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Would you rather have the beauty of an open fireplace or the efficiency of a rocket mass heater?

 
gardener
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Would you rather have the beauty of an open fireplace or the efficiency of a rocket mass heater?

... and no, you can't choose both, that is breaking the "would you rather" rules. But you can probably get close with a batch RMH with a large glass door.
 
Matt McSpadden
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I know I would probably regret it, but I love that open fire look and feel... despite how much more wood I would need to store.
 
Rusticator
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That's too funny - I was doing exactly what you said we couldn't, and in exactly the way you said it was possible, lol.
 
gardener
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I’d prefer a rocket mass heater, certainly, because of less destroying organic matter or deforestation and less work gathering wood. Unfortunately the situation here doesn’t make it very likely.
 
gardener
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RMH. I like my fires outside with an Islay Scotch in my hand to warm the parts the fire doesn't.

j
 
gardener
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Classic RMH for me. I love how the fire burns sideways, and how that plays with people's expectations of the fire and its effects.

I'm actually quite fond of the one at Wheaton Labs in the fisherprice house, with the stainless steel drum.
 
gardener
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That stainless steel barrel is nice.

My preference is the RMH, for the stored heat and slow release of the mass, and just burning once or twice a day as needed.

Fires are pretty though, and I would take the batch box with window if it didn’t compromise the efficiency.
 
pollinator
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Thank you for asking!
RMH, thank you. Here is mine in action at this very moment. Fire burning sideways, heating up my cast iron cook top where I am heating water in my iron teapot from Japan, purple sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet handed down from family, and soup in a stainless pot, under which I placed canning rings so the pot isn’t ruined on the hot, hot, cooktop. I love my RMH!

It also has a heated bench, which serves as my couch during the day, and I sleep on it at night during the winter.

Function stacking!!
IMG_0217.jpeg
RMH with cooktop
RMH with cooktop
IMG_0218.jpeg
RMH with heated bench
RMH with heated bench
 
Ash Jackson
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Angela Wilcox wrote:It also has a heated bench, which serves as my couch during the day, and I sleep on it at night during the winter.



This is quite the RMH! Have you documented it further elsewhere on Permies? I'd love to know more about your build and design details.
 
master steward
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My LR fireplace stays.  The open fire is too much of a mood booster.  

Now the one in the basement is up for debate.
 
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Thekla McDaniels wrote:

My preference is the RMH, for the stored heat and slow release of the mass, and just burning once or twice a day as needed.

Fires are pretty though, and I would take the batch box with window if it didn’t compromise the efficiency.




Absolutely can have both, and have the view/calming effect at both morning and night firings.   Efficiency Stays up as the real heat and combustion travels away from the glass, (no super heated- room events)  that being said, my glass often gets to 460+  Good enough to feel radiant  soul warming heat, when wanted at about 3-4 foot away!

Your window can actually be one of the lower cost, added items, that achieves great results.  you have to have a door any way, so the window goes in the door.
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steward
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Hands down, I would pick the RMH if only I had a bigger house. Especially if it was one as pretty as Angela`s.

We bought one of those old-looking cast iron stoves though we could not figure out where to put the chimney and ended up with no space for the stove.

If I just had to have the beauty of an open fireplace I could buy one on Amazon for about $40.00.  You know it is one of those fake ones.
 
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Angela Wilcox wrote:Thank you for asking!
RMH, thank you. Here is mine in action at this very moment. Fire burning sideways, heating up my cast iron cook top where I am heating water in my iron teapot from Japan, purple sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet handed down from family, and soup in a stainless pot, under which I placed canning rings so the pot isn’t ruined on the hot, hot, cooktop. I love my RMH!

It also has a heated bench, which serves as my couch during the day, and I sleep on it at night during the winter.

Function stacking!!



I so love that build!  Is it documented elsewhere?  Such as where you got the cooktop from?  Did you buy it or did you make it custom?
 
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I too would like more info on your build.
Michael
 
Angela Wilcox
pollinator
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Awwww, everyone, thank you so much for the
apples, compliments, appreciation, and support for my RMH. It means a great deal to me that this knowledgeable community is eager to hear its story and I’m happy to share. Stay tuned…
 
pollinator
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In my current house.....the open fireplace rocks. If nots not extremely cold, I can burn in it all day, and it's close enough to the thermostat that the boiler never kicks on. SO that part of the house stays warm, and I'm not burning gas. At night, the fire dies down, the boiler comes on, and the rest of the house warms back up.

In my dream off-grid home.....a RMH of some sort, all the way.
 
pollinator
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can it run an oven?  does it have a cook top?   Do I have a warm spot to warm up and to dry clothes?  If RMH provides those then RMH easy.  Currently working toward pure solar without any heat and those would be the things I would miss.  A passive solar home has no warm or hot spots to warm up or dry clothes.  May manage a slow solar over as an add on in the thinking and can endure with the gas cookstove.
 
pollinator
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The RMH's efficiency! It's not even close for me.
I love warmth, but I associate open fireplaces with soot and dust and smoke-smell. So I prefer the idea of the cleaner-burning RMH. If I can cook on it? Oh, wow - *swoon*.
 
pollinator
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Matt McSpadden wrote:Would you rather have the beauty of an open fireplace or the efficiency of a rocket mass heater?

... and no, you can't choose both, that is breaking the "would you rather" rules. But you can probably get close with a batch RMH with a large glass door.



RMH, more efficient!

Sandy
 
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A rocket mass heater, if I want a beautiful fire I'll build one outside.
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