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TomChum
Member
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# Posted: 16 Jan 2013 04:00am - Edited by: TomChum
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I decided to get the Dickinson marine heater Newport P-9000, because it will be inside my showerhouse. It was in-stock, and I'd miss this season if I waited 8 weeks for the PlatCat, a whole season of non-use.
I want the dry heat of a vented heater. It was spendy, much more than PlatCat, but would it "pay" to use a non-marine heater in the humid environment of a showerhouse? Also, the price includes the flue, which is a quality unit too. I'm trying hard to justify the expenditure, but this time I got what I paid for. Often things just cost more and somebody else "got what you paid for" or basically "got your $$". Not this time. Buying more quality than you need doesn't always make sense either but I am getting a lot of satisfaction for the moment.....we'll see how it goes in the long run. I could lose big if it gets stolen.
The P-9000 arrived, what a beautiful piece of equipment, very nicely made. The plate on the front is cast brass. The knobs are solid brass. And everything else is thick stainless steel, even the flue is thick, heavy, double stainless, flexible (but may take 3 men and a boy to bend it). It has a 2" flue inside the 3" fresh air inlet. And the 'cap' is heavy stainless, I've not seen anything built like this in years but I don't often see marine products, mostly because of the prices. It's made in Canada. I'm anxious to install it!
It has a fan, so it needs 12vDC. The fan motor is such low power consumption that you have to turn it on all the way and then reduce the speed, otherwise the motor won't start turning. It's the real deal, not dumbed down for the mass market.
Other notable details: The max flue length is 56", less than 5 feet. You will have to exit the wall, can't get it above the roof. It is lit with an extended BBQ lighter, to ensure that the door is open while lighting. There is no sparker, you need a flame.
Note size compared to 8 1/2 x 11" user manual
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The flue is heavy
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The cap is heavy
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Solid brass knobs etc
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 5 May 2013 01:20pm
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Hey Tom
I used a wood stove all winter. PITA! There's definitely a propane unit in the works for next heating season.
How'd the Dickenson work out after a season of use?
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razmichael
Member
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# Posted: 5 May 2013 02:48pm
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I'd love to hear how well it does also Tom - I have the 12000 sitting in a box - hope to install later this year. If you are not happy with it then don't tell me (I can't send mine back)!
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aktundra
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:27am
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Any feedback on the Dickinson stove? I'm all ears... I would like to add a small propane heater to a little project cabin I'm doing. I need something small for mounting.
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razmichael
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2016 09:14am
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I've been happy with our P12000 but we do not use the cabin (yet) in really cold winter conditions. It would not be nearly enough to heat our cabin (about 4,000 cubic ft) when cold but I knew that when I got it. One cold day when I arrived I used a kerosene heater to bring the cabin up to temperature and then maintained it with the Dickenson - which was the purpose I intended it for. Note that the P12000 is a 5,500 BTU unit so, from the site:
"Approximate cubic footage this unit will heat based on an average climate it's installed in, the altitude being sea level and a well insulated area is 12' x 12' x 8' = 1100 cuft"
So,
Pros - Great looking, fully vented, easy installation (exhaust through wall), nice ambiance, simple to use, simple to maintain, 12 volt minimum draw for the fan.
Cons - Expensive, no thermostat, no auto ignition or push button ignition so manual lighting, 5,500 BTU will not heat a large area when really cold.
I have not really done any analysis on propane use efficency but the site claims "20 lb – 78 hrs gal HIGH".
My cabin is well insulated but I would need a much bigger heat source if I really wanted to extend the seasonal use through to winter (located in Quebec). As much as I love the look and basic functionality, there are much cheaper ways to heat a small space so you will need to consider how important the mini-fire place look is to you, your cubic ft and the amount of insulation.
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2016 06:11pm
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I'll update my post as this thread seems to be coming back to life.
I installed propane heaters from US Stoves. They're Eskabe's by original mfct. Both 8k and 12k btu units installed. So more btus than the Dickson.
My cabins are very well insulated and sealed. The 8k is sufficient for a 10x14 cabin even in the coldest weather. The 12k models (2 installed) are easily sufficient for 8x16 and 12x20 cabins.
These are vented heaters with no fan. They work great. 4 winters. Nothing but easy to use heat.
Pros - not bad looking. Easy install. Fully vented. Simple/easy to use and maintain. No fan = no electricity required. Piezo ignition switch. Modulating flame (for longer more efficient burn). Much lower cost than other vented propane heaters. Very low clearances.
Cons - no flame to watch. It's a heater not a decorative item.
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aktundra
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2016 08:44pm - Edited by: aktundra
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Thanks Razmichael-
I appreciate the feedback. I think the price may be a little high for what I need it for. I'm thinking "shoulder season" here in Alaska, early spring and late fall when a wood stove heats you out of the place, but a propane heater might be just enough. I also started looking at the diesel heaters, mainly because propane is very expensive up here. I really need something small and looks decent. I'll continue my search. I might look more at the Cozy cabin.
