Water tank for a bath: how to choose the right one, design features, types and installation methods

When we talk about a bathhouse, we of course mean steam, but what kind of steam can there be if there is no convenient access to water. You can’t do without it even in your soul. The main attributes of each bath are a stove and a container with water. Of course, you can buy or order everything you need, but you can make a sauna tank with your own hands. To do this, you will need to use only high-quality material that will not emit harmful substances during its operation and can cope well with temperature loads.

Materials for making tanks

The type of material used to make the sauna tank determines the durability and reliability of the structure, the speed of heating and cooling of the liquid. Water heating devices are made of stainless steel, cast iron and metal.

Stainless steel

The most popular material for the manufacture of tanks for heating water in a bathhouse is stainless steel. It is resistant to corrosion, fire, high humidity, deformation and damage.

In addition, stainless steel products have high thermal conductivity, hygiene and resistance to temperature changes.

The stainless steel tank can be presented in cylindrical and rectangular shape.

Proper care of stainless steel products guarantees efficient operation and a long service life.

Made of cast iron

Cast iron remains the traditional material for making water tanks. It has good performance characteristics - low thermal conductivity, resistance to corrosion, deformation, mold and overheating.

The disadvantages of cast iron products include their impressive weight and complexity of installation.

In cast iron tanks, water heats up slowly, but also cools down over a long period of time. Therefore, one volume is enough to satisfy hot water needs for the whole day.

Made of metal

The cheapest option is metal tanks, which are susceptible to corrosion, rotting and deformation. Such characteristics can negatively affect the quality of water and the durability of the product.

It is strictly forbidden to paint metal devices with moisture-resistant paint, which can release toxic substances when heated.

Less popular are enameled tanks, which are sensitive to mechanical damage. If there are chips in the enamel, such devices are not recommended. To protect the heaters from possible corrosion, their surface is treated with a special heat-resistant compound.

Stainless steel tanks of the remote type are considered the most practical and reliable. Such designs are distinguished by their attractive appearance and safe operation.

Material

The sauna stove tank with heat exchanger and water tank are made from several materials. The price of such a device depends on the choice of metal.

Steel

The production of inexpensive steel tanks coated with a layer of protective enamel has been launched. Even with minor impacts, the enamel peels off from the base metal. Such places are quickly corroded by corrosion under the influence of high temperatures, so the service life directly depends on careful handling of such devices, especially during the installation stage.

Cast iron

An excellent option, with high accumulation rates and low heat transfer. The water in such containers does not lose temperature for a long time even when the wood in the stove is not burning. This material is not susceptible to rust, scale, or deformation when overheated. But such tanks are rarely produced, and if they are found, the price for such a container will be very high.

Stainless steel

The most popular material for the manufacture of remote tanks for sauna stoves. The material is not subject to deformation at high temperatures, is not afraid of corrosion and is much cheaper than cast iron. The only disadvantage for home craftsmen is that for welding you will need to have or rent a semi-automatic machine for welding in inert gas (argon). Not every master will be able to perform such a seam with high quality.

Difference by type

The simplest designs of heat exchangers are coils with ends removed from the tank: one takes in liquid at room temperature, the other releases hot liquid.

More complex ones are a system consisting of two metal tanks with anti-corrosion properties - cylindrical and rectangular in shape with connecting pipes.

There are two ways:

1. This photo shows an option for installing a heat exchanger in a steam room and a tank in a wash room.

The second option is to install a heat exchanger with a tank inside the steam room.

Advantages of installing a heat exchanger in a steam room

• high water heating speed;
• saving free space in the steam room;
• Wide range of options for installing the tank - in a steam room or in a shower room.

Where to install the hot water tank, depending on the type of bath?

There is an answer to this question and it is found in the layout of the bath rooms. What kind of bath do you have? Your steam room is combined with washing procedures, you first steam and then wash - this is one answer. Or maybe your bathhouse has a steam room and a washing room - this is another answer to the question: Where to install the hot water tank?

In the picture we see the location of the hot water tank on the wall of the same room in which the boiler with a built-in heat exchanger is installed.

This means the steam room and washing compartment are combined and the boiler is fired in the same room. And many people wash this way and this option has a place to be.

The disadvantage of this option is the release of water vapor from the tank and heat after steaming for washing procedures. And the question remains open about the warmth in the locker room or whether clothes and dressing will have to be done in the same room.

What are bath water tanks made of?

First, let's talk about what the tank can be made of.

In addition, stainless steel containers are quite heat-resistant and durable and are not negatively affected by sudden temperature changes. However, there is one drawback: the prices for stainless steel bath tanks exceed the cost of their steel “brothers” made of enameled steel. To be fair, we note that this can be neglected: a stainless steel container will last longer than its steel counterparts.

In modern production conditions, enameled steel tanks also have a long service life. Parameters such as resistance to corrosion and high temperatures indicate a fairly high quality of products: the tanks in the bathhouse do not rust.

But still, enameled steel cannot be compared with stainless steel (although it is successfully used in the production of tanks). The only thing in which steel containers are superior to their stainless counterparts is price: the cost of enameled products is approximately 1.5-2 times lower.

Stainless steel and steel sauna tanks are by far the most popular, although there are other options (for example, cast iron sauna tanks).

Other nuances of choosing a tank

Capacity volume

Many people are interested in how much water needs to be heated for a bath. The calculation is made depending on the number of users. The norm for one person is about 8-10 liters; for steaming brooms you may need the same amount. If the shower is powered from the reservoir, the consumption increases even more. Factory models of containers have an average volume of 50 to 80 liters, products with built-in tanks - about 22-30 liters. When making a tank with their own hands, craftsmen are guided by the rule “the bigger the better,” but, obviously, it is impossible to endlessly increase the useful volume, because water also weighs something (there may be problems with reliable fixation), and it will heat up more slowly.

A constructive solution when the tank on the pipe plays the role of cutting

Material of manufacture

Naturally, metal is used. In artisanal conditions, craftsmen use sheets of black steel (which is easy to weld) about 3-5 mm thick. The more massive the walls of a homemade tank, the longer it will last and the more reliable the weld will be. Industrial products are usually made from stainless steel. Since there is no need to worry about corrosion and burnout, the wall thickness of a medium-sized stainless steel tank is usually in the range of 0.8-1 mm, which has a positive effect on the rate of heating of water. As the volume of the tank increases, the thickness of the metal also increases, which can reach one and a half millimeters. Sometimes branded tanks are made of cast iron - a durable, and most importantly, heat-intensive material, although expensive and heavy. You can also find factory-made steel containers, the bodies of which are coated with heat-resistant paint. This is a completely working option, but such tanks must be handled very carefully so as not to damage the coating.

Sources

• https://oboiman.ru/inside/bak-dla-vody-v-banu-varianty-samovarnogo-tipa-i-vynosnoj-s-teploobmennikom-bak-na-trubu-iz-nerzavejki-derevannye-bocki-dla- goracej-vody.html
• https://profpipe.ru/drugoe/kak-samostoyatelno-ustanovit-bak-dlya-vody-na-pechnoj-trube-v-bane.html
• https://bulding.ru/solid/with-external-tank-or-hinged-tub-for-a-pipe-advantages-of-application.html

[collapse]

Purpose

To obtain hot water in the wash room of your bath complex, several types of structures have been developed that operate on different types of fuel. But the most inexpensive is installing a heating tank on the heater and obtaining hot water together with heating the steam room.

