Cristobal Cristo

Justin Henney wrote:1. Is it worth adding a large stratification chamber to the conventional wood stove in my basement to capture heat and distribute over longer periods of time? Or is the stratification chamber only useful with the RMHs because of the high temps they achieve in the barrel?
2. As I consider future options, does anybody have reasons for or against trying to use my current wood stove as the firebox for a batch box RMH? This might be a wild question, but I figured I'd throw it in here in case anyone has some input.

Justin,

Is your objective to heat the basement or entire house?

1. If the exhaust temperature is high, probably a barrel could be added. I specifically said "barrel", because building a masonry bell would not make sense in this case as the bell takes more labor than a proper firebox.

2. How the current wodstove would become a BBR firebox?

P.T Heinonen wrote:Thank you for this. Considering my inexperience, would you recommend this or ready made NHL 3.5 for this renovation job?

It will work.
NHL in US ix prohibitively expensive (+ shipping cost), so I provided a universal recipe for high calcium lime (3 times cheaper and no shipping cost), to which pozzolanic agent (calcined clay, brick powder, pumice) can be added to make hydraulic lime.

I understand that they would like to be able to sweep out the ashes on the straight path through such a opening instead of digging in the firebox. I would only suggest to carve some two finger cavities in the face of the brick, so it can be pulled out with two fingers, without attempts to pry it out (that would chip it sooner than later).

I think west facing is better than south facing slope that I have. It's a scorching frying pan in summer. You will have less sun than I do and lower temperatures. Proximity to the sea will add humidity. It should be great.
Oranges indicate a gentler climate that will allow you to be more successful in gardening.
I can not grow oranges due to too many freezes that also translate into very late freezes and cold spring nights, hampering any vegetable growth. When the nights get warmer the days are already too hot and it's too late. With producing orange orchard you should not have these problems.

Dareios Alexandre wrote:The property does have a well and it's a big one too! The trees are all on drip irrigation. It's a beautiful place.

It seems like there are a lot of positives:
-it has a serious water supply
-it has mature trees so there is shade
-if citrus is growing it means the soil can not be bad and it does not have serious freezes; you will have a long growing season
-it has an irrigation system to which you can add more emitters (after some calculations) and start growing right away
-last but not least, it's beautiful

The only negative I'm seeing in the info you have provided is the use of sprayed chemicals, but it would not diminish the positives (unless they were using heavy metal based compounds in the past).

Please make sure you are not in a flood zone if it's in some valley. In the mountains an innocent and idyllyic looking valley may turn into a lake when it pours.

I agree with Rico on RV. My post would be banned if I expressed what I think about them.
I would still get an RV and build a mini (20 m2) house first. It will give you experience and confidence. It will be used in the future as a guest house or maybe you will realize that it's sufficient for your new life. I would say that homesteading in a place with a great climate needs a small house (30-70 m2) and sufficient number of accessory buildings.

Dareios,

2 hectares of citrus is more original than an olive orchard in Greece :).
Please take into consideration that citrus will be on irrigation and olives rather not. It would take around 10 m3 of water per one drip irrigated session, or more. It means there is water. Make sure it's good water and not something that you will have to filter or that will deteriorate your soil.
Mature citrus can be grafted. There is an orchard that I drive by that was renewed by bark grafting 3 years ago. The trees were cut  50 cm off the ground, they had diameter of 15-20 cm. It's already producing.
There are so many varieties of citrus that can be tried.

For fi 160 you need 6 m2 ISA. The bell + bench ISA may be larger than ISA of a single bell  When the bell is heated, you open the gate to the bench and it starts absorbing more heat. The inner surface area is calculated by adding the area of ceiling and all walls above the cold air exit.

I wonder what is the exit temperature of the Gamera stove. If it's quite high then you will have to cover the ceiling of the bench with firebricks on T-bars or on the middle row of brick columns . If it's low you can use stone slabs like Benjamin did.

Congratulations for beatifully built house. 8.5 years - I know exactly  what it means and how much persistance, headache and sacrifice it takes.

Mike,

8" thick slab for the heater. Reinforced with 0.5" rebar grid 8" OC on the top and the bottom of the slab.
It will last. I would not make it thinner, even if it seems strong enough, or with less rebar, even if it seems strong enough. I saw bad foundations too many times, too thin and without proper reinforcement.

Dareios Alexandre wrote:...camper van/trailer type thing could also be a good option for temp housing as it's all ready to go...

'Ready to go" is a great asset. To make things ready to go from scratch can sometimes take a few years. Try to focus your energy into building permanent and beautiful things.