Anyone has a solar-electric sauna?

[Luk88]

My next build project (after I finish another unrelated stuff) will most likely be a sauna and a (heated with a heatpump outdoor) pool. While the pool side of things is relatively straightforward the sauna is not...

Before I moved to the middle of nowhere I used a sauna (and a pool) at least once a week in a health club 5 min walk from my home. Building those two things here has always been on my list. I always used a traditional, but electric heated sauna. So that's an electric heater surrounded by stones. At least 6kW for a medium sized space that fits 3 people. Considering that it likely takes 30-40min to heat up, plus minimum half an hour inside we're talking ~7kWh for one use. That is perfectly fine in the summer when I have more electricity than I know what to do with. But not so much in the darker months.

So I started looking into IR "saunas" (I fully expect some Finnish person to tell me off for even using the word to describe it). I read 2kW in heaters is typically enough for 3 people.

That is a massive difference in electricity use, but I never used one of these. So I have no idea if I'll like it. I do like some steam in my sauna, but not a lot. I never liked proper steam rooms. They seemed far too hot for me. So I'm thinking an IR may be a good option. I'd love some comments from people who used both.

There is also wood fired, I have plenty of free wood and while making a fire from time to time is a nice thing I'm not very enthusiastic about, drying it, having to cut it, cleaning the ash from the souna, and having to make fire every single time.

I like the idea of just pressing a button and having it heat up on its own as I'm doing something else.

I do use wood pellets to heat my house (I use less after I installed a heat pump). This is a fully automatic process. The burner switches off and on when needed and I'm just topping up pellets and removing ash every couple of weeks. If I could get a sauna pellet burner that would be great and clean. But there is only one company that makes them and they don't even publish the price. So I suspect the cost is way too high for what it does. I'm not looking for such DIY project so I'd rather sidestep the whole thing and perhaps go to IR.

So if anyone has got such "sauna" off grid, PV powered and chose it as a compromise. I have few questions for you (it's extremely difficult to get honest answers anywhere, everyone tries to sell one or the other).
- is it really working with just 2kW?
- do you get the freedom of position. For example in a traditional sauna you can sit, you can lie down and so on. I guess if you're trying to expose your body to IR radiation you want even overall exposure. So you're kind of forced to stay in one position. Is that true? (that last bit would be a deal breaker for me)

I wish they made a heat pump sauna heater, but the high temperature delta is too much for that. On the other hand pellet option.

Or if there was a combination heater I could use on electricity in the summer and use wood only in the winter...

I'm curious if anyone has any experiences with this.

 

[kommando]

We used IR heaters in a factory where the workers were fat apart and heating the whole building would be too expensive. They were gas fed not electric and high up on the walls and angled downwards, they did not heat the air much but any surface including humans in direct line was heated well. Like being in direct bright sunlight on a cold day.

 

[Madcodger]

About 8-9 years ago we bought a "two-person" infrared sauna and put it on our finished basement. It took about 45 minutes to heat up but would only get up to about 120-134F reliably, in winter, inside a conditioned space. It also required that even one person sit upright (no laying down) and two people were sitting uncomfortably close unless you had more than sauna-ing in mind (and even then more space would have been much better). It was an "OK" experience - better than no sauna - but not great. We used it maybe once per week, if that, after the novelty wore off. I've had several sauna-loving friends who tried infra-red and they reported the same experience. Rather like mediocre fast food instead of a great meal.

About four years ago, after a move to the much colder and snowier state of Maine here in the US, and in a very rural area, we built a wood-fired sauna. What a difference! I've used it up to 202F, and seen it reach 218F (I let it cool off a bit - too not for me). Saunas at 140-180F (hotter than the infrared can reliably achieve) are perfect for us and after building another home we quickly added another wood-fired sauna, again. We used it 4-7 times per week. By the way, Finns reportedly like it at 180-212F but I'll let real Finns here comment on that.

