RV Woodburner and Desert

[Maxine]

I want to install an woodburner in my RV to make sure I can keep warm and dry. Moist and Mold is something to work against indoor.
Something like this:
http://cubicminiwoodstoves.com/collections/all

Do you have one and travel in the Desert?

What about sandstorm and chimney. Do I need to cover the Chimney if sandstorm so I cant use the woodburner?

Tell me if you have any experience

Maxine

 

[rvpopeye]

Your biggest problem with a wood burner is where to get the wood in the desert......

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't have one at the present time but I am planning on putting one in my trailer I build. I am planning on using a marine deck fitting to go through the roof. with the deck fitting you can pop the stove pipe off above the roof line and install a bung. that way when on the road you don't have to worry about your stove pipe. you will also need a USDA approved spark arrestor and a wind diverter. there are many different types do a search. the wind diverter keeps the wind from coming down the stove pipe causing a reverse flow.
some are going to say don't do it but I have seen many wood burners in RV's. I don't think you want to tell you insurance company. I am not sure about using them during burn bans you will need to research that. highdesertranger

 

[highdesertranger]

popeye, sage brush. burns fast but burns hot. there is no shortage of sage in the great basin desert. or in every small town there is someone selling firewood either pinion or juniper, and they will sell small amounts. ask me how I know. highdesertranger

 

[Headache]

Maxine I'm putting the Cub in mine. Just keep in mind that many places to camp don't allow the collection of firewood. However, before you get there might be hardware or other chain stores that carry pressed logs. I'm going to carry a box or two for when I'm in areas that don't have wood. Also keep in mind that if wood is there and collectible it may not be a good wood to burn. I'm erring on the side of caution. Sometimes bundled firewood is left out uncovered and gets damp producing a smoky fire and we don't want that either. It's definitely going to be an interesting experiment!

As far as wind/sandstorms go I'm not going to do anything different than sail boaters do. I'll buy a wind/backflow preventing chimney cap like they use and try that out.

 

[Gary68]

you can also get small boat stoves that primarily use coal as fuel

http://www.fatscostoves.com/

 

[Almost There]

I want to install an woodburner in my RV to make sure I can keep warm and dry. Moist and Mold is something to work against indoor.
Something like this:
http://cubicminiwoodstoves.com/collections/all

Do you have one and travel in the Desert?

What about sandstorm and chimney. Do I need to cover the Chimney if sandstorm so I cant use the woodburner?

Tell me if you have any experience

Maxine

I admittedly don't have any experience with woodstoves in an RV but I will tell you that this past winter (one of the colder on record in Quartzite/Ehrenberg), I needed a heater less than a dozen times during the entire winter.

My propane Mr. Buddy heater was more than sufficient, a whole lot cheaper to buy and use than a wood stove installation and didn't require yet another source of fuel. I already had the propane tank for cooking with.

I'm not sure about the advisability of leaving a small woodstove burning in an RV while one is sleeping, I personally wouldn't do it.

Seriously, for a six month venture here, go economical! Buy good thermal long underwear a heavy quilt or duvet and a Mr. Buddy heater and call it good!!

 

[Headache]

I got the idea to put a woodstove in a van from a guy that had a Fatsco mounted in his and he was burning pressed logs. Coal(as in lump coal and not charcoal) would be difficult to find in a lot of places I'm assuming but pressed logs are not for the weight conscious if you have to be far out in the desert for awhile.

For those like me who will not have propane appliances it's an awesome alternative that you can cook on as well. Also unlike other fuel burning devices it is airtight if a proper installation is done.

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

I totally agree with almost there. Why spend that much money for six months? I rarely even used my little buddy stove, I would use it fifteen minutes or so to take off the chill in the mornings. Once the sun comes up, you will be warm.

 

[Headache]

I'm not sure about the advisability of leaving a small woodstove burning in an RV while one is sleeping, I personally wouldn't do it.

Just curious, why would you leave a propane device burning but not a woodstove?

