Vandwellers Forum

David Hair · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:34 pm Post subject: Heating links

Interesting idea. Certainly its possible. I think it came up a while back in the yahoo group. I was interested enough to save some links but never seriously explored the idea. There were always other things to do first.

Having a flue eliminates so many problems. All the propane heaters give off water vapor. With a van being so small... I can deal OK with cold. I can deal OK with wet. But wet and cold are just miserable. For me, when it gets down around freezing condensation gets pretty annoying.

You've probably seen these but others may not have. I don't think any offer an outside source for combustion air. But its been awhile since I really looked hard.

I'd never heard of a Windy Smithy. It looks neat. In case anybody else hasn't:

http://www.windysmithy.co.uk/html/woodburners.htm

A few others I saved are:

http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/solid.html

http://www.fatscostoves.com/

http://www.marinestove.com/futurestoves.htm

And this from soapstone stove really isn't practical but the left hand photo of the stove with ceramic tile behind it is just flat gorgeous.

http://www.peluke.com/Fireplaces/fireplaces.html

This is a vented propane stove. Ya, I know... but I saved this one because its also really pretty and because it uses a 1" flue! that was new to me. Its low setting 4000 BTU and high 6000 BTU was interesting.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/19454/377%20710/0/propane%20heater/Secondary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377%20710&Ne=0&Ntt=propane%20heater&Ntk=Secondary%20Search&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&Nao=0&Ns=0&keyword=propane%20heater&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5002&subdeptNum=12&classNum=543

AND, when I searched for "windy smithy", one of the "for pay" people search sites offered to sell me all the dirt on him. Maybe he's been a naughty boy (girl?).

Bob
_________________
David Hair
2000 Astro AWD
1989 Dodge B-350 Hi-Top shuttle bus in progress

surfcam · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 10:07 pm Post subject:

I'm not fond of the cold either. I guess if you go for a woodstove. You are going to need extra room for the wood, maybe an axe, and chainsaw. Which makes it more suited for a bigger rig. I'm not saying it can be done it a van. Just requires more organizing. I have two heaters in my rig. One is a catalytic one that gives off water and Co2. And other not so niece smells. The other is a 12000btu furnace that works well. It draws air in and has a fan driven exhaust. Since it has a heat exchanger theres no water or C02 getting into the rig. I think it cost me about 700 for this propane furnace. The down side is that you need some power to run the fans. So if the suns not shinning and solar been down for awhile I have turn the catalytic one on and live in the swamp.
_________________
4BTA 3.9 Cummins Stepvan
86 GTI gas
86TD Golf
91TD Jetta
http://www.antiquedollhouseofpatterns.com/

PYSCHOWard · VanDweller Joined: 11 Oct 2009 Posts: 147 Location: NW, PA

I wonder if you could make a small propane furnace, from a hot water heater ?
_________________
I Didnot Escape, I'm on a Weekend Pass.
If the house is a Rockin,Don't Bother Knockin, Just come on in (SRV)

97 Dodge 2500 Shorty
The Rock N Roll Train
1100 Honda Shadow

tvme · Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:09 pm Post subject:

PYSCHOWard · VanDweller Joined: 11 Oct 2009 Posts: 147 Location: NW, PA

I meant using just the burner and building the rest,with the burner under the van, something i'd try if i were fulltiming, Someday maybe.
_________________
I Didnot Escape, I'm on a Weekend Pass.
If the house is a Rockin,Don't Bother Knockin, Just come on in (SRV)

97 Dodge 2500 Shorty
The Rock N Roll Train
1100 Honda Shadow