Hydro hearth connected to air handler

[Bmweiler]

i have a home built in the 70s that has a central fireplace with what I was told is called a hydro hearth installed. Piping is looped through the log holders that goes into the adjacent utility room and then underneath the floor near the air handler. I see a couple old Honeywell electric valves that have the wires cut on them however everything else looks intact. I don’t see a water tank though, unless it’s in the crawl space.

My guess is there is a heat exchanger somewhere in the return line to the air handler. Wondering if anyone has any info on this type of system.. when I search for hydro hearth I can only find systems that connect to a water heater or baseboard system. I would love to get this system back up and running.

 

[begreen]

Proceed with great caution. Steam has tremendous power.

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2017-12-29/woman-suffers-burns-after-explosion-in-house/

 

[Bmweiler]

Proceed with great caution. Steam has tremendous power.

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2017-12-29/woman-suffers-burns-after-explosion-in-house/

Agreed I’m sure the system would need an expansion tank and emergency relief capabilities. Have they stopped making these systems for safety reasons?

 

[jetsam]

This one was this month.

Water flashing to steam adds a lot of volume. If there's nowhere to go, it adds a lot of pressure instead.

 

[bholler]

Agreed I’m sure the system would need an expansion tank and emergency relief capabilities. Have they stopped making these systems for safety reasons?

They stopped making them because they dont work well at all.