astonished - the discussion rolls on
this lovely diagram from this bloke
this guy is a genius
and finally a fire warning from the London Fire Brigade
http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/fire-brigade-issues-warning-over-candle-powered-heaters/201328575
The heater uses a combination of tea lights, a loaf tin and flower pots.
Senior Brigade officers are concerned that rising fuel bills and increasingly colder weather will prompt households to copy the video’s creator.
They’re warning that such systems can be unsafe and cause fires which quickly spread out of control – often with fatal consequences.
Station Manager Charlie Pugsley, from the Brigade’s fire investigation team, said he sees “dozens of fires every year, including fatal fires, that are caused by people using alternative forms of heating and lighting, most of which include a naked flame.”
He added: “Candles and tea lights can be extremely dangerous – a small gust of wind can cause an innocent candle flame to set light to objects nearby if left too close.
“We understand that some people may be struggling to pay fuel bills, but we’d urge everyone to think carefully about their safety and the safety of those around them before using candles to heat their homes.”
The Brigade has issued the following safety advice:
• Candles need to be used in a safe, fire resistant holder or container – as you can see in the video, the flower pot would only need the slightest knock to cause it and the candles to fall.
• Candles need to be supervised at all times – so blow them out if you need to leave the room.
• Don’t cover candles with anything – anything placed over a candle flame will get very hot, and could melt or catch fire.
• Stick to radiators and if you’re especially cold, a hot water bottle is a much safer alternative.
Finally the old potheadforkandle story rolls on - it has been given the most marvelous political spin here
http://ukipnorthcornwall.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/heating-your-room-for-few-pence-it.html
this is a work of genius from the UKippers who want to get Britain out of Europe - no real idea why but that aside you have to admire the way they can turn a flower pot and four candles into a political point. Read and enjoy.
I saw this little video on David Icke's website a few days ago, and I was intrigued. How to heat your room for just pennies! Well, being that the nasty parties LibLabCon are taking us back deliberately to pre-Victorian Times and making austerity a way of life, and even death, for their own citizens, the thought of a heater costing so little is brilliant. So being curious I went out and bought some tea lights, a couple of terracotta flower pots and a bread baking tin from my local supermarket to try it out. I'm delighted with the results; Whilst it doesn't actually produce enough heat to use instead of everything else, it does take the chill off of the air and in small rooms it actually does feel warmer. Of course, you could use a couple of these in a medium sized room if you wanted to. Tea lights are sold by the thousands, so I would think people are sensible when using candles of any sort, so be sure you place this little heater out of the way of pets or children and place it where it won't get knocked over. It's just few words of caution, but you can bet your bottom dollar that the lovely caring people in charge will try to put people off of heating their homes, whatever invention comes along (whilst they themselves bask in endless heat, a lot of it claimed back from us in their expenses for their second homes of course, bless them!). Anyway be careful, but have a go if you want to; People are wonderful, inventive, inspirational and astonishing, no matter what the government's propaganda machine tells us. People will always find a way around problems, especially those problems created just to make our lives a misery!
I have enjoyed every moment of the past few weeks -
How do ya feel D. After all the things you have done in your life, you have finally made it, not as an adventurer, engineer, horseman, farmer, sailor, writer, documentary maker, truck/tractor driver or journalist, no,, you will be most remembered as, the crazy old flower pot heater youtube guy from the UK. I cant wait to see what the authorities will say when your bubble rope film goes ‘viral’.,
Paul Mullings you asked to question “where to next?” answer EBAY! look -http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301023185090?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1561.l2649#ht_525wt_1139
If you have not got any tea lights, take four Almonds, cut a small cross through the brown skin in the pointed end and push the fatter end into plasticine so they are standing up and light them, you do not get that waxy candle smell……. Fun experiment! you get heat but not very practical I suppose. Could be another video though,
This idea has been around for years – I was camping and heating my campervan with a flowerpot back in 2005, with friends who had already been using this method for years. Why the sudden attention for an old story?
I made one!! not fantastic, but it was cheap and fun to build. I bought my pots from B&Q and the girl on the checkout said ‘are you building a heater’ lol… To get more life out of your tealights, try freezing them first, you will get at least another hour out of them!
