Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009
From: "Norbert Senf" <mheat(at)heatkit.com>
To: mheat(at)heatkit.com
Subject: Fwd:  RE: [woodheat] Re: Super energy efficient home built heater

--- In woodheat@yahoogroups.com, "John Gulland" <john@...> wrote:

Sam is right. The Rocket stove is a great innovation in
third world countries where the alternative is open cooking
fires, which are inefficient and cause health problems. But
the Rocket has almost no application in the US and Canada.

Contrary to much of the hype, it is not super efficient. A
Rocket stove (variations are the justa stove, plancha stove
and Eco Stove) is defined by a cylindrical horizontal
primary combustion chamber connected to a vertical secondary
chamber. The horizontal primary chamber has a flat sheet
that provides a surface for the burning fuel and a space
underneath for combustion air to enter. It doesn't have a
door and it is fed with sticks. Here is a chimney vented
production version called the Eco Stove developed by a
colleauge, Rogerio Miranda:
http://www.gulland.ca/ecostove/ecostove.htm

The Rocket concept might be fun to tinker with, but it has
not so far been applied in a practical way for use in modern
houses in northern climates. Those who hype it like to
pretend it has great application for home heating and
cooking in modern housing, and that the only reason it is
not popular is because of resistance to innovation. This is
silly. I've been following the evolution of the Rocket
concept since the begining and still don't quite see how it
applies in the kinds of houses we heat. But that won't stop
me from tinkering with one when I find the time.
John

> -----Original Message-----
> From: woodheat@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:woodheat@yahoogroups.com]On
> Behalf Of samiamrd
> Sent: January 13, 2009 1:27 PM
> To: woodheat@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [woodheat] Re: Super energy efficient
> home built heater
>
>
> The Rocket mass heaters seem experimental, as
> outlined in "Homepower
> Magazine".  They seem experimental according to
> the publisher(Cob
> Cottage Company) of "Rocket Mass Heaters,
> Superefficient Woodstoves
> that You can build,(and snuggle up to)"  This
> book is about $18.
> For solid third world technology, it would be
> experimental in the
> first or second world, where it might cost
> something to replace the
> house that is not made out of mud.
>
> People need to remain on guard about recommending
> things that could
> be dangerous(ie:not proven safe), in the hands of
> people who may be
> new to wood heating.   It is one thing to get a
> free 30 year old
> wood stove, and then use today's technology to
> design a good venting
> system, then installing it in a safe manner(clearance to
> combustables etc...), so that it will be safe,
> but it is another
> thing to ask them to build a heating unit out of
> stuff lying around
> the house, for $100 in beer money.
>
> If someone was to build one of these heaters, I
> would hope that they
> have an experienced professional masonry builder
> to ensure that it
> is built safely.  It costs more to have an
> experienced person do
> somenting, but it can saves so much more, when
> thing are done right
> the first time.  Personally, if I was building a
> masonry heater for
> my house, I would still go with a Tempcast Heater
> Core(with the
> istruction manual), and a professional builder
> from the Masonry
> Heater Association, but that is just me.
>
> Sam
>
>
> --- In woodheat@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Spence"
> <sspence@> wrote:
> >
> > The Rocket Heater concept is a proven one, it's not that
> > "experimental" anymore. It's very common in 3rd
> world countries.
> It's
> > designed for anyone to be able to build their
> own with minimal
> expense.
> >
> > Steve Spence - living offgrid for over 5 years,
> staying warm with
> wood
> > heat for over 40 years.
> >
> > http://www.green-trust.org
> >
> > --- In woodheat@yahoogroups.com, "Rock"
> <agoldink@> wrote:
> > >
> > > I just went down the page and there was a
> youtube window.
> > >  Well if it works the way they claim, it will
> mean a lot less
> wood
> > to cut.
> > >  I'm gonna build one outside and give it a shot.
> > > I think masonry heaters are great and see no
> reason why a
> reasonable
> > > handy person can't build one. (peasants
> without much or any
> schooling
> > > built them just fine. Figure I'm as smart as
> someone that never
> been
> > > to school)
> > > Rock --- In woodheat@yahoogroups.com,
> "samiamrd" <taborl@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > This advertisement was posted earlier in
> the year.  Again,
> this is an
> > > > experimental build type thing.  If one
> desires a Masonry heater
> > > > (russian stove etc.), one should go to the
> Masonry heater
> association
> > > > web site, and look at proven designs(like
> tempcast parts) or
> > > > professional builders who can create the
> internal workings of
> a
> > > > masonry stove.  When they are built right,
> they can provide
> > clean-even
> > > > heat output from one or two firings a day.
> When built wrong,
> they
> > are
> > > > a 5000 lb rock in the middle of your living space.
> > > >
> > > > Masonry heater
> association(http://mha-net.org/ )  They also
> have a
> > > > nice gallery.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Sam
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- In woodheat@yahoogroups.com, Fred
> Talmadge <fredtal@>
> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > I couldn't get pass the "make money fast" post.
> > > > >
> > > > > Fred
> > > > >
> > > > > On Monday 12 January 2009 2:49:20 am
> Steve Spence wrote:
> > > > > > New rocket mass heater videos. Learn
> how to build one, feed
> > it, and
> > > > > > how there is no combustion smoke. Read
> more and see the
> videos,
> > > > > > http://www.green-trust.org
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
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