"If you want to save the environment, build a city worth living in." - Wendell Berry
Brian Knight wrote:Ive been intrigued by RMH ever since finding this site but there are two big things about them that are problems to me.
1. Indoor Air Quality. Because of their design, they seem to allow smoke to back draft into the home especially when starting the fire.
The most recent YouTube video is rather alarming to me when Ernie opens the drum top, a big poof of ash is released into the house. Studies have found that households that burn with wood are more likely to have occupants develop a certain respiratory condition. These stoves seem to be a bit dirtier than the woodstoves Ive lived with and they were fairly dirty.
2. Code Acceptance. Hopefully this will be resolved soon but it an obvious problem for those that must follow building laws. Lets assume for the sake of good debate that building codes dont matter in the following comparison.
Surely the difference between Advanced Combustion Woodstoves and RMH have been covered on this forum. I have searched pretty hard to no avail. Could those better educated about this stuff enlighten me?
Advanced Combustion Woodstoves have an advertised efficiency from 60-72% Not bad. What would an average RMH have?
Catalytic Wood stoves have 70-80% advertised efficiency. I dont like the idea of these due to the maintenance involved with changing out the catalytic components but perhaps someone who has done it could tell me its not a big deal. To me, a new 100$ part is a big deal if it needs to be done every year.
The biggest advantage over RMH is that new wood stoves seem to have better indoor air quality characteristics. The next would be they are more aesthetically pleasing, especially since you can see the fire and the newer designs claim to keep the glass cleaner.
The biggest advantage I assumed of RMH is their DIY nature but Iam not so sure about that anymore. There is quite a bit of physics and site variability involved and the plug and play ability of a mass produced high efficiency woodstove is pretty appealing. I hope I didnt raise too many questions for one thread but would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this stuff. Thanks!
Build it yourself, make it small, occupy it.
"to Tinker or not to tinker, that is the question!"
If you build it better than the one profiting from it, don’t tell them, they'll get pissed! "I challenge anyone to challenge me" ... Murf! "I am responsible for the comment in this comment section"
dan murf wrote:What is being done to get this heater being expectable UL ratting. I just spoke with a ex-spert today. At a fire brick & call fire clay distrubuture here in west Michigan. He said you would have pay a grand & take your stove to Ohio(I think, will check notes) to get rated. Then you would have build ita exactly to those specifications... is anyone working on this. Can I help them on this in anyway?
Murf.
Build it yourself, make it small, occupy it.
Need more info?
Ernie and Erica
Wood burning stoves, Rocket Mass Heaters, DIY,
Stove plans, Boat plans, General permiculture information, Arts and crafts, Fire science, Find it at www.ernieanderica.info
Brian Knight wrote:1. Indoor Air Quality. Because of their design, they seem to allow smoke to back draft into the home especially when starting the fire.
SE, MI, Zone 5b "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
~Thomas Edison
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