Was just listening to your podcast “Paul is a snake oil salesman” (hahaha…what a you-know-what.) I learned of RMH from you just now! I live in HI but I’m very interested - I’m always interested in diy things that save money, the environment and are sustainable. I’m looking into it for the day when I might convince my boyfriend to move (when we tire of our current home) to a place with cold winters (and plenty of water like here). So THANK YOU, Paul Wheaton, for your dedication to all things permaculture and helping us to do them when we are ready. We need you!!! So grateful. I’m subscribed to your podcast and this channel. ❤
Wow best rocket stove I seen on TH-cam yet! Insulate main chamber increases temp 1000 to 1800. Use mass to store heat for days. 1/10th the wood needed, higher temp with insulation doesn't burn wood faster. I might add a stainless coil to heat water for thermal mass through a thermal syphon. Thank you guys!
Thank you for this excellent video. It's annoyingly hard to find something concise and after this video I feel like I understand exactly what the problems encountered were, and how they were solved.
Such good info. I just bought the Liberator Rocket Heater, and am getting a LOT of questions in my videos from folks that don't understand the basic Rocket Mass Heater Concept. I am just going to link your video to those folks. Thanks again!
When I saw the title I thought to myself "He's explained what a RMH is a hundred times"! I believe in these heaters and I believe that there a few key people kicking ass at getting them better and better. Good on you all over at Wheaton Labs for doing so. I'll be looking foreword to the next 100 explanations!
I may already know all about RMHs from watching your channel for so long, but this was a very enjoyable, concise, and well explained recap. Great for newcomers to the topic I'd imagine.
great video with sufficient graphics to make it undersandable and pictures of examples to help, no filler. Just because of that I"m subscribing, thank you!
@@tim1970martens thanks for reminding me. My initial design was simply a rock held above a tea light (mini candle), enclosed by other rocks. The rocks warmed up and stored the heat energy, radiating it after the candle went out. I have some leftover concrete from the job I did this morning, I think I'll try and make a nice form and make a more efficient one.
OMG- Thank you! Seriously, thank you. This is exactly what I needed. I have watched many videos about this, and I know I will eventually understand all the technical measurements & lingo, but this explained the core that I was looking for - the most basic understanding. I subscribed, & I'm looking forward to watching your other videos.
i am currently constructing one in my house. i really need something that does not smoke, due to living within city limits.and i have a slate roof which i do not want to touch. i have access to pallets from work for free. as many as i can load in my truck. this just makes so much sense. thanks
The artwork is by far the most superior I've seen in a long time. :) (actually, I've shown this video many times because it's the best simple explanation to showcase another one of my "crazy" ideas. ) My family thinks I'm nuts. . . I will not confirm or deny their beliefs. Lol
Thanks Paul. My idea for a better draft is the HRRMH (my two-letter addition), HIGH RISE ROCKET MASS HEATER. Stubbing the chimney is where the draft potential was cut way down. I have no idea who made that mistake. I am assuming it was a mistake. There may be a reason for it that I don't know. High-rise the heat riser to near the ceiling (insulated tube), U- turn down with a naked steel tube. At the appropriate height, jog horizontally for a cook plate. Then straight down into the stratification chamber. There the heat is transferred from the (clean) flue gasses into thermal mass. At the opposite end of the stratification chamber have a horizontal discharge through the exterior wall (near the floor). When the end of the tube is away from the building far enough to escape the air pressure zone (ten feet maybe), then up two feet for visibility (safety). A vertical discharge is less affected by wind. If you discharge steam, you are wasting heat, so collect the steam inside. The discharge temperature at the wall can be room temperature, if this design works. I have never tried the HRRMH. I have never used wood heat. I like the Propertarian Constitution. I designed the HRRMH today. The air pressure zone is due to wind striking the building and the building pushing on the wind. On the down-wind side there is low pressure; on the up-wind side is high pressure. Out-side pressure could disasterously reverse the flow. You will need to get an engineer besides me to say whether the exterior extended horizontal is okay. With the HRRMH, any type chimney you can think of may work --- I don't know. I have eliminated the traditional chimney thinking it was a useless impediment. Combining two systems was needlessly complex and difficult to operate, according to my non-professional engineering sensibilities. Instead of having two chimneys the HRRMH has only the traditional number (one). Go ahead and try it out and see what you think. The design is my contribution to Permies. One concern is that by eliminating the bell over the riser, the riser won't be hot enough. That may be the reason for the stub riser. If an old fashioned stove can get the flue hot accidentally then perhaps Permies can do it on purpose. A second concern is that without a fire going it will lack what is needed to start the fire --- a draft. If no chimney can be eliminated, the HRRMH idea is NOT killed. Summary: HIGH RISER, fewer chimneys, cold discharge, side discharge, better draft (hopefully), simpler, not proven.
