Ellpea's Terra Cotta "heater" experiment - Page 2 - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-28-2015, 09:42 AM   #21
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
I Goggled looking for portable heaters with Terra Cotta components and came up with a big Zero.


It clearly must be a conspiracy launched by the LP industry to force us to use more LP than really necessary..... Sorta like the "Fish" carburetor that the oil companies were accused to have kept off the market in the 50's to keep our V8's from getting 50 MPG.... LOL


Really, if this was a valid idea, one that's really been around since my tent camping days, one would think that the portable heater peeps would have caught onto it as a major sales point.



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 09:43 AM   #22
Member
 
Name: Marijke
Trailer: Biod X2
Alberta
Posts: 95
Registry
Ellpea, try finding a good sized piece of soapstone. Heat it in your campfire, then put it in your trailer.
In our previous home, we had a Tulikivi heater, they work really well. I imagine in a small trailer, it could keep things from cooling down overnight.
No burning candles to worry about!
marijke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 10:37 AM   #23
Senior Member
 
Byron Kinnaman's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Miller View Post
I Goggled looking for portable heaters with Terra Cotta components and came up with a big Zero.


It clearly must be a conspiracy launched by the LP industry to force us to use more LP than really necessary..... Sorta like the "Fish" carburetor that the oil companies were accused to have kept off the market in the 50's to keep our V8's from getting 50 MPG.... LOL


Really, if this was a valid idea, one that's really been around since my tenting camping days, one would think that the portable heater peeps would have caught onto it as a major sales point.
It's out there. Google "Flower Pot Heater".
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
Byron Kinnaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 11:17 AM   #24
Senior Member
 
Name: kevin
Trailer: 13' Scamp
Colorado
Posts: 172
Energy content of candles

Looking at Amazon, I see that tea candles are a wax cylinder about 1.5 inches in diameter and * 0.5 inches tall. Volume of a cylinder is pi * r**2 * h = 0.883 cubic inches or 14.45 cm**3. The density of paraffin wax is 0.9 g/cm**3, so we're looking at 13.03 grams of wax. The energy content of paraffin is about 42 kJ/g, so we're looking at 547kJ. There are 0.277 watt-hours per kJ, so we've got about 152 watt hours.

If you're looking for the power, the amazon tea candles claim 4-5 hours, so 152 watt hours / 4.5 hours or about 33.8 watts on average. It would take just over 42 tea candles to match the thermal output of a 1440 watt space heater (12A at 120V).

On the topic of terra cotta. The point of the terra cotta pot is to provide venting. Attach a pipe to the top of the pot and run it outside. Now you can close the windows (scamp windows doors especially leak pretty well for the required make up air) I have heard of people doing this and running the stove on low all night. The bottom of the terracotta pot needs to be lifted off the nonflammable surface just a hair, otherwise candles will get no air. If you have the windows open, you will vent out any heat this tiny heater will produce.
KevinScamps is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 12:47 PM   #25
Member
 
Name: JAMES
Trailer: SCAMP
New Hampshire
Posts: 32
I have to caution you on burning candles in such a confined area.
Please read below!
According to the EPA’s research, “Candles with lead wicks have the potential to generate indoor airborne lead concentrations of health concern. It is also possible for consumers to unknowingly purchase candles containing lead wick cores and repeatedly expose themselves to harmful amounts of lead through regular candle-burning.”

They also go on to say that regardless of the lack of lead, burning several candles exceeded the EPA’s standards and posed an increased risk for cancer because of the acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, toluene, benzene and acrolein levels. All those chemicals, along with many others are not healthy or good for our bodies and most especially our lungs.

Paraffin wax candles also produce soot – that black stuff caused from the flickering flame. “When soot is airborne, it is subject to inhalation. The particles can potentially penetrate the deepest areas of the lungs, the lower respiratory tract and alveoli (Krause, 1999).”
Jim Kocinski
polskasila is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 01:13 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
Kai in Seattle's Avatar
 
Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
Posts: 2,566
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA View Post
Oh, one more thing. On my last two checks, *one* tea light had died out, and the temp had marginally dropped. Hypothesis: three tea lights needed to increase temp inside trailer. Two tea lights will no doubt slow the progress of cooling down, but three (at least) needed to warm.

I'm curious about using beefier candles, sterno, and other types of "warming."

I can also try just lighting three tea lights tomorrow without the *heater,* and see if I get a similar result sans terra cotta. But what I'd really like to do is run the same experiment again, only using 6 tea lights.

Still looking for some scientific mind to suggest minimum ventilation for this application!
No one seems to be addressing the issue of how much ventilation you might need for safety. Wish I really knew...




BUT--the more candles, the more venting, probably, and sterno? Maybe even more. There must be some physics folks out there who can opine?




