Candle Convection Heater- Winter Camping with my Off-Grid Stove! (Snowmobile Camper Series)

[@matthewmicallef3811]

As a candle maker I would recommend you find a local candle maker to create modified candles with different sized wicks. Then you will be able to make candles burn hotter or last longer making them suitable for an all night burn. Regarding the lowering of the candles as they burn, you can find spring loaded candle holders such as the ones used in liturgical candles, or put them in a water bath, that way the candle floats upwards as it burns down. Excellent little device you made!

[@neb6229]

That water bath idea is a good idea plus if they fall over it extinguishes them as well.

[@Griffix96]

I think the water bath would freeze if the fresh air intake pipe extended through the water. Good idea though. I like it.

[@mightymystery9204]

@@neb6229 Water will also catch residual heat and serve as a reservoir.

[@Azovie]

@@Griffix96 add salt

[@humlakullen]

Awesome job:-). Thanks for sharing!

[@edakimling133]

One improvement on the candles would be to simply forgo candles. Replace it with 3 style 250ml mason jars. Make a hole in each lid, put a wick through. Fill it with any cheap vegetable oil. I use discarded filterer canola cooking oil. Or buy it new. For transport, have another set of lids. This setup will burn much much longer (definitely will last entire night) and the distance from the pipes will not decrease. Awesome project, love it!

[@dangerpudge1922]

This is the correct answer.

[@Menuki]

Crisco candles are super efficient. One tub lasts for 2 days straight

[@heavenswindsong]

Cheap Crisco with candles inserted inside would also keep longer...

[@troyhughes2081]

With a carbon filter wick. With the tube that supplies the heat, if that had a plate on each end with 6 smaller tubes running through sand (top view would look like a handgun barrel). Use the 2 jar oil burner burners with carbon wicks, the sand would heat up equally as hot, as multiple intake pipes air would move through quicker (less heating of the air) so output fan could be smaller (less power used) when you sleep and put out the burners the sand will let out the heat for a while, maybe even an hour?

[@karmelicanke]

The jars will crack when the wick and oil get to the bottom of the glass Fill the jar with 2 inches of water first, then add oi and your oil lamp will boil safely.

[@justgjt]

I cannot imagine what it is like to live in a part of the world where it is so cold and so beautiful... What a truely amazing planet we are fortunate to live on.

[@nunyabusiness863]

Yes. It is great to take a step back and be thankful!

[@gerrymcdonald6194]

I live in Canada in an area that has cold winters and a lot of snow .. and I do mean a lot! Took my son's Cub pack winter camping. We used an old one room, heated school house as our base. Blizzard hit on the second night. Surveyed the school yard finding 6 foot snow banks formed by the storm beside the school house. Took the boys out that night after the blizzard had passed and we dug snow shelters in the side of the snow banks; the classic 'L' shaped kind of snow shelter like the army does. We put old blankets on the floor and lit the inside with candles; about 4 large candles per shelter. To our pleasant surprise the inside of the shelters were not only well lit, but 'warm' .. very warm. So warm in fact that we had to open the collars of our snow gear. It would have been easy to sleep in these shelters comfortably if we had wanted to. That was 40 years ago, and to this day my son and his pals still remember the experience as a highlight of their Cub Scouting experience. Mine too.

[@renzoqu]

You are a good father

[@SamLee8084]

I just said to myself last night that I haven’t seen a video from the Outsider in awhile and boom here he is, the absolute cleanest and neatest outdoorsman on KZbin.

[@franciscogutierrez818]

so many cameras and different angles, this man is really making a huge effort to provide good quality video. mad respect

[@tvdinner325]

I just don't take my doghouse, out for trips often enough.

[@HueghMungus]

Well @Francisco it is his job, you wouldn't watch low quality TV show.

[@MGreen-vz6yb]

Don't be angry

[@k0oLwHiP]

I was just thinking that after that sky shot. Like damn, he put some thought into this thing hes got going on.

[@maiingan07]

@@k0oLwHiP - yeah, me too. I loved the camera in the back of the sled. I thought that was a nice touch.

[@benthere8051]

Instead of making the air intake larger, you could add another inline fan to boost the airflow. It would be easy to make the fan speed variable with a rheostat or a variable voltage regulator. Instead of multiple candles, you could use an oil burner with several wicks. That way you could ensure that the flame is at a constant height and you could easily add oil without opening up the stove.

[@blaircox1589]

Downside of kerosine lamps/wick burners is they require constant attention. Not exactly something you want to go to sleep while running. The box makes it substantially safer, bit still not the best idea. Without getting crazy complicated, taking your box and either forced air ventilation or larger/multiple intakes (do a second horizontal in case the cold outside air is resisting rising into the burn chamber) and build on the propane idea to adjust the burning on a thermostat. Unless you could take the control mechanism from a small propane stove and if it would fit, perhaps too complex. But you likely don't need it at 20C all night. 16-17C is great for sleeping. So if you could regulate your heat source as needed, that would be very neat.

[@ws4860]

A common fan will always need energie, for its production and use, a one inch bigger hole is for free and eco-friendly.

[@benthere8051]

​@@ws4860 A thermoelectric cell could power the fan using the heat in the box. In fact, thermoelectric cells could power everything. You have cold surfaces and hot surfaces in the same box. The input combustion air is very cold and the output cabin air is very warm. It is an ideal situation for generating electricity with something like a 27145 thermoelectric power generator. The generator could power all three fans.

[@ws4860]

@@benthere8051 Effort and income. Generating electricity from exhaust heat .. well, it's possible, but does it make sense? Enlarging a hole with simple means vs. complex features for the temporary heating of a mobile shack? Does this even need to be discussed? It hasn't to be done everything that can be done. How high do our mountains of rubbish have to get? PS: There is also the non-electric version, where the rotation is only driven by an electrothermal converter (Peltier element), but even that would be too much effort in my opinion.

[@ronson-natsarim]

@@ws4860 I don’t think you fully understand what Ben There is saying. I have considerable experience with thermoelectric generators and I see the merit in what he’s suggesting, definitely worth considering harvesting some of that excess thermal energy as electricity. The way I have several of mine setup in off-grid cabins and even my bus and sprinter van is with thermoelectric plates on top of the wood stoves with stainless water tanks on top of the thermoelectric plates so they’re sandwiched between the stovetop and the water tank. The water tank acts as a heat sink, cooling the upper side of the thermoelectric plates and increasing their output as well as heating the water in the tank for use in beverages, food, bathing, etc. In winter I fill the tank with snow to boost the electrical generation as well as create fresh water from the fresh powder (lots of it up here in Finland). I have a fan, powered by the thermoelectric generation, which stokes the fire, increasing the thermal output and, therefore, electrical generation, to extent of a net-positive over and above the consumption of the fans. The excess electrical energy is stored in batteries, of course, to power other things. This is scalable, of course, with larger, hotter stoves, more thermoelectric plates and larger water tanks generating more electricity.

[@dogshouse1]

Your candle heater is just what my wife and I needed. We were using some candles to help keep our 12x12 foot cabin warm. 4-6 would keep the temp 60-63 inside when about 40F outside allowing us to let our tiny, gas generator to rest and save some fuel during the day BUT, those dang candles were depositing NASTY, black soot on EVERYTHING, including us and our bedding. Talk about terrible! The outside air your heater provides for the flames gets rid of the soot and the real drawbacks for us using candles as heating. GREAT IDEA, THANK YOU!

[@TM-tw1py]

We need more men like this gentlemen - solving problems, self-sufficient, not afraid to go out in the wilderness and survive on their own.

[@2A_supporter]

Just what the us government hates cause then your not reliant on their tyrannical asses

[@TM-tw1py]

@@2A_supporter - And that makes me 3 times more motivated to get out of their matrix.

[@marl9543]

Lol, he has a Snowmobile, so he is certainly not self-sufficient.

[@GeneralKato]

@@marl9543 well, at least he knows how to drive that thing! That is something. We all are dependent on something. We are not made to be alone.

[@TM-tw1py]

@@marl9543 - That is why men created snowmobiles - to conquer the wilderness.