I save heat in form of water 2000 liters. Chimney from stove has 5 angles before smoke goes out the house. Not like regular house with chimney straight up out. I can also cook same time on the stove and bake bred or cookies. It is MBS Super Thermo Magnum 21 kw
I am not sure what you are suggesting. But I suggest you study the rocket mass heater stuff and build a standard one before innovating. A lot of people have bad experiences when they innovate before building the first one.
Could a barrel found in the woods with rust holes in it be insulated with aircrete to form a few inch thick outer coat? This would seal the holes but could the insulation impair the heating mechanics of the stove system?
Hey i have a quick question,ive seen portable versions so do you think its posible to add mutiple hoses to syphin heat off of the chimney or barrel to add to a garden, patio, or yard to keep comfort, and season extension during winter? i mean with one
This is the traditional heating method of Korean traditional house (hanok). Our old ancestors used it to heat the entire floor and cook at the same time. You may want to refer to the material at this link. th-cam.com/video/7-w_qM9GolA/w-d-xo.html
I think people are scared of going against code, plus they need their insurance companies to be on board, you know home fires are a real danger and yet it appears Rocket Stoves are far safer. @@paulwheaton
Great Video Paul. I'm just getting started on my rocket stove so I'm making a mold to cast the heat chamber and riser tube. So my question is if my heat chamber is 13 inches long and my rise is 36 inches tall and 6 in a round how much perlite will i really need?? I did find it in 8 quart bags by Miracle Gro
I live in a small trailer and would like to see how an adaption has been made for situations like mine. Almost all the trees here are elm, with just a few sumac. Not great to burn, but have lots of it.
I'm missing something simple here: why doesn't the exhaust go vertically up out of the firebox where the wood is placed and into the interior of the house? Is the draw from the rest of it that powerful?
paul, thank you, nice video, got a (dumb) question: at 1:43, the improved drawing, at the flame far left and bottom, in other words, the single flame at 09:00 right there the black outline of the box is separated by the pink insulation. is there any reason for that? (because, if there is a valid reason, then i might be missing something!)
What I don't understand is why the fire doesn't just come out the J tube and basically make the system work in the opposite direction. What's to stop the fire from sucking the draft from the chimney and burn out the J tube?
For the system to work, it needs to dump a lot of heat quickly. Without the exposed metal, the space takes forever to heat up and then gives off too much heat hours after the fire is out.
i could see that, warm water for your tea or coffee. But would brick retain heat longer? Would putting brick on top dissipate the heat and cause incomplete burning? Forgive me. I have recently stumbled across rocket mass heaters and your videos, very informative. This may give off enough heat that brick on top wouldn't be needed.....just a thought. I am in the planning stages of building one. I know where I want it, I just need to measure for distance so I use the correct size pipe.
I am layman in this but wanna ask you, Is it possible to build a less wood (fuel) consuming but a more heat producing rocket mass heating system to run an effecient Stirling Engine genset for producing power in hot/tropical/sub tropical places and countries where heating is not required ? For the purpose of this should only be to run the Stirling effectively.. Can it be done ??
@@magnified4827 Sure that would be a good usecase for it. And with a Stirling you cod heat a mass up and run ducting through the mass that the Stirling could draw it's hot air from and then you wouldn't have to be standing there all the time to keep the fire going. That would make it a lot more less labor intensive to run it.
one observation; at 1.05/2.26. saying. lets insulated the firebox. the drawing shows another drawing in between the insulated firebox, and the chimney without any description for it: as it appears in all the drawings from then out.
Hello! I am building a small rocket stove model before building a real one in my house to get a better understanding of how it works, and I am facing a problem with the extraction of smoke whenever the fire pit is opened to insert more wood, the smoke rises directly from the pit, which would be problematic inside the house. How would you go about fixing this problem?
Hey Paul, do you have a rough cost it took to build yours and maybe how much you spend on wood or whatever it costs to hear your home for the year?? Just because I'm trying to prove how much he could save.......he's super on grid so I'm trying to help him see.
I have eleven fully functioning rocket mass heaters. Cost is anywhere from $200 to $2000. The cheapest ones were practically free except for the chimney-like stuff. Here is a video for the one in the house and how we heated for about $100 in wood for the whole winter. So, about $20 per month? th-cam.com/video/7hcZ1RvW440/w-d-xo.html
Since there are books that are essentially builders guides which can be bought, I'm sure you could hire someone to build it for you. The DIY aspect does help reduce the cost so you pay for their labor of course.
Brunnr Wait till Paul Wheaton sends You the desired informatiotion. No good idea to look for someone ypurself since you don't really know who you can trust. Why? You really have to dig into it to comprehend all the important detail-that takes time and you would have to pay for that time too if the builder is inexperienced. Better find someone who already had huilt at least a few of these rocket heaters AND IS ABLE TO PROOVE IT TO YOU. Also, inexperienced builders who havent done some backjard experiments before installing a rmh into a house is likely to get nasty backsmoke into the house. Fire can work for you fine, but you've got to learn how to take safety measures against hazards like smoke, bad insulation or wrong materials for the burntunnel. Even the exaust pipe can cause problems. If Paul gives You an adress, you can trust him, otherwise be careful about who you trust.
