Woodstove in a van?!?!

[CatCaretaker]

Saw this on Pinterest. Is that really a small woodstove on the right? Would it be safe? Practical? Anyone else have a setup like that?

 

[OutdoorFT]

Justincredible (youtube) put one in his 19ft motorhome. Not much bigger than a van length wise.

 

[TMG51]

There are also marine coal/pellet stoves, which are even more compact, but rather expensive.

 

[Cammalu]

That's an awesome build. I just love it.


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[highdesertranger]

a van is kinda of tight for the required clearances. highdesertranger

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Often with the small ones + small places, balancing the heat and attempting to regularly clean your flue can be a challenge. Can be done however one must be mindful; a continuous chore. Bends in the fireplace flue not only impede the inflow of oxygen and outflow of byproducts, they also can make fireplaces more difficult to clean, as soot and creosote can collect at the offset points.

 

[Stormy]

Yes I have a grizzly model and think they are awesome (though I have never used it) if you have the room and place to put one. Clearance to combustibles or suitable protection with proper air gap is a must in figuring out installation.  They are expensive lil things too but much cheaper than than most other Marine type wood stoves.

The Kimberly stove Justin put in his previous rig is like the Ferrari of wood stoves but it's also a $4k stove! He now has the smaller cub mini cubic stove in his current van. The biggest issue would be maintenance and cleaning the flue regularly. I saw one guy on YT had issues with it clogging from creosote buildup granted he was using it 24/7 also. The problem was reduced by running a double wall pipe instead if a single wall pipe which keeps more heat inside the flue and reduces the creosote.  

My intention was to put it in a Skoolie build but ended up buying a small class C MH instead which also has a slide so there is no room to install it. Will give a good deal on it if anyone is interested lol! Will be in Ehrenberg/Quartzsite for the winter.

 

[simply lesa]

Storm im interested in the Grizzly,


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[tx2sturgis]

If *I* saw smoke billowing out of the top of a vehicle I'd be calling 9-1-1!

 

[simply lesa]

Call away! Im allergic to propane heat can be an issue. Id be careful like one would need to be in a boat!

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[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

If *I* saw smoke billowing out of the top of a vehicle I'd be calling 9-1-1!

That has happened to a few rv'ers I know that installed woodstoves; ... luckily, most of the stoves best suited for marine or rv use produce very little smoke during use (after the damper is adjusted) so is relatively unnoticeable.

 

[Stormy]

That has happened to a few rv'ers I know that installed woodstoves; ... luckily, most of the stoves best suited for marine or rv use produce very little smoke during use (after the damper is adjusted) so is relatively unnoticeable.

Yes the cubic mini woodstoves are very efficient and produce very little smoke due to a secondary burn system. The only time you see smoke and only for a minute or two is when you add fresh wood to it or are first lighting it.

BTW the stove is spoken for...  

texas2sturgis:

True story, when I was going to diving school in CA a classmate of mine had a VW Westy and one day on our way home from class we pulled up to a bank at the ATM machine. While I was make a withdrawal I turned around and saw smoke billowing out of those vents on the back of a VW Bus near the top and said something to my friend. He quickly got out and went to investigate and when an opened the back the whole engine compartment which then became completely engulfed in flames which quickly spread through the top of the inside of the van. In a mad dash panic we (being crazy and desperate) dove into the van now engulfed in smoke and flames to bail out and save or expensive dive gear (commercial divers).
But yes the moral of the story we did call 9-1-1 after seeing smoke billowing out but only after saving our dive gear first! Fire was so hot it blew out the windows, tires and melted the magnesium engine block which looked like fireworks going off! Yep all caused by the typical VW fuel line routed to close to the engine.

 

[tx2sturgis]

True story......

{snip}

Fire was so hot it blew out the windows, tires and melted the magnesium engine block which looked like fireworks going off! Yep all caused by the typical VW fuel line routed to close to the engine.

I know that was a different source of ignition...but...

Wood stoves are a mess...I've had a few. Wood has to be bought or found, cut or split, then stored, and adjustments have to me made while burning, they should not be left an-attended while burning, then you have to dispose of the ashes...something that can be quite a mess.

On a cold day, I love a good warm fire as much as anyone else, but only in a stationary location, like a home or a campground.

There is a reason you don't see open fire pits or roaring fireplaces on buses, trains, airplanes or taxis, and as far as I know, there are ZERO motorized RV's available with a real working woodstove or fireplace installed from the factory. Too many things can go wrong.

Even the woodstoves for mobile homes are required to have special ratings. Materials used in small enclosures like this tend to be thin and light and burn quite easily.

Plus a van or RV is a comparatively small enclosure, and usually fairly airtight in the winter. Some van dwellers have flooded batteries in the living space, and small amounts of hydrogen gas are given off when charging...

