diy solar

diy solar

12VDC and system (battery and Solar) needed for wood stove exhaust extraction blower

With all you mentioned I have also been looking at Will Prowers you tube videos (I believe he is really into all the solar stuff... and that's an understatement! ?:giggle: ). I was wondering if you have looked over any of his videos and if there is one there that he has done that sort-ta parallels ....
Will owns, and funds, this forum, lol. All of the systems he has posted are pretty decent for the price point, and do what they are advertised to do. You just need to pick one that suits your needs.
 
Yea, I have one rusting in storage. The radiant style is better. Smaller. Fuel tank comes out for refueling. 18 hours per fill. Fuel level, the wick is in, doesn't change as the fuel is consumed making periodic adjustment unnecessary. Of course lighting, extinguishing and refueling would be done outside on the small balcony. I don't own the model shown but my 30 year old heater is similar.

Kerosene heater Waupun
PS I just looked at the ad. Don't use diesel!!! Around here they sell K1 (kerosene) out of the pump for $4.00 a gal. As for refueling, a cheap syphon pump is included. When fuel shows in the sight window on the tank you open the vent on the pump stopping the syphon. I've never spilt a drop.
How interesting...I went to tractor supply which is supposed to have these and it is grayed out... says "can not be shipped to Massachusetts" I think the Democrats are trying to kill me... I'd rather Trump! Ha ha ha :ROFLMAO::eek::rolleyes:
 
How interesting...I went to tractor supply which is supposed to have these and it is grayed out... says "can not be shipped to Massachusetts" I think the Democrats are trying to kill me... I'd rather Trump! Ha ha ha :ROFLMAO::eek::rolleyes:
After you figure the run time you can make a paper clock to mark when the fuel runs out or, if off, how much time is left. Needs a ceiling fan to distribute heat. Democrats or Trump..... like giving me a choice of being hanged or firing squad!!!
Personally, I prefer my solar air heaters. On sunny 10°F days I don't need stoves, heaters, furnaces or electricity. The soda bottles in the background even out solar temperature swings..

K1 heater.jpg
 
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I bet ya don't live in a condo? My mistake way back many years... when I was broke.... I had little choice, now I'm too old to take care of a good size home with land. Sounds like you're a bit more free to do various things... what I'm going to do if the power does go bye bye is not allowed when the power is on... so I will not even be able to test this out here... good that I have a friend with a barn who is just as curious and geeky and too wants to play... with various ideas. If it does go out I'll get to watch many others fret over how to keep warm... and they ain't coming in here!
 
bet ya don't live in a condo?
"Grass is always greener"
I've stopped looking into heating legalities. You should check though. Looks like freezing to death is the only thing that's legal.
 
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After you figure the run time you can make a paper clock to mark when the fuel runs out or, if off, how much time is left. Needs a ceiling fan to distribute heat. Democrats or Trump..... like giving me a choice of being hanged or firing squad!!!
Personally, I prefer my solar air heaters. On sunny 10°F days I don't need stoves, heaters, furnaces or electricity. The soda bottles in the background even out solar temperature swings..

View attachment 76502
Could you take a photo further zoomed out? I really want to see that wall of perfectly stacked bottles.
 
I do have a Dyna-Glo 23,000
Run time 10 to 12 hours. Other than the occasional flame adjustment and fiddling with the fuel it should work fine. Check the wick and learn how to operate it. Main drawback I see is you'll often want to shut it off because your too hot. But if you light it, extinguish it and refuel it on your balcony, it won't smell. Good enough for an emergency anyway. Free, easy and neighbors none the wiser.

Yesterday, two miles away KFIZ "The initial investigation shows that the fire started from a wood stove used to heat the chicken coop."
 
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Could you take a photo further zoomed out? I really want to see that wall of perfectly stacked bottles.
Christmas was really boring so I did a little math.
1500 water bottles x 5 lbs each = 7500lbs. x 10°F temperature swings = 75,000 btu's x .2931 watt/h per btu = A free 22Kwh water battery! Sorry, only thermal storage :(
 
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I'm baaaack...The blowers are finished (all the aluminum HVAC tape and... duct tape have been replaced with sheet metal screws and or nuts, washers and bolts...I also have used radiator band clamps to make changes easy (I can remove the blower fans that way and test between 2.5 amp or 6 amp fans or a special setup that allows for a dual fans). The fans are ducted nautical bilge fans (for venting gasoline fumes) and by using a sterno can I was able to test the path of fumes while testing inside my condo. The next test is a complete setup and using wood (outside of course). My NEXT issue is getting the solar equipment and battery...BUT, I'm sort-ta fixed to getting a kit... perhaps the Bluettei or the ecoflow delta. I can spend $3000 with little issue but I'd like suggestions on the better/best kits. I've been looking over Will Prowers vids but still it is a bit confusing--there are many. So here is how this will work. The fans blowers are in three different arrangements and can be as such: 1) a 12 volt DC 2.5 amp, 2) a dual fan setup with 2 fans 12 volt DC 2.5 amps each, and 3) a 12 volt DC 6 amp fan. Each arrangement is controlled by a rheostat and as such the amperage is adjustable (I have had the blowers suck a piece of paper closed tight to the opened stove door with as little as 1.8 amps). This is IMPORTANT the fans would only be run when the stove door is opened to feed it wood... after that the fans can be shut off... so you can see that the fans would only be operating 30-45 seconds each time the stove needs fuel. So I would appreciate you all providing some suggested kits (solar generator preferably a LiFePo4 battery and solar panels (I can hang 3 or 4) to connect up with all the wires and such. One reason for doing this the expensive way is that I live in a condo and I need this to be standard and not a owner-built system in case someone pops in here to inspect for fire codes (they can do that). All of this 'system' would only be put into operation come a big power-grid shutdown and so when that is not the issue I can use the system and just plug it into an AC outlet to keep a charge on the system (and I can use it too if I wanted to play with it). I also need a 12 volt DC outlet on the generator in such a way that I can tap off it with bare wires adjusted and crimped to my own needs so that I can attach to the blower fans. So whatever is supplied from the kit to 'plug' in to the DC output that other end from the generator I will need to cut, stripped of insulation and a rheostat put in series (the one I am using now) and then after the rheostat...attach to the fan(s). Currently, I have an AC/DC converter so that I can use AC to test out the contraption(s). When I test with the stove outside (in the cold!) I will take pictures and post them here... Thanks.
 