Electric saunas that are not infrared are available, and reportedly get temps in the 140-180F range reliably, but I suspect you will need at least the 6-8 KWH you note (if not considerably more) to get those good temps. That's a big hit in winter, especially during those cold, cloudy stretches when the sauna is the ideal relief from the cold. So, unless you have much excess solar and battery, I'd suggest the wood-fired route if you don't have grid power. Infrared? Meh - only as a last resort, in my view. You can only survive for so long on "fast food".

 

[Luk88]

@Madcodger thank you for describing your experience. I suspected that. Having a first hand account is very valuable.

So now I'll have to decide between: buying an electric sauna heater and large electricity use or dealing with wood (drying, cutting, fire making) vs making my own pellet burner. Not something I'm looking forward to.

 

[frankrudis65]

Hi Luk, I sort out the wood for my thermal kitchen stove ,starting now. This work is equivalent to a sauna and doesn't cost me nothing(but the wood)

 

[Luk88]

Hi Luk, I sort out the wood for my thermal kitchen stove ,starting now. This work is equivalent to a sauna and doesn't cost me nothing(but the wood)

My acquitances built a cabin with a wood fired heater (the old-style steel construction with exposed flue). They too tell me they don't mind making fire. But I'm still greatful for my pellet burner

I wouldn't mind having to prep and store wood, but having to physically go and start a fire 30-45min before, is somewhat of an inconvenience vs pressing a button in an app or on a remote (I do have a pretty busy lifestyle). That is the biggest differentiator for me. Searching the internet it seems to be a very common question people have...

I have found one combination wood/electric heater. This seems like the best of both worlds, but the price is 2x too high (about $3k) and for that price I'd expect something more premium quality (at least made with stainless steel or thick mild steel, not paper thin mild steel sheet). I can't quite believe there is no competition in this space. I guess people go for one or the other. Not both. The prices of just electric or just wood burners are very reasonable. Does everything have to turn into a DIY project?

 

[Zwy]

I have an electric sauna, uses something like infrared quartz for the heat. One can sit in it longer than a wood fired sauna. I didn't use it this past winter because I kept running short on power and was busy with building the shop system.

My brother in law and his wife had one for years, one of the key points is they shower before and after using it. Once I get all the major projects done here, I plan on using it more often. I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis plus have fibromyalgia along with severe bursitis in the hips.

 

[shadowmaker]

So I started looking into IR "saunas" (I fully expect some Finnish person to tell me off for even using the word to describe it).

NO NO NO!!!

Saunas in order of "quality": 1. smoke sauna 2. barrel stove wood sauna 3. wood sauna 4. instant electric sauna 5. electric sauna, and then far away IR sauna, which isn't a sauna in my mind at all, but I do understand it in a small apartment where you don't have room or plumbing for proper sauna. Also if ever possible try tent sauna (outside small tent with wood stove inside). One of the best sauna experiences ever for me as there's plenty of fresh air to keep it comfortable. And this is usually the problem as good ventilation is the key for good sauna, no matter what the heating method is. If you don't feel good or feel tired after just 10min, it's usually improper ventilation, not the heat.

Instant electric stove has about 100kg of stones (while usual electric sauna has about 10-30kg) which makes sauna experience more smooth as stove don't need to be as hot and it can still evaporate water thrown in it. It just takes more time to do so and that's why it feels much nicer as it doesn't "hit" you with the heat every time you throw more water on it.

I have both smoke sauna and wood sauna in my cabin beside a lake and instant electric sauna (Helo HetiValmis 60, thus 6kW) for 7-8 people (or two laying down) at home and outside pool. I use it like 1-1,5hours almost every day. Mainly because I have TV in there and others usually get out after 15min so I have the remote to myself... It is called instant as it is always on, but has lid on it and a good insulation so it uses only about 4kWh every day even if its not used. But it is ready instantly when lid is opened so it takes very little energy when used. In winter those 4kWh warm my house, so it's not wasted. And even in full use my forced ventilation takes about 50-60% of that heat and uses it to warm incoming air.

