We use barrels of water left in the sun to shower with. Makes for a real nice, comfortable shower. But now, with the highs in the 70's and nights in the 40's it is unbearable and we are back to spit baths. I've been thinking about using an old gas fired water heater set upon a rocket stove to heat our shower water. As the tank in these heaters have the flue running through the middle, would it be possible to set a tank on the rocket stove and use the flue for the exhaust and get sufficient heated water after a time of burning the stove? If you've tried this, how did it work?
Jordan Lowery
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Joined: Sep 26, 2009
Posts: 1434
Location: zone 7
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you could also make a rocket mass heater, run piping though the thermal mass as its being fired and pump hot water through that way. seems you would get heat for your house and water that way if your set on the rocket stove.
The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings. - Masanobu Fukuoka
Joel Hollingsworth
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Joined: Jul 01, 2009
Posts: 2103
Location: Oakland, CA
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awhitaker wrote: I've been thinking about using an old gas fired water heater set upon a rocket stove to heat our shower water. As the tank in these heaters have the flue running through the middle, would it be possible to set a tank on the rocket stove and use the flue for the exhaust and get sufficient heated water after a time of burning the stove? If you've tried this, how did it work?
I haven't tried it, but it sounds like it would work great. It might be less work than building a rocket mass heater, too, for the amount of thermal mass you would be bringing into the home.
"the qualities of these bacteria, like the heat of the sun, electricity, or the qualities of metals, are part of the storehouse of knowledge of all men. They are manifestations of the laws of nature, free to all men and reserved exclusively to none." SCOTUS, Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kale Inoculant Co.
paul homestead
Joined: May 29, 2010
Posts: 126
Location: Ava, Mo, USA, Earth
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The original rocket stoves were low-mass cook stoves. Many of these designs have built-in pots and pressure cookers. You don't want to heat up a ton of other mass before the water gets hot.
I've seen plans for converting gas waterheaters to wood. Probably in a Mother Earth News from the early years. You would add a lot of efficiency by making the burn chamber bases on a rocket design.
homesteadpaul
Alan Whitaker
Joined: Mar 17, 2010
Posts: 27
Location: NE Texas
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that is basically what I had in mind. A simple rocket stove but with an old gas water heater on the top/exhaust instead of a pot. But this is for and outdoor shower. I'm not about to try it in the house! I'll use the tankless heater for that.
Milkwood Nick
Joined: Aug 08, 2009
Posts: 14
Location: Mudgee, NSW, Australia
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You guys might be interested in the rocket powered water heater we built. It's been keeping many Permaculture students in hot showers for several years now
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 2029
Location: Portugal Zone 9 Mediterranean Climate
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That looks really professional!
I followed the link shown at the end of the video and found your page on stoves - here's the link in case anyone else is interested. http://www.goodweld.co.uk/id20.html
You make some *very* interesting stuff!!
goatee McCoy
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 1
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hey!!! he got my invite!!! cool. p.s. i saw the last video you posted. nice shootin tex!
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