jonathan kedzierski

I buried some red pine branchy bits in my alkaline soil back about six years ago in one of my first hugel adventures, and forgot all about it. Today I was out mowing  grass and spotted some blackberries that decided to make a home their. Don't blackberries like things a little acidic?  

Good stuff! Please make a part 2

Most basement's are not good places for a RMH, the airflow is trying to enter the house into the basement and often the stove will run backwards. Have any pictures?

Mark Tudor wrote:I've tested various areas of energy use in the home with a kill-a-watt meter, and one part was my laptop, designated a "gaming" laptop due to dedicated video card and a larger screen size. The laptop uses about 100 watts continuous while playing a game that has higher demands. Newer processors have had lower energy demands, but video cards are the big gotcha, plus running multiple screens. It's a luxury in my opinion, like having a pool which is also a huge energy sink. Out here where electricity starts at 21cents/kwh at a minimum, and goes up to 40 per khw after the first couple hundred, I have coworkers that spend over $500/month on their utility bills, and why it seems almost everyone is adding grid-tied solar to their homes. My last bill was about $30, including $18 of electricity use, so I'm not so worried about it  

That "kill-a-watt" meter was a great investment, I now find myself plugging it in at friend's houses, now that I have myself (dialed in) at about $8 a month usage. I am a "gamer" myself...

Try running it after taking off the chimney cap.

 Because each structure has different air flow, the answer to your question is an unknown. It's always a good idea to use an insulated vertical exhaust, it helps the system draw, especially when the mass is cold. The question to your question is what are your exhaust gas temps after they have passed thru the mass? Do you have a lot of heat left over, like 200f? Also think about the next owner of that structure, is he/she going to hook up a wood stove to the pipe going thru the roof, and take out the rmh, because they don't know what it is?

John Harrison wrote:Doesn't galvanised pipe give off toxic fumes when heated?

More like when it is "overheated", as long as the coating remains shiny, the nasty toxins in the coating remain in place. If I remember correctly, a post on another thread mentioned a zinc chromate coating, or something of that sort being toxic when it burns off.

The galvanized hvac pipe turns from shiny silver to a matte grey color long before it melts, and I agree that it being close to the top of the drum, like it is, would not give you any issues. I would see if you could work with the adjustable 90 elbow to create a better fit, then screw all the joints together. Tape all seams, including the adjustable elbow ones. Outside, you want the vertical rise to be taller, ideal is above the roof peak. It may work ok for now, but food for later thought.  

When I hear people who are afraid that a rocket mass heater will burn down their house, this image may change a few minds.

Pumpkin-seed?