Heating choices

mikeypj · 11-21-2016, 05:49 PM

First off wood burning stove is out of the question(gf asthma ). Been reading about ventless propane heaters. Ceramic, blue flame amongst others.
A "furnace" is out of the question, to much of a battery draw while boondocking. So im wanting to wall mount it. Do these ventless cause condensation? Any input on heating a skoolie?

milkmania · 11-21-2016, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeypj

First off wood burning stove is out of the question(gf asthma ). Been reading about ventless propane heaters. Ceramic, blue flame amongst others.
A "furnace" is out of the question, to much of a battery draw while boondocking. So im wanting to wall mount it. Do these ventless cause condensation? Any input on heating a skoolie?

I'm using a couple of Milk House Electric Heaters... It was 24° the other night and it got kinda chilly inside, so I fired up the vent free propane heater to take the chill off... Just until the thermostats on the milk house heaters kicked them off.

Haven't had any condensation and I haven't insulated except 4x8 sheets of 1" polyiso pink panther foam board over the windows.

A circulating floor fan seems to be the biggest help in turning the cool/hot air over.

If it gets any colder, I can close off the bedroom (approx. 10x7) and one milk house heater is too much heat, but the thermostat will cycle it on and off.

Edit:
DO NOT IGNORE THE NEED FOR CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS ONCE YOU INTRODUCE PROPANE OR WOOD FIRED HEAT SOURCE INTO YOUR LIVING QUARTERS!

AlleyCat67 · 11-21-2016, 07:15 PM

I think they get the point.....

But you're right, that's a small investment that could very well save your life, or the lives of those you care about. It pains me to read about people who died from carbon monoxide because if any death is preventable, that's the one.

And don't forget the propane gas detector as well..... don't risk your life to save a few bucks.

mikeypj · 11-21-2016, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkmania

I'm using a couple of Milk House Electric Heaters... It was 24° the other night and it got kinda chilly inside, so I fired up the vent free propane heater to take the chill off... Just until the thermostats on the milk house heaters kicked them off.

Haven't had any condensation and I haven't insulated except 4x8 sheets of 1" polyiso pink panther foam board over the windows.

A circulating floor fan seems to be the biggest help in turning the cool/hot air over.

If it gets any colder, I can close off the bedroom (approx. 10x7) and one milk house heater is too much heat, but the thermostat will cycle it on and off.

Edit:
DO NOT IGNORE THE NEED FOR CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS ONCE YOU INTRODUCE PROPANE OR WOOD FIRED HEAT SOURCE INTO YOUR LIVING QUARTERS!

Milk house heaters? I will have at least 2 carbon monoxide and 2 smoke detectors. I definitely want a thermostat because low medium and high just doesnt make a room comfy. I figure wall mount the unit to conserve open floor space.

milkmania · 11-21-2016, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlleyCat67

I think they get the point.....

But you're right, that's a small investment that could very well save your life, or the lives of those you care about. It pains me to read about people who died from carbon monoxide because if any death is preventable, that's the one.

And don't forget the propane gas detector as well..... don't risk your life to save a few bucks.

Sorry, it's difficult to visualize the actual size of fonts with an iPhone. I'll kick it back down to "6"
Had a friend killed running a Honda generator in the back of a livestock trailer/living quarters.

AlleyCat67 · 11-21-2016, 07:53 PM

Hey, don't apologize man..... that's something that definitely needs to have attention called to it. Too many people killed that way.

mikeypj · 11-21-2016, 08:01 PM

Im all about getting all the advise i can. Sorry to hear about your friend.
Im slowly building this skoolie on paper and in my head hoping to answer most major questions and issues beforehand. Im a follower of Murphys law though.

DoubleO7 · 11-21-2016, 08:01 PM

carbon monoxide dangers apply to ALL heating devices that are not electric.
Even if they are vented to the out-of-doors.

prof.fate · 11-21-2016, 08:10 PM

my 28' camper has a propane furnace, dometic I think, works well, is ducted and on a thermostat.

Don't boon dock enough in the cold to know how much power draw it has. Doesn't seem to use much propane. I like the convenience - it works like the furnace in my house. Easy to get fuel for it too.

googled abit about elec usage on propane furnaces..the fan is the culprit.

