Proton BASIC Community

I spent last week with a pal in Devon. They have a Flame Effect Fire. I want to make one and have deduced this so far (not bothered about heat, it's the flame effect I'm after):

The "flame effect" comes from a long shaft with reflective, randomly shaped paddles that slowly rotates. Strong amber spotlights shine on these paddles. The light then travels through flame-shaped holes in an opaque screen. From they the light hits a screen but I can't work out exactly how.

The effect is very convincing. I searched around on the net but can't answer the last bit: what the "screen" is made of and exactly where it sits. Les did flame effect LEDs but this is different (I think).

Any ideas?

Charlie

I have seen electronic fireplaces where the fire is a display.
Another was a fireplace with rags that get blown upward with red LED shining on them, also looks very realistic.

Of course nothing beats the real thing.

Perhaps a photo or video of the one you saw ?
jewgle for artificial fireplace and see the images.

Search on temu.com for faux fire
I always try to see what else has been already (like in China), you have 1,4 billion Chines giving you their ideas of what has been done before... BEEG brainstorm.

You could try the flame effect neon bulbs Charlie.

I know some of the older flame effect neon bulbs were excellent, and a lot brighter than the modern ones, so maybe there are some sitting in boxes waiting to be useful again in the museum. Or a combination of LEDs slowly cycling the red and orange colours with a pseudo random movement, and flame neons would give a very realistic effect.

So old meets new.

Les, Fanie

I've looked at flappy rags and LED sequencing but that's not what I'm after.

Something like the picture below. It's difficult to see how realistic these fires are from a still. I tried a video but the site wouldn't allow it.

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-DkFerG48g

They look just like real flames, you'd have to be in the know not to be fooled. I have found another way of doing it: using ultrasonic transducers to atomise water into a cloud of vapour. A gentle breeze from a fan, some orange lights and it's there (sounds too easy but hey-ho).

Charlie

A clever method, but where does all of that moisture go?

What I can see of the video, it could do with the red/orange light moving around a little bit, as a real fire does over time when the coals/logs burn down.

A good question Les. My version lets the atomised water escape into the room. Photo below of the latest stage we've reached. The "logs" are 15/22mm pipe lagging that has been attacked with a knife and part-burned on a gas ring. The LEDs under the "ashes" will change. Needs some paint and positioning of the logs. Ultrasonic atomiser not arrived yet. A lot to do....

I'll keep you informed as we go along if you like? (I've discovered that getting the wife involved is not a bad idea! Looking forward to Fanie's comments about this.)

Charlie

It's winter here and cold, so I was thinking perhaps make the fireplace one that can rotate.

In winter you burn the real one making heat.  More and more of the rocket designs make no smoke and burns clean.
Only mistake most have is taking air in from the room so the heated air burns, while air intake should be from the outside and the heat in the room remains.

In summer you run the cold one.  The power the video says sounds a bit much, these ultrasonic mistifiers draw very little current as does a fan(s).  I bought a mistifier from Temu.com and in the hot summer it should have a nice cooling effect.

As a side-note.  I don't know if you in England have enough sun to heat water with vacuum tube solar heaters, but even if you don't, these tubes will heat the water some and should make a good saving on your electricity to heat the water more.

https://youtube.com/shorts/KVZvlp-8cxE?feature=shared

Looks very realistic with wood and chimney too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeh9CFSr0ZU
The Truth About Water Vapor Fireplaces: Are They Worth It?

The presenter claims that the amount of moisture in the air does not have any real effect.

I've had solar water heating for the last 25 years Fanie. 20 evacuated tubes on the roof. I haven't kept records but on a day like we've had today (hot), it can heat about 200 litres of water to 70 degrees C over the day. I am sure I have saved a ton of money over the years using this.

I think the video may have talked about the power used by the actual heater, not the mystifier. Many of these fires offer pseudo flames or pseudo flames and actual kilowatts from a true heater element.