The advantages of such a device are due not only to the reduction in the cost of hot water when heated with gas or electricity. This design avoids the risk of fire and electric shock when using these types of fuel.

Autonomous water heating systems are especially in demand for summer cottages and households in places with no natural gas supply. In this case, such tanks can be used for heating water and for household needs. The main thing is to choose the right tank for the volume and type of installation and install it correctly.

How to install?

The work is carried out in several stages:

• It is necessary to select a location for installation. It is not recommended to hang the hot water tank directly on a wooden wall surface. First you need to secure a layer of thermal insulation. You can glue a sheet of foam plastic and on top of it, marking the places where the screws are attached, drill holes with a smaller drill.
• We secure the container and begin marking and drilling holes for supplying pipes from the heat exchanger. You will need a large drill, but it is better to drill in several passes, starting with a small size, gradually bringing the hole to the required diameter.

  
  Connecting the tank to the heat exchanger

• We connect pipes with taps. The hot water supply pipe should come from the top of the heat exchanger, and the chilled water pipe should be located below. You can use metal-plastic pipes, although experts recommend installing a copper pipe, but it is very expensive.

  
  Installation diagram of a tank for a sauna stove

After all these operations, you can perform a test run of the water heating system, but it is better not to use the first boiling water for washing. And then gather all your family and friends and go to the steam room to enjoy hot steam in the steam room and hot water in your washroom or shower.

Selecting the boiler power

It is important to take care of the installation of an RCD (residual current device). This will prevent accidental electric shock to bathhouse visitors.

This will prevent accidental electric shock to bathhouse visitors.

Based on the design features and range of water heaters, we can state the following:

• If you don’t have gas, then the heaters and boilers using this fuel will “pass” by your bathhouse. If you are the happy owner of a gas bath, then you can no longer consider other options.
• Electric water heaters are expensive, but there are no problems with installing the device. It is cut into the water supply and plugged into an outlet. And that’s it – you can use it. Moreover, an electric boiler is a “one-time” device - this device will prepare the next portion of hot water after 3-4 hours. In addition, instantaneous and electric storage water heaters are afraid of excessive humidity in the bathhouse “atmosphere”.
• If you are a supporter of budget solutions and want to have a supply of hot water until the heater goes out, then you will undoubtedly like wood-burning water heaters. In this case, the water in the tank is heated by the stove itself, which imposes some restrictions on the process of installing such water heaters. They are installed during the construction of the heater. But if you haven’t missed the moment, then you won’t find anything better.

Well, now let's talk about volume:

• Large companies need an appropriate amount of water. Therefore, for a company of 4-5 people, you need either an instantaneous water heater or a boiler with a capacity of 100-150 liters.
• One or two people or a company of three people will get by with a 50-80 liter boiler.
• The bathhouse for one “user” is equipped with a 30-liter boiler.

water heaters “Success”,

which are tanks with a capacity of 40 to 250 liters, heated by heating elements at 1.5-2 kW.

Water heater “Success” 125 l

The tank is made of sheet steel, at least a millimeter thick, and the heating element is equipped not only with a thermostat, but also with a mechanical temperature regulator.

Less sociable bathhouse owners will be interested in

model GARANTERM ER 150 V

Water heater GARANTERM ER 150 V

electric boiler for 150 liters, boiling water heating element for 1.5 kW. This dressing can serve a company of 3-4 people, who can not only rinse off in front of the steam room, but also take a full-fledged hot shower. Moreover, the heater body, as well as the outlet fittings, are made of stainless steel, and moisture-resistant polyurethane foam is used as a heat insulator.

The cost of the heater is 10-11 thousand rubles.

model Ermak KVS-10-2-90

Water heater model Ermak KVS-10-2-90

wood-burning storage water heater made of stainless steel with a capacity of 90 liters. This boiler boils water using both wood and heating elements with a power of up to 2.5 kW. Moreover, this boiler has relatively modest dimensions - the wood-burning firebox is built directly into the storage tank of the heater.

The cost of a stainless steel model is 15,000 rubles.

Tanks in the bathhouse: features, types and correct installation

Since ancient times, the bathhouse in Rus' was valued much more than just a special place for cleansing the body. It was a whole ritual that was associated with the complete liberation of a person from excess spiritually and physically. It was largely thanks to the bathhouse with a birch broom that Rus' was famous for its red maidens and heroes. The bathhouse helped the Slavs to be healthy and strong, protected them from many diseases, and invigorated the body and spirit.

The popularity of bath procedures is not falling, it is only increasing every year. And this applies to the whole world. After all, the person who visited the bathhouse absorbs all the healing and health-improving power of the steam, and leaves from there in a great mood and rejuvenated.

What is a bathhouse without normal hot water? And to heat it, you don’t need a boiler at all, since there is a stove and a full-fledged fire in the stove. Well, the water will be heated through a special heat exchanger.

However, first you need to determine which tank for the bath will be better: remote, built-in or on a pipe, and what material it will be made of. In general, what exactly should it be so that at the time of using the bathhouse it definitely does not have to be changed to another tank.

You can, of course, find sauna stoves with a tank, but what to do when there is a stove, but no special container for heating? In this case, you can find special tanks for baths on the market or make them yourself, using a completely ordinary welding machine.

What designs can be used

You can place the tank in the bathhouse in different ways. The main types used are:

Built-in design. In this case, the chimney pipe runs inside the tank. This structure is considered stationary, non-removable and is installed during the manufacture of the chimney. The tank can be made in the form of a pipe (cylindrical version) or have a rectangular cross-section

It is important to securely seal the bottom entrance of the pipe to prevent water from leaking out of the tank. To use water, outlets are made from the tank directly into the shower stall or intermediate tank

Given the elevated location of such a tank, water flows by gravity.

The device of a heater with a tank on the chimney

1. Hanging structure. Such a system is removable, i.e. installed on an existing chimney. The tank is placed close to the chimney pipe and securely attached to the column. Such containers can be purchased or made by yourself. This design is typical when a gutter is formed on the back wall, repeating the shape and diameter of the chimney, which makes it possible to bring the surfaces as close as possible and ensure high-quality heating.

Design of a hanging tank for a bath

1. Remote design. In principle, the water container itself can be placed in any convenient place (for example, in a shower). In this case, the energy of the chimney heats the coolant, which is sent to heat the water container. When such a heat exchanger is mounted on a bath pipe, the installation height of the tank must be selected so as to ensure gravity flow of the coolant according to the laws of physics, i.e. the warm flow rushes upward, and the cooled flow – downward. This design provides for the presence of additional elements in the form of a heat exchanger, but it also allows you to place the tank itself in the right place.

Water circulation diagram with a remote design of the tank and stove in the bathhouse

Depending on the design, the tank can be placed at different height levels. 3 options can be implemented:

1. At the stove level: the base of the tank is placed on the top of the stove, which means no additional brackets are required. The main disadvantage is that the height does not allow gravity flow of water for showering. In this case, it is scooped by hand.

