!
Ah that was going well! Shame video did not include the operation of the dryer and results. Well done though, this is the kind of thing everyone should be aware of! Thanks, Ad
Check out the Clothes Dryer Heat Exchanger Temperatures 1 and 2 and Clothes Dryer Heat Exchanger Conclusion videos for the operation of the heat exchanger.
This is a Great project, Although make sure you consider the Maximum length of the 4" vent pipe.
As an Appliance tech for over 20 yrs, I use a rule of thumb that no length of dryer venting should be longer then 50 ft, so as to NOT place a load strain on the Dryers Blower/Motor, which in turn, lessons the amount of air flow across the heating elements.
However, I am referring to Air resistance fT, not Linear ft.
Each Elbow is to be considered the same as a 10 ft length of straight pipe.
(1) Warm hot air will rust any untreated metal it comes in contact with. Sand & Paint the drum insides with rustoleum
(2) Each 90 degree turn in the vent pipe increases back pressure & the odds of burning out the element. Check the manual concerning pipe diameter and length of run for dryer venting
(3) Smaller heat exchange pipes coiling inside the drum would be more effective. Copper as it won't rust
(4) Skip the fan. Heat rises naturally and the output at the top will be hotter
Can you not take some metal duct and make coil it. Then run the hot air through and the heat will be pulled out leaving the moist air to continue out..
MrTweetyhack 3 weeks ago
use a cloths line, saves a lot of energy.
Muhlineks 1 month ago
How about stuffing it with old soda bottles filled with water. I guess run the heat on top and have it exit on the bottom.
josephdupont 1 month ago
By the way, great project, you are a thinker, keep going, great job!!
chrisnotap 2 months ago
I asked myself this question: use dryer heat to heat the room/house or make a better vent door/flap that seals when the dryer is off. I did that and can't believe how warm the room stays now. Check the temp. of the vent pipe when the dryer is not in use. You'll be surprised how cold it gets. A dryer gets used for an hour then not for the other 23 hours of the day. The room can get quite cool/cold from a cold vent pipe especially if you leave the dryer door open. Check it, you'll be surprised.
chrisnotap 2 months ago
Over thought over kill, but smart. Check out the idea behing the rocket stove, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Just make the exhaust pipe super long.
DCVU2 3 months ago
I used it for a year and it worked good. I didn't want the moisture entering the house but wanted to try and recover some of the heat going outside. If I made a new one I would use 3 inch pipes and more of them going through the drum. I would also route the inlet to the top of the drum and the exit to the bottom of the drum. I did not have any moisture or lint problems. I moved and now use a gas dryer so I do not use it any more because of the possibility of carbon monoxide gas.
OnTheEdgeInEauClaire 5 months ago
@OnTheEdgeInEauClaire shouldn't be a problem with a gas dryer. Just be sure all of your joints are sealed
chrisnotap 2 months ago
@OnTheEdgeInEauClaire I know its a moot point after so long, but you could buy a CO detector for not that much and use it with a gas drier. Also, feeding the heat exchanger outlet into the air intake of the drier (if possible) would let you increase its efficiency during summer months when you dont want the heat in your house. Good catch though on needing the inlet at the top, heat exchangers work a lot better when the two flows are against eachother instead of in the same direction.
htomerif 2 months ago
@OnTheEdgeInEauClaire
Can barely hear the audio...
cwillson1965 1 week ago
I'm really digging this idea. Just so I'm following along, the drum is intended to keep all lint and moisture from getting into your house. There are small contraptions that cost $10 or so that redirect dryer vents to indoors that filter lint but not the moisture, hence, possible humidity and mold issues. So how is it holding up so far? Any moisture concerns? Possible changes if you did it again?
thorthistle03 5 months ago
Al K.
alkpcfilt 10 months ago
1-Use very thin wall galvanized metal.
(aluminum would be better) bore out pop cans top and bottom and glue together.
2-Use as many exchange tubes as you can fit into your drum.