[@patriciaherman6499]

Once my heater in my car broke, until I could take in for repair I used 2 big jar candles put them on my dash and they kept the windshield from icing up going to work not to mention they warmed up the car. Now I keep the candles in my winter kit in the car. Great idea. Blessings to you and your family. 😊🇱🇷

[@robertdillon9989]

Bad idea unless you like carbon monoxide in your lungs you might stay warm but fall asleep forever…

[@droolbunnyxo9565]

Just be sure to crack a window, to allow the carbon monoxide to escape. Candles in small tight spaces are lethal.

[@MuskratOutdoors]

I did the same thing with a can of Sterno......any yes to all you worry warts.....the window was cracked open slightly.....

[@waynedavies3185]

This is the best safe heater I have seen so-far on the internet. 4 candles= 400 BTUs (or 100 BTUs per candle), and the size of the hut in square ft., is small enough to raise the temperature to a comfortable living level. Nicely made, with plenty of safety measures taken.

[@graydi66y]

The only bad part is using JB weld to seal the pipes. Never use 2 part epoxy for high heat things you will be damn near next to for extended periods of time. The fumes are very toxic. Even if it's made for high heat applications. It's still no go for clean air in a closed environment

[@mindthreatx]

@@graydi66y what would be a better alternative?

[@leebran1159]

@@mindthreatx welding

[@waynedavies3185]

@@larrymartineau7507 Well, he did say it kept the inside around 15 to 20 C overnight. Have to take his word on that statement. He also mentioned he had an air vent at the opposite end of the shed, which would raise questions, as heat does escape through vents lowering heating efficiency of his furnace. It does send questionable thoughts towards the watchers of this video.

[@pa_maj.MARTINI-van-MAN]

@@waynedavies3185 A single Good candle produces 80 W, most Tea lights are around 40 Watts unless they are cheap rubbish ones like I've purchased on one or two occasions. So 80 watts x4= 320 watts at approximately 75 to 85% efficiency, lets say 20% heat is going out the chimney so efficiency is 80%, now we have 256 Watts = 874 BTU. Anyway, So the question is, would 256 Watts heat that space, and it could be as low as 200 Watts depending on the candles and the length of the wicks, "or" arguably a little more? My 400 watt halogen heater would cook you out in a space that size even in low temps so I can see 256 Watts = 256 BTU working pretty Good. I think the candles getting to low was definitely an issue. I would suggest that some of the original heat came from the fire that was lit outside, heated the whole cabin up somewhat and the cabin stored it for a while and this should also be taken into consideration. 8 thicker wicks in kerosene like this but in two lines of four and under the two pipes (NIDONE Kerosene Stove) would probably do the job well for a quicker heat up, then you could extinguish what you don't need plus they won't burn down like candles and cheaper also.

[@tangobravo8889]

I have watched this before. I love it when a guy or gal has the ability to look at something like an ammo can and say to themselves, “I could make a heater out of that”. Great job and great innovation 👍

[@daphneraven6745]

The first person I saw do this was just a young teenager. I think he might’ve even invented it. The video is also here online someplace.

[@stevenclarke5606]

Mankind’s ability to innovate

[@sicurr1]

Just to throw this out there, you could create a Crisco Candle that would fit in that area, and the candle would not only last all night, but possibly up to a week, depending on how well you make it. It should burn just as hot, but at the same time burn far longer. You could also use thermoelectric generators to power those fans. Not only that, but you could add an extra fan for the air intake so that you could add more flames. This way you would light the candles, wait for the thermoelectric generators to start functioning, and then seal the heater. Then it would self perpetuate with just the heat from the candles that with the crisco would be able to burn for several days if need be. Just some ideas. I love the heater design by the way, very nice.

[@thirtythreeeyes8624]

You could probably heat a much bigger space with some of those mods or use less candles.

[@JohnClarke808]

That's what Crisco was designed for in the 40s during WWII in England people used it to cook over using they're paraffin stoves. Many sailboat still use it to cook over

[@Mothara]

+1 on the Peltier cell to pull voltage from the heat at the top of stove to run a combustion intake fan

[@kearaallbee5644]

That's a very in-depth addition iam wanting to apply both of your ideas to my work on my RV home

[@aurorasugarmagnolia]

Crisco comments from everyone who's never tried it. Try it. Then you can deal with the film of Crisco on every single surface in that small space. Have fun

[@JSAnstock]

When I was a catering student the restaurant we ran had candle holders which were tubes with springs in the bottom. As the candle burned down the spring pushed it up the tube which narrowed at the top to retain the candle. Thus the flame stays at the same height, this could solve your problem with the candles burning down and loosing contact with the convection tubes.

[@JoEl-tx4bz]

You can let the candle float/swim in water. The result is the same.

[@andyharpist2938]

a burning candle will generate the same heat to your cabin wherever it is...high or low.

[@Arcona]

@@andyharpist2938 No it won't since it's inside the storage box and the main heat transfer is coming from the pipes the candles are heating. The candle moves further away from the heat pipe as it burns, heating it less.

[@andyharpist2938]

@@Arcona Or so you might think. But a single constant heat-source within a heat exchanger will exchange the same total heat. The local temperature may be higher but the total 'exchange' is one of 'heat' not temperature. Small area high temperature: Greater area lower temperature.

[@topdowndvr]

The four candles (flames) worked awesome. Instead of a full propane burner, just install four pilot light burners, right under the transfer tubes. They'll use way less fuel, they'll work fine with your current air intake, and they won't burn out at four in the morning ;)

[@markmcla]

That's a great suggestion!

[@williamhelvitson1302]

i was thinking the same thing a 20lb cylinder would last forever.... 6 small pilots.... 4in dryer vent tobe...

[@markmcla]

@@williamhelvitson1302 A bunsen burner might work nicely too

[@TKHONDA7]

4 candles a night is pretty expensive to a 20lb propane tank burning 4 pilots like you suggested

[@zakthewarcat3172]

that's excellent thinking

[@kathyscott]

I was just going to jump on and say the exact same thing that Ben said a year ago. We had just watched the video for the first time and hubby commented the same thing. Hope you took the suggestion and I hope it worked. So sorry for the loss of your sweet Dad, I know you feel the loss every hour of the day. Prayers for a healing of your heart. 🥰

[@MikeKeesler]

ok, just to let you know, there is a better method of heating the stove. If you get carbon felt about 5mm thick and roll it and place a couple of inches of it in a 12mm copper tube about 2 inches long trim the top off flush, set it into a bowl of vegetable oil and after about 5 minutes light the upper part of the wick. The felt doesn't burn, but it gives off lots of heat and it will keep going until it runs out of oil. That's what I will use in mine. I love your design, but with this one change I think you will find that it works much better with a little experimentation.

[@jacqueslapointe2022]

I also find this idea interesting. Did you have a chance to do it yet?

[@stevennagley3407]

@@jacqueslapointe2022there’s a video out there on how to build it out of the same size a o can

[@englishkernigit8294]

As my old engineer boss told me always "keep it simple, stupid", this is a fine example of that adage. Brilliant job and certainly one I'll employ in my shed. Cheers matey

[@Navyuncle]

What did the pirate say on his 80th birthday? Aye Matey.

[@GuitarUniverse2013]

I’d like to keep it simple, don’t find much use for calling somebody stupid. Maybe I’ve just been bullied wants to often by assholes. No reflection on you sir, I’m just saying what my experience has been. There’s so much hatred in the world, I think anything we can do to simmer down the overall situation is a good thing.

[@Navyuncle]

@@GuitarUniverse2013 Mr Guitar, keep it simple stupid is not meant as an insult. KISS is an acronym. The entire phrase is a colloquialism.

[@tommybrown9034]

@@Navyuncle Its a UK approach of not over complicating things 😀🙃

[@Navyuncle]

@@tommybrown9034 I like your name. My boy is Tommy. And my sister's last name is Brown.

[@elenidemos]

Could you place the candles on a "tray" hung from the heating pipes on springs where the weight would decrease over time, therefore raising the "tray" as they burn? Might be a simple mechanical way to maintain the heat throughout the night.

