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mbturner
Member
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2022 22:09
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Hello all,
I am looking for the best and safest way to heat an outhouse during WI winters. Should I be worried about outhouse gases, if that is even a thing? We are off grid. TUA.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2022 23:02
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A 250 watt bulb heat lamp mounted over a foam seat with a 2 warning.mbturner
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 02:50
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Quoting: Just heat lamp mounted over a foam seat
That's a brilliant idea. I'm doing that.
Thanks Just!
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 05:35
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I use a few candles. Mine is only 4'x4' and insulated.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 09:11
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I use a Buddy heater in the cabin bathroom. Maybe that's unsafe in an outhouse?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 10:35
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Maybe its actually a good idea to have something steadily burning off the methane rather than letting it build up?
Practically though, how much methane can really be produced 1) in winter and 2) by the generally limited number of users our cabins have?
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 12:24 - Edited by: ICC
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You guys actually heat your privies? 
As for explosion hazards I would say there may be a greater danger from a flame igniting the toilet paper roll.
Methane is lighter than air, so it rises in an air space.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 12:43 - Edited by: gcrank1
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You guys really have a house around the 'out'?
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 16:33
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Methane itself is odorless but some of the other outhouse/privy odors are quite odorous.
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 16:37
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you do not have to worry about gases from the outhouse and a flame. Unless you guys are eating something way worse than I do.
I have a small propane heater in the outhouse, light it when I arrive its enough to keep the chill off. Shut it off when done.
Styrofoam seat is all you really need other than on the coldest days. Even on the super cold days it feels like its heated the second you sit down.
Can't imagine leaving heat on in the outhouse, seems like an awful waste for the short period of time its used. I get a couple years out of a 1lb cylinder on my small heater.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2022 18:17
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Granny Sez
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mbturner
Member
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2022 11:13
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Thank you FishHog
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KinAlberta
Member
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2022 23:18 - Edited by: KinAlberta
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We have an old 110 volt in-car-heater in our outhouse. Aim it at the seat. (Walls and ceiling are insulated.)
The old after-market metal units with a heating coil and fan that used to get mounted under the dash and plugged in when parked.
What might be nice is one of those small overhead radiant heaters. (Shop heaters.)
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jhp
Member
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2022 09:56
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Mine only gets occasional use so in the colder months I just bring the toilet seat inside after it gets used. Even at really cold temps I find its not that bad to be in there for a few minutes a day. Getting out of the wind is the worst of it.
If I lived there and needed to use it every day all winter, I'd probably go for an electric infrared heater on a remote mechanical timer switch. Turn it on 30 minutes before you head out, it turns itself off.
I have this one I got at Harbor Freight or Northern Tool years ago. It won't heat the whole garage but hanging over the workbench keeps you very warm standing under it and does a great job of heating up the bench itself too as the infrared heats objects and people directly, not the air around it. This would work really well in an outhouse sized area.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Comfort-Zone-1-500-Watt-Ceiling-Mount-Quartz-Heater/195249 70
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mj1angier
Member
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2022 11:39
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We have a Mr Buddy in ours. Just light it when I get in there. Wife has to make a tough choice- go in first and have a cold seat or go in after me. The night we eat chilli she goes first for some reason...
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2022 17:30
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seriously, cut a hole in a scrap piece of blue styrofoam and get rid of the cold seat issue in the cold months. I finally did it years ago after hearing about it for years and am still disappointed in myself for not doing it sooner.
Even on those -35C days it feels heated the second you sit on it.
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mbturner
Member
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2022 18:12
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So what is this blue styrofoam everyone is talking about? I dont see it at Home Depot or Menards. Is it the same as the pink insulation board? TIA
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2022 18:19
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yes pink is the same, just less manly
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mbturner
Member
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2022 09:46
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FishHog
Lol... Thank you.
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BRADISH
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2022 12:43
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In my cabin community most of us started building our outhouses and generator sheds together. Even the 2000w genny throws off enough warmth to keep even uninsulated buildings slightly warm. Obviously need to route the exhaust out of the building to a safe location.
Built one for a friend. Base was a 4'x8' piece of plywood, split evenly. He has a 3000w genny and it keeps it almost too warm!
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BRADISH
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2022 12:55
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Photos for reference.
Built it in my shop, loaded it into the truck with the skid steer, tugged it out and into place with a 4 wheeler.
20201031_130433.jpg
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20201113_144015.jpg
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BRADISH
Member
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# Posted: 27 Oct 2022 12:56
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I also throw in a 150-250w heat lamp bulb above the seat in each one I build. Works like a charm.
But the trick is to angle it so it doesn't point straight down the hole, as not to get an unpleasant view!
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Janemarie
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2024 00:45
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Do candles work to warm it up? Ours is uninsulated and has a skylight and a big window and a small window (visible). It is a humanure toilet, which means the bucket will be removed and capped until it is emptied. I have been thinking about how to make it bearable in the winter. No electric nearby, and atatched to a completely non-electric cabin (within walking distance of a few yards).
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2024 01:27
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A clay pot base with an inverted clay pot in it. Put 3 spacers under the pot rim for air entry, the drain hole now in the top is the vent.
Get the cheap Dollar Store 'chafing dish' canned heat. Put one lit under the pot and you have a small scale safe heater. Not a lot but maybe just enough?
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2024 02:53
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It's an outhouse, not a clubhouse. Quick in & out.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2024 14:39
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I have a 4x4x7' tall outhouse that's insulated and a candle dosnt do it. A small buddy heater would. I plan on running underground electrical to it for a 1500w cheap heater. Then just running the generator for a few minutes in the morning.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2024 20:05
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I just remembered the old 'paint can/coffee can and TP roll' heater trick (how apropos).
Look it up online for giggles.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 17 Sep 2024 15:57 - Edited by: paulz
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Quoting: Brettny A small buddy heater
Pulled mine out of storage this morning. Still too warm here for morning use but good thing I tried it. As in years past, had to squirt the lp orifice with brake clean to get it going. Bugs I guess love those lines, same for the water heater.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 20 Oct 2024 03:53
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For 10 years I have used a Coleman Porta Potty with detachable holding tank in my 195 square foot home in a small curtained off area in the cabin, when full you can run the detachable tank out to your crapper and dump it, super easy and yes, with a styrofoam toilet seat (big enough for a man sized butt) no Keister shock when sitting down!
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 20 Oct 2024 12:40
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Remember
A blue stereo seat for boys, a pink for girls
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