Tanks at furnace level

1. On the chimney column. This design is located at a certain height, which eliminates the previous drawback. Mounting the tank requires special brackets, and the weight of the structure is limited.

1. Attic level. Here there is a reliable support for the tank in the form of a ceiling. The problem arises in a cold attic, where you will have to think about external thermal insulation.

Diagram of installing a water tank on a chimney at the attic level

When calculating the parameter, they usually proceed from the following requirement: 10 liters per person for a bath procedure and 5 liters per person when taking a shower. In addition, a reserve should be created for unforeseen circumstances.

There are various forms of water tanks for a bath on a chimney

The dimensions of the container also depend on the design and dimensions of the chimney. The most common type is a sauna tank with a 115 mm pipe. Naturally, a bath tank for a 150 mm pipe is made of a larger diameter, regardless of the need.

The choice of volume of a metal water tank depends on the number of family members. Formula for determining the volume of a cylindrical tank

Pros and cons of different designs

Depending on the circumstances, individual advantages may outweigh the disadvantages. It is clear that if the tank is located on the stove or attached to the side, then three unpleasant things follow from this:

• Constant heating of water will lead to the formation of steam, but it will not be the steam heated over 100 degrees, which is called light - it is obtained only from overheated stones. And the usual heavy steam will pour out of the container, which makes it difficult to stay in the steam room.
• Using heated water for washing is problematic if the steam room is not combined with a steam room. You will have to carry hot water to the washroom and wash the way your ancestors washed).
• In tanks built on the side of the stove, heating occurs the worst, because the walls of the stove do not heat up as much as the top or chimney. Plus, over time, the wall of the tank itself will lose thermal conductivity due to scale, and the wall of the furnace will lose its thermal conductivity due to scale. Therefore, the water does not warm up well, remains cold at the bottom, and must be stirred manually.

However, such structures also have advantages - they are easy to fill with water precisely because the container is not located high. But this is if there is no cold water supply either. Otherwise, the plus is leveled out.

By the way! The larger the contact area between the container with water and the oven, the faster the heating. But this is not always worth striving for - why do you need clouds of heavy steam in an unheated bathhouse?

Of course, you still have the opportunity to set up a shower from any tank. And, although stove makers do not recommend using a pump, the forced circulation of liquid in the system will calmly take water from either the manual or the attached tank. The main thing is not to forget to add more.

We ourselves consider the optimal system to be one in which the tank is mounted on the chimney. Whether it will be a large tank or a heat exchanger depends on how you are more accustomed or more comfortable to wash. Well, or whether there is a pump in the system or not.

Photo: samovar-type heat exchanger

However, the optimal system also has its drawbacks. In particular, traders admit that the connection between the tank and the pipe at the inlet below can suffer greatly from overheating, for example, in a situation where water is poured after the stove has been lit. Then the seam splits and needs to be welded. Another drawback is that the pipe burns out when the furnace heats up too much.

Pay attention to the size of the filler hole. For some tanks it is large, it even has a hinged lid, while for others it is small, round

Still, you will have to fill tens of liters, and also wash the inside of the tank from time to time!

On a note! The stove should not be heated to the limit of its capabilities. This shortens the service life of the metal, which inevitably oxidizes and turns into scale, and then it crumbles and holes remain. The bottom piece of the chimney will also burn out if you heat it like this. If you don't want this, insert a piece of black structural steel pipe of the required diameter inside. It will take away some of the heat and add strength to the structure.

Useful video

This video explains in more detail about strengthening the chimney with pipe cutting:

You can learn more about the disadvantages of a hinged and chimney-mounted tank from the following videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5TRvRjgmLs

Remote large capacity

The water tank for the bathhouse is remote; if a large container is used, it is installed on the floor. For baths with several sinks and showers, a pump must be installed.

It creates the required pressure, which makes it possible to use any modern plumbing fixtures, spray showers, hydromassage cabins and much more.

When installing the pump, care must be taken to ensure that it does not cause excessive noise.

It is reduced by the use of plastic pipeline fittings and the pipes themselves.

Also, the pump installation should be carried out outside the bathhouse.

Nowadays pipes are inexpensive, and you can make an elbow for the pump in any convenient place, for example, in a plumbing hatch, next to the water meter or in the utility room of the bathhouse.

The “water tank with heat exchanger” type arrangement for a bathhouse is suitable for heating the largest volumes of water. The tank capacity can exceed hundreds of liters. In other heating systems, such options are difficult to implement.

Information. All pipes, connecting fittings and pump must be heat-resistant (if plastic is used). For metal, ordinary ½ or ¼ inch steel pipes are optimal.

Sauna stoves equipped with a remote tank

One of the most convenient options for heating water is to install remote tanks. Such a tank can simultaneously cope with two tasks:

• supply of hot water to the washing compartment of the bathhouse;
• provision of hot water to sinks located in other rooms.

The great advantage of the installed remote tank is that its presence permanently eliminates such an unpleasant situation when the firebox brings the water to a boil without having time to completely warm up the entire volume of the steam room, which results in the room being filled with clouds of moist steam.

In addition, a remote tank is the only correct solution for those who want to acquire not a Russian bathhouse, but a sauna, the air of which must be extremely dry.

Typically, a remote tank made of stainless steel should be installed in a room located next to the steam room. Heating of the water poured into it is ensured using a heat exchanger mounted in a sauna stove and connected to the tank using pipes.

To circulate water without the use of pumps, the bottom of the tank must rise above the heat exchanger, sometimes called a register, by half a meter or a little more. To ensure that water circulation never occurs, it is necessary to:

• install connecting pipes not exceeding 3 m in length;
• for installation, choose pipes with a diameter of one inch or more;
• ensure that there is no sagging of the pipes and their slope is about 2-5°.

If one of the above conditions is not met, a pump may need to be installed.

Speaking about heat exchangers, it should be noted that for stoves of the “Zhara” brand, for example, they are given a cylindrical shape, and for their manufacture, stainless steel is used, the thickness of which is as much as 5 mm.

Easy-to-use and practical remote tanks, however, also have disadvantages, namely the complexity of their installation and connection. In addition, we should not forget about the significant costs associated with the purchase of rather expensive water heating registers-heat exchangers, pipes, taps, and connecting hoses.

The listed disadvantages of remote-type tanks are largely compensated by the convenient opportunity to equip a shower or connect a battery to the tank that can heat a locker room or shower in the winter cold.

Material for production

Steel types are also considered productive today. This kind of substance has many advantages; it is resistant to changes in temperature and pressure, retains and conducts heat well. It is resistant to rust, corrosion and deformation. Cast iron products for water have similar properties, although it is worth noting that they are much heavier in weight, despite the fact that they maintain temperature for a long time and take a long time to build up the required level of heat.

As experience shows, devices have long been widely used in practice, but they also have their own characteristic disadvantages. If you install the container incorrectly, the water will boil faster than the room begins to fill with steam. Subsequently, the steam room produces moist, heavy air, which does not act as effectively on the body as dry steam.