[@timfearsatan]

i scrolled down to make the same suggestion

[@lyndonwortley6329]

@The Outsider - Similar to the above suggestion, consider mounting your candles on a spring loaded mount. I have seen old candle lanterns where the candle was spring mounted, as the candle burns it gets lighter and the spring raises the candle, keeping it at an optimum height. In the case of the lantern, it keeps the burning wick at an optimum height to emit light from the lantern lens. In your case it will keep the burning wicks at a height optimal to warming the air pipes.

[@MrGreenMath]

Was also going to suggest this. Or just a simple box to raise them up once they got down a certain amount. Also wondered about placing the interior intake pipes at an angle, so that the natural effect of hot air rising might create a convection draft in the pipe enough to forgo the computer fans.

[@brandonmcandrew4859]

i think an oil burner would be better just simpler like a tiki torch

[@elenidemos]

@@brandonmcandrew4859 or an old style oil lamp. They burn cleaner, normally.

[@mehdimarashi1736]

Ideas: (1) Put the candles on a suitable spring, as the candles get lighter, the spring pushes them up. (2) A longer chimney can provide a stronger draft, providing more oxygen for the burn. (3) A kerosene burner might be a good solution, too. Kerosene is cheaper than candles, and burns cleaner with a blue flame if designed for heating rather that lighting purposes.

[@johnwyman6126]

Kerosene heaters use a circular 2-1/2 to 3 inch diameter round wick that would be way too big for that small space. There are kerosene circular wick lamps that work exactly the same way as kerosene heaters, which would be much more appropriately sized. Most of the companies that made them have gone out of business except for Aladdin, who still makes them to do this day. They use a one inch diameter wick and also a mantle for very bright light for a kerosene lamp. They are still made probably because they are the best and brightest that have ever been made. Unfortunately they are also very expensive if new. You can find decent ones though, at the Antique stores. I've heard of them being found at thrift stores, but I have never seen one there.

[@TheSafedave]

put a fan on the intake pipe

[@MrLandslide84]

The taller the pipe the better. Always moving air the higher you go.

[@michaelward402]

Interesting and well thought out. Maybe a counterbalance lifter for the candles, so that as the candles diminish in size, they are lifted nearer to the heating pipes.

[@dosmundos3830]

a platform on springs maybe. as the candles get lighter the springs will decompress and lift them up.

[@michaelward402]

@@dosmundos3830 I hadn't really considered springs at the time, I don't really know if they would work very well (they are non-linear with the compression to length), given you would have to calibrate for the smallest size the candle will get to. Maybe a coil spring may work.

[@x95b10]

That was my thought as well.

[@Josephus_da_Killer]

@@michaelward402 the NCO candle lanterns use a cylinder that holds the candles in place so the spring can feed the candles upwards.

[@michaelward402]

@@Josephus_da_Killer My problem is that I don't know how much the candle on a plate would decrease in mass. How much of the wax is burnt and how much trickle down to the base. I would assume that although the candle height would diminish pretty linearly, the weight would not change by a vast amount. As I said, I don't know these things. :)

[@SuperTROOPER469]

That is frikin awesome!! Simple, cheap, safe, EFFECTIVE, and usees a renewable fuel. It ticks all the boxes. I think you nailed it this time! Your ingenuity is truly inspiring.

[@limpingoatfarm]

candles are made from petroleum products. Sure there are beeswax candles but that would have been a VERY expensive night of heat. Alternatives are far too expensive to use to heat. So no, no more renewable than burning gas or kerosene. BUT WOOD IS RENEWABLE...Which reminds me I need to check my fire, you know in my WOOD STOVE. People just do not realize how much we depend on FOSSIL FUELS EVEN FOR THE FOOD WE EAT, BUT YOU WILL SOON FIND OUT AT THE GROCERY STORE. "Paraffin wax is a byproduct of petroleum, created by removing the waxy substance from crude oil. Paraffin wax is cheap and holds both dyes and scents well. However, it’s not biodegradable or natural, and it’s made from a non-renewable resource, so many people avoid it for environmental reasons. Heating paraffin wax releases soot and 11 known toxins - two of which are carcinogens - into the air. For these reasons, paraffin wax candles have been falling out of favor in recent years."

[@SuperTROOPER469]

@@limpingoatfarm cool story brah... I think you left out soy, coconut, vegetable, and other plant based renewable waxes. Renewable like your WOOD, and easy to make at home, with home grown resources. Even beeswax can be highly affordable if one keeps bees. All things a bit more accessible and alot quicker to renew once one cuts down all their local trees, that is if we were in an apocalyptic scenario. Your WOOD would not be efficient or safe in his tiny camper, otherwise I'm sure he wouldn't be going through all the trouble of inventing alternate heating. Great chat!

[@limpingoatfarm]

@@SuperTROOPER469 lady, a $60 burn of those alternative candles makes no sense. They are NOT ALTERNATIVES, wood lots are MANAGED by people intelligent enough to acquire the acreage they require. Please, don't suppose I could ever run out of wood, you have no idea of what my circumstances ARE. ALSO there are tiny woodstoves that people use in tiny houses that burn little more than big twig sized wood. The price is quite prohibitive for casual use, which is probably why he did not consider one. .I have been heating with wood just about my entire adult life and have always maintained a woodlot either on the property I live on now or property purchased for that purpose. You don't know very much about the subject, maybe some research would make you aware of reality.

[@limpingoatfarm]

@@SuperTROOPER469 maybe he should take his woodstove out of his cabin then, raise bees and heat it with candles, eh?

[@johnswanson3741]

@@limpingoatfarm Why argue with a female... it is always wasted energy...they just don't get it

[@MonsoonEast]

Your journey of heating the camper has been as good as the excellent content building the log cabin. Thank you.

[@TinyGoHomes]

My 10x6 tiny home can hold temp with just 6 candles down to -15. Great for when the power goes out. So those are the only two heat sources I’ve needed is candle and electric when the grid works and is only down for a few hours. For a long grid down situation I got a diesel heater installed and a 1000 litre diesel tank on my property. For even longer situations like shtf type situations I also have a wood stove and a bunch of wood ready. For those random mobile operations like ice fishing reconnaissance etc I got propane heaters small and big, power stations with solar and generators. I’m actually changing my business to build tiny homes soon and I like the idea of building a multi purpose stove design like no other. Something you can use many sources with just a change of adapters or inserts. I love reinventing the wheel and I now have a shop to do just that. Summer 24 should be wild.

[@DesertPackrat]

Okay. This video was pretty cool. The snow sliding off the roof. The ingenious design. The camera angles. Well done. Nice to see people who are the real deal.

[@stevepoling]

This is an excellent heating solution for your snowmobile camper! This series keeps getting better. Your heater grew less efficient as candles burned down. Consider a spring-loaded candle holder: fit the candle into a chamfered tube with a spring-loaded base. The spring pushes the candle up as the candle burns. This keepa the flame a fixed distance from the heat-exchanger pipe as the candle burns down. I believe the UCO original Candle Lantern may be cannibalized to do this, but have not tried it myself. If you think this sounds interesting, please advise.

[@kcjazz62]

Finally!… This idea struck me as soon as I saw what he was constructing. This will also force the candles to burn more efficiently, thus longer burn times in the chamber. In my humble opinion, this setup could be modified to include a small water heater (billy can size). By wrapping a copper coil loosely around the exhaust pipe leading to a billy can coil below that point. This could slide up & twist to the side when not in use or to be drained. Another option is to use the heat exchanger to use a gravity flow floor heater using copper tubing in the exchanger tubes, connecting to plastic tubing snaked to whatever specific areas needed concentrated heat. The thermal units would be consumed 100% within the structure & not be vented out from the opposite end air vent. I would also screen the lower intake vent for the burner as well as the exhaust to keep debris/critters from entering. It seems to me that if I were dragging this through trees & branches, I would keep the exhaust pipe lower than the roof edge, then place the extension on while setting up camp. The top of the ammo can is an obvious warmer/drier too! Intake & exhaust dampers might be good ideas as well as increased intake/exhaust capacities. Minimal efforts on these mods for maximal returns. Good job, man!

