Post by bobdobalob on Aug 22, 2015 1:41:23 GMT -8
Hello there!
"Long" time lurker, first time poster.
I really like the idea of a proxy campfire, in the form of an outdoor rocket stove or rocket mass heater (with windows!). Matt Walker has an envious setup that I'd like to duplicate at some point. The ton of light did it for me.
Matt has several windows in his half barrel builds; the Innovators Workshop video (8" batch box with glass ceiling) is a must-show to friends; and I recently saw some sort of side-loading batch box (with the window as the door) (with yellow tile and crazy sanitary heat exchanger things that I dare not attempt at this early stage).
So along those lines, and out of curiosity, why hasn't anyone encased the burn chamber (er, the peterberg batch box I'm referring to specifically here) in glass? It seems like it could be fun (except for maybe cost? I have no idea how much neoceram costs, except that people say it's pricey...). I understand you might want to use brick for better protection against too cold weather (I'm in the Willamette Valley of Oregon), and I've heard a ton about how important it is to insulate insulate insulate the heat riser (for better combustion) (that is, you can't overinsulate, though there is always the law of diminishing returns), and I've heard a lot (I think?) about not worrying so much about expensive materials for better insulation of the burn chamber, but maybe I haven't heard yet (or haven't read enough here) of concerns about under-insulating the burn chamber?
So maybe the appropriate first question would be: Would making a batch box mostly out of glass (at least three sides: left, right, and ceiling... perhaps even the door?) (the floor would be the standard \_/ shape made of brick) somehow diminish the effectiveness or usability of an RMH? Would it reduce efficiency? Would it produce more CO? Would it result in more difficult cold starts? (All speculation welcome! Unless someone has built one and I haven't found it yet?)
I can't really imagine anything better than a fully viewable burn chamber. I suspect my wife would love it too.
Thanks,
Jason
"Long" time lurker, first time poster.
I really like the idea of a proxy campfire, in the form of an outdoor rocket stove or rocket mass heater (with windows!). Matt Walker has an envious setup that I'd like to duplicate at some point. The ton of light did it for me.
Matt has several windows in his half barrel builds; the Innovators Workshop video (8" batch box with glass ceiling) is a must-show to friends; and I recently saw some sort of side-loading batch box (with the window as the door) (with yellow tile and crazy sanitary heat exchanger things that I dare not attempt at this early stage).
So along those lines, and out of curiosity, why hasn't anyone encased the burn chamber (er, the peterberg batch box I'm referring to specifically here) in glass? It seems like it could be fun (except for maybe cost? I have no idea how much neoceram costs, except that people say it's pricey...). I understand you might want to use brick for better protection against too cold weather (I'm in the Willamette Valley of Oregon), and I've heard a ton about how important it is to insulate insulate insulate the heat riser (for better combustion) (that is, you can't overinsulate, though there is always the law of diminishing returns), and I've heard a lot (I think?) about not worrying so much about expensive materials for better insulation of the burn chamber, but maybe I haven't heard yet (or haven't read enough here) of concerns about under-insulating the burn chamber?
So maybe the appropriate first question would be: Would making a batch box mostly out of glass (at least three sides: left, right, and ceiling... perhaps even the door?) (the floor would be the standard \_/ shape made of brick) somehow diminish the effectiveness or usability of an RMH? Would it reduce efficiency? Would it produce more CO? Would it result in more difficult cold starts? (All speculation welcome! Unless someone has built one and I haven't found it yet?)
I can't really imagine anything better than a fully viewable burn chamber. I suspect my wife would love it too.
Thanks,
Jason