Coffee Can Heater Question

[Fish Forever]

I read this post today and am curious if it actually works:

For those that like to rough it out in the open come hard water, here is an old trick I'd like to share with you. Take a one pound coffee can and drill a ¼ inch hole ½ inch from the bottom of the can. Take 8 feet of ¼ inch copper tubing and stick about 8 inches out of the hole in the can and wrap the tubing around and around the inside of the can with the last foot or so sticking out the top, aiming down. Throw a couple of handfuls of self-starting charcoal in the can and light it. Set the can next to your hole, with the lower end of the tube in the water. The heat from the charcoal will suck up the water, heat it and spit it back into the water from the top tube, keeping your hole ice-free no matter how cold it gets and the charcoal will burn for hours. You can fashion a handle from a coat hanger or whatever.

Questions I have about this process:

1. First wouldn't you have to first fill the copper line with water?

2. Second, Wouldn't you need both of the copper ends in the water? Otherwise atmospheric pressure would push the water right back out.

If both ends were under water and the copper line was filled with water I could see how the heat would move the water through the line otherwise I'm lost.

Also does the warm water fall to the bottom of the lake, hence the turning of the lakes.

Please help me understand the dynamics of this theory.

[widetrack]

Save yourself some trouble. Drill a partial hole ( a few inches deep). Then form a channel between your fishing hole and your partial hole. Use a ice chisel or whatever to make a small channel. Then just put a coffee can with charcoal in, fire it up, and you are good to go. Put some rocks in the bottom of the can to keep it from floating.

As far as the turnover question goes, water is at it's highest density (heaviest) at 39 degrees, at which point it will sink causing turnover in the fall as it cools, and turnover in the spring as it warms.

I've heard of the coil thing too, but I've never tried it. The other method is tried and true.

[Ole1855]

Just a safety note, please don't try this type of thing in a portable or any type of fish house. The fumes WILL kill you.

Ole

[widetrack]

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[WallEYES]

Just use the coffee can and fill with sand/ gravel, put charcoal in, and use a coathanger for handle. The sand will sink/drop can in water to stay buoyant. The heat from the charcoal in the can keeps your hole unthawed for quite some time....

[Ole1855]

widetrack,

It wasn't too many years ago that I remember reading about someone that died burning charcoal in a heater in their fish house, I'd bet their family wouldn't find the humor in your reply.

Ole

[widetrack]

Ole:

I suppose you are right. My apologies.

[McGurk]

Quote:

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...the charcoal in the can keeps your hole unthawed for quite some time....

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Unthawed? You mean it refreezes the hole? I thought we wanted to keep them open

[Ed Carlson]

I'll second and reinforce Ole's words of caution on charcoal in a confined area. It emits a lot of CO2 and eats up a lot of O2......and it will get you.

I have also used the Coffee Can rigs on tip-up sets in the past and found them handy deals. Plus I have also used them as mini Hibachi cookers on the ice to put a plump on a polish sausage or to do deer-ga-bobs impaled on a gaff or to put a boil on a small pot of Joe...whatever works Eh.

For open air use the rig is a good deal, just don't use them in doors....or you may not live to regret it.

[Fish Forever]

Just to clarify my intentions, I'm not planning on using this setup in a fish house. I'm trying to plan for the brainerd ice fishing tourney. I would imagine those holes will try and refreeze has fast as possible. I'm really intrigued by the idea of a warm water fountain but I just don't see how it will work. So if no one can explain if it works or how it works I'm planning on setting it next to the hole and chiseling a channel like the rest of you has suggested. Thanks for all of the ideas. What about using one of those battery powered aerators. Would that keep the hole open?

[Ishmel]

I can't explain the exact science of it, but i have to think it works, it's the same principle as a coffee maker.

[RoadRunner]

Wasn't there something on this board last year about putting a roll of TP in a coffee can and pouring a bottle of isopropyl rubbing alcohol over it and using it to keep outside holes open? Seems charcoal and sand would be a lot cheaper though.

[rendso]

I,ve used the coffee can toilet paper/alcohol method and it works good. use pastic lid to get it to the place your going to be using it then uncover and use lasts up to four hours