Creeky - appreciate the feedback! I don't need to look at a flame. We have a wood stove for that...
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razmichael
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2016 08:47pm
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Quoting: creeky Cons - no flame to watch. It's a heater not a decorative item.
And why can't it be both??
Quoting: aktundra I appreciate the feedback. I think the price may be a little high for what I need it for.
Likely correct - It suited our needs (including the decorative part) but is likely undersized and overpriced for what you want.
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BillMac
Member
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2016 09:56pm - Edited by: BillMac
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We use a single Ceramic Cell My Buddy heater In doors all winter. Heats 450 sq ft. Trailer 2 settings, Low and High. 40lb Propane tank last 6 days on high (24 hrs) and 10 days on Low ( 24 hrs) We crack the ceiling vent to exhaust the Carbon build up and have 2 carbon-monoxide detectors. Weekly cost to fill roughly $20 at my propane distributor x4 = $80 a month. I built a tin Hvac system with 2 inline fans to help circulate the heat. Low cost heating. When we used two 1,500 watt heaters it Cost us $240 month to heat the place. I placed a 40# propane tank in a cheap plastic Garbage barrel drilled a hole for the hose and a hole in the top to vent and drilled a hole through the trailor wall using silicone and metal brackets to hold it in place. Buddy heater sits on the wall on two metal shelf brackets screwed into the brackets. Behind the heater the wall is cool to the touch. Heater sits 5 feet up on the wall and the rising heat is collected with a 10 inch hvac duct reduced down to 6 inch duct piping. Each end of the house has duct split with a T connector. Heater Cost $85, 40# propane tank was $100, regulator (11 water collum) $25, Propane hose 12 feet $15 and all the Hvac ran Under $50. Total cost Under $300.
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KinAlberta
Member
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# Posted: 25 Feb 2017 10:24am
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Quoting: MtnDon Basically as it gets colder it is more difficult to get the liquid propane turn into a gas so it can be burned. Depending on how cold it gets (how cold the tanks are) and how much propane (BTU's per hour input rating of the appliance) many times the only solution is 100 lb or larger tanks or manifolding several smaller tanks together to simultaneously feed one regulator.
The small propane tank cold issue is exactly why I come to this forum!
Yesterday I had the thought of buying several 30lb tanks rather than renting a pig at $130/yr or getting a 100lb and then having to deal with refill issues. I never considered even considered the cold weather effect at all. I was only thinking of connections, supports, regulations, etc.
I gets to -40 for us so if we were crazy enough to head out there in the cold I sure couldn't count on propane heat.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 25 Feb 2017 01:44pm - Edited by: bldginsp
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Unless you keep the propane tanks warm with access to the warmth in the heated space- but at the same time the tanks shouldn't be located in the structure where leaked gas would get inside. So maybe they are stored in a closet on the outside right behind the woodstove wall, insulated, which would not stay at room temp but still be a lot higher than outside. The closet would need to be vented at the bottom to release any leaked gas, but the vents could be very small.
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 25 Feb 2017 07:52pm
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Dickinson marine heater Newport P-9000 in my RV in WV. I have 120AH total in four batteries. Wired it to 12VDC distribution panel from a 3 amp spade fuse. It will use 20LB tank, 8 hrs/day for 30 days. Tested the electric draw last weekend and the weekend before. Ran it for about 30 hours at 2/3's speed, 12.84 down to 12.76 vDC. Slow to warm up the RV but once warm, kept the RV at 70. RV has 2 inches closed cell spray foam on five sides. Working on a wall behind driver seat. Glass is a poor insulator. I have a spare 20lb tank. So gas is not an issue. It seems to do well on current usage. I need to get an extension hose to get the tank outside. I didn't mind paying $700 for it because I needed a well designed/built vented heater on the mountain.
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KinAlberta
Member
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2017 12:42pm - Edited by: KinAlberta
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One to read:
Really bad idea: Junkyard RV furnace for garage heat | Autoweek
Then I added four carbon-monoxide detectors inside the garage, because dying sucks. One would have been enough, but I didn't want to take chances.
http://autoweek.com/article/diy/really-bad-idea-junkyard-rv-furnace-garage-heat
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gdhillard
Member
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2017 01:44pm
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I have a Williams 11,000 BTU DV propane wall furnace in my small trailer, and one in my camping van as well. I love them. Williams makes bigger ones as well, and the whole line uses no electricity, no fan, and makes no noise. I still think wood heat is the way to go, but a propane back up/take the chill off furnace would be nice. Here is a link to the bigger Williams. https://www.ecomfort.com/Williams-3003821/p62308.html
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seesaw
Member
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# Posted: 24 Apr 2017 05:34pm
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I used a Housewarmer 18K slimline direct propane heater for about 3 years and it worked like a charm, slow to heat my 144 sq ft but steady. Then the gas company told me they won't service my tanks anymore (They were dragging them up and down the trail.) There was an additional problem though, even when my tanks were full; the propane sometimes wasn't getting to the heater in the cold. Something in the lines? Someone suggested leaving the pilot on. We use the house about every other weekend in the winter and turn all the fuel off - maybe we don't need to. If we do get the tanks figured out -- any opinions about leaving the pilot on?