[@waterboy8999]

Or have it set up like set of scales, as the candles get lighter the rise up, gravity is free!

[@das564]

Have you considered an adjustable shelf for the candles? This way, you can move the candles closer to the pipes as they burn down. If you make the adjustment mechanism external to tht stove (maybe a vertical threaded rod under the shelf that extends through the bottom with a knob to turn it), it would be way easier than swapping in new candles at 4am.

[@matthewguyot453]

I had the same idea. A dial which would raise and lower the candles.

[@andrewallason4530]

I have a device called a Northern Lights, which is a small candle lantern. The candle is in a tube, with a spring pushing it up so the flame is always at the same height.

[@francoloma2971]

Like a raise/lower BBQ grill !

[@MuskratOutdoors]

@@andrewallason4530 I have one of those. They work pretty well most of the time, but I have had wax drip down somehow onto the spring and mess it up.

[@patprop74]

Was thinking the same thing, only with the addition of a small geared stepper motor with an Arduino with a temp sensor on the outlets to auto control the height of the adjustable candle shelf.

[@budwilliams6590]

Set the candle array on a spring platform so they move up closer to the pipes as they melt down and get lighter. To bring more air in without changing the pipe size add a fan to the outside air intake.

[@darunealbane]

Or replace with oil lamps

[@shaystern2453]

if you add a fan on the outtake you'd be moving air too fast and maybe drop the temperature

[@budwilliams6590]

@@shaystern2453 that depends on the fan speed doesn't it?

[@j0hnny_R3db34rd]

@@darunealbane whale blubber works great for that.

[@jerrystott7780]

If you increase the intake pipe, remember the incoming air is denser than the warm exhaust and it actually needs to be larger than the intake. Restricted outflow might be why you can't keep more candles burning. Have a great day.

[@tomrogerlilleby2890]

I believe you are absolutely right about this one :. the exhaust pipe needs to be slightly wider than the intake tube for better air circulation.

[@neilchapman5145]

Maybe even a throat plate coupled with a wider exhaust. Something like an open fire has. That might increase the airflow but also make the candles burn too fast

[@northernheightsaviation3216]

I think having the air intake higher would help. The gravity feed principle applies with air as well as in liquids. Cold air falls hot air rises. The candles aren't creating enough heat to warm the chimney and sufficiently draw the cold air up from under the floor. My suggestion would be to have the cold air intake higher then the stove. Route the pipe down the side of the stove and port it into the stove at about the mid candle height level. Also insulate the pipe so it stays cold and the intake air doesn't have a chance to warm as it travels down. This will ensure. You have proper gravity feed of cold air into the combustion chamber with out unnecessarily cooling the heat exchange pipes. I would also insulate the chimney so it retains as much heat as possible. Very cool build.

[@artsmith103]

The exhaust should be at least 1 pipe size bigger than the intake. You pretty much said that. I have a BlazeKing wood stove that does great with 4'" combustion air and I think 8" exhaust. My combustion inlet is not hard piped to the stove just in case the stove wants to suck a little more in. It makes huge difference to not pull a draft across the house. ~40,000 btu/hr if you want to scale to the candles.

[@jerrystott7780]

@@artsmith103 I have the princess version of the same stove and similar experiences. Also familiar with heat exchange systems and AC&R from my navy days. When I've built stoves I always put in double the exhaust from the intake. Have a great day.

[@TJStellmach]

People seem really fixated on the problem of the candles burning farther from the pipe, but I have to agree that going from room temperature to merely cool (not even cold) over the course of the night is a non-issue. Maybe not if you were expecting even more extreme use cases, I suppose, but the current design has the virtue of simplicity.

[@MuskratOutdoors]

I agree! It is nice to get dressed if it's warm though, but this is a near perfect set up!

[@Nakihashi]

You're absolutely right, Tim. It's very simple and easy to throw together, which is part of the beauty of it. That being said, all of us construction nerds live to solve problems. We take anything that someone has made and immediately look for ways to improve it - not because we're mean or trying to be rude, it's just how our brains work. It's the driving force of innovation that infinitely propels us forward! 😁

[@jbird6609]

Yea, some times less is better. There isnt much i would change, Maybe insulate the exhaust out side with rock wool and tape. For camping in a tent, Its not just the heat, its the drying out of the tent that's a plus, Often i would sleep without the heater then use it in the morning for an hour to dry things out. I used propane catalytic heater with small ventilation on each end of the tent, a must for safety.

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

At these temperatures, yes, but if it got really cold or really windy - and where I live in Manitoba, -11ºC with no major wind is pretty mild for the winter - four candles wouldn’t be enough.

[@crewealex1125]

I didn't realise I'd been missing these videos, the cabin ones have been keeping me going really nicely! That little heater is terrific, I'd never believe you could get that much heat out of those candles!

[@ws4860]

Google candle heater. I have one made of flowerpots. Looks nice but all the emmisions stay in the room. I love the solution with the external airflow. Good idea.

[@priestesslucy]

@@ws4860 It's nice to use internal air with a chimney. Gets you clean air (granted there is an efficiency question at play)

[@ws4860]

@@priestesslucy Internal air means, your oxygen is taken away and this can be a problem, especially in small rooms.

[@priestesslucy]

@@ws4860 only if you build it too tight. Even then all you have to do is crack a window

[@ws4860]

@@priestesslucy Break a window to get oxygen? :D It shouldn't have to come to that. All I meant was that constantly using oxygen-rich internal air for combustion is not advisable. What speaks against the supply of fresh air from outside?

[@PatrickStewart316]

I’ll never need or use this and don’t see myself or family camping in the snow like this. But dang algorithm. I couldn’t stop watching start to finish. Great job sir 🫡

[@ryanmcclellan4741]

Perhaps, simply consider lighting each candle 1 hour apart from the prior one. This would give you (roughly) a 3 hour differential and longer burn time. You wouldn't have maximum heat at the beginning or end of the cycle, but it may be a worthy trade-off. Really ingenious concept though!

[@metatechnologist]

This thing screams for some electronic control.

[@awo1fman]

@@metatechnologist Out in the middle of nowhere, the last thing in the world you need is something that needs electricity. What would be better is a wind-up mechanism that gradually raises the candles on a little platform.

[@bigbubba4314]

@@awo1fman no electricity? What makes those computer fan turn?

[@metatechnologist]

@@awo1fman Anything mechanical is going to be noisy if you're trying to sleep. A wind up mechanical gear likely would produce "clicks". Not to mention exponentially more difficult to manufacture.

[@zerotoleranceforsataniceli4794]

@@metatechnologist Not really !!!

[@oloilmann4288]

Outsider I really like this episode. Wanted to say you could buy a small piece of Soap stone, or two pieces, one for on top of the ammo box and one for inside on the heat pipes. If you don't know soapstone retains heat so after your candles have burned for awhile you could take the stones into your sleeping bag or put into your boots to dry them, or I'm sure you can figure out what to do with the soapstones heat.

[@StMyles]

🤔🤔.. I don’t think anyone I have known has ever come up with such an innovative idea. Plus cost saving. Thanks for sharing your adventures.

[@rebacrow5604]

Hi there, I love your channel, whenever I’m on my iPad, your channel is one of the first channels I look for to see if you have posted anything. Your cabin is beautiful and you are so talented. I’m a 78 year old lady that loves to watch your builds. I’m waiting to see what you do for Christmas. I hope your wife is well, take care. Blessings

[@fluffigverbimmelt]

15:20 Overengineered solution proposal: Make the candles spring-loaded, so the are raised as they burn down to make use of their full capacity

[@FernandaFoertter]

came here to say this too

[@user-tz6rk4dy5s]

How do you make candles spring loaded?