But I'm not off grid, so can't help you there. Just don't skimp on ventilation what ever sauna/stove you decide to go with.

 

[shadowmaker]

And make sure you have a drain in your sauna, because you are supposed to wash the boards at least after using sauna, but I do that also before as it increases humidity. It's not an actual wash, but we use hose for ten seconds or so. Otherwise sauna will pretty soon start to smell like nasty sweat. After washing make sure it dries well. Not a problem with good ventilation.

Insulate well and use mainly wood. I do have two windows, glass door and two big decorative red granite slabs in there, which is still fine, but they require more power out of stove compared to plain all wood one. Use tiles only on the floor as heat "bounces" from those and makes experience really awful.

 

[Madcodger]

While no one does sauna as well as Finns, there is a good US site called Sauna Times (saunatimes.com). It is run by a gentleman who is very into sauna, and travels the world visiting saunas. He publishes an ebook on building a sauna I've found helpful.

Now, here I'm about to commit sacrilege and take my life into my hands by "arguing" with a Finn over anything related to sauna (apologies and forgiveness sought in advance), but @shadowmaker we didn't put a drain in either of our saunas, don't wash down the boards, and they still smell great (no BO smell at all). And yes, the sauna times guy recommends a drain as well. We do put a towel down on surfaces that get body contact, but I think another secret we sort of stumbled onto is that we used Alaskan Yellow cedar for the sauna boards. The grain is incredibly tight and almost knot free for a soft wood, and it stinks like crazy when you cut it, but it seems to never take on odors from being exposed to people, at least when a towel is used. I attribute that to the oils in that wood (that causes it to stink when cut, but then that goes away). But that wood may not be readily available in Europe. We use Eastern white cedar for our walls and ceiling here in eastern US, and use a cedar backrest instead of leaning against the walls themselves. On west coast they often use Western red cedar.

Anyway, after a couple of years of almost daily use in winter, no one detects a bad smell. We do also have good ventilation (the most overlooked element of sauna, in my view) and after using sauna we let the sauna sit closed at high temps as it then cools off naturally at very low humidity. Perhaps that's another difference, in that we allow the sauna to cool down each day.

 

[Luk88]

Thank you for all your replies. Great information.

Experiencing a sauna tent would be great thing, but I haven't got a wood fired heater nor a tent I could use so buying them just to use for a bit seems an overkill.

At the moment I'm leaning heavily towards electric. I haven't decided on the heater, but Harvia Cilindro (75kg of stones) 6.3kW or Huum Drop(similar) look like they would be pretty nice. However there are heaters with same electric power that cost a third of the price (while only holding 20kg -25kg of stones). I calculated the extra stones will take about 3kWh to heat up, but the increased surface area means much better heat transfer to the rest of the sauna... So the ventilation can be better. At the same time duty cycle of that 6kW heater will be higher with more stones.

I'm expecting to be using it twice a week and it will be in an external building so there is some power efficiency advantage in heating up less stones. It is a bit of a dillema whitch to choose at the moment

Regarding off grid, I do have a grid connection here, but I run off grid for most of the year. I'm trying to lower that to zero over time mainly because of the ridiculous prices. (not so much unaffordable as annoying)

Thanks for the tips on ventilation, drainage and the ebook. I'll check it out.

Also I'm quite limited with the choice of wood. (very funny as my country and region is mostly forest). The ceiling and walls will most likely be pine due to the cost, unless I find some information that is a bad idea. I'm still looking for information what is a good easily available wood to use for benches, the backrest and the floor(on tile most likely)

The building has to have few additional functions. Crucially, wood pellet storage as,it replaces a shed that is used for that (that will be a separate entrance from the side). Also I think a shower and a changing area is something that will make me actually use it more often. I can't imagine running from the house to the sauna in my boxers in the middle of winter too frequently.

