Post by islandthyme on Aug 1, 2024 10:37:09 GMT -8
Greetings! I’m finally going to make my first rocket mass heater- two in fact! I’m definitely hitting analysis paralysis… here is my first list of questions in a hope to at least get started!
(I live on an off-grid island in the Pacific Northwest. Obtaining materials is starting to dictate what and how I do things on this project.)
First off, the firebrick is going to be multiple boat loads. In an effort to reduce the number of bricks I need I’m leaning towards the 5-6 minute riser. Since that goes off script from “the book” I’m struggling to understand how the base of the riser connects with base of the burn tunnel/core inside the manifold? Any links, videos or threads on that part of the construction?
On that note, the manifold…. Barrels are a b @$?ch to get out here (I won’t bore you with all the details but the fewer the better I think?). I’m starting to entertain the idea of building the manifold with regular brick. Again, off script from the book! Any suggestions on if this difficult to do?! I’m having a hard time finding a clear “how to” on this part. (However, maybe two more barrels are easier to get on island than more bricks?! Phew.) I guess the question here is which material is easier to build from? And any instructions on the brick version would be swell!
On to clay questions- I have an unlimited source of what I think is glacial, marine clay. (Cliff side of land meeting the ocean. It’s light grey when dry and dark grey when wet.) It performs well in my thermal cob samples. I think it’s completely viable for the cob mass but what about the slip and mortar? Is there any way to know if it will hold up to being “glue” between the firebricks in the core? Is it best to play it safe and purchase some known fireclay?
Next up is rmh foundations.
One is going in a room that already has a rock floor. It is beach rock of larger size on top and gets smaller as it goes down. Probably about 3 inches of rock and pebble and then sand and earth below that. Do I need to put an insulated layer under the mass to keep the heat from going to the earth and below? (In addition to the perlite/slip that I will put down under the core.)
The second rmh is going on a cabin currently being built. It will have a wood floor but can do whatever needs to be done under the heater to protect and support. What suggestions do you all have for how to insulate from the Sandy ground and sides next to the wood floor? Any videos or threads on this would be great! Can I build the floor up from the ground with cement or broken concrete blocks to get the heater up to floor level?
(I will try to add photos of both floors.)
My head is spinning and I’m feeling out of my depth here! I want these heaters too much to give up yet- any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers!
(I live on an off-grid island in the Pacific Northwest. Obtaining materials is starting to dictate what and how I do things on this project.)
First off, the firebrick is going to be multiple boat loads. In an effort to reduce the number of bricks I need I’m leaning towards the 5-6 minute riser. Since that goes off script from “the book” I’m struggling to understand how the base of the riser connects with base of the burn tunnel/core inside the manifold? Any links, videos or threads on that part of the construction?
On that note, the manifold…. Barrels are a b @$?ch to get out here (I won’t bore you with all the details but the fewer the better I think?). I’m starting to entertain the idea of building the manifold with regular brick. Again, off script from the book! Any suggestions on if this difficult to do?! I’m having a hard time finding a clear “how to” on this part. (However, maybe two more barrels are easier to get on island than more bricks?! Phew.) I guess the question here is which material is easier to build from? And any instructions on the brick version would be swell!
On to clay questions- I have an unlimited source of what I think is glacial, marine clay. (Cliff side of land meeting the ocean. It’s light grey when dry and dark grey when wet.) It performs well in my thermal cob samples. I think it’s completely viable for the cob mass but what about the slip and mortar? Is there any way to know if it will hold up to being “glue” between the firebricks in the core? Is it best to play it safe and purchase some known fireclay?
Next up is rmh foundations.
One is going in a room that already has a rock floor. It is beach rock of larger size on top and gets smaller as it goes down. Probably about 3 inches of rock and pebble and then sand and earth below that. Do I need to put an insulated layer under the mass to keep the heat from going to the earth and below? (In addition to the perlite/slip that I will put down under the core.)
The second rmh is going on a cabin currently being built. It will have a wood floor but can do whatever needs to be done under the heater to protect and support. What suggestions do you all have for how to insulate from the Sandy ground and sides next to the wood floor? Any videos or threads on this would be great! Can I build the floor up from the ground with cement or broken concrete blocks to get the heater up to floor level?
(I will try to add photos of both floors.)
My head is spinning and I’m feeling out of my depth here! I want these heaters too much to give up yet- any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers!
