Chapter 4: Operation and Maintenance This chapter is formatted as a standalone manual for owners of rocket mass heaters. The procedures outlined in this chapter apply to heaters built according to the preceding chapters of the Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide (Wisner, 2014), or proven to work in a similar way through extensive prototyping. Heaters with improvised alterations or "improvements," including unconventional chimneys, may present quirky behaviors not covered here. For general troubleshooting tips for nonstandard heaters, we recommend the FAQ section of the general text Rocket Mass Heaters by Evans and Jackson. There are also numerous popular discussions of improvised heaters and stoves and their quirks online, such as the energy forums at www.permies.com. GAP DOWNDRAFT BARREL / BELL HEAT RISER HEAT EXCHANGE MASS FUEL FEED MANIFOLD BURN TUNNEL Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide, Wisner © 2013 — Chapter 4: Operation and Maintenance — p. 4.1 Rocket Mass Heater Operation and Maintenance Manual Original Authors: Erica & Ernie Wisner, www.ErnieAndErica.info
[email protected] Contributors:______________________ _________________________________ Note to Readers: This Manual describes the operation and maintenance of residential rocket mass heaters as described in the Rocket Mass Heater Builders' Guide. Each mass heater is built with a sitespecific layout and features. This manual may contain information about features or methods that are not relevant to your particular heater. Builders and owners may need to include additional information to complete an accurate, unique manual for each particular heater. Throughout the manual, blank sections are provided to prompt additional information. These may be filled in by the owner or builder.