I'm planning a concrete slab and a lightweight timber frame construction same as another building I've built here last year. Exterior covered in steel panels. Insulation will be rock wool like product. I haven't decided how thick yet. Also I have not decided yet on interior wall construction. For sure there will be (from the outside) a breathable waterproof membrane, then insulation, then a vapor barrier. I'm thinking moisture proof OSB and wood might make a good interior wall, but I'm still researching it.

 

[shadowmaker]

While no one does sauna as well as Finns, there is a good US site called Sauna Times (saunatimes.com). It is run by a gentleman who is very into sauna, and travels the world visiting saunas. He publishes an ebook on building a sauna I've found helpful.

Now, here I'm about to commit sacrilege and take my life into my hands by "arguing" with a Finn over anything related to sauna (apologies and forgiveness sought in advance), but @shadowmaker we didn't put a drain in either of our saunas, don't wash down the boards, and they still smell great (no BO smell at all). And yes, the sauna times guy recommends a drain as well. We do put a towel down on surfaces that get body contact, but I think another secret we sort of stumbled onto is that we used Alaskan Yellow cedar for the sauna boards. The grain is incredibly tight and almost knot free for a soft wood, and it stinks like crazy when you cut it, but it seems to never take on odors from being exposed to people, at least when a towel is used. I attribute that to the oils in that wood (that causes it to stink when cut, but then that goes away). But that wood may not be readily available in Europe. We use Eastern white cedar for our walls and ceiling here in eastern US, and use a cedar backrest instead of leaning against the walls themselves. On west coast they often use Western red cedar.

Anyway, after a couple of years of almost daily use in winter, no one detects a bad smell. We do also have good ventilation (the most overlooked element of sauna, in my view) and after using sauna we let the sauna sit closed at high temps as it then cools off naturally at very low humidity. Perhaps that's another difference, in that we allow the sauna to cool down each day.

Yes, I know few saunas even in here without drain. But if you build one from scratch, you should build a drain.

We use spruce, alder, tar alder or aspen as boards. Aspen is very soft and gets dirty easily so usually it needs to be heat treated. My boards are aspen without heat treatment because I got a recipe from an old lumberjack how to treat them with tar, linseed oil, turpentine and a hardener, but unfortunately I don't seem to find that recipe anywhere. Luckily my boards still look like new after sixteen years of hard use and I bet they are going to be fine at least sixteen more. I did use that same recipe for the whole sauna (walls, sealing) which is made from pine, but added some red dye in it to make pine look like tar alder, which was ridiculously expensive at time. I would kill to know/remember what we used as hardener as otherwise you can not use tar for boards. What I remember is that this tar treatment needs to be done in summer as smell was eye watering for two weeks even we kept doors/windows open 24/7.

I bet it helps if you use towels over your boards. In here we use disposable seat covers in public saunas, but otherwise not so much. Maybe if we have guests and they want to use those. Usually we go there butt naked, old and newborns alike. Of course showering/washing ourselves before and after.

 

[shadowmaker]

Thank you for all your replies. Great information.

Experiencing a sauna tent would be great thing, but I haven't got a wood fired heater nor a tent I could use so buying them just to use for a bit seems an overkill.

At the moment I'm leaning heavily towards electric. I haven't decided on the heater, but Harvia Cilindro (75kg of stones) 6.3kW or Huum Drop(similar) look like they would be pretty nice. However there are heaters with same electric power that cost a third of the price (while only holding 20kg -25kg of stones). I calculated the extra stones will take about 3kWh to heat up, but the increased surface area means much better heat transfer to the rest of the sauna... So the ventilation can be better. At the same time duty cycle of that 6kW heater will be higher with more stones.

I'm expecting to be using it twice a week and it will be in an external building so there is some power efficiency advantage in heating up less stones. It is a bit of a dillema whitch to choose at the moment

Regarding off grid, I do have a grid connection here, but I run off grid for most of the year. I'm trying to lower that to zero over time mainly because of the ridiculous prices. (not so much unaffordable as annoying)

Thanks for the tips on ventilation, drainage and the ebook. I'll check it out.

