Cheap Domestic heater.. OR Flowerpots on a stand?

[nickdutch]

Guys and girls I need your advice on this. Has this man just "invented" a few flowerpots that have been held together by a bolt, a handful of washers and a nut and balanced on a stand with a candle or a light bulb under it and can we make one better?

I am thinking bent coat hangers for the stand, tealights for the heat source (or maybe an incandescent bulb) and flowerpots (red "ceramic" or earthenware of any type), lots of washers, a bolt and a nut.


http://www.heatstick.com/_KanHeet01.htm

[Red Doe]

Pretty sure this kinda thing can easily be home made. Thirty dollars seems a lot of money for this, but I'm Scots, so a cheapskate.

[jansman]

Just up my street this. I will dig out some clay pots .when I am back of holiday I will have a go.

[Dutchie Delta]

That is about the oldest one in the books. Whenever I go camping with a caravan or tent that is big enough for a gascooker, I take a ceramic flowerpot. Turn upside down over lowest flame and it'll warm the place very evenly.

Nick's idea seems perfectly feasible to me. Go for it and let us know how it goes please.

[preppingsu]

Just up my street this. I will dig out some clay pots .when I am back of holiday I will have a go.

please take some photos and post a tutorial if it works well. Cheers.

[StephenLee]

Did anyone ever try to replicate this ?

Stephen

[jean405]

Did anyone ever try to replicate this ?

Stephen

As Dutchie Delta said, this is the oldest trick in the book, here is what I do (posted on another link same day)

"For candle heat, check out this web site:

http://heatstick.com/_KanHeet01.htm

I had 2 big garden lanterns, made of glass and metal, I took the handles off, put a big (ish) terracotta pot over it and burnt 3 candles in each. kept my sitting room, 6x4 meters, warm. I find putting them in front of the doors or windows most effective. The lanterns are similar to this one, about 18 inches tall, without the handle:

http://www.selections.com/GFA301/knight ... m-gardman/

I've always burnt candles, I find it cosy, I had to buy the lanterns when I got cats, so they wouldn't knock the candles over and burn my home down , last year I added the terracotta pots and extra candles and had a heater of sorts. When it got really cold here in Denmark last year I bought 2 more lanterns, and used them as extra heaters instead of electric heating (which costs a fortune here!)"

Now my MIL wants one too.

Jean

[diamond lil]

My OH says he fancies having a go at this.

[Ian]

Very old, very simple.

It effectively harnesses the convective heat, the hot air that rises to the ceiling, and converts it to infra red radiation heat which is sensed by uncovered skin. So the perception is that the candle is putting out more heat, and you feel warm.

The convective heat is normally lost because the warm air rises and just warms the ceiling slightly. The converted infra red radiant heat on the skin gives a feeling of comfort which is what we want.

But be careful, a single candle cannot heat a typical room adequately and your body will still be loosing heat overall so it is possible to get comfortably hypothermic.

You can not magically get more energy out of a candle.

Edit: Jeans lanterns will do the same job just as well.
Could someone with a Kelly kettle try the same, but with a pot saucer over the chimney. I would be interested in how hot the water gets but I would guess the whole apparatus will not get hot enough to give off much infra red so you will feel cold, but I would like to be proved wrong.

[StephenLee]

Hi All,

Many thanks for the responses, most enlightening.

Jean405 – I read your original posting and enjoyed it. Posting it again on this thread has allowed me to enjoy it again. I am aware of Denmark's weather, or Copenhagen at least. Mrs Lee was born in Hellerup and we still visit family over there.

Ian – I was aware of the physics involved but your post allowed me to confirm that my understanding was correct.

Diamond Lil – Hi

I wonder if I could ask a further question on this topic?

Has anyone actually made one of these things similar to the ones in the link? If so, did it work and was it a worthwhile use of ones time?

Once again, thank you.

Stephen