What are the benefits of a water tank?

A stove and a water tank is a combination that has several advantages. A steam room, which has two such elements, guarantees maximum convenience, since the hot liquid is used not only for the heater, but also for bath procedures, as well as for cleaning rooms.

The main advantage of a water tank is that there is no need for a water heater, gas or electric appliances. Therefore, owners of a simple design will be spared unnecessary expenses. Tanks differ in their installation location, they can have different sizes and shapes, which means that first of all, future owners would do well to find out what bath tanks exist and which ones can be made independently.

How to weld a water tank with your own hands

The simplicity of the design and mechanism of action allows you to make a sauna tank with your own hands. Thus, you can not only save money, but also quench the thirst of the inventor. First of all, you need to decide on the shape of the container and the material. You can choose a large diameter pipe or sheet material of a suitable size.

To make a sauna tank at home you will need the following set of tools:

• grinder with cutting and cleaning wheels;
• locksmith tools;
• welding machine;
• drill with metal drills;
• fitting;
• solvent and primer, brush;
• protective clothing and respiratory and eye protection.

Step-by-step production:

1. First you need to prepare the material. The metal is cleaned of dust and all kinds of contaminants.
2. Using a grinder, cut out blanks of the required size - in total there should be 6 planes-edges, which will form the tank - four vertical, a bottom and a lid.
3. The side parts are installed on the bottom edge and secured by welding.
4. All parts must be mutually perpendicular to ensure the stability of the structure.
5. The edges are first ground to the correct shape.
6. After making sure that the workpiece has right angles and bevels or there are no gaps, you can begin welding the seam around the perimeter of the bottom from the inside.
7. When the first seam has cooled, the slag is beaten off and welded to the second one.
8. The same applies to the seams between the vertical edges.
9. Next, they are welded from the outside along the seam. In this way, the necessary tightness is achieved. The cover will be removable, so the welding work is completed.
10. Using a drill, holes are made for pipes of the required diameter.
11. Holes for mounting are also drilled.
12. After securing all fittings and pipes, you can check the tank for leaks by filling it with water.
13. If there are no leaks or fistulas, you can install the structure in place and begin operation. Otherwise, welding work will have to be repeated on each seam until the inaccuracies are eliminated.

The last stage will be finishing work. The surface of the tank must be degreased with a solvent, and the seams must be cleaned with a file. After the solvent has dried, a heat-resistant primer is applied.

Features of the manufacturing process

The easiest way is to make a container of a rectangular or cubic shape; to work, you only need a grinder with a disk, a measuring stick, several bench clamps and the welder itself. The cut wall blanks are joined in pairs using clamps and secured with welding points or small seam strips.

After the side walls and bottom have been assembled, the stainless steel body is finally assembled with clamps and heated with a blowtorch. As soon as the sliver applied to the metal begins to smoke, you can begin to completely scald all the seams. Upon completion of the work, the welded block must be immediately covered with any heat-resistant, non-flammable material and allowed to cool slowly for a couple of hours.

Securing the remote tank and installing the heat exchanger

Remote sauna tank

For a sauna stove, a tank with a volume of 80-120 liters is sufficient. This container must be hung on the wall of the bathhouse so that the level of the tank is higher than the stove.

Scheme for connecting the tank and installing the furnace with heat exchanger

Connection diagram

Step 1. Choose a place to mount the tank. This can be either a steam room or a shower room behind an adjacent wall. We determine the mounting height using recommendations for the slope of inlet/outlet pipes.

Layout of the furnace and tank

Step 2. Most experienced craftsmen do not recommend hanging the remote tank directly on the wooden wall of the bathhouse. Therefore, we measure the width of the tank, saw the rail into several sections of the appropriate size, and fasten the sections to the wall of the bathhouse with nails.

Step 3. The tank must have technological holes for attaching it to the wall. We secure the tank with self-tapping screws or dowels, checking horizontal and vertical. The structure can be further strengthened with brackets, fixing them under the bottom of the tank.

Brackets under the tank bottom

Step 4. The remote water tank has three or four pipes. Two of them are intended for connection to the heat exchanger, the third is for filling the tank with water (it may not be there), through the fourth hot water is supplied to consumers. A check valve is connected to the pipe through which the tank will be filled with water. If the system is open (water is added manually through an open tank lid), then a non-return safety valve is not needed.

A faucet with or without a shower hose is connected to the pipe from which heated water will flow.

Step 5. There are two pipes left, to which you should connect corrugated steel pipes or install a copper network. Connections are made using fittings. It is permissible to use metal-plastic pipes, connecting them with adapters to the pipes of the tank and heat exchanger. All threaded connections are sealed with thread sealant.

Flexible water supply

Prices for metal-plastic pipes

metal-plastic pipes

Step 6. A tap is connected to the pipeline that leads from the tank to the heat exchanger to drain water from the system. The operation of draining the liquid will need to be performed every time after completing bath procedures, otherwise during cold weather the water may freeze in the pipes.

Furnace heat exchanger installation diagram

Step 7. A heat exchanger is hung on the wall of the furnace (or its fittings are brought out through the technological openings of the furnace, and the coil is located inside so that in the future there is no contact of the body metal with an open flame). The fasteners are tightened. Flexible corrugated hoses or pipes are supplied and connected to the heat exchanger with fittings. If necessary, holes are drilled in the wall with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the pipes.

Drilling holes

Pulling liners through holes in the wall

Connecting the line to the heat exchanger

Step 8. The system must be tested for leaks by supplying water under pressure.

Sauna stove with heat exchanger connected

An example of connecting a remote tank to the heat exchanger of a sauna stove

An example of connecting a remote tank to the heat exchanger of a sauna stove

Step 9. If you have a metal stove, then you can put it into operation. The brick kiln will have to be completed, finishing, testing and other preparatory work must be done. However, metal stoves can also be lined with bricks (they are placed on edge) on two or three sides. Such a screen additionally accumulates heat, increasing the efficiency of the furnace.

Correct installation and connection of the tank

Correct installation and connection of the tank will be the key to its long and uninterrupted operation. Therefore, the product installation technology must be performed accurately and reliably.

The operation scheme is very simple: the temperature of the liquid in the register rises, and it rises into the tank, in which it gradually cools and falls back into the register. This is the simplest and most reliable option for water circulation, allows for quick heating and does not require the installation of overly complex elements.

As an improvement to this system, liquid is taken from the pipeline through which water flows back into the system. This design prolongs the heating time of the liquid, but allows it to be used immediately after lighting the stove. But the most productive option is the combined tank connection option. In which you can switch from an ordinary, direct water intake to a return intake system.

Correct layout and connection of the water tank:

• For greater productivity, the tank should be installed in a steam room. The most suitable place is the internal cavity under the shelves.
• The tank is connected through pipes that must be cut directly into the furnace coil. The pipes must be mounted from the same material as the tank itself.
• It should be remembered that proper fluid circulation must be maintained. To do this, the upper outlet of the tank must be connected to the upper outlet of the coil, respectively, the lower outlet of the tank - to the lower point of the furnace coil. This design feature will allow hot water to be directed to the top of the device, and cold water to the bottom.
• For greater system productivity, both check valves and safety valves should be installed in the place where cold water is supplied.
• In addition to installing the safety valve, it must be set correctly. To do this, you need to use the technical documentation that comes with the valve.

