Gone2TheCamp
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# Posted: 2 Dec 2014 06:46pm
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So...in the spring (if plans go ahead correctly) I'll be building an actual camp/cabin and dropping my roof on it.
It's going to be insulated, sided, etc. There will be some sort of ceiling (8') and insulation in the attic.
What I need is a heating solution. And I have no power, (Well, 12v for LED lights, and a Honda 1000i for running stuff at night, but for heating, I want something that doesn't require electricity. Assume I have no power..
Also, I'm away from the camp for hours at a time, walking, ATVing, etc...so when it's -20c I don't want to come back to a wood stove that went out 8 hours ago. So, let's rule out wood right off the bat.
Right now, I have a camper that slides into the back of a truck. I'll likely be gutting it and re-using everything I can, including the small propane furnace and 3-burner propane stovetop.
I think the propane furnace in the camper might be enough....I have no specs on it, but it's exactly like this one:
(Not my pics...!)
Unless it's COLD (like -30c), it keeps up but runs all the time when it drops to below -10c or so. And, the camper has single pane windows and next to nothing for insulation....
Has anyone used one of these in a small cabin? Any idea if it will do the job (helped out by decent windows and floor/wall/ceiling insulation)?
Another option is a 'mr heather propane convection 30,00-80,000 BTU' heater:
On sale for $130 at PA (ie: harbour freight)
Here's a review video someone did, but at the temps he's talking about, us Canadians are still wearing shorts. hehe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDVNj7Nyiww
I'm actually concerned that this thing would roast me out of the place, even on low....it seems like it's going pretty firece on the lowest setting, with would be 30,000 BTU... Sorry, BTU means nothing to me when I have to factor in insulation, square feet, etc...
That heater doesn't have a thermostat or anything, so if it's too much heat, you're going to be up 10x a night to shut it off and turn it back on.
If I went with the current furnace that's in the camper, it has a thermostat so it won't be 'too much', and if it's real cold, I can always suppliment with a kerosene heater if I need to..or for quick heat when I get there, fire up a couple burners on the propane stove and get the place warmed initially.
Would one of those typical 23,000 (or so) round kerosene heaters be a smarter overall choice?
So....thoughts on my camper propane furnace and/or kerosene...the Mr Heater convection one....or other cost-effective solutions?
I'm only there on the weekends (except in the spring/summer/fall when I don;t need heat), and in the winter like every 3rd weekend maybe...so fuel ecomony isn't a big concern...and it's not like I'll be inhaling kerosene fumes 24/7 for the rest of my life, so the non-vented thing isn't a real biggie....
And yes, I do have and will continue to have propane and carbon monoxide detectors, will have a couple windows cracked, and no, I do not ever use the burners on the propane stove for unattended heat. (No thermocouple, flame somehow goes out and keeps pumping propane into the camper...I get all that.) If I do fire up the stove burners for quick, initial heat, I stay there and watch them, and normally take the opportunity to boil some water for a coffee.
Another thing about the furnace from the camper is that it's 30 years old, so if it craps out next year and needs an overhaul or parts I can't buy anywhere.....and it needs to be built into a cabinet, with a fresh air intake and a chimney. Well, not really a chimney, but a large exhaust vent of sorts.....wait, I think I just talked myself out of the camper furnace..haha
Okay folks...toss me your thoughts....it's probably going to be down to Mr Heather convection thing, or a kerosene heater...or something else that someone suggests...
Anybody using a 23,000 BTU kero heater in a similar size cabin and find it just too much? For the record, I'd sooner be a little chilly and put on another blanket at night than to be too hot and sweating all night....
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 2 Dec 2014 07:05pm - Edited by: Steve_S
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I'd seriously look for a zero clearance direct vent propane fireplace / stove with a millivolt thermostat and 12v blower fan. Although, for a blower fan, you could get away with using a couple of computer type fans. Get a 100lb tank from TSC when on sale and that should be plenty of fuel to use.
Insulate your floor, walls and roof, get some thermal windows and Bob's your uncle.
Setup daily e-mail alerts on Kijiji from your local area under the "Home Renovations & Materials" section and you should be able to get everything you need cheap.
Got my windows, doors, Majestic propane fireplace, Jotul Wood Stove, 2-1/2", 4" & 5" Foam Panel Insulation, Lumber (some of it), Grey Water system parts (holding tanks) even my 32x11 Harnois Shelter & more through Kijiji.
Kijiji Tip: I found that prices are better in the rural areas as opposed to metropolitan areas... People in the city think their junk is gold BUT there are still good deals to be had but I'd set an alert closest to your cabin site region and one for your local city and see what pops out.
On that Furnace... in a word "don't". There are many RV type furnaces which do a good job, like Duo-Therm which are direct vent, 12v blower & with thermostats - they can usually be gotten quite cheap from someone knocking apart an old camper ~but~ beware and cautious. A cracked Heat Exchanger can gas you out in no time.
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