Love it :)
It works partially. You can also use an infrared light bulb. But if this system will ever become very popular, I’m sure the Geman government would decide to tax candles to the point of making them unaffordable. And Germany being the big boss in Europe, if they say so then every other country would have to comply, including the UK.
Sod the bloody fire brigade, it’s a brilliant idea! Here’s a tip people that the fire brigade neglected to mention…….don’t be a careless test and you won’t die! Besides they also need to remember who pays there bloody wages, cheeky sods!
Stay warm Dylan
Scorp
I am trying it now with two electric heaters running! I live on a boat 41ft cabin cruiser,I really think it is taking the dampness out. I live up North in the USA.
I need to tell my experience to help people preventing same accident!
I built my pot heater and for about 50 minutes everything worked fine. Then I went to the kitchen again as I smelled smoke and the kitchen table was burning! Thanks God it had only started but, it ruined anyway and will have to change it. The tea lights were sitting on top of cork glass holders that went on fire and burnt the wood of the table underneath!
If I would have arrived 1 hour later probably my entire house would have been burnt!
If you try this at home so, don’t leave candles unattended and especially put them on the floor, on tiles where nothing can burn underneath! I risked to set my house on fire today!
Methinks this is a little bit of scientific trickery … but trickery nonetheless. A 4-candlepower heater can produce 4 candlepower of heat, no more, no less. So, where’s the trick? It’s comparable to putting a very fine nozzle on a hose. The water gushes out at impressive pressure. However, it will take just as long to fill a gallon tank as the same hose with a wider nozzle. The flowerpot arrangement concentrates the heat output from the candles into a small space and the heat in that space is impressive. However, it will provide exactly the same heat to the room (or cabin) as the four candles without the pot! It will, of course, reduce dampness . . . with or without the pot … and the psychological effect may be superior to four un-potted candles. I am open to correction but I cannot see how four candlepower can produce anything more than four candlepower.
I saved your flower pot heater idea to Pintrest a couple of years ago, I must buy a large pot to go over my little one and try it.
I guess the Fire Brigade have to put their tuppence worth in, as a Midwife I had to let women know they could quickly become pregnant gain, before discharging them after their recent delivery . . . . some things just have to be done.
I had an aunt who showed me how to make candles with cotton wool and dripping, which apparently was the norm in post war power cuts. WE did it for the 3 day week in the ’70s!
Anyhoo, the pyromaniac in me is raring ro go.
I have really enjoyed reading all the comments and your responses Dylan.
Hope your ankles are toasty ?
For what it is worth and no doubt I did something wrong but I was on my boat last two nights and took a clay pot stand and two clay pots of different sizes, the biggest 17cm. Also IKEA tealights and clay pot feet to stand the pots clear of said tealights.
All was well first evening, tealights burnt out and kept the chill off also kept my tea warm. I did find I could not cover hole in bottom pot without tealights going out so left it open but maybe my pots were not big enough. Well second night same thing, tealights lit, all going well. Cup of hot chocolate and storm Angus raging outside. Nodded off then next thing awoke to carbon monoxide alarm and flaring pot heater and horrid smoke…. Suffice to say whatever I did wrong I made the device dangerous, regardless of me dropping off, fortunately not for ever, thanks to my alarm, any warnings should be heeded and not taken lightly. A lot no doubt depends on size of pot or number of candles etc. I did not intend to nod off but even if I had not the same would have happened albeit I would have spotted the problem earlier and not had a burnt saloon table and stench in the cabin. I don’t regard myself as an idiot but no doubt some oh so clever person will give me that label but it nearly cost me my boat and more importantly my life. I await the onslaught of abuse…
Thanks Dylan, The boat was rocking slightly but the whole things was very stable, I was in a marina for once. I may have had too small a pot or the pot too low down to the candles. Strange it worked fine the night before, who knows but it scared the sh1t out of me. I should never have lit it knowing I was so tired. Deck hatch above was cracked open and companionway too so good flow of air, perhaps a gust of wind upset the wax in the candles.