If all of the above operations are carried out accurately and in the correct order, then the system will work according to the following principle: the water in the tank is heated, it is consumed by users, but through the cold water supply, the tank will be automatically filled with liquid to the required level. Even if the water is not used, but is constantly heated in the tank, the safety valve, when it reaches a critical point, will release excess pressure.

Advantages and disadvantages

When heating a bathhouse, you do not need to waste resources on heating water

A tank of sufficient capacity will provide residents with heated water for hygiene procedures and household needs. The liquid in the container eliminates the problem of dry air. Compared to water heating devices running on gas or electricity, the advantage of using a tank is that there is no additional consumption of resources. Connecting the reservoir to the stove will also help out in the event of a temporary shutdown of the supply of main resources.

The disadvantages of tanks depend on the material and type of construction. In steel containers, water cools quickly; cast iron containers are heavy. Installing a tank on a pipe requires special skills. The heating rate is affected by the thickness of the walls of the product.

Attached containers made of alloy steel

Structurally, an attached stainless steel tank is a rectangular, square or semicircular container, at least with a fairly large flat wall. A metal box is installed on a cast iron or steel stove in such a way as to ensure maximum close contact between the side or bottom of the tank and the hottest part of the firebox.

Due to lower thermal conductivity, water in a stainless steel cylinder takes much longer to heat up than in steel and, especially, copper tanks. This is one of the reasons why they prefer to make the walls of alloy steel containers as thin as possible. For ease of carrying, the design is equipped with side handles.

At the bottom of the container, a coupling or fitting is welded under the tap for drawing hot water. When choosing a specific model of an attached tank, you need to pay attention to two conditions:

• The hole for installing the tap should be located on the wall opposite the firebox. If you install a ball valve with polyethylene liners closer to the furnace than 20 cm, then during the heating process the internal parts of the valve, made of polymers, very quickly melt and lose their tightness;
• The stainless steel tank body must be equipped with its own fastening to the base, even if the cylinder will partially rest on the wall and parts of the furnace.

Attached stainless steel tanks are very reliable and durable in operation; the container is often used to heat water not only for use within the steam room, but also for any other purpose where warm-hot water is required. It is quite possible for two adults to heat and carry a cylinder of boiling water.

Remote, built-in or on a pipe?

Tanks for baths can be built-in, remote, or on a pipe - and each has its own pros and cons. Compare and evaluate which one is right for your bath.

Advantages of a tank built into the oven

Once upon a time, water tanks for the bathhouse were only built into the stove - so that the lower part of the boiler was placed in the upper part of the firebox - the hottest one. And the bottom of the tank in this case is in direct contact with the stove fire. Water can be drawn from such a container directly, or it can be discharged through the built-in tap.

Remote tank for a bath: pros and cons

Thanks to the ability to install a heat exchanger in the oven, the tank itself does not need to be tied to a specific place - it can even be installed in a washing room. According to the known laws of physics, cold water will fall into the heat exchanger, and hot water will rise back.

Tank on a pipe - hot water without problems!

But it happens that the bathhouse is used not for two or three hours, but for the whole day - for example, when they wash in it, but the time after the fire has already passed. Then the ideal option is a tank on a pipe in which the water will be constantly heated to the desired temperature. This is on the pipe through which the smoke comes out of the stove - and its temperature can reach 500? C. Such tanks can be quite large - after all, the heating area of ​​the pipe is quite large, and the water will heat up quickly and evenly.

There is one more advantage of this design - in such a bathhouse, smoke leakage through a crack in the pipe is impossible, because The tank in this case serves as a kind of fuse.

Types of water tanks for baths

There are three types of water tank - built-in, remote or on a pipe. Moreover, each has positive and negative sides.

Built-in structures

A built-in tank is a classic version of the design, installed on the bottom of a heating stove and combined at the top with the combustion chamber.

This ensures accelerated heating and maintenance of optimal water temperature for a long time.

In this case, the bottom of the tank is in direct contact with an open fire, and liquid is drawn from the tank from above or through a built-in tap.

Remote structures

A remote tank is provided for a furnace equipped with a heat exchanger. Such a device is connected to a heat exchanger using copper pipes, so it can be installed in any room of the bathhouse - washing room or dressing room.

Among the advantages of a remote-type water tank are maintaining a high water heating temperature, reliability and practicality.

The principle of operation of the device is quite simple: cold water enters the heat exchanger, and the heated liquid is supplied back to the tank.

Pipe structures

The design of the tank mounted on a pipe is quite relevant when the bathhouse is used throughout the day.

Such a device provides rapid heating of water to a comfortable temperature thanks to the thermal energy released through the chimney pipe.

The tank on a bath pipe is distinguished by its significant dimensions, high thermal capacity and efficiency. In addition, it is able to prevent carbon monoxide leakage during frequent firing of the sauna stove.

The most common version of the device is a samovar-type tank, equipped with a single or double fitting. These tanks vary in volume, size and design.

What materials are used

The sauna tank is made of metal, but the specific material is selected taking into account financial capabilities, volume and heating characteristics. The most popular designs are:

1. Cast iron. Main advantages: high strength, durability, while the water temperature remains for a long time after the furnace has stopped firing. At the same time, the cast iron container warms up slowly, and most importantly, it has a large mass, which requires reliable support when installing the structure.
2. Steel. The cheapest and most accessible material used in economical structures. The water in a steel tank heats up quickly, but also cools quickly after the fire stops. The most important disadvantage is corrosion destruction, which requires protective covers. One of the common options for eliminating this drawback is the use of enamel tanks. However, when choosing this material, it should be taken into account that with local damage to the enamel, accelerated corrosion begins at the source of damage.
3. Stainless steel. A tank on a pipe for a stainless steel bath is considered the most common design, because... optimally combines cost and durability. The material is more expensive than ordinary steel, but is not subject to corrosion and has a long service life. At the same time, stainless steel can be welded, and you can make a tank from it yourself.

The remote design of the tank is in more gentle conditions. Extreme temperatures (400-500 degrees) only affect the heat exchanger located on the chimney. The walls of the tank itself do not heat above 70-80 degrees, which means it can be made from different materials. In addition, it is usually placed on the wall, where the risk of damage is reduced. In such conditions, decorated enamel containers become very popular. Supply pipes for a remote tank in a bathhouse can be made of metal, composite material and heat-resistant plastic

It is important to ensure their thermal insulation

Remote heat exchanger for a bath

The simplest and most affordable way to make a tank for a bath is the built-in version, when it is hung on the chimney. It’s not for nothing that such a system is called a samovar in everyday life, because it uses the same principle, i.e. heating the water with hot smoke rising through the inner pipe. Such a tank is installed during the construction of the stove or installed by dismantling a section of the chimney.

