Do I Need To Earth My Wood Burng Hot Tub?

Hello, any advice would be much appreciated.

I have just built home made hot tub and would like to know if I need to earth it and how.

I have basically used a plastic inc container housed within a metal cage as the tub. To heat it I have ran copper pipe through a home made wood burning stove. I would also like to insert an external pool pump to aid the flow of water through the copper pipes and speed up the heating process. This pump would be turned off when the pool is in use.

I have very limited knowledge when it comes to electrics so please go easy on me if its a stupid question!

Cheers

Paul

Before this goes too much further, can we have some pictures please!

should be able to make it work by thermal flow, eradicating need for pump and eradicating electrical shock risk

Hi, thanks for the replies, I will include a picture.

So if I do not include a mains powered pump then there will be no need to earth the tub?

Many thanks

Metal cage? in the garden? Lightning? Might want to think about a rod maybe.

Deffo some pictures please. One of many on my "home brew" wish list!

If the tub/metal cage is buried then it is earthed    :B-   .   You can not post pics with less than 10 posts.

I think the answer would depend on too many variables, several pictures would be needed before it's worth commenting. Do you have a photobucket account or similar? I think you can only attach pictures on the forum after you've made a certain number of posts.

Cheers guys, I will get some photos up tomorrow. Its above ground. I have basically just took the top off a 1000l ibc container, insulated and wood glad it.

I have searched lots online but keep getting conflicting information.

"Wood clad" (bloody spell checker!)

I want to see this,

sounds interesting,

wonder if missweden or Georgie would be keen? 

gimme a chance, I need to get at least one of them blind drunk first.  

http://s1350.photobucket.com/?src=wap&pbauth=1_uLEBonVPfaLdh1h3YMYz2ZAOk70VOsSfdwg0YM%2BEwV1OBYFDlNs1mWXb%2BFNc5mz1HbJ%2FV3X%2BMKxdz8o%2FlS09qY%2BYqs%2F6ArwMCSSy6Z79Cy%2FGVtbNfiPCyq%2FJQVFl8JNVNb6G05t%2F9Uc2bXPFl%2F8e6ZS7SK35RUQu3qgNUKBSz68%3D

http://s1350.photobucket.com/albums/p774/ted777bear/?action=view&current=WP_000453_zps54b53184.jpg

http://s1350.photobucket.com/albums/p774/ted777bear/?action=view&current=WP_000453_zps54b53184.jpg

how do you heat the water?

is there just a bare coil inside the oil drum ?

Yea, just about 8mtrs of 22mm copper pipe inside. Water comes out the top pipe boiling hot. Its an experiment and I've never done anything like this before.

too problems I see,

the oil drum is far too light to hold any heat,

the copper pipe will I think deform very soon.

could you fit a body in there?

my patio is getting a bit crowded, 

Yea, I have been thinking of ways to improve it. I value your advice, as I said it was an experiment with bits lying around. Could do with burying the drum and using an alternative thicker type of pipe inside. Any suggestions?

my thoughts,

you simply need a much heavier, preferrably cast, metal drum,

how big a gas cylinder can you get? they are good solid heavy items that hold heat well,

then some form of heat exchanger, if you have a heavy enough a burner you could have your exchanger externally,

I will have a scout around and see what I can find. How would an external heat exchanger work?

Ah right. I will keep that in mind for my next attempt.

thats very similar to what I was thinking canoe, the heavy metal holds the heat better too so less burning for same heat, just maybe a little slower on original heat up.

Is there anything I could do to adapt my current drum to make it hold the heat? Or is it best to just start again with a more suitable container such as a gas cylinder?