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How The Coal Keeper Works


Gonna give it a shot?  

41 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you think you're gonna take a stab at making one?

    • nope, not for me
      19
    • yes, a kewler one than that dumbass Scalli made!
      11
    • I'd rather hold off on a kit and see if there's any casualties first
      13


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Well if you kept up with the other thread ya know where we're at, if not check the other thread.
I've decided to answer questions for those inclined to DIY to hopefully avoid any accidents.
Here is the new vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPHiIY5B9k

I look forward to seeing what some of you come up with. Do me proud!!!! We are still planning on getting kits and components for MN Hookah. So don't think you have to resort to making one if you would rather not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPHiIY5B9k
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QUOTE (Zinite @ Jan 29 2009, 08:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Is it just me, or is it dangerous to burn propane indoors? Pretty sure it releases quite a bit of carbon monoxide.


The danger is when there is not enough combustion air flow present. I wanted to find a link to support this and here it is http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/466.html Drill down to the part that talks about not covering the bottom of a natural gas or propane oven. This is one reason you use an air pump and keep the fuel turned down low.
I am glad you brought that question up BTW since I had not covered that.
The burning coals produce more carbon monoxide than anything while they are lighting. It is the ppm (parts per million) or concentration of carbon monoxide that is the thing you most have to worry about. There is always a level of it in the air around you along with all sorts of other nasty stuff. When you read details on what is in the air in most cities on any given day it will freak ya out. sad.gif



QUOTE (indian_villager @ Jan 29 2009, 08:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I get it you are just pumping a mixture of gas and air under some diffuser type thingy....Like a bed of small stones.

Exactly. The mixture routes erratically through the gravel causing the lightshow
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QUOTE (Zinite @ Jan 29 2009, 08:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thanks for the quick response.


No problem. Thanks for the question again. I should have detailed the importance of the airpump sad.gif That's exactly the kind of things that worry me when it comes to knowing peeps will be doing this so you may have done some folks a real favor.
Any more things I have missed mentioning feel free to throw them out there guys.
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While the large surface area is prettier, a smaller one seems like it would yield better efficiency towards lighting the coal because there is no energy being lost at a dead space.I'm going to go and experiment some this weekend and see if I can't improve on your design.
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QUOTE (indian_villager @ Jan 29 2009, 08:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
While the large surface area is prettier, a smaller one seems like it would yield better efficiency towards lighting the coal because there is no energy being lost at a dead space.I'm going to go and experiment some this weekend and see if I can't improve on your design.


Right, the wider area makes for the show. As ashes accumulate they create some dead spots. Larger medium helps that but also takes away from the show. I also thought about making a disk with a hole a few inches in diameter in the middle to concentrate the fire to start the first batch faster and remove it when maintaining fresh coals.
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Scalli you have to be careful with this. As a Chemical Engineer I have heard many stories about things going wrong in industry. One such example is building up the perfect stoiciometric mixture of fuel and air in such an apparatus and causing detonation withing the inner area (as opposed to the outer surface as your contraption depends on). You are going to have to cause a condition where the fuel being fed to the system is more than the stoichiometric requirement.
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QUOTE (indian_villager @ Jan 30 2009, 01:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Scalli you have to be careful with this. As a Chemical Engineer I have heard many stories about things going wrong in industry. One such example is building up the perfect stoiciometric mixture of fuel and air in such an apparatus and causing detonation withing the inner area (as opposed to the outer surface as your contraption depends on). You are going to have to cause a condition where the fuel being fed to the system is more than the stoichiometric requirement.


I can't explain in engineer lingo but there is not much chance of that happening here. No where in the inner are is any volume of space of any real size. i.e.- no larger than the small spaces between the gravel. The little micro pockets are making kinda micro explosionsnear the surface but the layers if gravel below becomes a flashback arrestor.
That was why I cautoned against any types of voids though.

QUOTE (MechAnt @ Jan 30 2009, 03:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Have my babies Scalli, please. Pure genius.

Well, first I gotta see the wenches and then you gotta get the okay from Ms. Scalli and run the video ohmy.gif HAHA!!! Thanks Mechy that is quite an offer!


Anyway, IV has some good info so maybe consultation between the two of you will make for an even better product

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QUOTE (indian_villager @ Jan 29 2009, 08:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
While the large surface area is prettier, a smaller one seems like it would yield better efficiency towards lighting the coal because there is no energy being lost at a dead space.I'm going to go and experiment some this weekend and see if I can't improve on your design.


I found a pretty good work around to still keep a good show and concentate the heat more to one area. I cupped an area in the middle of the gravel making it lower there. My coconaros came in those were lighting way to slow compared to the lump coal I've been testing with. So I scooped some gravel out of the middle since the gas will take the path of least resistance (kinda like my lazy kids sad.gif ) and I got a great flame in the middle with a nice blue aura aound the rim area.
My glass phunnel and mod came in as well and OMG I love them!!! Tarik you did well my friend! the mod sits so much lower than my old phunnels. It is a gorgeous piece of artwork of a bowl!
I am going to help some friends setup for a gig tonite at a local club or I would video the setup. The coconaras friggin rock!!! Now I see why so many peeps have raved about them.

So on my agenda tomorrow unless I come home feelin a little frisky tonite, I will do a video and set the timestamp so I can do a timelapse vid but still show the time and see how long it takes to get a couple of cocos burning with this contraption. I figure after the first ones are ready I can level the gravel off a little more or back off the gas and start another batch giving them ample time to start slowly.
These guys seem to burn a long time so it seems like a reasonable gameplan.
I look forward to your experimentation on this IV. Just like Tarik and MN did with the first mods I made they took it to a whole new level. To me there is not a better compliment than to see that happen. It keeps me in check too! smile.gif Gawd only knows I have a phat enough mug already! ARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! My Papa Scalli really hated me for that and Mama Scalli never really walked right afterwards either sad.gif
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I'm still testing another idea I had and so far it looks really promising. I turned off the propane and left the air running and poured a few ounces of 91% isopropyl alcohol (higher alcohol that the 70% rubbing alcohol) I am not sure how long it will burn but it has been going at least 10 minutes. The initial flare up on the fire is a bit intense for a few seconds ohmy.gif Don't be leaning over it wen you light it. Stand back and again use a long bbq type lighter. My coconaros are ready to use and that surprises me. I got a hangover from last night so they are just gonna have to burn down on their own.
This definately saves the cost of a propane torch and extra fittings. The flame has gone over 15 minutes now with no sign oof slowing down.
As soon as I pulled the aquariu pump the flame went out.
This particular bowl I have this setup in came with a lid. So I can put that on to get the alcohol from evaporating or smelling. There is no smell while it is burning. So now it appears you can really get off on the cheap with this.
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