jfaltous Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 (edited) I was sitting with a friend of mine waiting for some coals to light up when we started in on a discussion of alternatives to charcoal to warm up the shisha... so here's the idea:Create a small coil burner, sized to fit directly on top of the bowl, and some sort of clamping system to keep it held in place above the shisha/foil. Now I don't know how easy it would be to custom-make something like this, but I figure there's got to be a way. Even if its using an alternative source for the heat other than a coil burner, for instance a light bulb.Has anyone ever tried anything like this before?Edit: Obviously a down-side would be that it would have to be somehow plugged in, but there was also discussion of using something like a laptop battery as a power source. Those things can put out enough energy to heat a bowl for 3-4 hours easily. Edited January 2, 2008 by jfaltous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canon Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 yeah, its been thought of. make it work and post it in the fun house part of the forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hshah Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 This would be interesting if it could be implemented Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybersist Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Many have tried, none have succeeded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASUSEAN1 Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 my roomate was talking about this a few weeks ago. He was thinkin of borrowing a thermo radar from his work and test the temperature to the bowl and have the coil have temperature controls and push out a consistent temp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymptom Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 An alternative heat source for the hookah is the ultimate goal, in my mind... people often don't realize how significant it would be to entirely eliminate charcoal inhalation. I'd think it would cut health risks by 80-90%...But yeah, none have succeeded with the heat coil method. I think the problem is that unlike charcoals, the coils won't get any hotter when you inhale. Part of what makes charcoals so effective is that they heat up when air rushes past them during inhalation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zildjian Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 biggest issue would be over heating. it would have to be able to change sizes, or available in different sizes for different bowls as well as being able to, with a funnel at least able to heat polar sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nofrendo Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Someone once suggested using the heating coil from a hairdryer. That could be a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishPhood Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Why not a toaster? You could use the coils out of that and wrap as tightly or as loosely as needed to get ther ight amount of heat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToastyTofu Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 wait... how would removing the coal cut health risks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hshah Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 QUOTE (ToastyTofu @ Jan 3 2008, 01:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>wait... how would removing the coal cut health risks?Chemicals in coals, carbon monoxide etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rani Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 When inventing something "new" don't just look at modifications of what's being used now, like "electric coals" for the top of the shisha. Start with your desired result and reverse engineer from there. If I were working on it, I'd go with an electric bowl. Think mini-crock pot with a perforated glass domed lid to draw down air through the stem. And yes, if someone uses my idea, you owe me. A lifetime supply of hookah supplies ought to cover it!'Rani Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oolatec Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 How about just making a bowl that heats up... coils inside of the ceramic/pyrex etc... perhaps with temperature settings... would have to figure out what could replace the grommet though.Batteries could get expensive though... but then again... a box of 3K QL go for $12-$15...I think this really is the ultimate breathrough for hookah smoking... imagine no more coals/foil/tongs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternalSoil Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Lasers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonasindi Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 QUOTE (EternalSoil @ Jan 3 2008, 01:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Lasers!you know, you might be joking, but I bet a pulsed laser could be used in such a way as to very precisely control the amount of heat...it's times like this I wish I was still an engineering major. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EternalSoil Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 QUOTE (lonasindi @ Jan 3 2008, 12:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>you know, you might be joking...it's times like this I wish I was still an engineering major.I'm never joking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLipinski Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 imo the way to go about this would be to get a temp measuring device... maybe like one of the bbq temp. readers, then heat up coals for your session, and then record the temp. at certain intervals, and make note of the temp. each time you hit the hookah. After testing this at least 3 times, look for trends in the data, then once you find a trend, average the temp for the specific periods during the trend and also the temp of the coals when you hit the hookah. then after you do that, acquire heating coils (toaster, radioshack), a thermometer, a circuit board with necessary parts (to read the thermometer and then adjust the temp), a variable power setting, a meter that meters air intake and a power supply. so basically, after a lot of frustration and work, you end up with a circuit board, attached to three meters and a big electric block with a plug on the end. So this is how I imagine it working, you plug it in, the circuit has a timer that goes for x amount of mins at x temp. to heat the bowl, all while it looks for any time that you take a hit and adjusts the temperature to the same one you got from the coals and then back to the normal temperature. also it could have a manual override switch (just like a toaster) so that you could heat up the coils less or more to adjust for specific brands. so all and all after thinking maybe you don't need the thermometer because the user could just adjust it to a lower or higher heat setting and then meter to account for the user inhaling. sounds a little crazy but I don't think it's too far off, just would require knowledge or investigation about making the circuit board work. Just imagine never buying coals again, no mess with ash and no chemicals... If I have confused anyone... sorry, I will try to get working on something like this soon... shouldn't be too expensive other then the meter to monitor the inhaling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoley88 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I have solved this dilemma use a short stroke of genious... remove the bowl from the top of your hookah and fill it with whatever flavor you wish to smoke... Cover it and put holes in it like normal... Then place it on top of an electric stove upside down... With the hookah sitting close by create a tube using more tin foil to connect the bottom of your bowl to its original location. turn on the stove to around medium and there you go a working alternate heat source. You can now adjust the temp and find out what works best for your bowl and stove... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamscott06 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 QUOTE (stoley88 @ Jan 4 2008, 09:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have solved this dilemma use a short stroke of genious... remove the bowl from the top of your hookah and fill it with whatever flavor you wish to smoke... Cover it and put holes in it like normal... Then place it on top of an electric stove upside down... With the hookah sitting close by create a tube using more tin foil to connect the bottom of your bowl to its original location. turn on the stove to around medium and there you go a working alternate heat source. You can now adjust the temp and find out what works best for your bowl and stove...Pictures or its not real! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonasindi Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 QUOTE (stoley88 @ Jan 4 2008, 09:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have solved this dilemma use a short stroke of genious... remove the bowl from the top of your hookah and fill it with whatever flavor you wish to smoke... Cover it and put holes in it like normal... Then place it on top of an electric stove upside down... With the hookah sitting close by create a tube using more tin foil to connect the bottom of your bowl to its original location. turn on the stove to around medium and there you go a working alternate heat source. You can now adjust the temp and find out what works best for your bowl and stove...I feel like tin foil is not the proper material for a tube. we need air-tightness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoley88 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 [attachment=875:101_0033.JPG]Here ya go... want nemore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamscott06 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Damn .. that is pretty cool looking. How does it smoke? Do you taste anything besides the shisha? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoley88 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 When i first started it up it actually tasted better than it ever did with coals... then about 30 min in you could tell it was starting to burn the shisha instead of just heat it and create smoke... this was my first try so im still working on gettin the temp of the burner and placement right but it should work great with enough toying around... and a great alternate when ur in a bind and cant get to coals for a week like i cant at my college right now cuz our local hookah place closed down for the winter break... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamscott06 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Do you think you could like only put half the bowl on the burner then later switch it around so the other half gets heated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoley88 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Thats a possibility... Im trying a lower heat setting right now... and i also stuffed the empty space in the bowl with tin foil i ripped into small pieces to see if maybe that would work as a buffer so that the shisha was now resting directly on the heat source.. I have also thought of possibly using a skillet... who knows... trial and error... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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