[@Keeperofrighteousness]

Would have to be at an angle to let wax drip put into sepera5 pan in order to lose the weight

[@cane870]

@@Keeperofrighteousness but then the candles are way less efficient

[@chaosville666]

Thats what I wanted to suggest :D seems I was too slow

[@dougholdem2898]

Very impressive. If you wanted to simplify this heater without using a fan, consider installing the two pipes you are heating above the candles so that one side is a couple inches higher than the other. That way as the air inside is heated, it will rise and begin flowing through the heater on it's own. The air won't flow at the speed as when using the fan, but the air will flow through. Just a thought

[@tnc4700]

👌

[@FractalNinja]

Some other cool ideas would be putting some heat sinks on top with some good thermal paste to transfer that heat from the top of the ammo can to the cabin as well (fan behind the heat sinks to blow the warm air to you). I also wonder how coiled copper pipe would do (good thermal conductivity, more time passing over the flames) 😃

[@jcrnda]

A hint: 1. Add a corrugated aluminum radiator to the exhaust pipe for better heat exchange. 2. Add a reflecting surface behind the candles to send the irradiating heat to the cabin.

[@MrDmadness]

irradiation is not a thing in heating and not at all the same as radiant heat

[@zertilus]

Hint? This isn't a puzzle game, the word you meant was "tip"

[@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking]

@@MrDmadness Likely auto correct mate.

[@MrDmadness]

@@KathrynsWorldWildfireTracking that's fair point.

[@jessl1934]

@@zertilus No, that's actually the correct usage of the term hint it's just less commonly used. Don't be that guy. There are already too many of them on the internet.

[@John77787]

Oh My God In Heaven. Sir, firstly your work was great work. The heater stove build was so beautiful and perfect it almost made me weep tears of joy. And second sir. Your doing it. Your living the ever harder American Dream. Congratulations

[@jf3518]

You could also put the air intake pipe around the chimney. This way the incoming air is preheated. This a very common system nowadays. My chimney preheats the incoming air to 100 - 150deg C, which makes a significant difference in burning efficiency. At the same time the air intake functions as an insulation from the hot chimney pipe.

[@richardthompson6079]

What temperature does wax melt at?

[@ssnerd583]

@@richardthompson6079 Depends on the wax....but....yeah, good point

[@eaglechawks3933]

@@ssnerd583 Yeah - good point, and maybe another reason to try the crisco can candle instead of wax.

[@redpill6201]

​@@eaglechawks3933 Yes, a 3 or 4 wick oil lamp system with the wicks at a fixed distance from the heated pipes would offer a constant heat output compared to the reducing candle height reducing the heat output & with multiple wicks drawing from a common oil reservoir, the heat output could be adjusted by the number of wicks lit. The fuel level could be visible from the outside and topped up.

[@dadbudgetadventures]

You, sir, are a genius. This is one of the best things I’ve seen in a long time as far as heating a camper. Well done.

[@doubletappinhillbilly]

Do you know about hydronic furnaces & cloths dryers?

[@dadbudgetadventures]

@@doubletappinhillbilly not a bit

[@Rod_SCL]

Maybe you could use an oil lamp, that way you can keep it close to the pipes and just replenish oil as needed. Great vid as always.

[@stevejones9788]

Agreed, use an oil lamp and add a double walled chimney to increase the draw

[@roosdad1]

That wasn't the assignment.

[@RyanDuarte-p1z]

I have a proposed modification for you. A lever on the side that you pull to lift the candles, the lever locks at whatever height you want to lift the candles to. This would solve the problem.

[@steveniemyer9288]

I thought the candle burning down would be an issue , but if it is 50f when you got up that is acceptable. Also the build of your camper (insulation) makes that heater work efficiently. We have tent camped with a propane heater and as soon as the heater goes out it gets cold quick. God bless you and your family.

[@lindawolffkashmir2768]

Two things: insulate the cold air intake pipe, it may help bring the temp up a couple of degrees, and you can get a small teakettle or aluminum coffeepot to set on top of the stove for some hot water for tea, coffee, soup, or other hot drinks.

[@MrDmadness]

No, insulation does not create heat.. heating doesn't work like this.. heating major in commercial design here.

[@mowtow90]

Would it be better if he just adds a fan to the intake like the hot air ones. It will increase the imput air.

[@cholompes]

chimneys work because the air inside is hot, in your case the air in the chimney is cold and your pipe is quite long. I reckon if you get rid of the upward pipe with the shorter exhaustion possible you would get much better results.

[@tm-worldwide]

@@MrDmadness I was thinking this. The obvious engineering issue is the distance from the source of heat (the candle flame) getting larger over time from the desired warm output (the air in the pipes). A simple counter balance could be employed to maintain the flame height (Read: move the candle up) as they get lighter.

[@MrDmadness]

@@tm-worldwide engineering ? I saw no I value or r value calculations ?? Did I miss something? As a heating system designer I can tell you that the human sleeping in that small quarters releases a LOT more heat than the candles ( humans are about 400 btuh at rest ) and that this will not overcome a large de.taT

[@michaelmoreau2590]

Hey Outsider, you certainly get my vote for the most simplistic, efficient, economical, and practical utilization of time, money, materials, focus of thought, and attention to detail, regarding heating a small and medium size dwelling place. As your design allows for upscale heating unit in a well-insulated domicile. Your camera angles, scrip dialogue, instructional flow, step by step visual processes, description of parts size utilization, in focus details of measurements, fitting of parts, description of parts, ample time to "see" the process in motion, reasons for utilizing specific parts for the heater, and careful measurements to "show and tell" the actual temperatures from time to time. You are excellent at designing or engineering such DIY "at home or at work" lifesaving projects. Keep up the great work and thrive on good friend of "all humanity". As the Nobel Peace Prize is no longer what it once was or used to be, I nominate you for the "Byrne - Gregory - Moreau - McDermott" mark of excellence award. It is in the works as I write this email and will contact you when it is finished. I will be assigning to and awarding them for those individuals or groups that have already passed on to the other side or "posthumously".

[@louissavoy4832]

Channels like this are why KZbin is worth it. First time watching and enjoyed to the end. Very nice.

[@tomkiser1418]

your ingenious heater is so simple but very effective!! Congrats on something we all can use. Very nice indeed!!! Bless you and your family!!

[@johnvaluk1401]

Always good to view your videos and ideas. How about a system like the UCO candle holders that are spring loaded to keep the candle flame in same position and force the bottom of candle up as it depleates itself?? Just a thought.

[@Cekmore]

Good thought🍻

[@buddhstyle]

This is legit content production. Your edits and sound overlays were engaging. Incredibly well done friend.

[@alexnieto6864]

To replace the candles, get 2 large Mason yars, buy some crisco container. Fill up the jars to the top with the crisco, place a regular candle inside the crisco fill jar. When you ligh up the candle, it will burn for a lot longer than a normal candle. The burning time will be determined by the side of the crisco fill jar with a candle. P.S: No smells at all, odorless. Hope does help.

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Man, thanks for this video. I've been thinking of different ways to heat up my truck topper with candles. This idea is way more efficient than my current set up. Going to try a variation of this to see how it works. ~ Brian

[@TheOutsiderCabin]

Thanks! Best of luck to you. 🙂👍Let me know how it goes.

[@OffGridAussiePrepper]

gday fellow offgrider, can u make us a vid to see how it all works out??

[@kylewilloughby5255]

Insulate the flew and it will pull more combustion air. You have to keep the flew hot to have good draft. A taller flew will draft better as well, provided it stays hot. In-floor heat (hot water/glycol) heat would be a fun build as well.

[@johnransom1146]

Flue

[@michaellange6598]

@@johnransom1146 flu

[@michaellange6598]

Eye aye I cap'n

[@artsmith103]

My wood stove has 25' flu. It heats 1300 sq.ft. running 24/7 against typical outside 20F. 7 ft up the flu, still inside I can easily hold the single wall pipe. It doesn't need to stay very hot to flow. Insulate flu outside to help prevent ice in exhaust.

[@kcjazz62]

The chamber itself could be used as a warmer/drier. The top as food/drink warmer. Side shelves/racks mid way up could also be used here, either firmly attached, or fold down from top (wire rack or solid metal). This is a good base to build upon. I like how this is progressing!