 

[AngryVanMan]

i have that exact stove Maxine i havent installed it yet though. like they said maybe you wont need it in the desert but i plan on staying in some cold places so it seems good. i wanted multi sources of heat so i got the cubic mini cub as one source. my chimney will be near the drivers door and i have designed a system to remove it while travelling or not in use with a cover over the stack hole. nice little stove and pretty cheap

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I don't have experience with a wood stove in a van but I do have experience heating a small cabin (400 sq ft) with wood/coal in a Northern Minnesota winter.

Advantages:

• To me, wood heat is the most comfortable/enjoyable heat available.
• Wood heat is a dry heat (no moisture from a properly vented wood stove).
• In forest areas wood is readily available; I have no idea about availability in desert areas.
• In rural communities coal is sometimes available (usually as pellets in 20# bags at hardware/farm/ranch stores).
• In residential areas the best availability is scrap construction wood.
• 'Free' wood can be more or less expensive than propane (depends on collecting and processing costs).
• I am more comfortable leaving a properly installed wood stove burning while sleeping than a propane heater (Wave, Mr. Buddy).

Disadvantages:

• If you are buying wood, it will be more expensive than propane to heat.
• Until you are skilled at it, a wood stove requires a lot of attention to maintain comfort.
• It is dirty to clean out the stove and you will get ash all over everything in a small dwelling.
• Coal is dirtier still and black dust eventually gets all over everything.
• Wood is dirty to store indoors.  It is a good hiding place for insects/rodents.
• You have to let a stove get cold to clean.
• Cleaning a chimney of creosote is messy.  You never, ever, ever want a chimney fire!
• Many places ban/restrict where you can collect wood.
• If you are collecting your own wood it is hard work (wood warms your thrice).
• You cannot transport uncertified wood very far in many places (a lot of the forested west).  You can transport kiln dried wood.

 -- Spiff

 

[wagoneer]

last year at the RTR I bought this Ho-Made 1/8th inch plate steel wood burning stove and was thinking of a way to burn it outside and transfer the heat to the camper set it on the tailgate??

 

[Almost There]

Just curious, why would you leave a propane device burning but not a woodstove?

I don't!

All of those I camped with this past winter used them in a similar fashion - turn them on in the evening when we each retire to our vehicles, warm the place up, turn off when going to bed for the night. Some would turn them on in the morning and retreat to a warm bed while the van warmed up, others would just dress quickly and warmly until the sun warmed the van and the desert, which was usually no more than an hour or so. Me, I just liked to snuggle in the warm bed until it was warm enough to get up - that's part of being retired isn't it....

 

[wagoneer]

put on my pink wool soviet wool silk arctic 2 piece long johns, wool sox ugg boots and my Irish wool sweater and start the coffee while the sun is rising
get into my Strongback folding chair facing the sunrise and let it roll down my body

 

[ZoNiE]

Your biggest problem with a wood burner is where to get the wood in the desert......

Heh... "Arizona" 200 miles from water, 40 miles from wood, and 10 feet from hell...

I totally agree with almost there.  Why spend that much money for six months? I rarely even used my little buddy stove, I would use it fifteen minutes or so to take off the chill in the mornings. Once the sun comes up, you will be warm.

I'm gonna pile on here too. six-months, get the little buddy and call it done. Sell it when you go home, as I don't think our propane fittings are compatible in Europe...

 

[highdesertranger]

I cannot disagree with the 6 months mindset. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

Get a down jacket and you CAN take it home,,,or better yet bring the one you have from home it will make a nice travel pillow for the flight,,,,,, follow
the comfy temps while you're here and you might not need any other heat.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Your biggest problem with a wood burner is where to get the wood in the desert......

I think some of the marine ones can use Charcoal briquettes.  I want to install one in my future build.  I feel like it's one of those things that even if you only use it a few times a year, it's really nice to have those few times.

 

[travlinman and wife]

waggoner build a jacket around it with duct and a fan to move the heat from stove to heater. you would need about 6 in of air space. this will work I have seen it done yo heat a house.