No Mr Heater.. something better.? Project Fargo ND

[templedog]

I live in the cold Fargo ND. &nbsp;THis is my heating project I dreamed up. THis is what I want to do.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Spray Foam the Van. Then Panel it.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Use this Propane stove:</div><div><a href="http://www.nuwaystove.com/model2000.php" target="_blank">http://www.nuwaystove.com/model2000.php</a>&nbsp;Here is a youtube of the wood burning version.&nbsp;<a href="" target="_blank"></a>&nbsp;(Whats also cool about this stove..... you can put a pot of water on it..to boil and create moisture in the air...in the dry days of winter) Coffee... tea</div><div><br></div><div>It vents to the roof.... i know (not good stealth) plus I will have a sticky solar panel on the&nbsp;High top&nbsp;I reckon.... plus a vent on the side of the Van for the compost toilet. On the side or straight up... idk yet</div><div><br></div><div>I want to wrap the stove pipe in a copper pipe... and then splice it to a rubber hose that goes down into the floor under the Vinyl. (Floor Heating) &nbsp;I want to put some antifreeze in this circular pipe flooring and use a small pump like so....&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shurflo-Water-Pump-3-5-gpm/dp/B001QQ0BFQ/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi5" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Shurflo-Water-Pump-3-5-gpm/dp/B001QQ0BFQ/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi5</a>&nbsp;to continually cycle the water that is being heated by the stove pipe... Ya know transfer the heat... It all sounds to me like a good theory... but will it actually work?&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>also.. check his out;... you can put this on top of the stove...<a href="" target="_blank"></a></div><div><br></div><div>I know this all seems expensive... but.. If I'm going to live in a Van... and leave my place... I want to do it "right" Just trying to think up stuff.. I'm not a rich person by any means. &nbsp;I get scared of Minnesota/ NDwinters... and that heater uses a 20 lb propane tank just the way the MR heater... it &nbsp;will take up more space.. but feels like it would be way warmer.... but then again... is it overkill? &nbsp;We're talkin -15, -20, -30 below&nbsp;possibilities&nbsp;</div>

 

[templedog]

I read that someone said "I spent a lot of money on things that I ended up not needing when I moved into the van"... The thing is here... maybe all I need to do.. is use cheap insulation and panel the walls and get a Mr. Heater and that's it... and I'm fantasizing and spending too much money on my idea... ya know.. because I really just need something to do the job. I don't want to spend more than I need and worry. It defeats the whole point of me moving into the van.&nbsp;

 

[Wild_E]

Because of your post I looked them up and emailed them.<div><br></div><div>They phoned me back to answer my questions;</div><div>cheaper than the Big Buddy</div><div>can be hooked up to 20 or 100 pounder, just need regulator</div><div>20 pounder lasts up to 9 days</div><div>Big Buddy 20 pounder lasts up to 3.5-4 days max!</div><div>they told me they recommend&nbsp;venting, but have talked with lots of people who do not vent them.</div><div>ps, I will be venting mine because it is easy to vent it out the Box truck</div><div>great customer service, answered a few more questions as well.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

 

[ped]

You have to definitely vent them. They deplete oxygen and produce carbon monoxide. There have been people go to sleep and never wake up on more than one occasion. venting is A MUST. <br><br>Get a carbon monoxide detector too.<br>

 

[karl]

What PED said!<br>I'm not familiar with that brand, but years ago I used a similar propane heater to heat a workshop- it used a burner similar to the ones in cheap gas grills and vented nearly as much heat as it threw into the room.<br>I like that it is US made, but I'd put my money toward an Olympic or some other quality catalytic heater.<br><br>

 

[johnny_canuck]

Sounds like a lot of work. I find I like to keep things simple. If you have not seen my "Simple Survival&nbsp;Expedition" you may want to take a look. My complete set up is shown there. Lots of photos. Check out my heating arrangement. Low tech Coleman 1500 btu&nbsp;catalytic&nbsp;heater with a fan to circulate the heat. Cost is 30 cents an hour.

 

[Freemind]

I bought a Olympic Wave-3 catalytic heater for my van. If you use a catalytic heater, remember to cover it when not in use. Dust will kill your catalytic pad quick. So keep it covered when not in use.<br>

 

[MrWright]

Again, coming from my maritime experience you definitely need to vent that heater ... Even ones that don't require a vent I would at least crack a widow or something. Additionally, you might wait and see just how much water/moisture one of those heaters discharges before worrying about it being too dry in the winter. I've read somewhere that per gallon of propane you burn you have almost a gallon of water produced as a byproduct.

Just something to consider.

 

[Wild_E]

Yes, this winter was very wet inside, even with venting and with a fan