Extraction of a Heat Exchanger

We in the Kitchener Community had a fantastic weekend with old friends joining us for a couple of days of garden enjoyment. I'll post later about the actual gardening we did, but here I just wanted to share one of the most exciting finds of the weekend.

We were discussing how to turn our hobo stove into a hot water heater for our outdoor bath when Hallam (Rachel's now fiancee !!) mentioned that hot water tanks have heat exchangers. At which point James stepped over to take a look at the hot water tank we have lying around the side. Sure enough inside was a perfect coil of copper tubing - perfect for the stove (in fact it was what we had thought of making). After a little extraction exercise it was free, and a thing of beauty it is too. Now we just need to work out how to fix it in the oil drum.

James and Luke cut a window in the tank to have a look

Then set about freeing the coil from it's housing

Exposed it sat lurking inside like some eroded rib cage

Ben standing victorious with the coil. Result.

heat exchanger, plumbing, hot water