[@pa_maj.MARTINI-van-MAN]

Looking back on this, I think the main issue could be due to the flue coming down so far into the stove, 1" from the top is more than enough to trap heat for the top plate to heat yet still allow for unburnt gasses to escape. I've never seen a flue come down so low into a stove. I recon the low hanging carbon monoxide because of the low inside flue height is worth some revision. A quick fix with a grinder.

[@mwhyte1979]

Great idea! You never cease to amaze me with your projects. If you wouldn't mind a suggestion you should make a small slit on the pipes where you placed your fans on the inlet. Do this so that the wires for the motors arent pinched. As your moving the camper the vibrations will eventually wear the insulation off the wiring and eventually cause a short. Can't wait till your next video.

[@williamthomas2278]

Yeah my idea was a small hole behind moter with plastic sleeve for wire to slip through and no cut in outer diameter of tube

[@ginaallen3797]

What an outstanding design. This portable cabin has come a long way my friend. Peace.

[@BlindManifest]

The Holy Grail for small space camping! You've done a great job with this! Kudos.

[@TheSgtDucttape]

I have enjoyed your videos for several years now, from back to the fern leaf tea and that mushroom type stuff you cut off a tree. I really appreciate the manner and content you present. But it occurred to me, in this video, that if you could raise the floor the candles sit on they we get closer to your heat exchanger tubes. Also, if you ran your heat exchanger tubes at an angle, lower on one side rising to a higher point on the other, it might work well enough to not need the fans. On a different note, I believe if you ran 2 - 1 3/4" exhaust pipes in the back corners (intake & exhaust) this might have enough increased airflow to run your small propane burner while leaving enough terrain in the middle to house the burner. I don't know much, but these were just a few thoughts I wanted to share. God bless y'all, and thank your wife for sharing you with us.

[@keithbroh5730]

I don’t know just as much as you but those are fantastic points using basic knowledge of thermodynamics. I think it’s worth a shot

[@billybangbang9180]

Wow, besides being a great video on how to build a DIY heating device, to keep warm in the dead of winter... your video production is a second-to-none, world-class lesson on creating an informative fantastic great video with real skill, style, and a true proper art form of world-class video creation, that is just a pure perfection of beauty!!! Well done sir... well done indeed!!!

[@dhardy6654]

This loser Canadian could have bought a little buddy heater and a 20# propane tank and had something real.

[@GirdHerd]

An ingenious little convection stove. Can't wait to see version 2.0 with the larger air intake pipe and a propane burner.

[@bachempenius]

I think it's a jem of a tiny survival house. Brilliant idea to use an ammobox and a computerfan. Great work. And your house looks just as nice. You are used to have real wintertime. Weather like that only happens hear once in 40 years or so. Always admire the ones who are self sufficient.

[@cgavin1]

Absolutely brilliant! To get that much heat from 3 small candles is a real triumph of science! Bravo!

[@yopenzo]

If you build the same stove but horizontal, you can have a greater length of the heating pipes, so you can add a candle or two and have a greater heat output. You can also make a larger air pipe with a simple regulating flap to optimize the flow of fresh air in.

[@mbirth]

And put your cup of tea on top to keep it warm.

[@petehenry7878]

But then you would need to use shorter candles and that means less burn time. But consider this, at roughly $2.50 per candle is it even worth it?

[@yopenzo]

@@petehenry7878 True perhaps. But even if shorter, in the horizontal configuration, the standard candles can still *on average* be closer to the heating tubes, even when worn out (and it must be remembered that they are more numerous). Also change the candles every 8 hours, just to say, instead of 10 hours, I think little on a practical level. Practical tests should be carried out, because with hypotheses alone one goes not far.

[@petehenry7878]

@@yopenzo I get what you're saying, but I don't think there would be that much improvement in the long run. More testing is definitely needed.

[@marcusgrant9892]

Love the idea very much. I would like to suggest another improvement though. Using water with a little salt in, put the candle in and no matter how small it gets the flame will always be the same distance away from the pipe. Plus when at its end it drowns the flame instead of sputtering. Water is common, salt you should have with you at all times. Could you not make a hole in the top, one blank cover for heating, and one with a metal shaped mass for a heat sink for making or keeping hot drinks or additional heating. Just an idea. Might make one for my house if gas keeps going up. Lol

[@TheOutsiderCabin]

All excellent ideas! 🙂👍 Thank you.

[@petehenry7878]

With the price of candles being what it is, I'd stick with gas if I were you.

[@AnalystPrime]

How about an oil lamp? I have seen a video of how to make an oil lamp out of a can of tuna so nearly any oil should work. It would keep the flame at standard height and because of the heater ventilation design there is no worry about inside air quality(there is a good reason why oil lamps have "only for outside use" stamped on them).

[@petehenry7878]

@@AnalystPrime Let me tell you a story. One spring a few friends and I decided to go back to the hunting camp and see how it had wintered. We gathered up food and blankets and everything we needed to spend a couple nights. So, we get to camp, sun's going down and we can't find the lantern. Came to realize we left it sitting at home. So, we start looking around for candles or anything that might have been left at the camp, but nothing. Nothing that is but a jar of mayonnaise. It must have frozen because the oil and egg whites had separated. Well, I knew that vegetable oil was flammable, so I poked a hole in the lid and ran a piece of wash rag through it for a wick. Low and behold, we had light. So yeah, I figure just about any oil would work. And I think you just came up with a better idea. Good job.

[@farnsmark]

This is brilliant, I hope folks in Europe can use this idea to keep warm this winter!

[@almamater7860]

Thanks! We‘ll see how we survive cold nights and stupid, corrupt politicians.

[@mshomefire]

Well I'm hoping I will be able get one made and shipped to England

[@jonasschmidt9996]

Danke dass du an uns in Europa denkst, mal sehen was der Verrat von Klaus Schwab, Habeck, Baerbock und Scholz so anrichtet diesen Winter ...

[@Gabriel-gabriel]

folks from europe???

[@smallbluemachine]

That's why I'm here! Technically Switzerland isn't part of Europe, but we're sinking in the same ship.

[@ericarbo5044]

As for Mike Hoover. The length of the stack can make a difference without changing the size. You sound like a smart man. I build a wood stove that was 36” long, two foot wide an 32” high to allow for ash pan also. Six inch stack an inlet. The door is 16” square. From an old boiler stove from the 40’s or 50’s. Short stack an low draft an low fire. Higher stack an bigger fire and stove didn’t smoke when I opened it. I could leave the door open like a fireplace and get roaring. All I did was add ten more feet to the stack.

[@scottnyc6572]

It did its job as intended as well as the sleeping bag.Increasing heat capacity doesn’t seem necessary since you gauged everything in pretty well and didn’t freeze to death.I was amazed how perfectly those round computer fans fit.At minute 8:00 mark something interesting occurs in the background...😉.Great job!!

[@electricfuzzband]

I'll add my two cents regarding the heat shield wall. This is this is the same way I did my heat shield with a couple minor differences. Yours is probably more than adequate for this purpose but if you ever needed a little more protection (mine is for pottery kilns that I wanted closer to the wall than recommended). I placed my metal roofing pieces with the underside facing out. This puts more air pockets between the metal and the fiber cement board. Additionally I ran the air pockets vertically instead of horizontally, and left a gap at the bottom and top. this allows for stack effect (I think its called) to draw cooler air from the floor level through the air gaps, further cooling the wall. Nice video!

[@brianbaker9145]

Use copper instead of the material you’re using for the heating tube. Copper is a very good heat conductor. You could also slope it with the intake lower than the output for a heat siphoning effect, which may or may not be enough for you to keep from using electricity

[@harrymills2770]

He's already got the intake at the bottom and the exhaust at the top. Oh, you mean the heat exchanger. Yes. But then he'd need to stagger the candle heights, and complicate a very simple idea. My complication would be some sort of adjustable-height shelf for the candles. Or just insulate the burn chamber, so it heats up, regardless of how long the candles are.