Turned up dickinson marine heaters...have to look into them some more.
http://dickinsonmarine.com/

also this brand was mentioned..not sure which model
http://cozyheaters.com/full-line-spec-sheet/

and this site for off grid heating solutions
http://www.backwoodssolar.com/

mikeypj · 11-21-2016, 09:37 PM

I like that marine propane fireplace, but the gf cant. If i were single i would put a nice little wood burner. I grew up in a house solely heated by a wood burning stove. If i had a choice *sigh*

milkmania · 11-22-2016, 01:19 AM

Seeing a lot of these Dickinson's propane stoves being placed in tiny homes...

I can't imagine using a wood burning stove in my bus... I'm only using my milk house heaters at 1/3 capacity and often times, that's too much. A wood burner would burn me out! But, it's not dead of winter with snow/ice on ground yet either!

mikeypj · 11-22-2016, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkmania

Seeing a lot of these Dickinson's propane stoves being placed in tiny homes...

I can't imagine using a wood burning stove in my bus... I'm only using my milk house heaters at 1/3 capacity and often times, that's too much. A wood burner would burn me out! But, it's not dead of winter with snow/ice on ground yet either!

I think that heater is cool as sh*t. But im going to go with a wall mount propane heater. Now i just need to know how many should i do? 2? Bedroom and living area or just center of bus..close to bathroom. I prefer my toilet seat warm..lol

AlleyCat67 · 11-22-2016, 05:41 PM

$800 for the Dickinson, or $139.99 for this....

Nu-Way Propane Stove 12,000 BTU | L & M Fleet Supply

1,859 reviews in the last year, most of which were 5 stars..... granted you can't always depend on that, but it's enough to make you take a look....

nwarner2010 · 11-22-2016, 05:45 PM

Dickerson makes a diesel version of the heater too, maybe it would be possible to tie it into the onboard diesel tank?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

AlleyCat67 · 11-22-2016, 05:55 PM

You could, but do you really want to risk running out of road fuel in the middle of the night because the heater sucked it all down?

I would NEVER tie anything into the road tank. I would install a separate tank for fueling accessories.

milkmania · 11-22-2016, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeypj

I think that heater is cool as sh*t. But im going to go with a wall mount propane heater. Now i just need to know how many should i do? 2? Bedroom and living area or just center of bus..close to bathroom. I prefer my toilet seat warm..lol

"Vent free" propane stoves mess with my sinuses... I don't really care for the odor. And I know it's not carbon monoxide, as I've got 2 detectors and I'm not getting headaches, etc.

It's hard for me to describe the smell. It's not raw fuel.

I don't know the extremes of your climate, but circulating the warmed air (electric heaters) with a good floor fan gives me the best result.

But, I also realize you're talking about boondocking and not wanting to consume a lot of electricity.

superdave · 11-22-2016, 06:37 PM

HouseWarmer Slim-Profile Direct Vent Heater with Blower — Propane, 8000 BTU, Model# HWDV081BP | Propane Wall Heaters| Northern Tool + Equipment
this is what im going with, and a couple of large computer fans.

EastCoastCB · 11-22-2016, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlleyCat67

You could, but do you really want to risk running out of road fuel in the middle of the night because the heater sucked it all down?

I would NEVER tie anything into the road tank. I would install a separate tank for fueling accessories.

An extra fuel tank is always a handy thing to have.
I'm gonna run a diesel genny if I can find one. Having an auxiliary tank would be very handy. Maybe a 30 or 40 gallon as a primary source for the genny, and a backup for the engine's 65 gallon tank. I've never ran a diesel out of fuel, ever, though. I usually top off at quarter to half a tank.

milkmania · 11-22-2016, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

An extra fuel tank is always a handy thing to have.
I'm gonna run a diesel genny if I can find one. Having an auxiliary tank would be very handy. Maybe a 30 or 40 gallon as a primary source for the genny, and a backup for the engine's 65 gallon tank. I've never ran a diesel out of fuel, ever, though. I usually top off at quarter to half a tank.

So says our fair weathered friend that hasn't been snowed in for 2 or 6 weeks at a time and can't get down the road to get more fuel

AlleyCat67 · 11-22-2016, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've never ran a diesel out of fuel, ever, though. I usually top off at quarter to half a tank.

Don't ever run one out of fuel..... they're a beeyatch to get restarted. You have to prime 'em..... and if you don't have a primer pump somewhere in your fuel path it will take FOREVER to do.

I ran my truck tractor out of fuel once.... even with the primer pump on the engine block it was a good 20 minutes of pump and crank, pump and crank, before it would fire and stay running.

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