In the selected location, a pipe is mounted on brackets, so that the gap between the outer diameter of the chimney pipe and the inner body of the tank pipe provides the required volume. The base is welded at the bottom of the tank body, and all gaps are sealed with heat-resistant sealant. To drain water, an outlet with a tap is welded (Fig. 1). The upper part of the tank is closed with a lid.

Figure.1 Installation diagram of a bath tank

In principle, the tank body can be made in a rectangular shape for the required capacity. The wall thickness is selected taking into account the volume. To make a small tank with a volume of about 50-55 liters, you can use a metal sheet with a thickness of 0.9-1.2 mm, and for a container of more than 70-80 liters you will have to use metal with a thickness of at least 1.5 mm.

If there is a water supply to the bathhouse, then a remote system is more suitable. It is shown in Fig. 1. In this case, a coil is mounted on the chimney. The hot water exits towards the remote tank from above, and the coolant returns, respectively, from below. During installation, it is necessary to install the necessary shut-off equipment (valves, taps, taps).

When installing a tank in a bathhouse on a chimney pipe, you will need the following tools and equipment: a welding machine and electrodes with a diameter of 2.5-3 mm, a grinder, a hacksaw, an electric drill, a hammer drill, a hammer, pliers, a set of keys, a caliper, a tape measure.

The sauna tank on the chimney pipe allows you to have a supply of hot water without unnecessary fuel consumption.

Such a system uses the energy of futile smoke, which gives a significant economic effect. A system of different designs can be made and installed with your own hands.

What it is

The device is used to heat water in the bath. Its operating principle is based on the physical properties of hot water, expanding and rising upward, while cold water remains below.

Typically the heat exchanger is small in size, so the liquid in it heats up quickly. Two pipes are connected to it - below and above. Thus, hot water through the upper pipe, replaced by cold water from below, rises into the tank, which can be located either in the steam room or in an adjacent room, usually in the sink. In this case, low-temperature water is constantly added to the heating device through the lower pipe without forced supply.

Options for heating water in a bath from a stove

The following models are distinguished:

1. Samovar-type container - installed on the outlet pipe of the chimney. Heating occurs due to the heat of the flue gases escaping into the chimney. A tap for dispensing hot water is connected to the fitting at the bottom of the tank. If you don’t have a washing machine, then this option will be an excellent solution for heating

We recommend paying attention to the following operating conditions:

• the use of a samovar-type tank is allowed only with bathhouse stoves;
• It is prohibited to operate an empty tank while the stove is operating;
• If you want to get a “Finnish sauna”, this option for heating water will not suit you, since if the steam room is heated for a long time, the liquid will begin to boil, which is why heavy steam is formed.

2. A samovar-type heat exchanger (small in size with the ability to connect to a tank), which can be located anywhere. It is convenient because, if available, the tank can be placed in the washing room. One of the obvious advantages over other options is that it quickly heats the water.

3. Heat exchanger, which is installed on the starting chimney.

4. Starting chimney + tank-backpack - an option with being in a steam room and the absence of controlled convection to warm up the room. The container comes into contact with the wall of the chimney pipe, due to which the liquid is heated. Among the disadvantages, it can also be noted that this model does not have protection from hard infrared radiation, and in case of strong heating, the water begins to boil.

5. Convector chimney with a heater built into it.

Features: the register is located inside a pipe from which 2 identical ¾-inch fittings with internal thread come out. Using pipes, the device is connected to a tank hanging in a convenient place.

May be:

• Built into the oven - when scale appears, it loses efficiency.
• Located near the chimney (on it) - it provides heating to the required temperature more slowly, but nothing settles on its inner surface, it is easy to access, and its repair is not difficult.

The choice depends on the user: what to give preference to, performance or ease of maintenance, saving usable space or fuel.

Types of tanks

All tanks are divided into types according to two criteria: installation method and material of manufacture. According to the installation method, tanks are:

• built-in;
• remote;
• samovar type (mounted on a chimney).

According to the material of manufacture:

• cast iron;
• stainless steel;
• made of enameled steel.

Each type has models that differ in shape, volume, and wall thickness. Most containers are equipped with standard taps and have shower outlets, but there are also those from which water is drawn through the top using a ladle. In order not to make a mistake when choosing, you should familiarize yourself in detail with the advantages and disadvantages of all these types.

Built-in tanks

Built-in tanks

The most economical and convenient option. The tank is installed during the laying of the furnace. Its lower part is located inside the firebox, due to which the water is heated directly by the flame. Hot water is drawn through the top using a ladle or using a built-in tap.

Brick oven with water tank

Due to direct contact with fire, the walls and bottom of the container must be as thick as possible, therefore the most preferred material for such a tank is cast iron with a thickness of 5 mm. Stainless steel tanks with wall thicknesses of 1 and 1.5 mm are considered no less popular. Enameled steel containers are not suitable for this installation method. Cast iron tanks are bowl shaped, stainless steel tanks are usually cube or cylinder shaped.

Cast iron water tanks

Advantages of built-in tanks:

• water heats up quickly;
• the water temperature is maintained for a long time;
• free space is saved since the tank does not protrude beyond the stove;
• easy installation.

Flaws:

• the heat transfer of the furnace decreases, since the main part of the heat is spent on heating water;
• the dimensions of the tank are limited by the size of the furnace;
• the tank must have thick walls, which increases its weight and cost.

Metal tanks for sauna stoves

This method is convenient in cases where no more than 4 people are steaming in the bathhouse at the same time, or people wash separately. For example, if 3-4 people take turns steaming in a bathhouse, this takes quite a lot of time, and accordingly, it will take longer to maintain the water temperature by adding firewood. The built-in tank allows you to save on fuel while remaining hot for a very long time. But for large companies, this option is not the most optimal, since it does not provide the required amount of water.

Remote tanks

Remote tanks

The remote tank is located at a distance from the firebox and is connected by pipes to a heat exchanger built into the furnace. Without this, its operation is impossible. Most often, such a tank is installed in a washing room or mounted on the wall of a steam room next to the stove, if its dimensions are larger than the area of ​​the firebox. When choosing a location for a container, it is necessary to take into account that the length of the pipes should not exceed 2.5-3 m. Remote tanks can be made of stainless steel or enameled, cylindrical, rectangular or even triangular in shape - for installation in the corner of the room.

Triangular shaped water tank

Advantages:

• the tank is installed where it is more convenient;
• Large containers can be used;
• there is no direct contact with fire, so the tank can be enameled and with thinner walls.

If 6-8 people regularly steam in a sauna, a remote tank is an excellent option.

Flaws:

• without maintaining a fire in the firebox, the water quickly cools;
• the oven cannot be used without water in the circuit;
• more complex installation compared to a built-in tank.

Remote tank connection diagram

Tank on a pipe or “Samovar” design

This option involves installing a tank around a chimney, and in some models the pipe is located outside the tank, in others - inside.

Hot water tank on a pipe

Design option for a water tank on a pipe

In height, the tank can occupy the space from the stove to the ceiling, partially extend into the attic, or be attached only to a small section of the chimney above the stove. The most convenient container shape is cylindrical, but there are many models with rectangular, triangular and oval sections. Heating of water is carried out using smoke passing through a pipe, which has a very high temperature.

