Wood Burners ...

Soxandjeff

Who has fitted them?
We wild camp all year round and my Mrs feels the cold a lot more now than a few years ago.
A wood burner is an option but what are your thoughts please.
 

mistericeman

Forum Member
Not in the camper BUT lived with one on a narrow boat for 10 years or so....

Very cosy... BUT

I wouldn't have one in a campervan...

Dusty
Awkward to light (usually just when needed most)
Awkward to keep lit as above...
Need cleaning out
Requires a ready source of decent dry wood (harder and harder to find with the boom in log burners)
Require storage of decent dry wood
Can be difficult to find a comfy temp

I'll stick with my eberspacher thanks ;-)
 

wildebus

Forum Member
Lovely idea.

But impractical in a motorhome as the fuel would just take so much room up you'd need a trailer just for the wood (and be pretty smelly as well inside).
I have a Frontier Stove I use outside, sticking out the awning, and I enjoy that but two hours of burning takes up a crate of wood.
 

Deleted member 1540

I had a solid fuel stove in a narrow boat ...

The heat output was prodigious to the extent I had to open the doors at times or suffer heat stroke!

I think use in a small space would be just too much ...
 

n brown

Forum Member
i and my kids and many other people we know have , or have had, burners in vans , i have made and fitted loads of them. the size burner for a van doesn't use masses of fuel and wil stay in all night with a shovel of coal . look at the windysmithy 'wendy' stove foor an idea of size, i've fitted a lot of these into lwb sprinter size vans, good little burner , about 2kw. i've often mounted them on cabinets to save space and flue pipe and give fuel storage View attachment 67258 this is a wendy
 

mistericeman

Forum Member
I had a solid fuel stove in a narrow boat ...

The heat output was prodigious to the extent I had to open the doors at times or suffer heat stroke!

I think use in a small space would be just too much ...

Memories of being moored up on the Macclesfield canal with close to 12" of snow on the roof and all windows doors open....

And of waking up after lighting it one night after a shandy or so with the top of the chimney roaring like a jet engine and stovepipe glowing red....
 

Byronic

i and my kids and many other people we know have , or have had, burners in vans , i have made and fitted loads of them. the size burner for a van doesn't use masses of fuel and wil stay in all night with a shovel of coal . look at the windysmithy 'wendy' stove foor an idea of size, i've fitted a lot of these into lwb sprinter size vans, good little burner , about 2kw. i've often mounted them on cabinets to save space and flue pipe and give fuel storage this is a wendy


As you are well aware, a very common feature in the not so distant past, sadly the fact is nowadays most wilders are looking over their shoulders most of the time, and a plume of smoke is a dead giveaway. Thinking Spain/Portugal, places such as Orgiva, Bahia, a woodburner of some description was virtually mandatory, even in campsites.
Now more people travelling in conventional vans, aren't likely to be tempted to punch a hole through the
roof, and somehow a cast iron or ex Calor cylinder just doesn't fit in with the alloy wheel image,
leave alone the borderline overweight issues.
 

Asterix

I fitted one in my self build earlier this year but have only used it in anger a few times at the tail end of winter,storage and weight for fuel isn't an issue for me but may be for you? Definitely more hassle and mess than a conventional heating system,but I've got all day during the winter so that's not a problem,can't beat seeing flames in the evening,I love it!
 

colinmd

Have one in the house, not interested in one for the van.
I would imagine it would need to be tiny, I have seen very simple ones made from 4"(or maybe 6") box section.
 

Growlie69

Outdoor log burner we use

We also enjoy having a log burner but found it better as an outside feature. We spend a lot of time in our awning and also have a portable 'frontiersman' style fire. It is fairly heavy but for the enjoyment and a couple of additional sections of chimney, it is worth its weight. Also comes with a substantial carry bag too. Plenty of fallen wood where we go and the smell of burning peat makes the experience special for us.
Slainte, Growlie
 

Nesting Zombie

Yeah I ‘Do & Have’ burned Wood in mine, & Lots of it too, But I prefer Thease ‘Hot Rods’ I think they’re called, Kinda Re constituted compressed uniform square lumps with a hole in the middle that you can pick up from Garages, Garden Centers, B&Q & alike. Because they are uniform in size They Stack & Store Nice, I Cut Each one into 4, Burn Well & Clean, Good Heat, No Mess, Creepy Crawlies Or Danp From Wet Wood, & Because they are same size & Same Density it’s easier to ‘Judge’ Heat output & time between chucking another chunk on.

Ecofire Boxed HotRod Briquettes | Buy Wood Briquettes Online from the experts and Firewood and Logs

Have used Thease but can pick up same kinda thing a little cheaper & as I say I prefer the square ones with the hole in the middle
Ahh, Just found them -
eBay - Page Not Found
 
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wildebus

Forum Member
Those look quite handy :)

I'm still only half-way through burning an old pine futon so will need to look for alternatives after that (but probably wander round the local woods for fallen branches as I'm a tight wad :dance: )
in my house in Devon we had a Eucalyptus tree and that gave off a very nice smell as you would imagine. The Sequoia that I cut down (who the hell plants a Sequoia in the garden of a domestic house!!) was an interesting smell as well.
 

Nesting Zombie

Hey you could always try ‘Freecycle’ for another Futon Matey Lol Lol.
It’s only a small fire box, but when banked up properly stays in for around 5hrs, Then chuck a handful of whatever on & away it goes again,,Easy !. This was after burning for around 3 HRs.
View attachment 67269
Boils Water no Problem, Heats Pies, Pasties & such like With Brilliant results, & of course keeps the Coffee Pot warm
View attachment 67270
 
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Nesting Zombie

Lol lol Yeah the Power of the Press,,I haven’t read the link yet, but I doubt it mentions that a lot of Thease Harmful Particulate readings I will wager was from Wet or UN seasoned wood. The Government ‘Cleaner Air’ study’s & Proposals is to encourage the burning of ‘Dry’ or Well Seasoned Wood to SIGNIFICANTLY reduce pollutant Particles as I Understand it.
Could be wrong though !.


View attachment 67280

The trouble is WHO do you want to believe
The Government or The Press Lol lol
 
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