This is a very simple RF detector, which you can build yourself for around $10, with many potential uses. It could be used to see if the CIA is putting words into your brain!!11! (https://www.voat.xyz/viewpost?postid=62c168613ff38) Or if your microwave is leaky, etc, etc.
To construct this, you will need:
- A 0-1mA panel meter; you may need to search for "ammeter" or "milliammeter". Found one on Amazon under the "Baomain" brand (yeah, you can guess where it's coming from) for $9.
- A germanium diode. The 1N34A signal diode is pretty common. Be careful, they're fragile; don't bend the leads near the body.
- A 0.1uF ceramic capacitor.
- About 28" of stiff copper wire; a scrap of #12 solid electrical wire will do.
You'll also need a soldering iron or a crimp tool and a crimp connector.
Form the wire into an antenna, you want a deep "U" about 3" wide and about 12" tall. Attach one end to the negative terminal on the ammeter. Attach the capacitor and diode between the other end of the antenna and the positive terminal of the ammeter. MAKE SURE THE END OF THE DIODE WITH THE STRIPE CONNECTS TO THE TERMINAL. Aaand that's it.
Noticed in the linked post. To reproduce: Click to view first image link in comments, then click image link in later comment. 2nd comment's image will replace the 1st one.
Edit: Well, that's interesting, can no longer reproduce issue...
tl;dr if there's smoke coming out of your chimney there might be a problem, and you should read more below.
When I ask if your wood stove is efficient, it's not to "save the planet". It's because if your stove isn't running right that means you're burning more wood and putting out less heat than you could, and you may also be depositing more soot in your chimney than you would prefer.
Cheap single-chamber stoves tend to be pretty inefficient. Properly designed double-chamber stoves, and most of the stoves on the market qualify even if the second chamber is small and not easily noticed, run IMO acceptably efficient. Catalytic stoves are even more efficient but the added expense is IMO not necessary.
First thing, you won't have *no* smoke at all coming from your chimney. All stoves will produce smoke until they get up to temperature. You want to get the stove up to its regular running temperature before you check the chimney.
White smoke from a wood fire is mostly methanol, with some ethanol and some other products. The second chamber of the stove is where unburned organic compounds will combust once that chamber is up to temperature. White or light gray smoke coming from the chimney means either the stove itself is inefficient, or you're not allowing enough air into the stove or enough airflow through the stove. There has to be enough oxygen coming in to fully combust the carbon in the wood.
Note that white clouds from your chimney aren't necessarily white *smoke*. It can also be condensing water vapor. Water is a product of burning hydrocarbons and if the humidity is high that water will condense once the stove exhaust cools down. High humidity in the environment will increase this effect. Look closely at the top of the chimney, if there's a clear gap between it and where the white clouds appear then it's water vapor. A lot of water vapor may also mean you're burning green wood, which isn't a good idea for various reasons.
Darker smoke means the materials you're burning aren't very appropriate for the purpose. I'd recommend switching to different materials, or different wood, to help keep from fouling up your stove.