Oval shaped water tank

Advantages:

• fast and uniform heating of water;
• does not reduce the heat output of the furnace;
• space saving;
• you can install a container of any volume;
• the water stays hot for a long time.

This tank is suitable for any bathhouse and any number of people. It all depends on the size of the container.

Stoves with water tanks on a pipe

Flaws:

• installation complexity;
• increased soot deposition on the walls of the chimney.

When installing the tank, it is necessary to select the correct fastening elements in order to securely fix the tank in a vertical position. In addition, you will need to install pipes for supplying cold water and discharging hot water, and install a faucet.

Samovar type tank

Tank on the chimney

How to choose a water tank

The water tank is a special welded structure, which is made from modern materials, equipped with an inlet for cold water and shut-off valves for hot water.

To choose the right tank for your bath, you should decide on the main parameters of the heater:

• type;
• material of manufacture;
• volume;
• installation method.

First, you need to provide for the principle of water intake, choose the appropriate size and installation method of the tank, so that in the future you do not spend an additional amount on re-equipping the equipment. The thickness of the walls of the structure depends on the size of the tank, which can range from 1 to 1.5 mm.

Next, you need to choose a method of heating the water - a stove or a built-in heating element. To decide which container will be more profitable to install, you need to take into account the total number of visitors for whom the bathhouse is designed.

If the bathhouse can accommodate no more than 2 people, then a device with a capacity of 50 liters is sufficient. For large companies, it is preferable to choose a tank with a capacity of 100 liters or more.

The material of manufacture and design features of the device should be taken into account when purchasing.

How and how to connect the external tank to the heat exchanger

Remember that the elements in contact with the stove become hot, their surface temperature exceeds 100 0C. Therefore, the pipes must be made of stainless steel (cast iron will not work, as it is susceptible to corrosion). But ordinary pipes are allowed to be made of metal-plastic; they can even be replaced with flexible hoses. The main thing is that the diameter is 1 inch or 3/4, otherwise the circulation will be poor.

Use tangit for seals, and paronite for fittings. Feel free to replace factory elements with non-standard ones, but made of heat-resistant material. Don't forget about the drain valve - it is simply necessary to preserve the system for the cold season or to quickly remove stagnant liquid. Otherwise, during frosts, the remaining water will freeze and burst the pipes.

Steel, cast iron or stainless steel?

A lot depends on the building material from which the tank was made - both the durability of the tank itself and the rate of heating and cooling of the water in it.

Cast iron: hot water all day

For a long time, the tank in the bathhouse was made exclusively of heavy cast iron - the water in it took a long time to heat up, and quite a lot of firewood was consumed, but the hot water was available until the evening and the whole family could wash all day. In addition, cast iron is not afraid of either high temperatures or corrosion. But its big drawback, of course, is obvious.

Stainless steel sauna tanks: durable and lightweight

However, today stainless steel sauna tanks are becoming increasingly popular. There is no need to isolate moisture from it, its thermal conductivity is simply excellent, and the deformation rate due to very sharp temperature fluctuations is extremely small and cannot be compared with the qualities of ferrous metals.

The best brands for these tanks are 08X17 (430) and 8-12X18H10 (304), which are also used to create dishes. They are absolutely resistant to extreme temperatures, completely hygienic and cannot be deformed or corroded.

Such tanks are made for a bath from thin and durable stainless steel sheets, where special ball valves are installed to supply water. Caring for these tanks is extremely easy. Therefore, if you definitely do not want to spend your time on caring for water tanks in the bathhouse, feel free to choose this variety.

Enameled tanks - suitable if handled correctly

Enameled tanks will completely save you from unpleasant rust. Their only drawback is possible chips, which can lead to corrosion. True, they can always be treated with special heat-resistant paint - if the tank itself is not inserted into the oven.

Heating circuit: from a stove or heating element?

Whether it is more profitable to heat a stove in order to heat the water or whether a heating element is much more effective in this regard depends only on exactly how many people in the future will simultaneously steam in the bathhouse and how quickly they will need hot water for washing. For example, a capacity of approximately 50 liters is sufficient for one person, and at least 70 liters for the whole company.

The ability of the tank to warm up quickly enough also depends on its walls - the thicker they are, the longer it will take to warm up and the more it will weigh. For a sauna tank with a volume of up to 50 liters this is 0.8-1 mm, for a larger one the walls are definitely not thinner than 1.5 mm.

How to make a stove for a bath of a suitable size with a coupling of 400, 500, 530 mm

The choice of a homemade device depends on the dimensions of the paired compartment and the priorities of the owner. The manufacture of any type of structure is regulated by the standards PPB 01–93 and SNiP 41–01-2003. Regardless of whether the oven is horizontal or vertical, a number of general rules apply:

• For a heater you will need a sheet of 30x35 cm. The distance from the top of the heater to the bottom of the tank is at least ten centimeters.
• The back wall is completely welded, and a door is mounted on the facade.
• A coupling made of steel strip with a thickness of 400, 500 or 530 mm is attached to the top. Its width is approximately 5 cm. Half is welded to the body, and the protruding part is used for assembly.
• When installing the chimney, leave a third of the top area of ​​the tank unsealed so that you can fill in water. A door with a handle is attached to the bay opening.
• A tap with a valve is welded at the bottom of the tank.

Important! The heater is filled with cobblestones only to half the space. You can equip the entrance hole with an iron rod to prevent cobblestones from falling out

Vertical homemade device

In a design built on a vertical principle, the grate is located above the heater.

The diameter of the stove will depend on the caliber of the selected pipe.

When installing a vertical sauna stove with your own hands, adhere to the following algorithm:

• Cut off a piece of pipe approximately 0.8 m long.
• Clean the cut edges.
• The bottom is welded from below - a circle of the same diameter as the pipe itself.
• Cut out the vent opening at the bottom.
• The grate bars are installed. They are located slightly above the blower hole.
• A slit for the combustion compartment is cut above the grate.

A hole is made on top of the stove for the chimney. All openings are equipped with doors adjusted to size. After the work is done, the stove is sanded and coated with paint.

Do-it-yourself horizontal design: photo

A distinctive feature of this type of device is that the firebox is moved from the steam room to the dressing room, which makes ignition easier and faster. But horizontal ovens require much more space.

Photo 2. A horizontal stove with a brick lining, located in the dressing room, requiring a fairly large space for installation.

To manufacture the device, a piece of pipe measuring 0.8 m is taken and the openings are sanded. A grate is installed below. A metal sheet sufficient to cut out a rectangle of the required size is suitable for it. The middle is cut out of the material, while the edges are left not too narrow. Then the metal rods are welded. The finished grate is mounted to the body.

Photo 3. Homemade horizontal sauna stove with a water tank and a compartment for stones.

For the rear section of the device, a metal rectangle slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe is suitable. If you plan to install a heater, you need to take this into account when cutting and add a larger allowance.

The sheet for the facade will be approximately the same size. Holes for the firebox and air vent are cut out in it. The mold is then welded to the front of the pipe. A square hole of approximately 12x12 cm is cut out from the top of the body. This will be the chimney. Next, the doors are hung.