My NEXT issue is getting the solar equipment and battery...BUT, I'm sort-ta fixed to getting a kit... perhaps the Bluettei or the ecoflow delta. I can spend $3000 with little issue but I'd like suggestions on the better/best kits. I've been looking over Will Prowers vids but still it is a bit confusing--there are many. So here is how this will work. The fans blowers are in three different arrangements and can be as such: 1) a 12 volt DC 2.5 amp, 2) a dual fan setup with 2 fans 12 volt DC 2.5 amps each, and 3) a 12 volt DC 6 amp fan. Each arrangement is controlled by a rheostat and as such the amperage is adjustable (I have had the blowers suck a piece of paper closed tight to the opened stove door with as little as 1.8 amps). This is IMPORTANT the fans would only be run when the stove door is opened to feed it wood... after that the fans can be shut off... so you can see that the fans would only be operating 30-45 seconds each time the stove needs fuel. So I would appreciate you all providing some suggested kits (solar generator preferably a LiFePo4 battery and solar panels (I can hang 3 or 4) to connect up with all the wires and such. One reason for doing this the expensive way is that I live in a condo and I need this to be standard and not a owner-built system in case someone pops in here to inspect for fire codes (they can do that).
I think your battery setup would be the last thing on the fire inspector's mind. I can't imagine him looking at that Venturi stove and being like "let's talk about your batteries"?
All of this 'system' would only be put into operation come a big power-grid shutdown and so when that is not the issue I can use the system and just plug it into an AC outlet to keep a charge on the system (and I can use it too if I wanted to play with it). I also need a 12 volt DC outlet on the generator in such a way that I can tap off it with bare wires adjusted and crimped to my own needs so that I can attach to the blower fans. So whatever is supplied from the kit to 'plug' in to the DC output that other end from the generator I will need to cut, stripped of insulation and a rheostat put in series (the one I am using now) and then after the rheostat...attach to the fan(s). Currently, I have an AC/DC converter so that I can use AC to test out the contraption(s). When I test with the stove outside (in the cold!) I will take pictures and post them here... Thanks.
I would suggest building your own battery. It seems like you would probably be able to do it, and it's really pretty simple, especially considering you have mostly DC loads. 4 cells and a BMS is all you need (and some assorted hardware and wires).

You can (generally speaking, there's variables of course) build (diy) about double the capacity (as a prefab unit) for the same price, or the same capacity (diy) as the prefab unit for half the price.
 
I think your battery setup would be the last thing on the fire inspector's mind. I can't imagine him looking at that Venturi stove and being like "let's talk about your batteries"?

I would suggest building your own battery. It seems like you would probably be able to do it, and it's really pretty simple, especially considering you have mostly DC loads. 4 cells and a BMS is all you need (and some assorted hardware and wires).

You can (generally speaking, there's variables of course) build (diy) about double the capacity (as a prefab unit) for the same price, or the same capacity (diy) as the prefab unit for half the price.
A. Justice. Thanks for your input. But the inspection would go sour. Do you live in a condo? The kit solar is built by a company that most likely has credibility--I don't and DIY with ANYTHING in a condo is usually not accepted. No one is going to SEE the stove. It is only 48 pounds and mobile all stainless steel and very special. It would come out (of the closet!) only when the power goes out for enough time for most condo folks to panic and cry to the wind for help. That's when I take care of myself (most have talked about this dependency and are concerned but the association has been doing nothing). So although I am confident I could build a DIY solar 'kit' I would rather not...and like said seeing as how it would not be on long enough to really require good sun a good generator fully charged would probably last quiet a long time. So back to my original statement: What is a very good kit with a reliable battery and a good company?
 
A. Justice. Thanks for your input. But the inspection would go sour.
I was just making a joke about the wood stove in the living room ?.
Do you live in a condo?
I do not.
The kit solar is built by a company that most likely has credibility--I don't and DIY with ANYTHING in a condo is usually not accepted. No one is going to SEE the stove. It is only 48 pounds and mobile all stainless steel and very special.
I didn't realize your stove was as portable as it was, I just assumed that the ducting made it difficult to move.
It would come out (of the closet!) only when the power goes out for enough time for most condo folks to panic and cry to the wind for help. That's when I take care of myself (most have talked about this dependency and are concerned but the association has been doing nothing). So although I am confident I could build a DIY solar 'kit' I would rather not...and like said seeing as how it would not be on long enough to really require good sun a good generator fully charged would probably last quiet a long time. So back to my original statement: What is a very good kit with a reliable battery and a good company?
Someone else would be better suited to answer questions about pre-built stuff.

Will Prowse does a great series of reviews on different portable power stations on YouTube. Type in "Will Prowse Reviews" and go from there. There's a lot of personal preference with those.
 
If you must do some form of emergency prep like this, please take the advice here and buy a kerosene heater (and appropriate fans), and research how to use it safely. You'll burn down your building with a wood stove.
 
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