How to make a candle heater

[Stevie777]

Saw this today and i was thinking maybe a good idea for inside of your sleeping quarters when a fire is out of the question.

My Question is, how safe would something like this be in a small enclosed area. are we talking waaay too much carbon monoxide ?

A candle heater is one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly ideas we’ve ever heard of. It is also a very cheap and efficient alternative to traditional heating systems as it will cost you less than 15 cents per day to heat up an entire room. The idea behind it is very easy and it can be made at home by anyone, you just need to have some Terra-Cotta pots, washers, bolts and candles. Basically, you will be building a small radiator which will be powered by the candles and the heat inside the pots. You can find a detailed explanation on the following link and step by step instructions on how to build this simple, but efficient heater yourself.

See more at: http://www.goodshomedesign.com/how-to-make-a-candle-heater/

http://www.goodshomedesign.com/how-to-make-a-candle-heater/

 

[rik_uk3]

They've been talked about here before, they seem a good idea but are not great in practice, bottom line is there is only so much heat coming off your candle(s) so no matter much you play about you won't get any more heat.

Started off in WW2 as a way of heating your Anderson shelters.

Also remember that candles throw off a lot of fumes so really well ventilate your shelter.

 

[nunzionuk]

interesting idea

 

[Goatboy]

Belzeebob of the forum and my camping budy made a fair few a while back. He uses one with a chafing burner underneath to warm his bell tent before retiring for the evening. The cafing burners are buttons from some of the wholesalers/Ebay and there's enough ventilation in his canvas bell for fumes not to be a bother.
He has also used multiple candles in the past though they throw off more soot. So saying the ceramic pots trap any soot so avoiding marking the tent.
Have used the one he made me in the house and in my tipi and they do make a difference.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Toddy]

Cross posted with Colin …sorry

I built one …..on the whole colour me underimpressed. It sounds a good idea, but energy is just that, and you'll only get out what you put in (and this isn't that efficient anyway). It does kind of focus it a bit, and it does stay warmer, but you'd be as well cuddling a candle jar tbh.

You know what does work ? those wee clicker hand warmers. They re-set just by boiling them up and leaving them to cool in the water….but if you're quick after you've boiled them up, you can take them out and wrap them in something (too hot otherwise) and it's the neatest wee warm thing to carry or sleep curled round and that way you get two heats out of the one boil up too.

M

 

[Stevie777]

Yeah i get the "what you put in can only give out" thing, but in was thinking more about the radiation. instead of the heat rising above with the use of just the open candle maybe the pot idea would push the heat more outwards and around...The more i think of it the more it seems like a pointless construction mind you. probably better cuddling into a fish supper or a nestling into the beefy arms of a dinner lady.

 

[Goatboy]

Remember it doesn't have to be just one candle. Did the a while back and it was cheaper heating the living room in th house with six tealights rather than the storage heaters.
Same with the chaf dish, throws out a lot of heat.
Nothing wrong with taking a hot-water bottle or making sure your drinking bottle can take boiling water for keeping cosy while sitting or in your pit.
Also.in winter when heading out for a walk, just before I head I'll boil a couple of eggs, wrap them in paper of cloth and pop them in my pockets. Stay warm coming up to 45-60 minutes keeping the fingers from getting cold and then I have a couple of eggs for lunch too. Like things doing multiple jobs.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Bishop]

I'm all for innovation but better clothing or sleep system used in conjunction with those wee clicker hand warmers* or hot bottle of water would be safer.
However on a raised bed platform under a well ventilated tarp it could be worth try, but if it goes wrong it'll be a close call between a bar-b-q and cremation.


*Sodium Acetate Gel

 

[Stevie777]

, but if it goes wrong it'll be a close call between a bar-b-q and cremation.


*Sodium Acetate Gel

depending on the Material..Shink wrapped..?

 

[Toddy]

Could I remember what that stuff was ?
Thanks Bishop

Colin's right though; the terracotta candlelantern does help catch the soot though.

I am sometimes tempted to make something huge like that for the house so I can burn the candles I like and not have any soot.
If I could fit it into the fake electric fireplace thing, now that would be brilliant

M

 

[greg.g]

I have been using a couple of these pot type heaters in my lounge through last winter. I have a couple of thermometers and I can confirm that they do raise the room temperature by 4 ~5°c. It saves putting the central heating on for an hour or two. Using them in a tent you would have to be very careful with the fire aspect.

 

[mrcharly]

The shower/toilet room in my barge didn't have any heating in it, and could get damn cold in winter. Too cold for the little kids (ice on inside of porthole cold).

I used to put a candle lantern in it; didn't make it warm, but did bring the temperature up a couple of degrees. Twas a very small space tho', about the size of a toilet cubicle.