Karl McCreight I'm actually going to visit Ianto Evans (who invented this design) in October to take a workshop on them, and plan to visit Paul's place in January to see them in action. I fully intend to install my own on my retirement property. 😀
Love this! Posted it on Face Book. My only personal problem is that I'm not at all sure an RMH would be appropriate tech for me here in N.E.Texas. Yeah, there are times when it gets darn cold here. There have been ice storms with cold that lasted a week or more but as I understand the RMH that just isn't long enough. A smaller version maybe? A combo, switchable RMH/ cook stove? I do know I'd love to have a rocket STOVE especially out back in an outdoor kitchen. But then there is also this whole Global Warming/wierd-ing thing where the jet stream gets a kink in it that dumps arctic weather down south. Sometimes WAY down south. So I also worry that I just must might NEED an RMH a bit bigger than I think to last out an ice storm that might last two or more weeks instead of one.
You should look into this rocket cooking stove. The guy who invented it uses it to supplement his main RMH and to cook on. walkerstoves.com/walker-brick-cook-stove.html
Here is a comment I posted in response to the video addressing the criticism of Paul Wheaton (think about it!): As a down-in-the-dirt on-hands permaculturist who has done his own research as well as followed Paul Wheaton and his antics, I must say that I am not surprised with your experience at all with Paul Wheaton. He advertises himself as the "Bad Boy of Permaculture," as well as refers to himself as the "Duke of Permaculture." In my years of following his podcasts, reading through the topics on his discussion board, and watching his videos; nothing has eluded that he may be passive aggressive like many of the people who practice permaculture. His weight and the amount of posts he has online clearly indicates to some one with a lot of in-the-field experience that he has taken more of the academic and informative role. It's pretty obvious that he takes more of a dictatorial stance with problem solving and seems to prefer the medieval style property design. I am an infrastructural consultant who hovers in the underground and without ever residing on his property could tell you that second opinions would not be highly valued within the confines. He is much more of a Holzerite than a Mollisonian, although the two overlap. I think several episodes in which he and I butt heads while in his realm would take the lifestyle to the next level, while providing him with a taste of his own medicine. It would be informative, entertaining, and valuable to the social dynamic side of the study. That is where things fail the most, and that is what we could all benefit from not reproducing. I foresee outbursts, trickery, hilarity, amazing productivity, sadness, disappointment, innovation, fighting, celebration, stupidity, bravery, and return of surplus. I am in Oregon in the middle of my multi-year North American design and research loop and that just so happens to be RIGHT IN THE WAY! Thank you for your media...
I think if you want that, you are going to have to be the guy that does it. In the mean time, hundreds of thousands of people are building them and enjoying the benefits of them.
@@paulwheaton I am so sorry to bother you, but for the life of me I can not think of another person with more experience or knowledge. I need to know the truth of it and I trust you to yell it how it is. What is the life expectancy of a rocket mass heater? How much maintenance does one require? Is it something an elderly person could depend on and use reliably? Thank you for your time sir, much respect for all you do. 💘
EPA approved stoves have been available for decades. They are more efficient then other stoves from the past and have very low emissions. they usually utilize either a secondary burn with added air or a secondary catalytic burn. They are able to operate at much lower temperatures without the risk of creosote buildup. They are even used in some mass heater designs as the firebox. They require far less air than a rocket stove.
Rocket mass heaters typically burn at 93% efficiency while the stoves you mention tend to function at less than 65% efficiency (while having 16% efficiency added to their official numbers to compensate for what goes up the chimney). Rocket mass heaters use more air because they are burning more efficiently - but only during the burn. Since the rocket mass heater doesn't burn as often, the rocket mass heater ends up needing far less air. Further, it is difficult to get the rocket mass heater to burn inefficiently, while it is easy to get the stoves you are talking about to operate at 7% efficiency or less - this is where the rocket mass heater REALLY shines.
I looked into this several years ago and I always end up coming back to permies.com when studying RMH’s. Thanks for your information. Would like to bend your ear How may I contact you ?
hey Paul. Nice vid. I can get some ideas from this. my friend in San Diego, has building codes and inspectors for his home. He is never going to do this. here is my challenge to you: Build one of those, from local available materials and tools, about 200 miles south of USA border. Then, I say okay. Then it is not a one off: A guy with special skills, tools, know how and a willingness to get around building codes. Call me??
You don't need the metal drum. It's an instant radiator for throwing fast heat into the room. They have traditionally been drums because drums are free in most places. You can make the quick radiator in MANY other ways or choose to leave it out entirely. If you leave it out, make a larger storage mass instead. Some examples of alternatives to the barrel: A soldered, beaten copper cylinder with a domed top (could be a dished top or an arbitrary shape). Stainless steel milk containers (the ones for dairy operations). Dragon statue, welded out of plate steel. Any cool metal scrap thing that is hollow, or dished; or even just a flat metal plate set into an adobe enclosure.
