BTU per lb of a human as heat source

I recently acquired a very well built ice house that i am converting into a sauna. It was built by a guy who was a wizard at tin bending so the whole thing is a airtight galvanized metal box 4x8 outside. He used metal tape to air tight it

He made it with 1 inch solid foam insulation and 1/4 inch hobby board/plywood inside and a single 3x4 double window.

I was gifted a large amount of aluminum backed 1.75 inch hard foam insulation and a bunch of scrap 2x4s as well as a bunch of red cedar tongue and groove. I split the 2x4s on a table saw and used them to make a frame so i could nail the tongue and groove to the insides as well as stick the 1.75 hard foam insulation in. I'm putting 1-2 inch cedar cut off on the outside.

It will have insulation consisting of: Air tight sheet steel, 1 inch hard foam, 1/4 plywood, 1.75 hard foam, .75 inch cedar in a roughly 7x3.5 foot area.

Would the heat of a human body or a gas light keep this at room temperature at 0 to -15 degree outside? I know it works for sauna level insulation, i'm just wondering it it works enough to keep someone alive without heat in a place like northern Maine in a emergency.

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  1. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    oxygen

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      let's worry about that after determining the temperature issue

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      let's worry about that after determining the temperature issue

      OP here, i am quite aware of the oxygen issue. the thing is TOO airtight and needs a vent.

      Combined human output at rest can be estimated at 100 Watts, this can go up a factor 10 for short periods during activity and the thermal efficiency about 25%. So if you produce 200 Watts on a home trainer, there’s also 600 Watts of thermal energy released.

      Check the wiki page on R-value. It has a table with materials and values, from there you can calculate. At 3sqm per side with R1.5 and a 40K temp difference you’re looking at some 400 Watts ballpark figure.

      Thanks.

  2. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    >keep someone alive
    Ask an Eskimo.

  3. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    Combined human output at rest can be estimated at 100 Watts, this can go up a factor 10 for short periods during activity and the thermal efficiency about 25%. So if you produce 200 Watts on a home trainer, there’s also 600 Watts of thermal energy released.

    Check the wiki page on R-value. It has a table with materials and values, from there you can calculate. At 3sqm per side with R1.5 and a 40K temp difference you’re looking at some 400 Watts ballpark figure.

  4. 11 months ago
    Anonymous

    Post pics of your death trap

    • 11 months ago
      Anonymous

      Death trap in progress, the missing window is getting covered over and the panel is going on the inside to make the other one a double window. They are sealed with clear silicone.

      R value seems to be around 40. Planning a tent stove as a heat source so a vent is needed, even without the stove when it's done it will be a massive co2 hazard if it doesn't have one.

      Pretty sure it would be just fine without heat if not for the ventalation issue, wonder how to calculate vent size?

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        More doom box:

        • 11 months ago
          Anonymous

          Aww. Fishies!

      • 11 months ago
        Anonymous

        That thing is an illegal pile of shit. If I knew where you lived I would call the county about it. Shame on you.

        • 11 months ago
          Anonymous

          >Ice shack laws
          Only law round here is get it off the ice B4 it falls through

        • 11 months ago
          Anonymous

          >Ice shack laws
          Only law round here is get it off the ice B4 it falls through

          Unincorporated townships in Maine don't even require building permits for anything with a footprint below 750 sq feet, anything with a wood or timber frame doesn't even need to meet code if you make it yourself reguardless of size. .

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