Also I'm quite limited with the choice of wood. (very funny as my country and region is mostly forest). The ceiling and walls will most likely be pine due to the cost, unless I find some information that is a bad idea. I'm still looking for information what is a good easily available wood to use for benches, the backrest and the floor(on tile most likely)

The building has to have few additional functions. Crucially, wood pellet storage as,it replaces a shed that is used for that (that will be a separate entrance from the side). Also I think a shower and a changing area is something that will make me actually use it more often. I can't imagine running from the house to the sauna in my boxers in the middle of winter too frequently.

I'm planning a concrete slab and a lightweight timber frame construction same as another building I've built here last year. Exterior covered in steel panels. Insulation will be rock wool like product. I haven't decided how thick yet. Also I have not decided yet on interior wall construction. For sure there will be (from the outside) a breathable waterproof membrane, then insulation, then a vapor barrier. I'm thinking moisture proof OSB and wood might make a good interior wall, but I'm still researching it.

Go with instant stove (like Harvia Forte) if you are going to get that big stove (about 100kg of stones). I bet you are going to use a lot less energy with it and you don't need to wait it to get hot (and if you want you can use it like that Cilindro too, but have also the option for instant use). The more frequently you use sauna, the bigger the difference in electricity consumption will be. And you will use it more frequently if you don't need to wait it to get hot...

Wood stoves give you better sauna experience mainly because they act like huge fan pushing lots of air out from the sauna room (through burning wood and chimney), so it draws a lot of fresh air to replace it. Electric saunas don't, so you need to focus on ventilation more.

Pine is fine, but if you have cheap alder or even better tar alder go with it.

Don't use black/dark colors if your water contains lime (=hard water). It will look awful soon.

Here's a video how to frame/insulate/panel sauna:

Didn't watch all his videos about making sauna, but seemed ok at first glance. Insulation in that video is way too thin for here and I would use twice that much rockwool and still install PIR-insulation on top of that which gives you vapor barrier too (use English subtitles): Part 1 and Part 2. Do not use OSB inside vapor barrier because of volatile vapours.

You definitely want shower there and changing room. If you really want to go all out you should build a little bigger changing room (all wood, cottage style paneling) with nice stone mass fireplace and big wooden table and benches to entertain your closest friends.

Now I need to go sauna myself.

 

[Madcodger]

I'm thinking moisture proof OSB and wood might make a good interior wall, but I'm still researching it.

This is the only thing I would definitely not do. As @shadowmaker notes, it can produce fumes you don't want, especially inside the vapor barrier. Cedar is the gold standard in US, but as noted you can use pine, alder, aspen, etc. as well. But not OSB, as the glues and binders are not your sauna friend.

 

[Sunny Day]

KAJ says ”just Sauna!!”

(I agree IR sauna is rubbish. Gotta get that steam, man!)

 

[DPC]

I like the idea of just pressing a button and having it heat up on its own as I'm doing something else.

My Dad had a house in the early 80s, all electric, one of the early Ontario hydro golden medallion homes....
It had among other things, all electric heat cooking and of course an sauna that was electric ( 200 amp service was not a common thing in the 60s when built )

Anyhow my Dad was a cheap old Pole and and he put in a wood stove to cut back on the heating bill.
That Sauna was a convensional 6kw unit and I recall watching the meter spin.
It had BQ diamond drill core instead of river stone in it.

Its was very nice however.
Instant heat up no dust or dirt from wood ash.
That house was very clean and had very little dust until the wood stove went in.
I would have never considered an all electric solar sauna before you brought it up.
I think it would be a very expensive thing to build, but it will be very clean and convenient compared to wood.