This particular rocket mass heater has several. But the biggest one is that every year we take the barrel off, clean out the ash, put the barrel back and add a bit of cob to seal it again.
I give a thumbs up but it seems almost anywhere a person wants to see a simple best so far design they better buy a book. So much today is come over then buy a e book or some dvd or somesuch.
There are good plans for free. There are good vids for free. But, yes, the best stuff took a lot of money to put together, so, of course, it costs. $60 for 8 dvds is super cheap. permies.com/wiki/63837
I didn't like this video. I loved it. Primitive high tech science explained in way that even a cave man could understand. I hereby nominate this video for the Michael Faraday Prize (of the Royal Society of London) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_Prize_(disambiguation)
Cool, because I was actually worried about the well being of those little Crayolas! Kidding aside, I was just joking about the crayon diagram. This is actually really cool (I used to install wood, pellet and gas stoves) so I find this kind of stuff interesting. I would love to do one of these but I already have two wood stoves and I take a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach. That, and the fact that my girlfriend would never let me do it, so there's that. But a new house (especially a ground up build) would be awesome for this. Love your videos.
Rewriting history. This is a Japanese invention and they went much further, extracting chemicals from the condensing gasses as they cooled in the chimney.
More accurately, rocket mass heater stuff steals several bits from several strategies and then adds a bit of its own. In this case, the Korean Ondol does not have the insulated riser that the rocket mass heater leans on.
Was just listening to your podcast “Paul is a snake oil salesman” (hahaha…what a you-know-what.) I learned of RMH from you just now! I live in HI but I’m very interested - I’m always interested in diy things that save money, the environment and are sustainable. I’m looking into it for the day when I might convince my boyfriend to move (when we tire of our current home) to a place with cold winters (and plenty of water like here). So THANK YOU, Paul Wheaton, for your dedication to all things permaculture and helping us to do them when we are ready. We need you!!! So grateful. I’m subscribed to your podcast and this channel. ❤
Thanks for your kind words!
Wow best rocket stove I seen on TH-cam yet! Insulate main chamber increases temp 1000 to 1800. Use mass to store heat for days. 1/10th the wood needed, higher temp with insulation doesn't burn wood faster. I might add a stainless coil to heat water for thermal mass through a thermal syphon. Thank you guys!
Thank you for this excellent video. It's annoyingly hard to find something concise and after this video I feel like I understand exactly what the problems encountered were, and how they were solved.
Such good info. I just bought the Liberator Rocket Heater, and am getting a LOT of questions in my videos from folks that don't understand the basic Rocket Mass Heater Concept. I am just going to link your video to those folks. Thanks again!
When I saw the title I thought to myself "He's explained what a RMH is a hundred times"! I believe in these heaters and I believe that there a few key people kicking ass at getting them better and better. Good on you all over at Wheaton Labs for doing so. I'll be looking foreword to the next 100 explanations!
i think we might do more soon!
Yeah, and I like cartoons!!
I may already know all about RMHs from watching your channel for so long, but this was a very enjoyable, concise, and well explained recap. Great for newcomers to the topic I'd imagine.
TH-cam is such a great resource for all kinds of energy saving techniques.. as someone planning to build their own home its awesome
P.S. Your website(s) are amazing. So much to check out!!
This is very well explained! Great idea and great communication skills!! Bravo.
great video with sufficient graphics to make it undersandable and pictures of examples to help, no filler. Just because of that I"m subscribing, thank you!
This is the best explanation. So simple and clear. I'm going to try to make a mini mass heater that works off a tea light...
How did it work?
@@tim1970martens thanks for reminding me. My initial design was simply a rock held above a tea light (mini candle), enclosed by other rocks. The rocks warmed up and stored the heat energy, radiating it after the candle went out. I have some leftover concrete from the job I did this morning, I think I'll try and make a nice form and make a more efficient one.
OMG- Thank you! Seriously, thank you. This is exactly what I needed. I have watched many videos about this, and I know I will eventually understand all the technical measurements & lingo, but this explained the core that I was looking for - the most basic understanding. I subscribed, & I'm looking forward to watching your other videos.
Good! It explains the basic principle of a Rock Mass Heater function.
less wood and more more profit of heat and smoke.Very amazing and different idea highlighted.Brother thanks.
i am currently constructing one in my house. i really need something that does not smoke, due to living within city limits.and i have a slate roof which i do not want to touch. i have access to pallets from work for free. as many as i can load in my truck. this just makes so much sense. thanks
Outstanding!!! Simply outstanding.
Norm
Love all you Permies!!! 💕
Saw this type of stove on ig and googled rocket mass stove and found your video. Thanks for the info.
The artwork is by far the most superior I've seen in a long time. :) (actually, I've shown this video many times because it's the best simple explanation to showcase another one of my "crazy" ideas. ) My family thinks I'm nuts. . . I will not confirm or deny their beliefs. Lol
I would like to thank Allie Brosh (of hyperboleandahalf fame) for inspiring me to publish my drawing at this level of quality.
paul wheaton Thank you Allie! Keep the videos coming Paul. Simple is best as far as I'm concerned. Thank you for what you do!
