Comments on: Deek’s Veggie Oil Heater

By: Abel Zimmerman

Abel Zimmerman — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 20:28:35 +0000

Curious, what size of space are you heating with it — and what climate are you in?

Just trying to sketch the picture — nice use of materials!

Abel

By: Deek

Deek — Fri, 07 May 2010 19:16:20 +0000

I haven’t yet tested the heater overlong spans of time, but as long as you keep the oil filled to a high level on a regular-ish basis, the wicks won’t burn down as rapidly. All the wicks are, worst case, are all-cotton clothes line (you can buy 100 ft. lengths for under $2.00 in many places) so you’ll have a lifetime supply of wicks more or less.
I’ve run this little heater for 5-6 hours at the most- a few times now- and haven’t replaced the wicks yet. They’re easy enough to change at least, as you just thread them through the metal upside-down baby food lid.
-Deek
http://www.relaxshacks.com
Author of “Humble Homes, Simple Shacks…”

By: Libby

Libby — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:25:40 +0000

This heater idea is great–I think we’ll likely build one for our bow-top gypsy wagon. I’m curious how long the wicks last. If you were using this kind of heater in a tiny primary residence, would you find yourself changing the wicks every few hours?

By: Glen Aldridge

Glen Aldridge — Wed, 05 May 2010 10:53:25 +0000

What a neat idea. I have been looking for a use for my used cooking oil & this might be it. Just what do you do with used cooking oil anyway? As an added bonus it gives me justification for my high cholesterol diet.

By: Deek

Deek — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:25:30 +0000

Unfortunately a drawing can only show so much, as I prefaced- sorry…
Yes, the aluminum flue is tucked into the collar, but sealed excessively with some furnace cement. Although, with such low combustion taking place (more or less the equivalent of having a few candles in a cabin (but in this case, inside a confined shell that radiates their heat), I’m doubtful as to whether or not the sealing (or reversal of the “tuck direction” would even be needed. Reversing the direction of the flue-joint overlap, say, with a metal band-tie, would be incredibly easy too- if concerned.
Like I said in corner of the drawing, “build at your own risk”, and I’m sure there are twenty better and more efficient ways to construct this thing….
Thanks for the input though, I do appreciate it and by no means would want anyone getting hurt- and WITHOUT A DOUBT I always recommend a CO detector in ANY cabin with fire-based heat. In almost every state its now a law to have them, so I’d hope people would have the common sense to use them in a vacation cabin scenario as well.
Thanks again…
-Deek

By: Steve Hathaway

Steve Hathaway — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:57:57 +0000

Maybe I’m not understanding the drawing/photo, but looks like the flexible duct is tucked inside the “tin can flue collar”–which seems at odds with how flues for hot water heaters, etc. are supposed to be put together–and the reason those H2O heaters’ flues’ joints are set-up is keep CO (or CO2?) going through the flue and out of the living space. Won’t this way of connecting things allow (some) CO/CO2 to flow outside the flue (say that six times fast).

Maybe with the small amount of combustion that’s less of an issue, but I’d hate to have someone find out otherwise, the hard way.

By: Deek

Deek — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:37:44 +0000

If you need any info, mike, let me know- as it really is pretty simple- even if it doesn’t look it….
-Deek

By: mike

mike — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:26:29 +0000

nice; it’s actually a bit more complex than i originally thought. awesome though…