Photo 4. Small metal sauna stove with a firebox and blower, with a hole for the chimney.

Before painting, the unit is thoroughly cleaned of plaque and rust. As a finish, you can line the structure with brick.

Attention! If you are painting the stove, at the end of the procedure, heat it outside!

Design options

The sizes are clear. Now let's talk about the method of heating water. It depends on the design features of the containers and the method of their location. The main options include the following types:

• classic tanks built into the oven;
• containers on the pipe;
• remote tanks.

Built-in containers

The first option is considered a classic. The container is located on the side or above the stove. Heating occurs as it heats up, and there is a ball valve on the tank for draining. On the one hand, they are quite convenient and do not require additional work to remove pipes or arrange places for fastening. But stoves with such tanks are large in size, and in some bathhouses that do not stand out in size, their installation will involve the loss of precious meters. In such cases, it is necessary to choose a stove for a bath. with a tank located on top. In this design, it will not block the passage.

Tanks on a pipe

A more modern option. The tank is located on the chimney, and heating occurs due to the kinetic energy created at the outlet. The water quickly gains temperature, but the result of boiling in such systems is higher, which causes slight discomfort. To reduce dependence on this, it is better to purchase structures with tanks of high design. Volume is achieved by increasing the lift, not the width of the container. This protects the strategic reserve from overheating, ensuring the constant presence of hot water and not boiled water. Drainage is done separately, by leading pipes from the tank to the wall.

Remote structures

Such tanks are more often used in saunas,

when dry air temperature in the steam room is required. But if there is an opportunity and space in the utility room, then the remote design will be very useful in a regular bathhouse. The tank is located in the washing compartment, and this is where hot water is needed. You can install such a container on any stove, but the simplest option would be to install an external structure to the stove-heater. The water will be heated due to convection of hot air.

HOW TO MAKE A WATER TANK WITH YOUR OWN HANDS

Making a tank backpack is not much of a problem. A drawing of one of the options for a future water heater is shown below.

For manufacturing you will need two pieces of steel pipes. A pipe with a diameter of 125 mm is used for the inner wall. For the outer part, you can use a workpiece with a diameter of 175-250 mm.

In addition, you will need to cut out two bottoms and two walls from thin sheet metal. A neck is welded in the upper part, and a fitting is cut into the bottom for connecting the tap. All work is performed only using a carbon dioxide semi-automatic machine. The backpack tank is attached to the chimney using metal loops.

The best materials for a stainless steel tank

Of the hundreds of existing grades of stainless steel, we need thin sheet metal with the best ductility and weldability. It is not difficult to weld a structure, even if you have to work with a thin sheet, but it is much more difficult to make a weld so that it does not become covered with microcracks.

If possible, it is best to choose austenitic steel, for example, the most popular and well-known stainless steel grade X18N9T. It is easiest to weld in a makeshift garage. As consumables, you can use wire for carbon dioxide semi-automatic machines with a diameter of 0.8 mm. If a stainless steel tank is made for sale, then it is best to look for specialized wire, any kind, as long as the marking contains a link to GOST 2240-60.

It is better to cook a stainless steel tank with wire in argon or carbon dioxide, because the metal is very thin. If you plan to make a tank from a 3-5 mm sheet, then it is best to use a plasma torch or a three-phase welder with a rectifying bridge and ballaster.

Types of containers

The owners of a built bathhouse have several design options that they can create with their own hands. There are several models available in the market, so first you need to choose the most suitable type of water tank.

Embedded devices

Built-in structures are installed at the stage of laying a stone stove - above the combustion chamber. To collect water, use a ladle or install a tap. The main advantages of this option are simplicity of design, quick heating of the liquid, the ability to keep water hot for a long time, and saving room space. Disadvantages - the need for the most durable, fire-resistant material for the tank, a slight decrease in the heat transfer of the heater.

Remote models

These tanks are considered the most suitable for baths and saunas. They are installed in any suitable place: on the wall of the stove (flat containers), at a distance from the heater or in another room. The latter option is optimal, since a tank in boiling water causes saturated, heavy or damp steam, which causes discomfort for people steaming.

Such tanks require a heat exchanger, which is built into the combustion chamber of the heating device. The tanks are connected to the furnace by water pipes (steel, copper) for hot and cold water. By choosing this option, you can save money, since these structures are made of thinner steel. On the other hand, the installation of “independent” tanks and circuits is quite complicated, and liquid located away from the furnace will cool quickly.

Such models also have an advantage: remote tanks can be created from any material that can withstand heating up to 150°. If the owners decide to give preference to ready-made containers, then in this case you can choose an enameled tank. It will cost less, but with careful use and good care it will last a long time.

This same remote variety includes small flat structures that are fixed on the wall of a metal heater, at the same level with it. These tanks receive heat directly from the firebox. Their difference is that they are made from thin sheet stainless steel. The lid of such tanks is either removable or hinged. This is not the most convenient option: hot water is scooped out of them with a ladle.

Attachable water tanks are another type of tank that does not require piping. This is a canister with a tap; it is also located near the wall of the oven. This option is not one of the most popular designs, since the water in the “attachments” heats up unevenly and rather slowly. Such tanks have removable lids or necks, the diameter of the last elements is 100 mm, no less.

Tanks for installation on a chimney

These mounted or pipe-mounted tanks are installed on the chimney duct, which acts as a heat exchanger. The shape of the tanks is different: they can be cylindrical, square, oval, etc. To fill such models with water, to check the tank and remove scale, a filling hole is made in the upper part of the tanks.

The most common type of tank for fixing to a chimney pipe is a small steel “pipe-in-pipe” structure. It can be as high as possible or, conversely, as low as possible. The internal element, bottom and support glass of the containers are made of a different material - heat-resistant or alloy steel of greater thickness. There are two ways to install pipe models: they are installed above the stove or in the attic. In the latter case, the hidden structure will not affect the appearance of the room.

Compact attachment models are as convenient as possible; in them, the water heats up quickly (in 15-20 minutes) thanks to hot smoke. It heats the liquid evenly and also helps to increase the heat transfer of the heater. Another type of chimney tanks are full-fledged and almost “independent” backpack tanks, which are fixed to the side of the channel using loops or hook straps.

Reservoirs located around the chimney pipe are called samovar-type structures. They save space and can have different volumes, which means different heating areas. There is only one drawback to such “nozzle” tanks: they have a limited amount of water. As a rule, the volume of the device for fixing on the chimney duct does not exceed 30 liters.

Materials for making the tank

How to create a water tank for a bathhouse with your own hands? First you need to choose the optimal material. Water tanks can be made from several materials: cast iron, stainless steel or enameled ferrous metal.

The first two options give you the opportunity to choose any type of tank - remote, built-in or located on the chimney. However, cast iron, due to its considerable weight and the need for a large amount of fuel, is still not the best candidate for the manufacture of water tanks.

The second installation option is contraindicated for enameled containers, since they cannot be in direct contact with fire. In addition, any damage that appears on the surface of the tank will require immediate repair or replacement.

Water tanks made of stainless steel are considered the best option. They are the most popular because their price matches their quality. This reliable, practically invulnerable material has no weaknesses.