Thanks! Wonderfully clear and concise.
Thanks Paul. My idea for a better draft is the HRRMH (my two-letter addition), HIGH RISE ROCKET MASS HEATER. Stubbing the chimney is where the draft potential was cut way down. I have no idea who made that mistake. I am assuming it was a mistake. There may be a reason for it that I don't know.
High-rise the heat riser to near the ceiling (insulated tube), U- turn down with a naked steel tube. At the appropriate height, jog horizontally for a cook plate. Then straight down into the stratification chamber. There the heat is transferred from the (clean) flue gasses into thermal mass. At the opposite end of the stratification chamber have a horizontal discharge through the exterior wall (near the floor). When the end of the tube is away from the building far enough to escape the air pressure zone (ten feet maybe), then up two feet for visibility (safety). A vertical discharge is less affected by wind.
If you discharge steam, you are wasting heat, so collect the steam inside. The discharge temperature at the wall can be room temperature, if this design works. I have never tried the HRRMH. I have never used wood heat. I like the Propertarian Constitution. I designed the HRRMH today.
The air pressure zone is due to wind striking the building and the building pushing on the wind. On the down-wind side there is low pressure; on the up-wind side is high pressure. Out-side pressure could disasterously reverse the flow. You will need to get an engineer besides me to say whether the exterior extended horizontal is okay. With the HRRMH, any type chimney you can think of may work --- I don't know.
I have eliminated the traditional chimney thinking it was a useless impediment. Combining two systems was needlessly complex and difficult to operate, according to my non-professional engineering sensibilities. Instead of having two chimneys the HRRMH has only the traditional number (one).
Go ahead and try it out and see what you think. The design is my contribution to Permies.
One concern is that by eliminating the bell over the riser, the riser won't be hot enough. That may be the reason for the stub riser. If an old fashioned stove can get the flue hot accidentally then perhaps Permies can do it on purpose.
A second concern is that without a fire going it will lack what is needed to start the fire --- a draft. If no chimney can be eliminated, the HRRMH idea is NOT killed.
Summary: HIGH RISER, fewer chimneys, cold discharge, side discharge, better draft (hopefully), simpler, not proven.
Love all your videos you crack me up most of the time even when your playing it straight. Keep it up Paul!!
Got some fresh stuff to come out pretty soon!
Got some fresh stuff to come out pretty soon!
I save heat in form of water 2000 liters.
Chimney from stove has 5 angles before smoke goes out the house. Not like regular house with chimney straight up out.
I can also cook same time on the stove and bake bred or cookies.
It is
MBS Super Thermo Magnum 21 kw
In your drawing the chimney runs through the mass then up. Could you have a second chimney going the other direction to heat another mass
I am not sure what you are suggesting. But I suggest you study the rocket mass heater stuff and build a standard one before innovating. A lot of people have bad experiences when they innovate before building the first one.
love this sorta thing!
Could a barrel found in the woods with rust holes in it be insulated with aircrete to form a few inch thick outer coat? This would seal the holes but could the insulation impair the heating mechanics of the stove system?
I do like this a lot, and i'm going to build one tomorrow.
Hey i have a quick question,ive seen portable versions so do you think its posible to add mutiple hoses to syphin heat off of the chimney or barrel to add to a garden, patio, or yard to keep comfort, and season extension during winter? i mean with one
Thank you so much for the simple explanation. Will share. ❤
This is the traditional heating method of Korean traditional house (hanok). Our old ancestors used it to heat the entire floor and cook at the same time. You may want to refer to the material at this link. th-cam.com/video/7-w_qM9GolA/w-d-xo.html
Cool!
funny you use that word th-cam.com/video/xo9xJo6dTxE/w-d-xo.html :)
I wonder why Rocket mass heaters aren't more well known and legal to install in all 50 states.
this is the best question.
I think people are scared of going against code, plus they need their insurance companies to be on board, you know home fires are a real danger and yet it appears Rocket Stoves are far safer. @@paulwheaton
Is the tulikivi stove from Finland one of these ?
What if you can't go up with the final part of the chimney how far out away from the structure would you have to go to be safe?
Great Video Paul. I'm just getting started on my rocket stove so I'm making a mold to cast the heat chamber and riser tube. So my question is if my heat chamber is 13 inches long and my rise is 36 inches tall and 6 in a round how much perlite will i really need?? I did find it in 8 quart bags by Miracle Gro
I live in a small trailer and would like to see how an adaption has been made for situations like mine. Almost all the trees here are elm, with just a few sumac. Not great to burn, but have lots of it.
I'm missing something simple here: why doesn't the exhaust go vertically up out of the firebox where the wood is placed and into the interior of the house? Is the draw from the rest of it that powerful?