Add in the fact that there is a fuel tank under the vehicle with lots of gallons of flammable liquid, and that maybe you might have to drive that thing unexpectedly in the middle of the night with hot embers in the stove....well who knows what could happen.

I know a guy who cooked over a sterno can in the cab of his 18 wheeler and a curtain got too close and the whole truck burned to the ground in short order. He was lucky to get out alive.

Yes...thousands of nomads and RVers are doing it all winter long...

But count me in the [no] column.

Just my 2 cents....

 

[simply lesa]

Thanks for sharing

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[AlasKen]

I have a friend with the Dickenson solid fuel stove on his boat.  He likes it it take the chill off and dry things out on a cool morning or warm up in the evening before going to bed.  Not sure how it would work in really cold climate.
http://dickinsonmarine.com/product_cat/solid-fuel-heater/ 

I have a small Dickenson propane fireplace on my boat that I like.  Airtight so doesn't add moisture like my Mr. Buddy does.  It has a 12 V fan that is not required.  On low it will warm up my uninsulated boat cabin. About 14' x 7' x 6'. I will run it on low far about an hour then turn it off for an hour or so.  This is in 40 F on the water.  It is spendy but got it 1/2 price on sell.  I use a 5 lb Bulk bottle.  I like being able to see the flames similar to a fireplace.  I would get another one if I get a TT.
http://dickinsonmarine.com/product/newport-p9000-propane-fireplace/ 

Dickenson stove are expensive but well built.

 

[UptownSport]

... scared of wood stoves, propane stove, butane stoves, alcohol stoves, white gas stoves, and solid pellet stoves, ...

I found some comments grating and valueless, too.

Everyone up here heats with wood, most have corn stoves. House, garage, fishhouse- you name it. For generations. I heated the farmhouse in N Wisconsin exclusively with wood, wasn't much maintenance. People load them up, go to work or bed. Nobody watches them.

Theres a fishhouse in the woods- you can see there's combustibles all around it. It goes from hole to hole, lake to lake. 9/10 Fishhouse occupants are lit up more than the stove.

'Fire burns stuff'
'Vans have gas tanks'
'I saw a fire, once'

Respectfully, but really?

 

[user 15722]

Saw this on Pinterest. Is that really a small woodstove on the right? Would it be safe? Practical? Anyone else have a setup like that?

Wow!  That is a very nice van !
Yes, I've used them back in high school...  friend had an old step van. Stove was a 5 gal metal can with a 3" stack out the roof.
It worked great !  wheels

 

[Duke]

Those Cubic stoves seem great.

I've noticed some installed in RVs, Sailboats, Mobile Homes...and one guy has put up a video of his install in a Class B/Van.  He went with the slightly smaller Cub model. With the factory wall hanging kit- no other mods other than piping) are needed...amazing. It's so small it is not necessary to supply outside air. The factory claims they are safer than propane or diesel fed heat. The fellow with the vid says he's had both Kimberly & Dickinson in prior builds- yet prefers the Cubic. And, it's far cheaper.

It's so small logs have to be sized accordingly and some folks us those PRES-TO Logs sold cheaply at Lowes, and they too must be cut to fit.

The Cub only weighs 27lbs. I'm wondering if the wall kit could be hung & pipe routed through a van back door. It would be easier to clean and could also offer a bit of a campfire. I wouldn't thing 27 pounds would damage the hinge.  https://cubicminiwoodstoves.com/

One drawback is that even though the draft is adjustable to some degree, the small size means fuel will run out in a few hours.
So I'm wondering if a Wave 3 or something like it would have a thermostat, to then pick up the load?

 

[wasanah2]

I've used a tent stove in a wall tent.  If you like the ambiance of a wood stove, just pitch the correct tent with a stove jack in it.  Get a tent stove and use it safely and you'll be happy.  I plan to erect a wall tent when I have family with me and will do just that.  For one person, it just seems like too much to put up.  But for a couple staying a couple weeks somewhere, I think it would be ideal.

They aren't particularly cheap, but you can take any canvas tent of size that is tall enough to stand up in and install a stove jack if you follow the directions to do it safely.

Hey, I have an article about a 1923 car with a wood stove in it on my thread under CAR called History of Auto-Camping LIfestyle.  Go to page 2, post #16 to see a pic of it.  (Click on the thumbnail)  It looks like they take down the chimney while driving. 

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-The-History-of-AutoCamping-Lifestyle?page=2

 

[highdesertranger]

military tents also have the stove jacks but it takes several people to set them up.  here's mine,





you can see the wood stove in the second pic.  one of these years I need to bring it to RTR.  highdesertranger