PS--our house can easily gain 15 degrees F during a sunny day, and it loses it VERY slowly over night. Our brown amerigo trailer warms up quickly in the sun, to the point of feeling stifling when Paul's busy scraping and cleaning in there..so that we're thinking of painting it white again, as we'll mostly be camping spring, summer, and fall...and it seems easier to warm up than to cool it down--kind of like you can always put on another sweater, but you can only get so naked.
Kai in Seattle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 01:40 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
Kai in Seattle's Avatar
 
Name: Kathleen (Kai: ai as in wait)
Trailer: Amerigo FG-16 1973 "Peanut"
Greater Seattle Metropolitan Area, Washington
Posts: 2,566
Registry
Oops, they did address it, sorry.
Kai in Seattle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 01:40 PM   #28
Member
 
Name: JAMES
Trailer: SCAMP
New Hampshire
Posts: 32
Can't believe you are concerned more with cheap heat and not about getting poisoned!
Candles and sterno, wow!
Jim Kocinski
polskasila is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 02:12 PM   #29
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman View Post
It's out there. Google "Flower Pot Heater".
I was referring to a commercially available space heater that made use of the flower pot heater technology (?). If it was something that really worked I would expect Coleman and others to be building an LP powered heater with a tiny flame and a terra cotta heat radiator of some sort.



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 02:20 PM   #30
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
Ceramic?
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 06:03 PM   #31
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA
Florida
Posts: 1,691
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo View Post
Ceramic?

To a degree, yes. Ceramic heaters use the ceramic element to absorb heat from a metal element for immediate use rather than longer term storage and release. This is done to make the heater safer than a coil (like in a toaster) heater. Ceramic is used because unlike soapstone, it releases heat much faster, so ceramic heaters get warm rapidly and once shut off, cool down quickly.


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 08:12 PM   #32
Senior Member
 
Steve Outlaw's Avatar
 
Trailer: Oliver
Posts: 711
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA View Post
...One thing we did discover was that our furnace did not light, and it got kind of cold...
You know it might be simpler to just get the furnace fixed and forget all that other stuff.
__________________
Steve and Tali - Dogs: Rocky and our beloved Reacher, Storm, Maggie and Lucy (waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)
2008 Outlaw Oliver Legacy Elite & 2014 Outlaw Oliver Legacy Elite II
2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD Diesel 4x4
Steve Outlaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2015, 09:33 PM   #33
Senior Member
 
Marinab's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1977 TM14 Surfside / 2007 Toyota Tundra V8 2wd
Posts: 289
Registry
I went camping at the end of Sept and my furnace wasn't working. So cold the first night, even with a sleeping bag and comforters. I was talking to the camp hosts the next day and they showed me what they use, a cast iron candle holder, just to take the chill off they said. Well, I carry 3 metal candle holders from IKEA, so I got out my holders, lit 3 candles and within 5 minutes, the trailer was significantly warmer. I left them burning for about a hour, put them out when I went to bed and was too warm. One hour later, freezing again. Lol. Furnace is now fixed.


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV
__________________
Life would be a million times better if there were Pinatas strategically placed throughout the day.
Marinab is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-29-2015, 05:00 AM   #34
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA
Florida
Posts: 1,691
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marinab View Post
I went camping at the end of Sept and my furnace wasn't working. So cold the first night, even with a sleeping bag and comforters. I was talking to the camp hosts the next day and they showed me what they use, a cast iron candle holder, just to take the chill off they said. Well, I carry 3 metal candle holders from IKEA, so I got out my holders, lit 3 candles and within 5 minutes, the trailer was significantly warmer. I left them burning for about a hour, put them out when I went to bed and was too warm. One hour later, freezing again. Lol. Furnace is now fixed.


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

If you are going to burn candles inside, use soy candles. They burn cleaner than bee's wax and are much more healthy for you.


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2015, 11:46 AM   #35
Senior Member
 
Civilguy's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Escape 21 & Jeep GC 5.7 (Previous 2012 Casita FD17 & 2010 Audi Q5)
Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 1,775
Registry
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless and highly toxic.

How much ventilation is "enough"? Trying to answer this question would simply be gambling with your life. Or perhaps "just" permanent injury to the brain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide#Toxicity

I apologize if this sounds too strident. However, I think the risk merits the warning.

Personally, I am already trailer-obsessed. This is clear evidence that I already have "enough" permanent brain damage as it is.
__________________
~ “It’s absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.” Oscar Wilde ~
~ “What the human being is best at doing is interpreting all new information so that their prior conclusions remain intact.” Warren Buffett ~

Civilguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2015, 12:33 PM   #36
Senior Member
 
Byron Kinnaman's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
Registry
Any open flame device of any kind inside the trailer warrants a Carbon Monoxide monitor.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
Byron Kinnaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2015, 01:05 PM   #37
Senior Member
 
Civilguy's Avatar
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Escape 21 & Jeep GC 5.7 (Previous 2012 Casita FD17 & 2010 Audi Q5)
Puget Sound, WA
Posts: 1,775
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman View Post
Any open flame device of any kind inside the trailer warrants a Carbon Monoxide monitor.
Byron,

That's a great point. Our Casita only has a propane detector.

I had wondered at one point if it was a dual function device but it is not.

A CO detector is now on the list here.
__________________
~ “It’s absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.” Oscar Wilde ~
~ “What the human being is best at doing is interpreting all new information so that their prior conclusions remain intact.” Warren Buffett ~

Civilguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Meet Ellpea's LilBea! EllPea in CA General Chat 14 07-27-2015 09:13 PM
A Laundry Experiment Raz General Chat 19 11-21-2013 08:23 PM
Getting the shine back (my experiment) Mark G. Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 2 02-01-2010 07:28 PM
Interesting experiment Lex M General Chat 20 02-21-2008 04:13 PM
Terra Wind Motorhome Legacy Posts General Chat 12 07-22-2003 06:30 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.