Rocket Stove - changing home heating

[DeepseekerADS]

I give credit to mustangpalmer1911 inspiring this a separate thread on innovation.

I only recently heard of this idea, and had already decided I was going to build one at my farm house. Then mustangpalmer1911 posted some links concerning rocket stoves in the "Clean Coal" link.

I read everything of note - no fact starlet drama, no crap, but good interesting articles, addicted to the news of current events of course, and have been since childhood.

And I only stumbled across this last week?

So, if I didn't know about this, there's a whole lot more people who haven't heard of it as well. So, here's the main points:

1) I've read that you can build this yourself with as little as $20 in materials.

2) It has ZERO emissions.

3) It takes only a handful of wood a whole day to keep you warm and cozy - only a handful

Here's the links mustang posted:

rocketstoves - www.ErnieAndErica.info

rocket stove mass heater

Last week when I was looking at them, I just searched for the term on Google. AND Youtube....

Keep the faith and free yourself!

 

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[Frankn]

OK, I checked the two sites. This is a takeoff of an old greek or Roman 'mass heating concept. There problem was cleaning the long flue/heating area. There are problems with this design. First you need 10 straight feet of flue to establish a good flue draft so the heater can 'draw' out the exhaust. Second the air intake is lacking to put it midely. I can picture some very problematic creosote buildups in inaccessable places. Just my theories, hay I was a mason for several years and built many fireplaces and learned in the process. PS: In that one picture, the drum of the rocket system is against the outside wall. A definite code violation. It should be at least 18" from combustible material. remember, you are playing with fire! I am converting my electric water heating system, that I designed 15 years ago, to a wood burning system. I installed 2000' of PEX tubing in my slab when I built my home. I am now going to build a two drum heater using the available kits. It will produce a projected 145,000 btu's. I just received the kit of cast iron parts and am looking for the two barrels and flue pipes. The kit cost $110 including delivery. I am going to install 50' of 1/2" copper tubing in the upper drum to heat the water. I have in my original heating design 3 zones and use a regular water pump to push the water thru the PEX. The water returns to an open holding drum. When one of the zone valves opens, the pressure drops and the pump turns on. Very simple system. I will also get a lot of radiant heat which I can also circulate through the house by simple fan circulation or even convection. PS: In the event of a power outage, the generator on my motor home can run the system. Just something to think about my friend, Frank...

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Excellent input my friend, I'll be sure to figure this in. My house is essentially 3 story with a dirt basement - my grandfather built this house alone in 1950, very strongly built wood frame. I won't live there until retirement. But years ago we had a wood stove in the basement with a grating over it on the first floor for the heat to rise up, and a ceiling fan above it. For one thing, it heats the house too hot But that's great in the cold days. The stove pipe runs 10' to a chimney which of course exits the roof. So, the flue length will not be an issue.

What would remain the issue would be the air intake, and creosote build-up. With the design shown on the above links, what would you recommend changing on the air intake?

Thanks,

Roger

 

[gusser]

I've had one in my farmhouse for 4 years. A rocket stove mass heater that doesn't creosote. Flame is very hot and burns up the smoke. I removed the barrel last year and it was remarkably clean after three heating seasons.