The sauna was in the basement.
It was built by an old Estonian gentleman.
Construction was all pine with Cedar benches.
BUT I want to add something that was unique and I have never seen before or since the walls were plywood.
I think it was a birch plywood, and I seem to recall they were varnished ( but I could be wrong, might have been treated with something else )
It was vented through a small un-powered wooden vent in the ceiling.

I don't recall there was ever any problems with this.
The floor was tiled with cedar as were the benches.
He lived in that home until 1990 and bought it in 1980.

It was a beautiful small Nordic style home with unusual pocket doors and beautiful wood panelling upstairs and down.
All this wood never seemed to be effected by the humidity from the sauna, I think it was pretty well vented ( and it had a Venmar in the attic that drew air out of the basement )

I will be questioned again about the plywood walls.
I know they were plywood ....
I don't know what was behind it, we never opened a wall and it all seemed to age fairly well in the years he owned the home.

 

[Luk88]

Very good tips. I haven't thought about the VOC in the OSB, but it is a very good point. I don't mind that much in the normal temperatures (I have OSB on the inside in my other two extra buildings), but the sauna definitely has potential to evaporate and maybe even breakdown these volatile compounds into even more nasty stuff.

Its was very nice however.
Instant heat up no dust or dirt from wood ash.
That house was very clean and had very little dust until the wood stove went in.
I would have never considered an all electric solar sauna before you brought it up.
I think it would be a very expensive thing to build, but it will be very clean and convenient compared to wood.

I think I've never been to a wood fired sauna in my life. All were electric (in health clubs and hotels). On the cost to build in my case it is very similar. Here we've got 415V 3 phase power, with 6kW heater each phase will run at max of ~2kW. My system will handle it fine I think. I've overbuilt it quite a bit (26kW of inverters, 10kW, 10kW and 6kW on the last phase). My battery currently is almost 1300Ah at 51.2V so 200A is 0.15C.

In those rainy dark weeks in early spring for example when I let the battery get down to 25% it takes a single day to fill it fully and that with normal use on top means the 14kWp array (over panelled) is capable of making over ~45kWh a day. So most of the year I have more electricity than I know what to do with.

However, my wife is not very enthusiastic (what a surprise).... She's thinking I'll build it and it will get rarely used. So I'm thinking that tent idea @shadowmaker suggested is not bad. Just to test and see if I'm still going to consistently enjoy it as I did many years ago. I just checked today and I could set one up for under $600 (tent $200, wood burner $150, rest for flue,stones and a bench).

 

[shadowmaker]

Very good tips. I haven't thought about the VOC in the OSB, but it is a very good point. I don't mind that much in the normal temperatures (I have OSB on the inside in my other two extra buildings), but the sauna definitely has potential to evaporate and maybe even breakdown these volatile compounds into even more nasty stuff.



I think I've never been to a wood fired sauna in my life. All were electric (in health clubs and hotels). On the cost to build in my case it is very similar. Here we've got 415V 3 phase power, with 6kW heater each phase will run at max of ~2kW. My system will handle it fine I think. I've overbuilt it quite a bit (26kW of inverters, 10kW, 10kW and 6kW on the last phase). My battery currently is almost 1300Ah at 51.2V so 200A is 0.15C.

In those rainy dark weeks in early spring for example when I let the battery get down to 25% it takes a single day to fill it fully and that with normal use on top means the 14kWp array (over panelled) is capable of making over ~45kWh a day. So most of the year I have more electricity than I know what to do with.

However, my wife is not very enthusiastic (what a surprise).... She's thinking I'll build it and it will get rarely used. So I'm thinking that tent idea @shadowmaker suggested is not bad. Just to test and see if I'm still going to consistently enjoy it as I did many years ago. I just checked today and I could set one up for under $600 (tent $200, wood burner $150, rest for flue,stones and a bench).

Just make sure tent is made of inflammable material.

 

[DPC]

think I've never been to a wood fired sauna in my life.

Most Finlanders have a real wood fired sauna at the camp.

