Portable woodstove

[Vivid-Dawn]

LOL Nooo.... how would you even drive like that, anyway??

 

[offroad]

CO CARBON MONOXIDE is the first thing that will kill you. CO2 can kill also if you flood your small space with it. Just is less likely, and your body will likely give you enough warning to why outside

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

No matter what heat source I end up using, I will DEFINITELY have a CO monitor. There's some pretty snazzy ones with digital read outs that tell you what levels are currently, and have warnings when they get up to a certain point. They're a little more expensive than just the ones that don't have digital numbers and only beep when they detect higher levels. (that's the kind I have in my bedroom right now)

Or I could just get a pet canary LOL

 

[B and C]

Or I could just get a pet canary LOL

LOL with you.  I don't think they sing a swan song (to let you know there is no oxygen) before dying though, just silence
Brian

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Been thinking about this all day, and I wondered about something...

My vehicle will most likely just be a full sized van, that I'll put a little air bed in, camping potty, propane camping stove to cook on, etc.
What about when I take the vehicle in for safety inspections? I know they go in the vehicle in order to work things like the turn signals, brakes, etc. If they see a wood burning stove in there, are they going to claim it's unsafe and not pass me?
Maybe I can set up some cover of some sort and make it discreet so they don't know it's there and/or don't know what it is. On the other hand, how do I hide the chimney, especially if I have it going up through the roof, rather than out the window and can be easily removed?
Or what if I get pulled over by police (very rarely, I'm a good driver!) and don't have time to hide it and THEY see it?

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Good reasons for not having the the Dern thing. Propane heat is so much cleaner and easy. Quite safe with proper use and care.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah I think that unless you go with a very small wood stove like a Dickerson, a wood stove is to much for a van. if you must stay where it's very cold I feel it's much better to go with a propane heater or just use your stove. but you must have the clothing and sleeping bag to handle the cold. all wood burners have minimum distances you must keep combustible materials away from. with a van you just don't have the room. my 2cents. highdesertranger

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Yeah, propane would be nice, BUT too expensive. Those Mr. Heater radiant hook ons use a 20 lbs tank in less than 50 hours, which is barely more than 2 days. I can't afford to buy 20 lbs tanks 3 times a week for 4+ months!
Another option would be an electric heater run on solar... but I don't know if a van would be able to have room for enough panels for that, either.

If it wasn't for my wonderful doctors here, I'd just move somewhere like Florida or South Carolina and not deal with winter!

 

[highdesertranger]

no go on the electric. get a better sleeping bag and clothing so you don't need to run that heater 24/7. I just replied on your thread. that heater if run for 2/hrs a day would last almost a month on a 20lb tank. highdesertranger

 

[Willy]

I'm seriously thinking of getting a solid fuel stove (Dickinson.. and it's about 50km down the road from here) and burning anthracite coal in it. Alternatively, I could install a propane furnace or go catalytic. Problem with catalytic is there generally isn't a thermostat, so temperature regulation is a problem. Generally, my rigs are pretty well insulated and I've found that, subzero (Celsius) weather, and using an old 'gravity fed' convective heater (75% or so efficiency, but vented), I'd go through a 20lb tank in about 10 days.. and that also includes cooking.

A solid fuel stove would be harder to regulate but, using a long burning fuel like coal, I could bank the fire and get juuuust enuf heat to keep things comfortable. There's also another advantage to such a heat source insofar as it tends to 'dry out' the living area, thus preventing mold and indoor rainshowers, which cannot be said of catalytic heaters. ..Willy.

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Yeah, in the dead of winter here it gets below freezing during the middle of the day. I can insulate and bundle up all I want, but it will still be PLENTY cold and I think I would need heat going for more than 2 hours? Definitely would want some heat during the night at least, and that's 8ish hours.

I don't mind having a bit of wasted space in one corner, if it means not shivering to death.
And I like the idea of just using coal and banking it to make it "low heat".

I've been looking at those little portable camping stoves for tents. They don't seem very tall. I wonder if I could build some sort of shelf for it to stand on, rather than having it on the floor. With a metal sheet under it, to protect the wood frame, I could have a cabinet under it, and that would help with the wasted space?

 

[akrvbob]

I think you are really overestimating the cost of a propane and I think mainly it's because you're thinking of an uninsulated van. Spend $100 on insulation and you'll cut your propane costs by 2/3rd for the rest of your life.

It would be realistic with temperatures down to the teens to run a Mr Buddy for 30 minutes every 2 hour in the evening. During the day even less often. Get the van warm before bed and then don't run it again all night--just have enough blankets to stay warm. The next morning jump out of bed, turn the Mr Buddy on and get back in bed and let it warm up.

Propane is the way to go.
Bob

 

[karl]

I experimented with tiny stoves in a van, even adding draft inducer and outside air for combustion.....tired of the creosote smell in and around the van when there was no fire.
The short duration fires required to not over heat the van never got hot enough for thorough combustion of the gasses and tars....a stainless stove -like the Dickersen- will likely work better than a cast or steel stove since stainless encourages higher combustion temps.

I now use a propane furnace and other than fan noise am comfortable.

 

[DannyB1954]

There are different types of propane heaters. some heat the air, some use infrared light waves to heat the objects in front of them.
You may be able to use a smaller radiant propane heater, (less fuel), by lining the inside of the van using something like reflectix. The reflectix will bounce the heat waves back and forth, so one side of you will not be hot, while the other is cold. A small one like 3,000 btu may be enough. get 2 for real cold nights

Don't forget to leave a window or vent cracked for fresh air.

 

[accrete]

a poster mentioned suiting up with a warm set of clothes if in the van when things get chilly.
Well... I've shared this elsewhere, my goto item inside the rig on chilly days is my Selk' Bag Patagon. I also use it as my sleeping bag if i'm hangin' from trees in my hammock.

OK, so I look like a Gumby, get over it. I'm WARM and Cozy!!
I've used this down to about 40 outside in a hammock and for me? it was wonderful. If you know anything about hammocks there is a serious issue of Cold Butt Syndrome due to airflow under the hammock. I was comfortable all night...for five nights under the stars. 

: ) Thom

 

[accrete]

On "Portable Wood Stoves"...
I wouldn't put this in the "portable" category...but it is small. And it has a nice little viewing window. There is also an accessory back-splash/heat-shield that is wall mountable. Looks like it should work fine in a small area.

The Cubic Mini Wood Stove
http://cubicminiwoodstoves.com/

Thom

PS. I think the price is reasonable also at ~$400 USD (prices on site are Canadian dollar)

 

[GrantRobertson]

my goto item inside the rig on chilly days is my Selk' Bag Patagon.

Ohhhh, that is so cool, warm, whatever. And yes, they should come in plasticine clay green.

 

[ahh_me2]

On "Portable Wood Stoves"...
I wouldn't put this in the "portable" category...but it is small. And it has a nice little viewing window. There is also an accessory back-splash/heat-shield that is wall mountable. Looks like it should work fine in a small area.

The Cubic Mini Wood Stove

Very cool little stove!

I'm about to get a furnace for my conversion, and seeing this got me thinking...
But I'll probably stick with propane though.

 

[accrete]

...they should come in plasticine clay green.

They've got'ya covered...

 

[jimindenver]

That stove is too cute. Just think how warm you will be cutting the wood that small.