Cubic Mini Woodstove - Page 2

arctictraveller · 10-04-2019, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shenrie

not being a smart ass here at all, but how is a van scenario any different than a tiny house, boat cabin, or small cabin? we’ve rented cabins just bigger than the van numerous times with the only source of heat being a wood stove, and none of them had a co2 detector like a lot of peoples van do. am I missing something?.

I have zero experience with tiny houses, but I've lived on boats for a very long time, and have seen one near death experience. My boat neighbor had a small wood stove going one night, and (I think it was) the door gasket in bad shape. He nearly was killed by carbon monoxide from an overnight smoldering fire. I'm sure it was a freak thing, but it can happen, just like any other accident. In addition, many of his neighbors had to endure the smoke. I had a wood stove in my house for years, but got tired of the mess and bringing bugs, wasps etc in the house. If I were adding heat to my van, I would go with one of the knock off Espar diesel fired heaters. They are very inexpensive, but seem to enjoy a good reputation for working well and being reliable. I have an Espar Airtronic (much more expensive) and it's hands down the best heater I've ever had, very small, quiet and fuel efficient. Filling a small fuel tank every couple weeks (depending on how often the heater is run) is no problem when your already at the pumps. Best of luck with what ever heat source you end up with. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2019NEW-12V...3f289b13d87d1c

**daveb** · 10-04-2019, 09:21 PM

Yeah I'm not too impressed with a wood stove in a van. Call me lazy but turning a knob on a stove or pushing a button on my espar to get results that is up my alley. Just me.

BTW I have a electric PH top too.

Now in my later years I rarely use my Lopi insert in my homes fireplace. Kind of messy and I hate CA regulations.

Orv · 10-05-2019, 12:01 AM

The CO issue can be mitigated with an inexpensive CO alarm, which you should have anyway if you have any fuel-burning appliances or regularly run the engine while parked.

I recently was idling the engine to charge the battery with the side windows open, and didn't realize the wind was blowing the exhaust inside until I noticed the CO alarm's display ticking upward.

1der · 10-05-2019, 05:16 AM

Gas fired version of the ESPAR knock-offs are now available albeit still quite a bit more expensive compared to the diesel versions.

If adding a diesel fired heater to a gas powered van, then run it on kerosene instead of diesel, it burns cleaner.

86Scotty · 10-05-2019, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUFFALO

I love wood heat and use it in our house. The van is different. Room is definitely compromised in the summer if you had a built in stove.
We have a hard mount propane furnace and use a portable tank in the van which doesn’t take up much space. For our gas van i don’t see a better option.

Same here. I have a big Lopi stove in the house and I keep it burning most of the winter. It will burn 12 hours on one stock of wood and heats 2500'. That said, with a van every situation is different. I would much rather have a quick heater with a tiny footprint for a small vehicle. You are mostly going to sleep in the van, at least for most of us I think, and you don't really need a fire to sleep, you just need heat. If you are going to spend hours inside a tiny van during your waking hours I could see it but how many of us do that? Nothing like a chair by a real campfire outside even if it's cold, to a point.

To offer another perspective though, Marc and Christine (Twogone) put a wood stove in their studio truck and love it. She is an artist and spends a lot of time in the truck, which is a little bigger than a van. It's a small bread truck on an E350 chassis. They designed it solely for her as an artist studio and they spend a lot of time in the NE, so the wood stove is ideal, fuel is easy to find and the ambience can't be beat.

Every situation is different but for a regular van the cons outweigh the pros IMO.

Cyrull · 10-05-2019, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1der

Gas fired version of the ESPAR knock-offs are now available albeit still quite a bit more expensive compared to the diesel versions.

If adding a diesel fired heater to a gas powered van, then run it on kerosene instead of diesel, it burns cleaner.

Is it a bad idea to switch back and forth between kerosene and diesel? Thinking about a situation where one is available but not the other since I have a gas van.

Cyrull · 10-05-2019, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Same here. I have a big Lopi stove in the house and I keep it burning most of the winter. It will burn 12 hours on one stock of wood and heats 2500'. That said, with a van every situation is different. I would much rather have a quick heater with a tiny footprint for a small vehicle. You are mostly going to sleep in the van, at least for most of us I think, and you don't really need a fire to sleep, you just need heat. If you are going to spend hours inside a tiny van during your waking hours I could see it but how many of us do that? Nothing like a chair by a real campfire outside even if it's cold, to a point.

To offer another perspective though, Marc and Christine (Twogone) put a wood stove in their studio truck and love it. She is an artist and spends a lot of time in the truck, which is a little bigger than a van. It's a small bread truck on an E350 chassis. They designed it solely for her as an artist studio and they spend a lot of time in the NE, so the wood stove is ideal, fuel is easy to find and the ambience can't be beat.

Every situation is different but for a regular van the cons outweigh the pros IMO.

Good points, our van is mostly for sleeping and getting us to the next adventure. So far we've only spent time in the van during inclement weather or for shortish breaks.

1der · 10-05-2019, 03:00 PM

Gasoline fired Parking Heater:
https://www.amazon.com/Drivworld-adv.../dp/B0784XHXTQ

If you do decide to go w the Diesel, no, there is no issue using diesel vs kerosene or switching back and forth between the two. Kerosene just burns cleaner with less build up.

Cyrull · 10-05-2019, 04:58 PM

Thoughts on this unit?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...V5PESPXG&psc=1

Looks like the same chinese furance but its in a enclosure. I think it would be nice to be able to take it in and out of the van during the seasons we don't need a heater. I'm thinking if we have the unit inside or outside the van the pipes would be fed through on of our pop out windows.

1der · 10-05-2019, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrull

Looks like the same chinese furance but its in a enclosure. I think it would be nice to be able to take it in and out of the van during the seasons we don't need a heater. I'm thinking if we have the unit inside or outside the van the pipes would be fed through on of our pop out windows.

It will work but will you use it more than a couple of times before wishing the heater was “installed” and pretty much as easy as pushing a button? Figuring out where to place the all in one, running hoses out widows? Etc.

The permanent unit on the inside is the size of a medium loaf of sliced bread.

I can see getting the all in one first to try it? Just make sure you can get or fab the mounting the floor pieces so you can ultimately install the unit permanently.