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Post by hoosier86 on Oct 26, 2011 13:57:43 GMT -8
Hey Folks,
First off, I'm completely new to this and trying to tackle this project myself. As helpful as the book is, this forum is terrific!
Anywho...my project. I'm a student helping to build a home for a family on the Navajo Nation near Bluff, UT. I've had my heart set on installing a RMH as soon as I found out about them.
The attached image is of my proposed position and layout of the system. It will be an 8" system, using steel pipe (1/4" thick) for the heat riser and additional feed tube on top of the firebrick base. The base would be made entirely of standard firebrick (2.5"x4.5"x9"...i believe). I have the appropriate 55 gallon and 17 gallon barrels. However, I have yet to purchase the stovepipe(still having fun with different arrangements).
Our space is rather limited. So I was hoping, by wrapping the exhaust around the stove itself before exiting vertically, that the eventual cob bench around the stove would soak up more of the heat. However, I'm really concerned that it may have too many bends in the system! It could also be a nightmare to clean! Any thoughts?
ALSO, would the exhaust piping require a pitch up as it travels away from the stove itself? Like rising a 1/4" per foot?...I've heard that this is necessary.
AGAIN, I'm completely new to this. I would love any and all suggestions/feedback/concerns.
Thanks!
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Post by hoosier86 on Oct 26, 2011 14:08:11 GMT -8
Variation #2,
having the exhaust coil up to then become a cob half-wall partition of sorts
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Post by hoosier86 on Oct 26, 2011 14:10:46 GMT -8
Variation #3,
There would be less of an intestinal system in the cob mass, though it could make for a little alcove to store firewood indoors. Then again, could also make for an awkward space.
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Post by Donkey on Oct 26, 2011 15:47:30 GMT -8
There's no need to angle up your pipes. What's needed is for enough heat to be left over to rise out at the end. Not a problem really, I've seen 50 foot benches work properly. I like your last rendering.. Returning to the chimney at or near the barrel can help quite a bit with draft and cold start issues, etc.
You do need to provide a clean-out into every run of pipe though.. Your bottom drawing looks like it would use 4 clean-outs or so.
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Post by pinhead on Oct 26, 2011 17:35:46 GMT -8
I've heard in HVAC systems, every 90° elbow is equivalent to 20 feet of straight pipe...
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Post by hoosier86 on Oct 27, 2011 8:54:44 GMT -8
Thanks for the feedback! That's great news that it isn't necessary to angle the exhaust pipes...should make it easier to build.
Returning the chimney next to the barrels was an aesthetic move for me, that's good to hear that it can also help with draft and cold start issues.
I will be sure and continue to post updated images when I have them!
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Post by canyon on Oct 28, 2011 9:51:49 GMT -8
On some of your drawings I see a corner with a couple of chairs. Have you considered that the mass can extend into that and function as heated seating when needed in winter or allowed to become cool for seating in the summer! Just my 2 pennies!
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Post by hoosier86 on Nov 10, 2011 16:15:56 GMT -8
Good idea, Canyon. I would love to be able to wrap the bench around that corner, but unfortunately that part of the wall is built with large windows from floor to ceiling.
Also, I've begun to collect some nice local river rock to embed in the bench (hopefully making for better long-term heat storage). However, someone mentioned to me that river rock can actually explode or crack under high heat because of water and air pockets often found in them. Has anyone worked with such stone? Does anyone know if this is true?
Thanks!
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Post by hoosier86 on Nov 12, 2011 5:30:46 GMT -8
Also, does anyone have any experience running the ducting through the floor? I was thinking about scrapping the bench idea and running ducting in the floor around the perimeter of the living area....almost like a base board heating system. It would make for so much more room in that area of the house if this were possible!
Thanks for all of your help and input.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2011 6:45:28 GMT -8
While the idea has some merits: Running the smoke ducting through the floor has some problems because of high temperature differences, which will cause tensions in the floor and also very likely uncomfortably hot spots especially for bare feets. Close to the walls the hot spots will be a smaller problem Heating water and let it run through tubes in the floor will be more predictable and can be done as gravitational heating without a pump.
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Post by hinotama on Dec 9, 2011 12:55:47 GMT -8
This is not going to be an attractive idea, but why run under the floor? Here is your problem. Either that pipe snaking around there is going to be hot, in which case you can make a bench or something with it (perhaps insulating it and keeping it hot), or it is not going to be hot, in which case the vertical bit won't make much sense anyway: cold air won't rise from a chimney.
For my planned system, I assume it is going to be plenty warm, but not hot. What I hope to do is to snake my exhaust around the baseboards, covered by lattice or something, and then let it exhaust outside from a hole in the wall. That is going to work in a greenhouse. Not sure if it works for someone's residence, though. Building inspectors would frown on my idea, I am sure.
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