You get naked drink vodka, beat each other with birch branches, then you roll around in the snow and get back in.
In summer jump in the lake.
Actually jump in the lake as long as there is no ice.

Eat some smoked fish, rye crisps, more vodka....
Sometimes fish eggs....

A good design wood fired sauna has the door to feed the fire on the outside of a stone wall so feed it wood outside.
Need lots of stone to make good steam.
More vodka....

 

[DPC]

Funny Film.
A Russian, an extraordinarily talkative Fin and a lap girl.
Non of them can speak to each other.



Film.
Sadly no subtitles.
I catch a few Russian words but not enough to understand.
Sometimes a Fin word....
Never seen a Fin say so much about nothing, but its a Russian film, they don't understand Fin people.

50 Min the sauna scene where they have a conversation no one understands.

 

[DPC]

Here we've got 415V 3 phase power

I saw that wierd and thought you must be in Europe.
Then I saw your Polish!

Cheers from across the pond!!!
Hey what you think of that new president?
Going to give Tusk a rough go me thinks.
(What kind of name is Tusk anyway?)
I thought the PIS was going to weaken but now I wonder what comes next.

 

[Luk88]

I saw that wierd and thought you must be in Europe.
Then I saw your Polish!

Cheers from across the pond!!!

Cheers

Hey what you think of that new president?
Going to give Tusk a rough go me thinks.
(What kind of name is Tusk anyway?)
I thought the PIS was going to weaken but now I wonder what comes next.

Oh my, I don't think I'd like to talk politics here. Big flame war may result. It's tempting (I could write a book about what I think), but better to stick to saunas in this thread

 

[Luk88]

I'm just reading "Trumpkin's notes on building a sauna" and one of the things it mentions a distance to the heater. He says pretty good is 250cm(8.2ft), absolute minimum 180cm (6ft). Height of minimum 240cm (7.8ft) Which means even a super narrow 1m wide room will be about 6 cubic meters (you roughly need 1kW per cubic meter and extra KW for every square meter of uninsulated space like glass door). Which means 6kW woukd only work for a most tiny 1 person sauna and with insulated doors (I planned glass).

Basically a very narrow space 2.5m long, 2.5m tall and only 1m wide.


If I need to go up from 6kW that will be difficult... Not impossible, but definitely difficult.

I might need more book recommendations

 

[azjeff]

@Luk88 DPC likes to talk politics, as do I.
Even tho I’m pretty sure we don’t agree.
Politics should be shared/discussed more IMO.
If you’re a subversive, I’d rather know, engage and attempt to align the mindset.

 

[shadowmaker]

I'm just reading "Trumpkin's notes on building a sauna" and one of the things it mentions a distance to the heater. He says pretty good is 250cm(8.2ft), absolute minimum 180cm (6ft). Height of minimum 240cm (7.8ft) Which means even a super narrow 1m wide room will be about 6 cubic meters (you roughly need 1kW per cubic meter and extra KW for every square meter of uninsulated space like glass door). Which means 6kW woukd only work for a most tiny 1 person sauna and with insulated doors (I planned glass).

Basically a very narrow space 2.5m long, 2.5m tall and only 1m wide.


If I need to go up from 6kW that will be difficult... Not impossible, but definitely difficult.

I might need more book recommendations

WTF! From stove to walls/boards min. 50cm, from stove top to sealing min. 120cm and these are ok with wood as air is good insulation. If sealing is lower than 120cm you can use a cement board or similar for fire protection. Heat rises so distance needed around stove is really minimal. Even my smoke sauna with over 1000kg of stones is only about 100cm from closest boards (level you keep your feet on).

Just make it so that your feet are at the same level than stove top or higher to get your feet warm too. When sitting on boards maybe min. 40-50cm room between your head and sealing is fine. Sealing shape can also be significant as after throwing water over stones the heat rises up and then sealing shape determines where heat goes first which can feel uncomfortable sometimes. If the heat has more time to mix with colder air in the room before reaching you, it'll feel softer.