[@brianbaker9145]

@@harrymills2770 the candle heights were something I thought of but I neglected to mention it. I don’t think it would be too much of a problem since the candles melting already needs to be taken care of

[@OnlyTwoShoes]

@@brianbaker9145 If you really want to get into a perfect system, a light tension spring could be applied to the plate the candles on. As they melt, they become lighter, causing the plate to move up slowly, maintaining the correct distance from the pipes.

[@nathansaunders943]

@@OnlyTwoShoes won’t the spring constant change with temperature tho? I don’t know what materials springs can be made out of but it seems like they would apply less force when hot compared to when cold

[@aubreyskylark5113]

I don't see how improved conduction would make much of a difference in this application. Copper seems like an unnecessary expense, but I have never purchased metal pipe.

[@davidgraceffa3963]

I would add springs to the bottom of the candle base plate that have the right tension so that the weight of the 4 candles compresses the springs down to the proper distance you want away from the pipes. As the candles burn, lose wax and weight, the springs will raise the platform and keep the flame at the same desired distance from the pipes.

[@RumMonkeyable]

So good to see you, again. The convection heater is genius! You make winter camping so much fun AND warm. Have you thought of getting a patent on the heater? Shop drawings would be EXTREMELY popular! Stay well and safe! 👍😎❤

[@davewilliams6172]

No point trying for a patent as the concept has now been published!

[@RumMonkeyable]

@@davewilliams6172 Thanks for the update. 👍

[@TheOutsiderCabin]

Thank you, my friend! I'm not worried about getting a patent though. Just happy to share a concept, which others might find useful. 🙂 👍

[@rmyerscmi]

This is awesome! So many possibilities for expansion/modifications. On top of its function, it looks nice, too. Masterful work!

[@HoneyHollowHomestead]

LOVE this concept. It is so hard to find heaters to heat small spaces other than electric. This seems like the perfect set up for a small space. Here's a thought, what about kerosene? All you would need is a wick and reservoir large enough for a minimum of 8 hours of heat.

[@geopro19FBS]

What about a computer fan on the air intake to get more oxygen into the burn chamber?

[@MegsCarpentry-lovedogs]

​@Just think Good idea to you both Ron and Just think💡

[@MegsCarpentry-lovedogs]

@@geopro19FBS Good idea to you both Ron and Just think💡

[@philondez]

Kerosene lanterns actually put out a lot of heat, some people use them to keep small-medium greenhouses warm during the winter. I'm sure it would be more than enough to cook you out of a space that small if you ran it on the highest wick height. It'd definitely be interesting to try and modify one to fit in a little stove like that and still burn well. I think an Aladdin style one without the incandescent mantle would be good, though I'm not sure the ammo can would be tall enough to fit the necessary glass chimney so it'd require a full rebuild to pull that off unless he could modify the ammo can's chimney to accept it

[@jicirob]

@@geopro19FBS I think the chimney is to cold and not drawing in the needed fresh air. A fan forcing air into it might blow out the flame.

[@kandreasworld4374]

Instead of candles, use a can of Crisco and put a taper candle in it. You will have to cut it to make it level with the top of the can. It will burn much longer without losing height as quickly. For reference, a large can of crisco, it will burn 8 hours a day for 72 days.

[@michaelcosta9610]

This is genius, you must have a background in the trades or engineering or something. Not only is this stove extremely efficient, easy to use and alot safer then heavy combustion stoves, but for a DIY project out of an ammo can, it is very astatically pleasing as well. Great job all around, I own an HVAC company and was thoroughly impressed.

[@mikeries8549]

Then you're an hvac tech. Exactly.how many watts heat output is three candles? Suppose I have a 3500 Sq foot well insulated house. It's 22F. How many candles to heat up to 70? Hurry...

[@brucebennett5759]

@@mikeries8549 For 3500 Sq. ft., you will need too. Too many candles. That's how many.✌️

[@michaelbrownlee9497]

@@mikeries8549 one candle on the drapes should get the job done quick.

[@daveriley6310]

Michael, 'astatically' usually means unsteady or unstable. Did you possibly mean to say 'aesthetically' pleasing?

[@MarkoPetejan]

@@mikeries8549 Well, a candle gives approximately the same amount of heat as good old light bulb. Or about as much as a human body. Next to nothing for that matter. But once the house starts burning, it heats up rather quickly...

[@OnlyTwoShoes]

A downward facing curved copper plate could be mounted on the underside of the pipes to capture more radiant heat from the candles, even when they are really low. It's all about surface area.

[@shibnick]

If the curved pipes were on the left side, the hot air would naturally flow up and out causing an inward draft from the horizontal pipes. No fans needed.

[@elemar5]

The copper plate would be better if it was curved downwards and placed above the pipes.

[@longrove5710]

@@elemar5 One single pipe with a small steel coffee can cut in half and fit over the top of the pipe might just work better. It would allow the heat to pool in the curved area instead of flowing around the pipe too quickly.

[@pyr666]

copper plates of the right size would probably cost more than the rest of parts put together. aluminum is ~2/3 as good but like 1% the cost, which is why it's so favored in other heat exchange applications like your computer.

[@pyr666]

@@steve0504 presumably OP cares, that's the whole purpose of making one himself instead of just buying a camping heater or something of the sort.

[@stoojinator]

Suggestion: Remove the fans off the intake pipe for the heater. Convection should take care of movement of air enough. Instead, use one of the fans on your intake for the burner. So you don't need to make it bigger and the fan can draw more than enough to keep the burner going.

[@davidtaylor4204]

Hot air will rise so remove the fans. The tricky thing is to get the hot air at the top of the camper down again. A stove top heat fan?

[@jevelwilson]

I had the same idea, or to at least move one of the two fans to the intake tube & put the 2nd fan at the peak of the roof inside turned so it would pull the warm air from the peak and blow it down to the bottom of the camper to help keep it a more even temperature. It is still a great 1st try & only needs a couple minor tweaks to be perfect.

[@thirdpedalnirvana]

convection doesn’t mean you don’t us a fan. You’re thinking of “Natural convection”, like a steam radiator in an old building. You’re suggesting that he power the combustion air? Why? He can’t add fuel any faster, and this would push the hot air out of the exhaust vent. You need more airflow on the heating air side than the combustion air side.

[@jgallaway81]

@@thirdpedalnirvana using a fan on the combustion air intake might be enough to allow a 5th or even 6th candle, or the propane burner. I built a naturally aspirated, venturi jet propane burner for my home foundry and I can get just about 24hrs of burn time on a full 20lb tank.

[@sonus289]

Right hot air rises! Or what about a large group of smaller tubes in a bundle? More surface area to heat?

[@christhomas1102]

Another small fan in the intake will increase your intake flow. I scrapped a junk gaming computer of the fans and a fan speed control on the front. I have used those fans and speed control for testing so many projects it is crazy. Food for thought. It is all 12 volt also. Hope this helps.

[@Hugh-Glass]

This is one of those designs so delightfully simple it needs no instruction. It's genius.

[@rtoguidver3651]

Home furnaces in the 50's used a kerosene drip into a pan of sand to heat the house. They vented the smoke out the chimney and used a circulating fan to move the heat around. Very simple valve controlled the amount of flow to increase the heat.

[@zeusapollo8688]

Hard to get started sometimes

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

A little advice for the fan. You can easily make a fan like that which is powered by thermo-electric heat by a peltier element. It would use the heat from the tubes and the oven to power itself and would always start to spin automatically as soon as there is enough heat converted to electricity :) You can even get them pre-made. I think they are called oven-fans or something like that.

[@kmoecub]

IMO the fan isn't even needed. The heat differential between the inlet and outlet is more than enough to ensure good airflow through the heat exchanger.

[@bryanbaker1479]

The rising heat would be fine without the fan, it draws the cold air up and flows hot out

[@McClane4Ever.]

@@bryanbaker1479 That's exactly what I was thinking.

[@user-tz6rk4dy5s]

The temp going through where the fans are wouldn’t be enough to start a heat initiated element. So they would never turn on.

[@mtbrik]

There is no need to put them there, if they need heat put them at the other end of the pipe..

