Dave Black

Hey Patrik, can you describe your project a bit more?

Question for the energy folks:

I’m mostly a carpenter, designer, craftsman type. I have a large wooded lot and enjoy firing ceramics. I’m building a small cabin and thought briefly about alternative energy but will probably bring in gridded electrical power.

I really enjoy the idea of the rocket mass heater. And when I started laying out the foundation for my ceramic kiln, the thought came to me, I could have two incredibly power and moderately large wood burning furnaces, there must be a way to utilize them for electricity..?

I’m no engineer, so do the intelligent people here, have an option or thoughts on converting heat from RMHs or wood kilns into electricity?

I have two general options: one it should be able to do it while running it’s normal function. Such as heating a home in the winter or firing pottery.

And two, it would probably need to be relatively easy to “attached” or modified to the existing “furnace”. What came to mind was a stream turbine/generator that could charge a battery then be distributed to power electronics.

I know not everyone has a passion for ceramics. But one of the biggest obstacles with solar is the lack of energy from the sun during winter, which if electricity could be converted from a wood stove or RMH during those same winter months…maybe, just maybe, right?

That’s the extent of my knowledge. If someone who knows more than me thinks that’s possible, please let me know what information I should be reading up on or devices that could be considered and adapted. I find this extremely exciting, but if I’m high on my own ignorance of the matter, feel free to bring me back down to earth.

Humbly,

Hello, hello

First time poster.

I just wanted to make a reference post for like minded people in my area to share resources, skills and tricks. I browse the forums often and I don't think I've come across a thread like this (If there is one PLEASE let me know and have the mods throw this into the proverbial compost pile!)

I have about a 22 ac wood parcel in Sullivan County, I'm slowly turning into a homestead of sorts. I main skills are in construction planning and millworking. I'm about 30-47 y.o. depending on what my knee tells me when I wake up in the morning.

By like minded I mean:

Resourceful, Respectful, Sustainable, Efficient, Generous people that feed the hungry and and care for the home(community)less. People that have opinions, maybe even political ones, but don't regurgitate what the talking heads tell them like blind sheep. People that see America for what a is, an awesome place that needs an incredible amount of work (Like a north facing slope with old growth trees in the spring...). Lovers of people, sharers of burdens, family to the fatherless and widows. People who will join you in chasing off those annoying kids that atv on the back of your property, yeah that part of the property you just planted your blueberries and  locust...People who love diversity in people and as much as they love diversity in their food forest. Writers of poetry, fixers of tractors, puckers of guitars and digger of holes. Moonshiners, Bricklayers, Backbreakers. And better yet people who might not be like minded yet, but desperately want to be.

If anyone one in the area needs a plan for for a custom plan for a chicken coop, work station, workbench, sauna, shed, etc I'm your man. But post post what you can do and share and other can find you.