3-add 2 half moon deflector plates to the sides of your drum.
4-keep the fan on high
copy your central heating system exchanger but use very thin wall because you dont have the corrosive combustion gas. (search pop can heat exchanger)
Great video.
gs12138 1 year ago
Thanks. The best part is thinking of an idea and seeing it take shape as you build it. Some work and some don't. You keep the good and scrap the bad. Glad to here your project turned out well.
OnTheEdgeInEauClaire 1 year ago
I like your contraption you made. Dont ya just love all these people that run down your project, and tell you wont work?, Well i had people tell me i couldnt make furnace out of a wood burner, they said it would not work, well, i built it anyway, and its been working great for years, saved me thousands of dollars over the years.Dont let anyone tell you it wont work until you figure it out for yourself it wont work. great job on your heater.
willibill1 1 year ago
Ran it for a year and looked inside. There was hardly any lint. With the removable cover you could take it apart (although it would be a pain) or you can stick a vacuum cleaner throught the inlet and outlet pipe.
OnTheEdgeInEauClaire 1 year ago
How about the lent getting traped inside? I don't care how much you clean the screen, you are going to get lent in the pipe.
toadabc 1 year ago
You may want to look at a simpler solution. Whenver I was looking at putting a dryer into a house that didn't have a vent I came across a contraption that used a bubbler, sort of like an old oil bath carb. The dryer vent went to the water and when it came out the vent picked up the water, sort of like an oilbath or a bubbler on a whiskey still. It wasn't a very big device, all you had to do is keep an eye on the water level and dump it out periodically.
okie294life 2 years ago
I see a net loss of cost to heat. the materials are more than you will save in heating which is $1 a quarter. and using the fan well now its negative, good job. I bet you get more heat from the exposed pipe in that room than from the holy barrel. poor design, poor math. If you like this contraption you are also mathematically challenged. What a monumental waste of time.
superheat25 2 years ago
You're full of shit. Using your great "math", where did you come up with $1 per quarter? I like how you state this as if it's a preconceived fact. Using the fan is a neagative? You sir are a moron...a moron who thinks he knows something, but does not. I don't know that the design is efficient, but YOU DO THE MATH...what is a typical dryers kWhr usage for 50 min.? What does that equate to per month? Can't say, too many variables. STFU!
74VDC 2 years ago
Ah that was going well! Shame video did not include the operation of the dryer and results. Well done though, this is the kind of thing everyone should be aware of! Thanks, Ad
uncroyabla 3 years ago
Check out the Clothes Dryer Heat Exchanger Temperatures 1 and 2 and Clothes Dryer Heat Exchanger Conclusion videos for the operation of the heat exchanger.
OnTheEdgeInEauClaire 3 years ago
This is a Great project, Although make sure you consider the Maximum length of the 4" vent pipe.
As an Appliance tech for over 20 yrs, I use a rule of thumb that no length of dryer venting should be longer then 50 ft, so as to NOT place a load strain on the Dryers Blower/Motor, which in turn, lessons the amount of air flow across the heating elements.
However, I am referring to Air resistance fT, not Linear ft.
Each Elbow is to be considered the same as a 10 ft length of straight pipe.
jcdinform 3 years ago 4
Thanks for the info. I may be over the maximum length if I count the elbows. I may need to do some replumbing.
OnTheEdgeInEauClaire 2 years ago
A few ideas
(1) Warm hot air will rust any untreated metal it comes in contact with. Sand & Paint the drum insides with rustoleum
(2) Each 90 degree turn in the vent pipe increases back pressure & the odds of burning out the element. Check the manual concerning pipe diameter and length of run for dryer venting
(3) Smaller heat exchange pipes coiling inside the drum would be more effective. Copper as it won't rust
(4) Skip the fan. Heat rises naturally and the output at the top will be hotter
Poorgeorge2001 3 years ago 2
good idea, hope that it works out for you!
Ulai777 3 years ago