[@markbellows9337]

I like the design. Using the auto exhaust pipes is a good idea. One thing you can consider is an oil wick based heat source, similar to what is used for a lantern. An idea would be to use a can, like a steel pint paint can with the lid on it, you can put plenty of oil in it and drill a hole just big enough for the wick to go through the lid. Two or three of this can might (?) fit in the ammo can. More importantly, the wick will stay close to the heat exchange pipe through the night. I am going to try this idea for a small work shop I have and see how it works. I'm not looking for it to be so warm I need take my coat off, but warm enough I can take my gloves and hat off without freezing!

[@styledliving]

Yeah, I sorta want to build one w/ kerosene/diesel in mind.

[@leroybrown505]

wax seems to last longer

[@bensmith4563]

​@leroybrown505 that might be but diesel or kerosene are cheap and super easy to get the only advantages i can see to using wax as fuel is its a solid at room temperature and really hard to just start on fire

[@flomastah]

I'm always excited to see another snowmobile camper adventure! Really cool heating method, can't wait to see what you do to improve it or replace it with for the next one!

[@Eyes0penNoFear]

Great build! One suggestion would be to replace your computer fans with the type of fan you can place on top of a stove and the temperature differential (magically?) produces enough electricity to power the fan. That way you won't need an external power source. You can find them for around $50 on Amazon.

[@tech4pros1]

A peltier element to provide power to a brushed dc motor, no batteries needed!

[@peglegjamesn]

An issue with those fans is they need to be heated to a relatively high temp in order to start working. They're also relatively heavy.

[@MattBlytheTheOne]

Oil burners would last way longer than candles. If you made the room heater pipes a loop on one end, the air would be heated twice and hotter. Also add cooling fins to the upper exhaust pipe to dissipate the heat into the room... no point wasting it. The air intake issue might not be the intake, it might be airflow or back pressure from wind through the outlet? Good design either way. :-)

[@digimaks]

He could easily place oil burner instead of candles.

[@jamesraykenney]

I was thinking the same thing about the exhaust pipe, but then I remembered that it needs to be HOT to work correctly. That may have been his problem with not enough airflow to the candles when using four. I would have thought a 2 inch pipe would be more than enough for four candles.

[@pw6048]

@@jamesraykenney It really should be, but the exhaust is not warm enough, so he does not get a good draft from the exhaust. And a bigger pipe wont fix that. seeing hees already using computer fans, he could add one to the air intake and that would fix it way simpler. Also, when you have a big fire going outside, throw in some soapstone and take them out when hot. that could also give you heat for the night. without spilling candles.

[@MattBlytheTheOne]

@@jamesraykenney Wood-burners use way more oxygen than four candles and stay alight. It could be the draft blowing them out? Or that there is not sufficient energy from the wick/flame to maintain combustion?

[@MattBlytheTheOne]

@@pw6048 he has tried different things in other videos. He tried hot water cans too.

[@MrSmithToday]

That candle heater is the best longterm heating alternative I have seen.

[@tammaragill9347]

I'm so happy to see a new video! You continue to improve on the camper heating system. This system looks great. I know you will continue working until it's perfect to your requirements 😊

[@Words-er5ez]

If you wanted to optimize heating efficiency through the night you could add a platform under the candles then put small springs under it. That way as the weight of the candles decreases with the burning the springs will expand and the flame will rise. Every type of spring is rated for a certain weight so if you measure the weight of the four candles you can do the math and know which kinds of springs to buy.

[@kimdawcatgirl]

Thank you for putting the idea I had in a better explanation!

[@kimdawcatgirl]

@Johan Well, what are they? Hahahaha!

[@timothyjones3410]

Or hook up a pully type weight that descends as the platform gets lighter and pulls the platform upward. Like a pendulum and it might have to hang outside the box. While you're at it, you might want to consider ways the box can also be a humidifier.

[@mac5houstonatgmail]

How do you compensate for the weight of the dripped wax from the candles?

[@timothyjones3410]

@@mac5houstonatgmail I'm not sure if you're talking to me, but the weight of dripped candle wax is still with the candles, creating weight. However, something must get burnt off, and the burning candle weight must be decreasing. Now the counterweight weighs more than the burning candles, hopefully causing the burning candles platform to rise towards the pipes. Upon reflection, I'm not sure if that would work, maybe a slight decrease in in burning candle weight would cause the platform to rise all the way up all at once. I don't know...that's what the ol' drawing board is for I guess.

[@barbarianatgate2000]

Great design! I think the only missed opportunity was the sheet metal backer. If you had oriented it so that the channels ran vertically, you could have drilled small holes at the top and bottom. As warm air rose through the channels, it would create a natural convection for distribution.

[@jacemiller2593]

Thank you. Awesome idea and build. Amazing part of the country. The separation of intake and exhaust separate from the inside air was genius. I’ve tried candles in my camper before. After a while the candles become irritants to your breathing and throat in a small space.

[@matsss777]

Good job! Instead of a bigger air intake you could simply add a second 2inch intake. On each 2 inch pipe one you can put a little door that would let you narrow down the opening. This would allow you to control airflow from 1",2",3",4" intake etc.. just like a real stove :)

[@justinw1765]

Or you could just drill a few small holes on the bottom, and put a slider over it to regulate air intake.

[@chadvoller2031]

I don't think the air intake is his problem. His chimney cools down too fast, it needs to be hot all the way to the tip so the hot air will pull the spent air out and pull in fresh air. He's putting his hand on it and thinking it is good that it is cool. It's not good. That's bad. His chimney is so high that it is too cold at the end, slowing the flow out that it reduces the flow of oxygen. This is why you are not supposed to put fans on chimney/exhaust for furnaces and gas driers trying to get that extra heat, the fumes can back flow as they aren't hot enough to rise out efficiently. He needs to insulate his chimney, and make it shorter outside.

[@bjarkethanner9263]

I agree on the isolation of the chimney. Furthermore the “top hat” seems to be restricting the airflow also. If that’s not enough, try to make the chimney straight through the roof, as a 90 deg. bend will cause turbulent resistant flow. The intake seize if probably not the bottleneck as the air is much colder than the exhaust and therefore more dense/less roomy. Nice video 👍

[@darknightofthesoul7628]

You are incredibly gifted with imagination and ability. I have a suggestion regarding the candles. I have a UCO Candlier and those smaller candles are loaded onto a spring base that continually pushes up the candles as they burn down. A man with your smarts ought to be able to rig something similar. What an amazing mind and spirit you possess, pure joy watching your video.

[@jenniefrench1338]

Nice idea really. Those large candles are $10 a piece here in the States so $40 a night. If even handmade and the wicks were tied they would be about the same price.

[@ericrusso6250]

Beautiful video! I can't imagine the work that goes into some of these shots! 😍

[@imck76]

I like how the chimney is offset. So you should be able to keep a tea kettle on top. What a lovely winter scene behind you. You could add sleigh bells to your outfit!

[@SpeedRacerXM5]

Place the candles on a rising floor. As they melt and loose weight they rise and the flame stays the same distance. Or make the pipe concave and allow the candles to be inside if you will, the concave portion of the intake. As the candles burn the flame 🔥 does get further away but there is a heat bubble, if you will. This should make your initial temp higher and your final AM temp higher as well. But like you said, 50degrees is pretty comfy on a camping trip.

[@jimmywarhorse6848]

Nice set up but I have a suggestion: On your exhaust pipe, weld a series of 1" fins the length of the pipe inside your houch. This would extract more heat from the exhaust before the heat exits. Look at your snowmobile motor, it will have fins to cool the engine, same principle.

[@Aliyah_666]

Clever insight, basically a heat sink.

[@blondek767]

To keep the heat, to possibly use less candles, try using foil blankets, cut to size, adhere with sticky Velcro dots, on your ceiling and walls. Also, they make portable solar panels that you can hook to your roof by day to charge a battery, that you can then use a converter to power a mini-coffee maker, hot plate to cook on, charge phone or laptop, and have lights inside without using small batteries or fuel.