Flower pot + gas ring = cheap dry heating ?

[lazarette]

Last year, as I was freezing un my boat on the crouch, someone told me that to heat my boat, just stick a clay flowerpot on top of the gas ring, and I would get good dry heat.

Is this true ! which way round does the pot go ?

I'm ready for abuse on this one !

A - getting ready for winter

 

[cliff]

No.
Every lb of gas burnt producs nearly a lb of water vapour so putting a flower pot over the bas ring will not do anything for the vapour being produced. Urban myth, Internet legend, load of codswallop. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[FWB]

This has been discussed before, do a search and you will find. Quicker via Google!
I doubt though that you will get dry heat.

 

[lazarette]

Thanks chaps, thought it sounded too good to be true.

And thanks for the google tip -much better!

 

[Rabbie]

Forget the flower-pot. What you need is a fire-brick (any ironmongers). Let it get as hot as you can then turn off gas. It gives out heat for some while - at least thats what I remember!.

 

[VicMallows]

...........But a good big chicken quarter cooked in the oven (hatch open a bit!), then made into a good hot curry , will keep you warm! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Vic

 

[supermalc]

If it's cheap dry heating you want, make one of these.

Cost £0.00 made from a gas bottle retrieved from the river, at a friends workshop, who even gave me the chimney, and the asbestos string to put round the liner I made from a bit of tin sheet I had.

Chap in the old lock keepers cottage gets free firewood from the pine factory.

Almost as controllable as gas, and heats my boat in about 10 minutes.

Quite simply the best thing I have ever made /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[saltyanchor]

Supermalc,
How did you make sure the gas bottle was completely evacuated before you cut the hole in it? Is it possible to take the tap off the top completely and wash the bottle out first? I like the idea, but would be worried at the prospect of taking an angle grinder to the side.

 

[VicS]

More water vapour than that in fact.

Just over 1½ lbs from 1 lb of butane and a bit more than that from 1lb of propane

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
.....who even gave me the chimney, and the asbestos string

[/ QUOTE ] I dont like the sound of the asbestos string. Friends who give you asbestos are not the sort of friends you need. They may also be giving you asbestosis!

 

[graham]

I think the flowerpot is supposed to be upside down with some sort of flue fitted over the hole in the bottom to vent the fumes and condensation outside.

I am tempted to try to cobble something together out of copper pipe and try it out this winter. We carry an electric fan heater in the winter but this restricts us to marinas .

 

[graham]

[ QUOTE ]
How did you make sure the gas bottle was completely evacuated

[/ QUOTE ]

you would soon know if it wasnt empty as it would land in the next county /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I was assisting in making mooring weights once out of half a 44gallon oildrum filled with concrete. When one of the guys started to cut about the third drum in half with the oxy acetylene cutter there was a hell of a bang the end of the drum nearest the ground blew out and the rest went about 100 foot in the air. The guy doing the cutting wasnt hurt but very shocked.

I dont know what had been in it but I will never be casual about such a project again,very sobering.

 

[Johnjo]

I made my heater up with a 12inch lenght of 4x4 inch box section.. with plates welded top and bottom..

two doors both in front ..one top to put fuel in one at bottom to clean ashes out with a griddle welded in a third of the way up from the bottom...

chimney out of the top...bottom door has a simple vent in it.. It can be made more sophisticated but it does the job ok for me, if anything its to efficient...

 

[chippie]

Vic, a piece of asbestos string jammed into the gap between the chimney and stove is not much of a danger to anybody, he's not waving it around shedding fibres into the air. There are lots of dangerous things in our lives that are acceptable because we use them safely. This is one of them in my opinion.

 

[Wayward_Son]

You talk of butane and propane expelling water vapour, how does this compare with diesel or kerosene?

 

[supermalc]

[ QUOTE ]
Supermalc,
How did you make sure the gas bottle was completely evacuated before you cut the hole in it? Is it possible to take the tap off the top completely and wash the bottle out first? I like the idea, but would be worried at the prospect of taking an angle grinder to the side.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was a bit worried as well, however once I had unscrewed the tap I washed it out many times with water. I did take it into the middle of his yard to make the first cut, but it was totally safe.

If you can get the use of a plasma cutter it will make the job much safer.

Apparently he told me it only takes 1 microscopic grain of asbestos dust to stick to cause asbetosis, however I tried not to breath too deeply while poking it around the chimney. Considering the number of times I've blown the dust out of brake drums on a car, I don't think I've too much to worry about though either.

If I ever make another it requires 2 slight alterations. Put the chimney to the back, covering the top with a flat plate to put the kettle on. Also make a square box to go into the top hole, with a flat lid, instead of re-using the curved bit cut out. Adding the bar, with all the awkwark curves involved to make the top lid took longer than making the rest of the stove.

If you want to burn coal, or coke you will need a grate. This needs to be made in 2 parts to go through the hole. Apparently drain covers work well.

And remember if you saw wood with a hand saw, you get 2 heats from it, one cutting it up and the other burning it /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Spuddy]

You seem to have the most fun for your shillings of any of us, malcolm. Keep it up, it's a encouragement to me in keeping the costs down andf the chortles up.

 

[supermalc]

Here's a couple more pictures.....just in case anyone is interested.

 

[webcraft]

Re: Home made stove

Mike,

Any chance of more details on this one? Sounds excellent, considering a Bengco is over £400 . . .

What box section, mild steel?

How big is the flue?

How did you put the doors on and make sure they seal?

How do you regulate the draft?

What do you burn in it?

Any chance of a picture?

- Nick

 

[supermalc]

[ QUOTE ]
You seem to have the most fun for your shillings of any of us, malcolm. Keep it up, it's a encouragement to me in keeping the costs down andf the chortles up.

[/ QUOTE ]

You really don't know just how much encouragement this gives me. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Oh btw you don't need to be on the sea to have fun and excitement, try a quick read of what I've been up to this last weekend.

http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/malcsworld/boat/Foxtontrip.html