Amazing Candle Powered Space Heater!

[ElvenSoul]

Excellent for SHTF!

http://heatstick.com/_KanHeet01.htm

[KevinB]

I don't think so. Way too heavy and the BTU's is 1 candle. Do you realize how fragile a terracotta pot is. That wouldn't last very long I'm afraid.

[keenkeen]

How could you say no to this guys pitch?

[CSACANNONEER]

A single tea candle lantern keeps my canvas camper shell 20-30 degrees warmer than outside. Just the pilot light on my little buddy heater keeps it 25-40 degrees warmer.

[aalvidrez]

We used to burn a candle in out shelter half tent to keep warm in the Kentucky winter. It worked great. You just stick it in a canteen cup.

[kb58]

Yeah BTUs are BTUs. Just burning the candle makes X amount of heat, doesn't matter what it's in if the candle, its container, and you are inside a tent.

[MT1]

Originally Posted by kb58

Yeah BTUs are BTUs. Just burning the candle makes X amount of heat, doesn't matter what it's in if the candle, its container, and you are inside a tent.

Yep, putting a few flower pots over the candle doesn't magically make it put out more heat, this is basic middle school science.

[Chaparral]

I have enough pots, saucers, masonry drills, threaded rod, nuts and washers to make a dozen of those. As soon as I'm finished with all the honey-dos around here I'm going to try and make one. I like the idea of taking a 60W heatlamp and using that instead. Got a 250W heat lamp that might work with a larger set of containers. There are a lot of possibilities with thes stuff where one has household current but doesn't want the 600-1500W draw of a typical heater.

[ExAcHog]

Originally Posted by MT1

Yep, putting a few flower pots over the candle doesn't magically make it put out more heat, this is basic middle school science.

While it does not make the candle itself produce more heat, having the steel and clay heated up will absolutely produce more heat. The heat produced by the flame is retained for much longer and acts like an additional heat source. My boys tried this in scouts years ago and it made a surprising difference.
After burning for 15 or so minutes, the terra cotta was VERY warm to the touch and the steel was so hot you could NOT touch it.

[bohoki]

Originally Posted by ExAcHog

While it does not make the candle itself produce more heat, having the steel and clay heated up will absolutely produce more heat. The heat produced by the flame is retained for much longer and acts like an additional heat source. My boys tried this in scouts years ago and it made a surprising difference.
After burning for 15 or so minutes, the terra cotta was VERY warm to the touch and the steel was so hot you could NOT touch it.

btu is btu but an open flame is not efficient use of the potential of the wax

when it makes soot it is running too rich and is missing some of the heat energy of the conversion of the carbon to carbon dioxide

[kb58]

Originally Posted by ExAcHog

While it does not make the candle itself produce more heat, having the steel and clay heated up will absolutely produce more heat. The heat produced by the flame is retained for much longer and acts like an additional heat source. My boys tried this in scouts years ago and it made a surprising difference.
After burning for 15 or so minutes, the terra cotta was VERY warm to the touch and the steel was so hot you could NOT touch it.

Ugh... didn't anyone take physics? It's putting out X amount of heat, and by adding extra crap around it, some of the heat that would have warmed YOU up instead went to warming up the steel and clay. It's all about conservation of energy, baby.

[Decoligny]

Originally Posted by kb58

Ugh... didn't anyone take physics? It's putting out X amount of heat, and by adding extra crap around it, some of the heat that would have warmed YOU up instead went to warming up the steel and clay. It's all about conservation of energy, baby.

Yes it is about heat loss.

There are three types of heat put off by a candle. Convection, Conduction, and Radiation.

A candle usually puts out most of its heat energy in convection. The heat rises quickly directly above the candle and quickly mixes with colder air as it rises. The hot air rises, and cold air is pulled in quickly to replace it.

When the pots are put above the candle, the pots absorb the heat energy that would have risen and stores it. It is released from the pot via conduction and convection, but at a slower rate, and the heated air (at a lower temperature level) does not rise as quickly as it would from the flame, and less cold air is drawn in. This results in a warmer area around the candle than would otherwise occur.

Total BTUs put out by each is the same. The change comes in the thermodynamics, the airflow.













Build a man a fire, and he will be warm for the evening.
Light a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

[Chaparral]

Candle by itself is like a fireplace or a campfire.

Add the pots and saucers and its more like a masonry unit. Instead of rapidly going up over everyones heads, the heat is radiated out more horizontally over a longer period of time: same btu but more usable.

[johnny1290]

I bet it works great, it's just beyond heavy to pack anyplace. if weight wasn't an issue, it'd be fine.

Except the picture of that guy haunts my dreams now.

[bbguns44]

Interesting little design. Makes a lot of sense to buffer & diffuse the heat
from a candle. The heat is spread out in time & space. I'll make one & try it.