Heating a room for 8p a day using flower pots

sb44

Donutchops wrote: »

It's still wet! The tea lights don't stay lit for long. My lodger has given me some better ones to try.

Mine are jn a metal pie dish on ceramic tiles. Do not use poundstretcher t-lights! Lol

The Wilkinson ones say 3.5hrs on the bag, 100 for £2 or ones that last for 8hrs which are 30 for £4 or two bags for £6.

I think they also had some that lasted 15hrs but can't remember how much those were.

I did notice that the other ones that I used leaked wax into the holders, the wilkco ones don't or haven't done yet.

M0ney

cheeswright wrote: »

its a neat description but dosnt answer my question
..e=mc squared
there is no more energy created by adding the pots....
dosnt matter how hot they get
its like throwing stones on a wood fire
they'll get hot
but dont make any more heat !......
i'm pretty sure this is just bad science and a decorative waste of time

You have completely missed the point on this one. If you burn candles without anything around them the heat will sit almost entirely in the roof space i.e. 2m and up which is of no use to anyone. This arrangment keeps much more of the evenly spread throughout the room, this happens because cool air near the bottom of the room is drawn in between the pots and heated, so the air is circulated fairly well, the won't happen as much simply by burning candles on their own. So no there is no extra heat generated but it stops a lot of the heat simply sitting at the roof level and hence the room feel warmer to any person in it. Your comparison between this and throwing stones on a fire is totally irrelevant, as is your citing of Einstein.

M0ney

lessonlearned wrote: »

I have today been putting bubble wrap over the single glazed windows. The difference is quite remarkable - everywhere seems much warmer.

I read about the bubble wrap on the "Preparing For Winter" thread and tbh was a bit sceptical but it has worked a treat. If the candle heater works as well I shall be chuffed to bits. In fact I will be making several.;)

I like your idea of putting bubble wrap on the windows in principle and perhaps I am missing something here but windows are for looking outside, I can't see my partner putting up with not being able to look out the window...

Winchelsea

I've tried the tea lights and flower pots idea, and it does work as secondary heating.

I lit it up when I put the heating off after I'd showered, and it kept the living room warm enough, but I have to say it was when the sun got round to the front of the house and gave a bit of warmth itself.
I didn't get cold enough to put the CH back on until late afternoon.


My tea lights (from Wilk*ns*ons) only burn for 3 1/2 hours though.

sb44

Winchelsea wrote: »

My tea lights (from Wilk*ns*ons) only burn for 3 1/2 hours though.

That is what is says on the bag if you buy the 100 bag one, they are only meant to burn for that amount of time.

cheeswright

M0ney wrote: »

You have completely missed the point on this one. If you burn candles without anything around them the heat will sit almost entirely in the roof space i.e. 2m and up which is of no use to anyone. This arrangment keeps much more of the evenly spread throughout the room, this happens because cool air near the bottom of the room is drawn in between the pots and heated, so the air is circulated fairly well, the won't happen as much simply by burning candles on their own. So no there is no extra heat generated but it stops a lot of the heat simply sitting at the roof level and hence the room feel warmer to any person in it. Your comparison between this and throwing stones on a fire is totally irrelevant, as is your citing of Einstein.

the amount of energy (e) stored in an object [in this instance the candle] can be described by its mass (m) times the speed of light squared
so the mass of the candle turns into energy at a given ratio no more - no less -
hence my quoting the equation....,because I have some ltd understanding of the principal I quoted the equation expecting others would too.
I fully appreciate that some people have a much better understanding - hence my willingness to learn / understand better ..
I am sorry you did not understand the relationship between this equation and what people were doing...and infact seemed irritated by my use of it.

I appreciate the radiant v. convection argument but think that it does not apply to what is happening here and really heat rises irrespective of the source...
check out the difference between convection and radiant heat ...try wikipedia
The model that this plant-pot heater is offering does not in any way change the laws of physics....you burn a candle you only get so much heat..it all rises
the level of radiance provided is minimal
also burning things uses up oxygen which is drawn towards the source of heat...and so creates a draft
of cold air moving into the room hence the reason radiators are more efficient.
Also burning paraffin wax generates water as a by product of the burn.( well water and carbon dioxide)..so not much chance of you drying anything out in a room heated this way.....and commercial and especially cheap candles are made of paraffin wax....

jonewer

cheeswright wrote: »

the amount of energy (e) stored in an object [in this instance the candle] can be described by its mass (m) times the speed of light squared
so the mass of the candle turns into energy at a given ratio no more - no less -
hence my quoting the equation....,because I have some ltd understanding of the principal I quoted the equation expecting others would too.
I fully appreciate that some people have a much better understanding - hence my willingness to learn / understand better ..
I am sorry you did not understand the relationship between this equation and what people were doing...and infact seemed irritated by my use of it.

I appreciate the radiant v. convection argument but think that it does not apply to what is happening here and really heat rises irrespective of the source...
check out the difference between convection and radiant heat ...try wikipedia
The model that this plant-pot heater is offering does not in any way change the laws of physics....you burn a candle you only get so much heat..it all rises
the level of radiance provided is minimal
also burning things uses up oxygen which is drawn towards the source of heat...and so creates a draft
of cold air moving into the room hence the reason radiators are more efficient.
Also burning paraffin wax generates water as a by product of the burn.( well water and carbon dioxide)..so not much chance of you drying anything out in a room heated this way.....and commercial and especially cheap candles are made of paraffin wax....

Its not quite correct to quote E=mc2 in this context. That equation simply demonstrates the relationship between matter and energy (matter is energy).

There is virtually no conversion of matter to energy in burning a candle. The heat is released by the oxidation of reduced carbon.

There might be some temporary advantage to putting some pots over a candle in that they will retain and radiate some heat, but as you quite rightly say, a candle will only generate so much heat regardless of how many pots you put on it.

Arguing that the pots somehow stop the convected warm air rising to the ceiling, or that the pots somehow cause more cold air to be drawn in and circulated is bunkum.

keicar

Tried all variations of this my my small office (2.5 x 2m). It certainly takes the chill off.

IMO just one flowerpot works as well as multiples.

I use a 7" sponge tin with a round microwave grill rack over the top, and the flowerpot on top of that, depending on the outside temperature I vary the amount of tea lights, anything from 3 to 6, although I haven't used more that four yet.

Combined with the heat of the PC it raises the temperature of the room from 14deg ish in the morning to 21deg in the evening, and it will hold the temperature if I go out.

I use a 2p piece to close off the top for the pot to warm up more quickly.

I use Sainsbury's basics tea lights (approx 4 hours) at I guess an average cost of 20p per day, having a 1kw electric heater for just half that time would be approx 70p per day, but the temptation to keep in on longer would be too great.

I works for me for now, although the weather hasn't been too cold just yet.

le11ny

vikki_louise wrote: »

Has anyone ever tried this? heat-your-room-8-pence-day
No but i do NOW! Thanks :-) Have found on ebay, (ebay.co.uk/itm/301035283108?var=600176967306&ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1561.l2649) can't wait for it to arrive. I'll test and let you know.

Fruball

Anyone else smell spam?

You aren't supposed to promote your own products on here le11ny