# Any ideas?



## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

For heating in a house if theres no power, no fireplace, nothing.
We have a pellet stove, but without power it wont work because it relies on a fan. I have been toying with an idea that I could possibly rig a battery powered fan inserted into the flue, but I could only do that if we absolutely had to, and I dont think it would work for very long.
I am actually going to tinker around with a large computer fan and try to rig it to a battery. I will try to find out if this can even work, but I dont think it would work in the pellet stove.

My question is, assuming the pellet stove is useless with no power, what are the options for heat?
I could rig some kind of ventilation system into a window and using some kind of wood burning camp stove, but that doesnt sound practical.
Without the obvious answer of getting a generator hooked up (which I'll do, but I cant this year) what are the possibilities?
Any help or ideas, no matter how out there would be greatly appreciated.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

I use underfloor radiant heating that is merely the cooling system from my (sometimes bio-)diesel generator

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/hackleman64.html

http://www.aimradiantheating.com/store/underfloor.html


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

A pellet stove need power to run the auger.
No power no pellets.
I used a generator to run mine when we lost power for a week.
How about a propane stove?
There are several types and all price ranges.
Check craigslist. There are usually several heating stoves listed.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

A computer fan is not a large power draw... you could, with a modest sized solar panel, charge a decent sized battery and run that to your fan. A higher amp hour battery, fully charged could easily last days with a computer fan as the only load. Unlike a generator, this would also be quiet. No motor running that could attract attention.

Obviously you could also add (or replace the pellet stove with) a wood stove that doesn't require power to operate.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Immolatus said:


> For heating in a house if theres no power, no fireplace, nothing.
> We have a pellet stove, but without power it wont work because it relies on a fan. I have been toying with an idea that I could possibly rig a battery powered fan inserted into the flue, but I could only do that if we absolutely had to, and I dont think it would work for very long.
> I am actually going to tinker around with a large computer fan and try to rig it to a battery. I will try to find out if this can even work, but I dont think it would work in the pellet stove.
> 
> ...


If you have the manual for the stove, it probably has a listing showing power consumption while running. It might take 850watts to run the auger and might take 500watts to run the fan. If you can locate an inverter that will be able to provide double the requirement (scenerio is 850 + 500 = 1350 * 2 = 2700) would mean that a 3,000watt inverter would be the best source of power.

Hook that inverter to a couple of batteries and a solar panel of 130watt (to charge the batteries, not run the inverter directly) or better and you should be able to run that pellet stove for a long time.


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

The fan isn't what needs to run.
The auger has to run to deliver pellets.
The stove will heat without a fan if the auger turns.


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## 1969cj-5 (Sep 14, 2011)

CulexPipiens said:


> A computer fan is not a large power draw... you could, with a modest sized solar panel, charge a decent sized battery and run that to your fan. A higher amp hour battery, fully charged could easily last days with a computer fan as the only load. Unlike a generator, this would also be quiet. No motor running that could attract attention.
> 
> Obviously you could also add (or replace the pellet stove with) a wood stove that doesn't require power to operate.


Computer fan gives me an idea for the Barrel stove I have been fighting with... Gonna run with this one for a while. Thanks!


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

I would think about improving on the insulation of the structure as well as heating. 
Have you looked at the Rocket Mass Heaters? They can be fed with culled wood that you wouldn't normally use in a wood stove.
http://www.rocketstoves.com/


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## Dixie (Sep 20, 2010)

If I was in a hurry, and cost was an issue, I would get a fireplace that uses jel-fuel. I bought one for my mother to use at her home in SC. They seldom use it but have been there when ice storms have hit.

But for long term I would put in a woodburning cook stove. Again, if cost is an issue, Harbor Freight has one for about $170.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Get an iron box-heater. available at many hardware stores, quite cheap - $225 around here. Have it put in. You can burn most anything in them, but they do take some tending. Put in central area of main room. You can cook on their tops, and put dutch oven in coals to use them for cooking. Not as fancy as a 'range' but better than a fireplace. Close off other rooms after removing freezables. Use them for cold-storage. Polar fleece curtains work well to shut off air flow, but even a tarp to close off will help some. This is a good use for old blankets or quilts, if you can find any. If you are 2-story, holes used to be cut in floors of upper rooms over the heated lower ones. Heat rises, and that heated sleeping rooms adequately so you didn't freeze, plus you used the heat twice before it went out 'thru the roof' Put a floor grille over the hole so nobody steps through. Even a buddy burner (remember how to make one?) in a single closed off room gives off quite a bit of heat. Dress in layers - wear a vest, fingerless gloves, stocking cap even inside. That way you heat your body, not the room. Remember closing down a cabin for the winter" turn off water, pour anti-freeze down the drains to minimize pipe freezing. No water in pipes means no freezing in pipes. Yes, it is a pain carrying water in, but without power many folks have no running water anyway. Hot soups should always be simmering on top of wood burner, they warm you from inside out. Keep people in the same room most of the time. The body heat helps warm the room plus you can monitor each other for frostbite, or signs of carbon monoxide ingestion from all the burning. You will need to vent the room so enough oxygen gets in to feed the fire, and to avoid carbon monoxide trouble. Since heat rises, vents at lower levels let in more oxygen, then vent out the top of the heated area to keep the flow going.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks, good food for thought. I like the solar panel idea.

