Finding the "inverted plantpottery candle heater"

[born2roam]

Hi there,

Been searching the archives but am unable to find so far what I am looking for.

I think I saw it on this site and since it is a DIY thing I thought of posting my call for help here.

What I am looking for is the pics/post where somebody uses a candle in a glass pot, then above that, 3 or more earth pots inside each other (orange plant like type of thingies), hold together with a large bolt, with some more bolts, wash nuts etc.

This gets heated up and acts like a miniature radiator. The heat melting the candle so that needs to be placed in a recepticle...

So if any of you could help me out here, not just by finding it but also telling me how you found it... I used search terms as described above (inverted, pot, plant, candle, heat but alas....)

Grtz Johan

 

[w00dsmoke]

http://www.heatstick.com/

 

[perpetualelevator]

Looks interesting, but I'm a little fuzzy on what it actually does. How is it different than just burning a candle?

 

[w00dsmoke]

Looks interesting, but I'm a little fuzzy on what it actually does. How is it different than just burning a candle?

Does it not just act as a better radiator of the candle heat by heating up the bolt inside in order for heat to convect better through the pots? My physics are a bit rusty here. It certainly looks like it will retain heat longer and hence radiate better?

It looks interesting because you could use converted tent pegs in the ground to hold the pots say for inside a tippi or even basha to keep the frost out.

 

[Toddy]

I forgot about this, and I made one too It's buried in one of the sheds and it's pouiring here so no chance of me finding it today.

It really works, the heat is absobed by the bolt and washer assembly and transfers into the clay pots which act like a mini storage heater. It makes a really cosy, stable heat It does burn through the candle a bit quicker though which is rapidly melted into a pool of wax which is why it needs to be in a jar.

I'll see if I can find the thread.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Toddy]

It's the same link that Woodsmoke has just posted, originally posted by Wintrup in a thread on tent stoves by RikUk3.

Wintrup; I found this really interesting little contraption that was recommended on another forum. It looks like a series of clay pots bolted together to trap and radiate heat.

http://www.heatstick.com/

cheers,
Toddy

 

[born2roam]

....It looks interesting because you could use converted tent pegs in the ground to hold the pots say for inside a tippi or even basha to keep the frost out.

W00dsmoke :You_Rock_ that was super fast!

And yes even that with the tent pegs or something was on my mind too ;-) (at least something else multifuntional... I am converting tent pegs to create something of a finbar [http://www.finnovations.org/] fire grill anyway)

Will bookmark it!

Grtz Johan

Darn... it even had that "Veg-alot greenhouse" too... I forgot where I saw that...

 

[w00dsmoke]

W00dsmoke :You_Rock_ that was super fast!

-

Grtz Johan

The benefits of being off for three weeks with laberynthitis!

 

[perpetualelevator]

Does it not just act as a better radiator of the candle heat by heating up the bolt inside in order for heat to convect better through the pots? My physics are a bit rusty here. It certainly looks like it will retain heat longer and hence radiate better?

That seems to be the point, and I guess it would retain and radiate the heat longer, but it would be at the expense of maximum heat output, as whatever is absorbed by the radiator is no longer being transmitted to the surroundings. So as an example, you might get heat emitted for twice as long, but it would be half as much heat. Which is a fair trade off, if that's what suits your needs.

 

[Ogri the trog]

First time I've seen it,
But it looks as though it would work equally well with a floating wick, olive oil lamp.

Maybe

Ogri the trog

 

[Toddy]

No reason why not Ogri, but when the candle cools down it sets it lets the whole thing be put away without any bother.

I think your physics is a little off perpetualelevator; the same amount of heat is given off but it's simply given a focus instead of disappearing straight upwards and away from you. The pots and the bolt just trap the heat and let it radiate where it is more useful as a heat source.


cheers,
Toddy

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

That seems to be the point, and I guess it would retain and radiate the heat longer, but it would be at the expense of maximum heat output, as whatever is absorbed by the radiator is no longer being transmitted to the surroundings. So as an example, you might get heat emitted for twice as long, but it would be half as much heat. Which is a fair trade off, if that's what suits your needs.

The same as your radiator in your house.

Lining the ground sheet with an a4 bit of foil covered paper will help too, likewise using a heat exchanger.

Jetboil stoves do the same, heat exchangers.

Nick

 

[gregorach]

That seems to be the point, and I guess it would retain and radiate the heat longer, but it would be at the expense of maximum heat output, as whatever is absorbed by the radiator is no longer being transmitted to the surroundings. So as an example, you might get heat emitted for twice as long, but it would be half as much heat. Which is a fair trade off, if that's what suits your needs.

The point is that it converts convected heat in the form of rising hot air and combustion gases into radiant heat. The convected heat is heading straight for the ceiling, where it isn't really much good, and people feel more comfortable at a lower air temperature with a radiant heat source.

 

[Earlyturtle]

Well now that they're thinking of banning patio heaters, is it feasible to make a massive version of this?

 

[gregorach]

Depends what you mean by "feasible"... I suppose it could be done, but it's not likely to kick out enough radiant heat to make sitting around outside comfortable if it isn't already. And it would cost a fortune in giant candles.

Plus I'm not entirely convinced that "they" are thinking of banning patio heaters. There's been a lot of talk, but most of it seems to misrepresent the actual position, which is in itself only a starting point for discussion proposed by one party. The actual wording in the LibDem report "Action Plan for Energy Efficiency: Realising the Potential" is "Urges the Commission to establish timetables for the withdrawal from the market of all the least energy-efficient items of equipment, appliances and other energy-using products, such as patio heaters" (italics mine). This is only a report intended to stimulate discussion, and is not an actual legislative proposal.

 

[w00dsmoke]

Now it is a very long time since I did any physics, however the theory behind this seems simple enough to transfer onto something bigger.

Now maybe someone with more expertise on these matters could advise...would it be feasable to use something like this on a bigger scale with say for example, bbq coals as the heat source?

Now to let you understand, I've experimented a lot with heaters for a nylon tinde 8 tipi(I think £2-300 is crazy for a stove and I want something canoe portable) and I've often used an old pot filled with bbq coals( a trick from my student days... ) with a cover to heat the tipii and it works ok. The question is, would a clay pot and cover be better at radiating the heat over time as opposed to an old cooking pot?

WS

 

[gregorach]

Depends on the sort of cooking pot you're talking about. If it's a good heavy cast-iron job then probably not.

I have to say though, the idea of burning charcoal in a closed container inside a tent sounds like a perfect recipe for carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

[w00dsmoke]

Depends on the sort of cooking pot you're talking about. If it's a good heavy cast-iron job then probably not.

I have to say though, the idea of burning charcoal in a closed container inside a tent sounds like a perfect recipe for carbon monoxide poisoning.

I must say I'm aware of that...why not tell the stove owners too , firstly my pots are never totally sealed, secondly there is always a flow through of air in my tipi when I'm burning stuff in it (come to think of it theres always a flow through of air in my tipii!), so it's not a perfect recipe for poisoning!

 

[gregorach]

Sorry! I shan't mention it again.

 

[Toddy]

I must say I'm aware of that...why not tell the stove owners too , firstly my pots are never totally sealed, secondly there is always a flow through of air in my tipi when I'm burning stuff in it (come to think of it theres always a flow through of air in my tipii!), so it's not a perfect recipe for poisoning!

The stoves come with flues though, unlike charcoal in a bucket.

cheers,
Toddy