Member BiggKidd
MemberForum Replies Created
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Only made a very little progress on this project today. I did get the case mostly welded together on three sides, the fourth side will likely be screwed together for reworking or repair later. I also got one of the three secondary air intakes made and welded in. I had other stuff that had to be done today before I could play with my project.
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Guys you might want to stretch your thinking out to a year at a time to really take advantage of this method. Just for example say you heat a 5000 gallon tank of water all year long with excess power then use that for space heating all winter………. Or heat 20 tons of sand to do the same thing.
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Took a couple old commercial metal shelf bases and made them in to a 34×36 inch base for the stove. Cut up some old sheet metal and welded it on for a floor surface. Then I got the two washer skins and cut one apart for the back and bottom of the stove case. Hopefully the weather holds off and I can start fitting the inner workings and the case together tomorrow.
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Ya know the old saying time flies when you’re having fun? It must also apply to when you’re working and get in the groove. Here I thought it was about 2 and it’s after 5:30. Oops Oh well I did make some dang good progress today. I got the rest of the inner body of the stove all closed up all that’s left on the inside is the fresh air intakes and the last bit of exhaust where it will exit the case but I need to test fit it first so I can see how to work things out which means I need to start working on the base next.
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I loved my Li batteries until the dust got them and again it was MY fault. I’m the idiot that put a fan through the case instead of making it airtight!
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I went LifePO4 on my golf cart as a test bed before trying to get new batteries for the house. Didn’t work out to well in the long run BUT that was MY screw up not the cells! I let dust get between them and it rubbed them raw and they shorted out between the cases.
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I’ve been using used UPS batteries since going off grid 15 years ago. The set I have now were back up power for an operating room. Insurance makes them change them out every three years no matter if they’ve been used or not.
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I’ve had mine running for several years as a dump load. I too found wired straight not to be the best but it is the cheapest if you don’t mind tying a set of panels up only for heating water. I am adding solar / hot water heater element to my thermoelectric project. I have 3) 300W panels that aren’t being used I’m planning to straight wire. I may also run a dump load from my house panels, don’t know yet.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by BiggKidd.
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This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by
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That’s crazy in my opinion. First you don’t NEED a controller or inverter between solar panels and a heating element. Second why tie your panels to a single job when a simple dump load controller will let them handle their regular chores and dump excess to heating water? Or you can simply straight wire the panels to a heating element, Yes you need to do a little simple math to work out how many panels at what resistance element etc. but it’s not very hard to figure out. I would suggest a simple thermostat so you don’t over heat / boil the water.
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Good thought!
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You as well!
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Nice looking older stove!
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Way to go I know the feeling. I raised 2 daughters and bought this place on less than $1,000 a month, it isn’t easy but it can be done.
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I was in the same boat. I was actually disabled before buying the land. I used it and building this place as my therapy. I had a big M.S. episode in 05 and had to learn to walk, talk and write all over again. I was still on crutches and or canes when I bought this land and started working to clear it. It wasn’t exactly that I had to learn to walk or write or talk it was more like re-teaching the muscles to do the work. Sorry not a Doc so I don’t explain it well.
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CONGRATS
We are also just under 5 years left on the mortgage of our land, no house note since I built it with my own hands.