Lately I've been using a radiant kerosene heater. Boy do I miss the vented propane - I have to keep a window open with this little kerosene heater!
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 24 Apr 2017 11:18pm
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Propane stops evaporating in the tank at 40 below, F, I believe. Could be your propane was cold enough to lower pressure enough to stop it flowing. How cold?
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2017 08:04am
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Quoting: seesaw the propane sometimes wasn't getting to the heater in the cold. Something in the lines?
Moisture in the lines, may have been causing a partial blockage. Cold will slow propane evaporation as bldginsp mentioned. But with twin tanks I've run down to -35C with acceptable performance, not 100% but enough to still keep us warm enough. I believe -44F is the limit, but luckily I've never had those temps to deal with.
I can't get delivery of propane either, but carry in 30lb tanks. Larger is just too heavy.
But if you were happy with your heater, I would investigate that option, and what caused your problems. It is certainly a much better option than kerosene. Even if you have to go down 20lb tanks. If your carrying kerosene, you can carry propane, and I think you will be much happier.
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Wilbour
Member
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2017 09:33am
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Is it just me or are the small Direct Vent Heaters getting harder to find in Canada/Ontario?
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KelVarnsen
Member
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2017 10:44am - Edited by: KelVarnsen
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I'm in the market for a heater this year. I found a company named Martin based out of Quebec. They have some nice looking heaters. I've just finished exchanging emails with one of their sales reps. They are available at Costco. (here is the Brochure).
A bit pricey. I'm thinking about the MDV12VP for my 380 sq. ft cabin.
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Wilbour
Member
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2017 10:57am
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Quoting: KelVarnsen A bit pricey. I'm thinking about the MDV12VP for my 380 sq. ft cabin
Glass window unit? That's kinda nice!
Not that expensive if you ask me. Competes with Lowes.ca for the
URL
unit. Thanks for the info. Martin also makes the "House Brand" stoves and heaters for Sail.ca
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KelVarnsen
Member
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2017 11:29am
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I had the Martin sales rep send me the install instructions. Here they are for reference.
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2017 03:50pm - Edited by: NorthRick
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Quoting: seesaw There was an additional problem though, even when my tanks were full; the propane sometimes wasn't getting to the heater in the cold. Something in the lines? Someone suggested leaving the pilot on. We use the house about every other weekend in the winter and turn all the fuel off - maybe we don't need to. If we do get the tanks figured out -- any opinions about leaving the pilot on?
I'd suspect the regulator first. It might have frozen up. You can try thawing it out with hot water or a hair dryer. Also, I believe a two stage regulator works better in very cold weather than a single stage.
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Dragonflame
Member
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# Posted: 22 Nov 2018 10:53pm
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I have an old 80,000 btu house furnace to heat 20x 28 area of my attached garage. It was used, cost $700 hooked up. Years ago I had a 30,000 btu gas, hanging Reznor unit heater in a 24x32 unattached garage. It was in the garage when I bought the house. Had no problem heating the garage, even before I added insulation. That garage only had 8 ft ceiling. Princess Auto has a similar one.
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naturelover66
Member
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2018 08:06am
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https://www.woodlanddirect.com/Wood-Stove-and-Accessories/Gas-Stoves/Oxford-Direct-Ve nt-Gas-Stove
Im buying this direct vent next spring.
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offgrididaho
Member
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2018 12:31pm
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Somewhat on this topic, is everyone doing their own propane plumbing work?
We have a large (500 gallon?) tank and the plan is to swap out the old beater wood stove for a freestanding direct vent propane fireplace. Comfortable with the rest of the install (new direct vent pipe, adapter kit to use existing class A pipe through roof etc) but haven't figured out how we will get the propane plumbing done (on an island, hard to get services, but probably not impossible).
-- Bass
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deercula
Member
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2018 12:40pm
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Quoting: offgrididaho Somewhat on this topic, is everyone doing their own propane plumbing work?
It is not that difficult. Do some research on the different types of fittings. Use black pipe or copper. Use pipe tape or dope made specifically for LPG if needed. Test all joints with soapy water. The plumbing is easier than the rest of the install.
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naturelover66
Member
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2018 01:32pm
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No I will have a licensed professional do it
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silverwaterlady
Member
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2018 02:40pm
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No!
Because I highly doubt the insurance company would cover a explosion due to unlicensed people installing propane lines plus I don't want to die or kill somebody else. 
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2018 05:26pm
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I installed mine, and have yet to die or kill someone. There is really not much reason for people to be so afraid of propane. Even the smallest leak will be noticeable due to the smell.
I pressure tested my system prior to use and check it yearly.
You need to understand the basics, but it sure isn't rocket science.
My insurance company never questioned it.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2018 02:29pm
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Is it ok to leave the little one inch window open that i light the pilot through on my direct vent wall heater? Tired of that wing nutted cover.
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