I am asking this for emergency purposes only, The girl (its her house, and we dont plan on being here for that much longer) isnt going to go for a wood stove for a multitude of reasons in this house.
It looks like there was orignally a wood stove (most likely) or fireplace there and it was long since removed.
Heat never even made it into my train of thought at first, I have to admit. "I got plenty of warm clothes". After thinking more about cooking, and my buddy asking, "Uh, well, what about heat?" I realized it might be an issue...


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## AbeeNormal (Jan 25, 2012)

Have you thought of a Hobo Heater? Also called a Hobo Stove. Google it for lots of different plans to make one. Basically it's made from number 10 cans with holes cut for ventilation. The Boy Scouts use them all the time. Simple to make from cheap materials and disposable, but not as sophisticated as an inverter, solar panel and batteries.


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## tac803 (Nov 21, 2010)

We had a set of vent free gas fireplace logs installed by a local professional ( I don't mess with gas connections). We had a gas wall heater in the back room that works great to heat the small area. With the gas logs, we can heat the whole first and most of the second floors. They can be converted to propane as well. No power required. If the gas runs out, I can unscrew the connector and switch back to burning wood in about 10 minutes.


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## tac803 (Nov 21, 2010)

AbeeNormal said:


> Have you thought of a Hobo Heater? Also called a Hobo Stove. Google it for lots of different plans to make one. Basically it's made from number 10 cans with holes cut for ventilation. The Boy Scouts use them all the time. Simple to make from cheap materials and disposable, but not as sophisticated as an inverter, solar panel and batteries.


A big problem with that could be Carbon Monoxide ( CO ). A colorless, odorless gas that can kill you before you know what's happening. Use any kind of stoves indoors with extreme caution.


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## Tank_Girl (Dec 26, 2011)

What we've done in an emergency is set a cast iron dutch oven up on some house bricks to protect the flooring and filled it with BBQ briquettes, lit them and put the lid on.
It kept the room toasty warm all night long.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Tank_Girl said:


> What we've done in an emergency is set a cast iron dutch oven up on some house bricks to protect the flooring and filled it with BBQ briquettes, lit them and put the lid on.
> It kept the room toasty warm all night long.


EXTREMELY dangerous!!


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## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

My experience with pellet stoves is the auger and combustion air fan need to run, or it won't burn or feed pellets. These motors don't need much electricity, but do need 120 VAC.

A deep cycle battery and solar panel with charge controller would do the job nicely if properly sized. Check the specification plate on the stove for electrical power requirements...it should be listed in amps or watts. If amps, divide the amps into 120 (volts) for watts, and choose a power inverter that will provide at least twice that amount. If it will be running continuously, as most do, you will need a battery and solar panel that can provide at least as much power as you will use, multiplied by 4 to 5 (or more), as the panel only makes power for 4-6 hours per day, depending on what region you live in. If you have cloudy weather, the panel produces less power as well. The battery needs to provide the energy needed through the night, and should have some reserve capacity for cloudy weather if you want long-term capability.

If you need more info, I can dig up links for solar calculators, solar zone maps (to find your region of solar peak sun hours per day), and additional system design info. A quick google search will hit on tons of web sites that provide most of the info you'd need to figure everything out. If it's a stand-by set-up which would only be used for emergency contingency planning, you could easily forgo the all-out installation and set it up for temporary use on an as needed basis.

I'm not gunning for total solar power, but will be implementing a smaller back-up solar system myself, and I've already sized my system needs according to expected energy use. With careful shopping around for prices and shipping, you can get the best deals. Solar panel brand names aren't important, but solar panel and charge controller types are important, depending on your situation.

Let me know if I can help you with any of this. The obvious benefits to renewable energy is low maintenance and zero operational cost. The draw-back is initial purchase cost, depending on system size and installation requirements. Smaller systems aren't that pricey.

Happy heating!


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

Tank_Girl said:


> What we've done in an emergency is set a cast iron dutch oven up on some house bricks to protect the flooring and filled it with BBQ briquettes, lit them and put the lid on.
> It kept the room toasty warm all night long.


Whole families have died from burning charcoal briquets in the house.
You are very lucky and if you keep doing it you may not wake up one morning.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

That seems the way to go Smokey, I will oook into that. I have a lot going on with the finances right now, but it looks like just the solar panel is $500, then the inverter, backup battery, etc.
I am paying off a credit card, and looking into buying some land with a business. Maybe I can get some financial backing for this kind of thing though.


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