Dj Radder

I need some help here....again.

I would really love to put a small RMH into the space in front of my fireplace. The space is 20.5x81. The problem is that we rent and I can't do any real changes. It has to be low impact and able to be removed when we move out.

I have read an account where someone built a RMH in front of a fireplace, removed one of the glass panels and vented up the chimney.

I have a 30 gallon barrel (18.5x29.5) and about 100 clay bricks and 8 8x8 firebricks.

A few difficulties.

-Small space 20.5 x 81
-Rugs surrounding tile pad of fireplace
-Basement underneath, so would have to investigate the weight bearing load.
-Not much clearance possible between barrel and slate fireplace. Would that be ok since it is a stone fireplace?
-Don't see being able to build it at the site due to 4 year old twins and rugs and nice stuff (Dad gets messy when building too). Twins would enjoy building but would create an unrecoverable mess. Might need to build it and move it in. Possibly make it in two pieces and bring them in? Wheels/dollies/pulleys. I created a picture of a possible idea. Hopefully it is easy enough to see what I was going for. Although first time using Google Sketchup. Two pieces that would be pushed together and somehow sealed then vented out the fireplace.

Have people been successful with RMH units using less than 6" vents, aka <28.27in2.

This would not be used as our primary heat. But since we have a lot of deadfall in the yard around us I would like to try to use it as an additional form of heat to keep heating bills down. Our house has terrible windows and even though I have plastic sealed many of them the walls aren't well insulated nor is the attic. Would love to heat common space with RMH and then zone heat areas like the kids' room with space heaters.

Any brilliant ideas come to mind?

So should I scrap this whole idea? How would I clean out the oil drum from the oil burners?

Yea, that oil has been a pain in the ass. I didn't know the qualities that might be contained in the tank, so I'm not feeling great about the toxic soup I just sent down the sewer.

Any suggestions on how to cook out the stink? Should I just wait until I make the mock up in the backyard and burn it out there? Should I have a hobo fire right in the tank after I cut it? Big bon fire with the tank in the middle?

I went to a junk yard and found a propane tank, about 30 gallons. It is about 15x36. I went ahead and took off the valves and filled it with water twice.

Nice!! Just the advice I was looking for. I'll try it tomorrow and report back.

Thanks Allen.

I'm dreaming of making a RMH in our rented house. We have a 21x82 inch tile pad in front of our fireplace. I would love to make a RMH that will fit on the tile pad. THe only problem is I having a hell of a time finding a small 25, 30, or 35 gallon metal drum. I have called junk yards, scrap metal places, companies that might use the drums, hardware stores, etc. They have all given me a "good luck buddy" type of answer.

We do have a number of metal garbage cans at are 15.5x 23 inches. They might be galvanized metal since they have been outside and aren't rusting much.

1) Are metal garbage cans much too thin to withstand the heat generated by a 6 inch system?
2) If they are galvanized, is there the potential for toxic fumes?

Something I learned might be able amp up the awesomeness of the rocket stove. Perhaps. You all be the judge.

In my search for increasing the efficiency of wood burning stoves I stumbled upon a video (it was years ago, if I find it again I will post it) from a guy in Alaska who found a way to ramp up the efficiency of his stove. He created an air intake that drew from the outside of his house to feed his wood burning stove.

The concept goes something like this. When ever you draw air from the inside of a structure and vent to the outside of the structure you create a pressure differential between the inside of the house and the outside. As a result the inside of the house needs to draw air from the outside of the house to equalize the pressure. Areas of high pressure always flow into areas of low pressure. So even if your house is extremely air tight the pressure differential will find the weak points and as a result draw the cold air from outside of the house into the house. So cold air will be constantly cooling the inside of the house thus making the stove work harder and create a need for more fuel.

What if you could create a vent that draws air from the outside of the house that is placed on top of the wood feed that would eliminate the need for the rocket stove to draw air that is already inside the house? It would of course have to be easily removable which might make it kinda clunky. My immediate thought is, would the air be too cold and lower the efficiency of the burn? Also once the fire is out would the cold air draw cool the thermal mass unless there was a way to close the intake vent? I don't know, haven't tried it but would love to see someone try to work it out.

I will attach a lame picture of what I'm thinking about. I would love to hear anyone's comments or if anyone has tried it before or if this is a clunker of an idea. Thanks!