Yes.
paul, thank you, nice video, got a (dumb) question:
at 1:43, the improved drawing, at the flame far left and bottom, in other words, the single flame at 09:00
right there the black outline of the box is separated by the pink insulation.
is there any reason for that?
(because, if there is a valid reason, then i might be missing something!)
the black line is part of the morphing. The black line is not a material. Does that help?
Great video, we love it
Great video!
What I don't understand is why the fire doesn't just come out the J tube and basically make the system work in the opposite direction. What's to stop the fire from sucking the draft from the chimney and burn out the J tube?
convective currents.
@@paulwheaton I understand that. But what makes the current flow in the direction it does instead of just going the other way from the start?
@@ballwizz23 the same thing that makes a hot air baloon rise. convective currents.
@@paulwheaton Jesus Christ. Never mind.
maybe this will help th-cam.com/video/a8s-mzfnPy8/w-d-xo.html
Why must the metal barrel be exposed? Can't it be encased in "mass" as well?
For the system to work, it needs to dump a lot of heat quickly. Without the exposed metal, the space takes forever to heat up and then gives off too much heat hours after the fire is out.
Paul deserves a slice of huckleberry pie for this one.
The barrel reaches extensive temperatures. Would the system work if you put brick on top to absorb heat and dissipate it over time?
Some people use a tea kettle.
i could see that, warm water for your tea or coffee. But would brick retain heat longer? Would putting brick on top dissipate the heat and cause incomplete burning?
Forgive me. I have recently stumbled across rocket mass heaters and your videos, very informative. This may give off enough heat that brick on top wouldn't be needed.....just a thought.
I am in the planning stages of building one. I know where I want it, I just need to measure for distance so I use the correct size pipe.
Check out my video about the cyclone heater. The "barrel" is effectively all brick. th-cam.com/video/U7kqu1XvsXY/w-d-xo.html
Interesting!! Will dive a little deeper into that.
Thank you for your time and information. Keep up the great work!!!
Good comparison of RMH to a fireplace. It explains why certain things were done. The graphics by "Billy with crayons" needs some work though.
thanks to my patreon peeps for getting my youtube engine running again patreon.com/pwvids
Its an honor
You said steam goes out ? What steam ? it supposed to be smoke right ? 🤔
@@magnified4827
When wood burns it releases smoke as well as water vapor (or steam). Even seasoned firewood has some water in it.
I am layman in this but wanna ask you, Is it possible to build a less wood (fuel) consuming but a more heat producing rocket mass heating system to run an effecient Stirling Engine genset for producing power in hot/tropical/sub tropical places and countries where heating is not required ? For the purpose of this should only be to run the Stirling effectively..
Can it be done ??
@@magnified4827
Sure that would be a good usecase for it. And with a Stirling you cod heat a mass up and run ducting through the mass that the Stirling could draw it's hot air from and then you wouldn't have to be standing there all the time to keep the fire going. That would make it a lot more less labor intensive to run it.
one observation; at 1.05/2.26. saying. lets insulated the firebox. the drawing shows another drawing in between the insulated firebox, and the chimney without any description for it: as it appears in all the drawings from then out.
Great video and to the point!
Como se limpia la chimenea?
Hello! I am building a small rocket stove model before building a real one in my house to get a better understanding of how it works, and I am facing a problem with the extraction of smoke whenever the fire pit is opened to insert more wood, the smoke rises directly from the pit, which would be problematic inside the house. How would you go about fixing this problem?
I think whatever it is that you built is not a rocket mass heater.
Great info
I have to know; at 1:10 did he misspeak when he said CO2? I thought wood smoke released carbon Monoxide, not carbon dioxide?
wood smoke contains many things. CO and CO2. And, when a fire is burned extremely well, there is no CO.
@@paulwheaton CO is carbon monoxide, so you mean, "no CO".
Best RMH video I ever saw.
@@jakebredthauer5100 Good catch! I edited it!
Would water work as a good mass?
we have more than a dozen threads exploring this at permies. permies.com/t/12215/Exploring-Water-Primary-Thermal-Battery
Doesnt the fire still get the oxygen from inside the home? If I wanted to get the oxygen from outside the home, how would that heater have to look?
th-cam.com/video/Z50tXhRUMoA/w-d-xo.html
Hey Paul, do you have a rough cost it took to build yours and maybe how much you spend on wood or whatever it costs to hear your home for the year?? Just because I'm trying to prove how much he could save.......he's super on grid so I'm trying to help him see.
I have eleven fully functioning rocket mass heaters. Cost is anywhere from $200 to $2000. The cheapest ones were practically free except for the chimney-like stuff. Here is a video for the one in the house and how we heated for about $100 in wood for the whole winter. So, about $20 per month? th-cam.com/video/7hcZ1RvW440/w-d-xo.html
Will it get a hot enough for sauna temperatures?
yes
I like the idea, hate the DIY aspect. I wish I could pay someone around here to build one for me.
If you post out to permies, I could try to see if we can find such a person.
Since there are books that are essentially builders guides which can be bought, I'm sure you could hire someone to build it for you. The DIY aspect does help reduce the cost so you pay for their labor of course.
Brunnr Wait till Paul Wheaton sends You the desired informatiotion.
No good idea to look for someone ypurself since you don't really know who you can trust. Why? You really have to dig into it to comprehend all the important detail-that takes time and you would have to pay for that time too if the builder is inexperienced.
Better find someone who already had huilt at least a few of these rocket heaters AND IS ABLE TO PROOVE IT TO YOU. Also, inexperienced builders who havent done some backjard experiments before installing a rmh into a house is likely to get nasty backsmoke into the house. Fire can work for you fine, but you've got to learn how to take safety measures against hazards like smoke, bad insulation or wrong materials for the burntunnel. Even the exaust pipe can cause problems.
If Paul gives You an adress, you can trust him, otherwise be careful about who you trust.
Karl McCreight I'm actually going to visit Ianto Evans (who invented this design) in October to take a workshop on them, and plan to visit Paul's place in January to see them in action. I fully intend to install my own on my retirement property. 😀
Is this the same thing that swiss people have in their houses?
"No danger of a creosote fire." The creosote fire chance is 100%, it just happens in a place where it's beneficial, not dangerous.
Hence why he said, "no danger of..."?
No, then it’s burning in the regular fire, a creosote fire is a separate, uncontrolled event.
Love this! Posted it on Face Book. My only personal problem is that I'm not at all sure an RMH would be appropriate tech for me here in N.E.Texas. Yeah, there are times when it gets darn cold here. There have been ice storms with cold that lasted a week or more but as I understand the RMH that just isn't long enough. A smaller version maybe? A combo, switchable RMH/ cook stove? I do know I'd love to have a rocket STOVE especially out back in an outdoor kitchen. But then there is also this whole Global Warming/wierd-ing thing where the jet stream gets a kink in it that dumps arctic weather down south. Sometimes WAY down south. So I also worry that I just must might NEED an RMH a bit bigger than I think to last out an ice storm that might last two or more weeks instead of one.
You should look into this rocket cooking stove. The guy who invented it uses it to supplement his main RMH and to cook on.
walkerstoves.com/walker-brick-cook-stove.html
Make a video on how to build one please 🙏🏼
Check out woodheat.net
Here is a comment I posted in response to the video addressing the criticism of Paul Wheaton (think about it!): As a down-in-the-dirt on-hands permaculturist who has done his own research as well as followed Paul Wheaton and his antics, I must say that I am not surprised with your experience at all with Paul Wheaton. He advertises himself as the "Bad Boy of Permaculture," as well as refers to himself as the "Duke of Permaculture." In my years of following his podcasts, reading through the topics on his discussion board, and watching his videos; nothing has eluded that he may be passive aggressive like many of the people who practice permaculture. His weight and the amount of posts he has online clearly indicates to some one with a lot of in-the-field experience that he has taken more of the academic and informative role. It's pretty obvious that he takes more of a dictatorial stance with problem solving and seems to prefer the medieval style property design. I am an infrastructural consultant who hovers in the underground and without ever residing on his property could tell you that second opinions would not be highly valued within the confines. He is much more of a Holzerite than a Mollisonian, although the two overlap. I think several episodes in which he and I butt heads while in his realm would take the lifestyle to the next level, while providing him with a taste of his own medicine. It would be informative, entertaining, and valuable to the social dynamic side of the study. That is where things fail the most, and that is what we could all benefit from not reproducing. I foresee outbursts, trickery, hilarity, amazing productivity, sadness, disappointment, innovation, fighting, celebration, stupidity, bravery, and return of surplus. I am in Oregon in the middle of my multi-year North American design and research loop and that just so happens to be RIGHT IN THE WAY! Thank you for your media...
Where is the ash removal tray?
we just now started our rocket ovens kickstarter www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/rocket-ovens-feature-length-documentary?ref=265vn9
the traditional heating system in Korea.. ondol
JUST WHAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR - WILL IT HEAT AN RV TRAILER.
Not for an RV trailer. It is very heavy and occupies much space. Go south.
looks a bit similar to traditional chimney stoves, used before gas heating was a thing.
years later, still waiting for someone to do an actual engineering study on these
I think if you want that, you are going to have to be the guy that does it. In the mean time, hundreds of thousands of people are building them and enjoying the benefits of them.
@@paulwheaton I am so sorry to bother you, but for the life of me I can not think of another person with more experience or knowledge. I need to know the truth of it and I trust you to yell it how it is. What is the life expectancy of a rocket mass heater? How much maintenance does one require? Is it something an elderly person could depend on and use reliably? Thank you for your time sir, much respect for all you do. 💘
@@OligosFew you do see the bit at the end about the forums, right? We can answer questions so much more thoroughly there.
i chuckled at the 'fire burning down the house' part. thx billy!!!
lol
No dislikes - keep it up
EPA approved stoves have been available for decades. They are more efficient then other stoves from the past and have very low emissions. they usually utilize either a secondary burn with added air or a secondary catalytic burn. They are able to operate at much lower temperatures without the risk of creosote buildup. They are even used in some mass heater designs as the firebox. They require far less air than a rocket stove.
Rocket mass heaters typically burn at 93% efficiency while the stoves you mention tend to function at less than 65% efficiency (while having 16% efficiency added to their official numbers to compensate for what goes up the chimney). Rocket mass heaters use more air because they are burning more efficiently - but only during the burn. Since the rocket mass heater doesn't burn as often, the rocket mass heater ends up needing far less air. Further, it is difficult to get the rocket mass heater to burn inefficiently, while it is easy to get the stoves you are talking about to operate at 7% efficiency or less - this is where the rocket mass heater REALLY shines.
What data set are you getting the 93% efficiency from?
I looked into this several years ago and I always end up coming back to permies.com when studying RMH’s. Thanks for your information. Would like to bend your ear How may I contact you ?
Ahhh you teach me so much!
hey Paul. Nice vid. I can get some ideas from this. my friend in San Diego, has building codes and inspectors for his home. He is never going to do this.
here is my challenge to you: Build one of those, from local available materials and tools, about 200 miles south of USA border. Then, I say okay. Then it is not a one off: A guy with special skills, tools, know how and a willingness to get around building codes. Call me??
Wow, damn!
Needs a better look on the afterburner. Hate the 50 gallon drums.
Check out the FAQ on this page: richsoil.com/wood-heat.jsp
paul wheaton
I love their efficiency, didn't see anything that would be an attractive alternative to the drum.
Going to give it some thought...
You don't need the metal drum.
It's an instant radiator for throwing fast heat into the room. They have traditionally been drums because drums are free in most places. You can make the quick radiator in MANY other ways or choose to leave it out entirely. If you leave it out, make a larger storage mass instead.
Some examples of alternatives to the barrel:
A soldered, beaten copper cylinder with a domed top (could be a dished top or an arbitrary shape).
Stainless steel milk containers (the ones for dairy operations).
Dragon statue, welded out of plate steel.
Any cool metal scrap thing that is hollow, or dished; or even just a flat metal plate set into an adobe enclosure.
SunDogBuilder
That is useful advice, thank you!
I think you schould explain the benefit of radiant heat vs heat... just going up into the air. Still a great vid. +1
Permies!! Whoot whoot!! I was a permie before it was cool!
We are cool now, right? 🤣
Where is the cleanout
This particular rocket mass heater has several. But the biggest one is that every year we take the barrel off, clean out the ash, put the barrel back and add a bit of cob to seal it again.
I give a thumbs up but it seems almost anywhere a person wants to see a simple best so far design they better buy a book. So much today is come over then buy a e book or some dvd or somesuch.
There are good plans for free. There are good vids for free. But, yes, the best stuff took a lot of money to put together, so, of course, it costs. $60 for 8 dvds is super cheap. permies.com/wiki/63837
شكرا لوجود الترجمة العربية
I didn't like this video. I loved it. Primitive high tech science explained in way that even a cave man could understand. I hereby nominate this video for the Michael Faraday Prize (of the Royal Society of London) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_Prize_(disambiguation)
Hi Paul, we've been trying to email you. For some reason it's not going through can you PM on Facebook? Thanks!
Что там за слово в топке, красным фломастером написано?.. ))
Just curious, if this is so revolutionary or whatever, why is the diagram drawn with crayons?
No crayons were harmed in the making of this video. This is gimp.
Cool, because I was actually worried about the well being of those little Crayolas! Kidding aside, I was just joking about the crayon diagram. This is actually really cool (I used to install wood, pellet and gas stoves) so I find this kind of stuff interesting. I would love to do one of these but I already have two wood stoves and I take a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach. That, and the fact that my girlfriend would never let me do it, so there's that. But a new house (especially a ground up build) would be awesome for this. Love your videos.
Can you burn buffalo chips or cow dung in a rocket mass heater?!?
yes! I haven't, but I see no reason why you cannot.
collecting dung would be a good job for the peanut gallery
Rewriting history. This is a Japanese invention and they went much further, extracting chemicals from the condensing gasses as they cooled in the chimney.
There are MANY instances of this idea in history.
It's also the Fox Stove (Native American) and the Bengali Pit Stove
Congratulations, bros, you discovered the Korean Ondol all over again.
More accurately, rocket mass heater stuff steals several bits from several strategies and then adds a bit of its own. In this case, the Korean Ondol does not have the insulated riser that the rocket mass heater leans on.
who uses farhenheid ,we use °c we are sientist not foothers , use sientific therms they don't bite
I love F. 100 is a really hot day and 0 is a really cold day. Logical. :)
大炕。火墙。暖房。
My children can draw better
I'm sure they can. I only made this because i could not find the "what is a rocket mass heater" video made by your children.