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02-10-2021, 08:04 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Name: Larry
Trailer: Trillium
Arizona
Posts: 440
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A Heating Alternative?
Hello,
While surfing the web this morning an interesting heater came to
my attention. It was a simple, inexpensive DIY device being used on
a sailboat that looks like it would be useful in a small trailer.
The old gravity furnace in my Trillium is heavy, takes up a lot of
space, and about roasts me out of the rig in five minutes.
Perhaps this thing might be a viable alternative?
https://goodoldboat.com/diy-sailboat-cabin-heater/
Uncle Larry
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02-10-2021, 09:03 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
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all that work take a look at wave heaters on amazon! they are cheap they work i have never used the furnace in our Scamp!
of course to head off complaints you must vent but if you look around in a travel trailer for the most part its pre vented!
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02-10-2021, 09:22 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: Z
Trailer: Sasquatch
Montana
Posts: 2,556
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Almost any appliance you can find that was built for sailboats will be a massive improvement over anything you find built for RVs.
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02-10-2021, 11:08 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Name: Larry
Trailer: Trillium
Arizona
Posts: 440
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WORK!?!? ( M G Krebs)
Yo, Bob,
"all that work" ?
Work is a relative term. Building and experimenting with
gadgets can be very satisfying.
While camping in the Trillium installed my solar electric system
using a cordless drill, hack saw, a 12VDC powered soldering
iron, and assorted hand tools... The panel legs were made
out of some parts from discarded crutches. The cable from
the panel to the trailer is a heavy duty extension cord.
Of course there was a road trip to a home center for
parts. Lotsa fun and very satisfying.. The system is still
working fine 7 years later.
I like catalytic heaters and have a Wave 8 for emergencies
at home....
Hmmmm.... looking at the stock pot stove top heater I imagine
some heat sink like fins rivited to the inside and outside of the
stock pot to increase its effeciency...
Uncle Larry
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02-10-2021, 12:45 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
Posts: 6,926
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry C Hanson
Hmmmm.... looking at the stock pot stove top heater I imagine
some heat sink like fins rivited to the inside and outside of the
stock pot to increase its effeciency...
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Maybe something like this:
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/1699-6...t?colour=NOC02
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02-10-2021, 03:15 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
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Looks to me like the bulk of the heat is ported outside. There is noway I would use this thing.
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02-11-2021, 09:13 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
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So if I understand this correctly, it’s a device that covers a standard stove burner and vents the exhaust gasses outside? It requires a pretty good-sized hole in the roof with a flashing? It draws combustion air from the cabin, so continuous ventilation must be maintained? It isn’t fully sealed, so there’s a small possibility of exhaust gasses getting into the cabin?
Personally I’m not comfortable with any fuel-burning heating system that’s not fully sealed from the cabin, both intake and exhaust.
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02-11-2021, 10:37 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
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Ha ha I knew this crazy contraption would draw curiosity.
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02-11-2021, 11:15 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
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Me, Im thinking this thing is not for heating a boat but rather to port the heat outside to keep it from getting to hot inside.
And in a rocking boat, even whed tied up to the dock, would be impossible to keep it in place. Thinking it was designed by Murphey.
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02-11-2021, 11:15 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Name: Carl
Trailer: LiL Hauley
Syracuse, NY
Posts: 656
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We just fire up the propane burners and make coffee to heat up our camper. Heats the cabin nicely!
__________________
Your heirs will inherit money and stuff when you are gone. You can only save or spend money, but you can do things with stuff, so they are going to inherit stuff!
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02-11-2021, 11:17 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
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i think i will spend extra time camping traveling!
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02-11-2021, 11:47 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Roamer 1
Smith Valley, Nevada
Posts: 2,880
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It's a different version of this old idea that many have used on boats. The clay pot is much simpler.
__________________
I only exaggerate enough to compensate for being taken with a grain of salt.
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02-11-2021, 11:57 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: Was A-Liner now 13f Scamp
Missouri
Posts: 3,209
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yep!!!
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02-11-2021, 11:57 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raspy
It's a different version of this old idea that many have used on boats. The clay pot is much simpler.
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Simpler, but inefficient and dangerous. What else does it have going for it?
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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02-11-2021, 01:03 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Roamer 1
Smith Valley, Nevada
Posts: 2,880
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo
Simpler, but inefficient and dangerous. What else does it have going for it?
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I never could figure out why this was a popular idea. It doesn't add anymore heat to the room than an open flame, and it vents all the combustion gasses into the room.
Some have used oil lamps to do the same thing.
A standard 6 gallon water heater can pretty easily have a space heater added to it that is perfectly safe, and even works with a thermostat. A simple fan convector with a 12 volt circulator can be teed into the hot and cold lines for this. With that, one can get good heat and sleep safely.
__________________
I only exaggerate enough to compensate for being taken with a grain of salt.
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02-11-2021, 03:03 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raspy
A standard 6 gallon water heater can pretty easily have a space heater added to it that is perfectly safe, and even works with a thermostat. A simple fan convector with a 12 volt circulator can be teed into the hot and cold lines for this. With that, one can get good heat and sleep safely.
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I sure would like to see Dometic or other water heater manufacturer sell an economical kit for converting the water heater into a combination water heater and hydronic furnace. The only combination units currently available such as the Truma Combi and the Aquahot are very expensive.
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02-11-2021, 07:20 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Roamer 1
Smith Valley, Nevada
Posts: 2,880
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John, Here are the basic components to make it work. A fan convector for about $140. and a 12 volt pump. A simple room thermostat can be added in series with the 12 volt supply and it's done. This is slightly oversimplified, but it shows the idea and the size of the stuff needed. There may be a better convector somewhere, but this one has copper piping so one could run the domestic water through it. The pump is the one I'm using for my instant hot water recirc line. Plenty of flow for heating. The whole thing with thermostat could be done for less than $200. It could mount behind a kickspace, in the bottom of a closet or under the bed, and blow hot into the room. PEX or copper lines can Tee into the hot and cold on the water heater. The convectors come in all sizes and shapes, and some have thermostatic switches in them that would simplify the installation further.
https://www.amazon.com/Underdash-Uni...82PH99N5&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/bayite-BYT-7A...sr=1-3-catcorr
__________________
I only exaggerate enough to compensate for being taken with a grain of salt.
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02-11-2021, 07:46 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Name: Gordon
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
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So lets talk about using soapstones on the stove...
On second thought, it might be safer to talk about the impeachment trial now going on (PLEASE dont!).
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02-11-2021, 08:22 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Raspy
John, Here are the basic components to make it work. A fan convector for about $140. and a 12 volt pump. A simple room thermostat can be added in series with the 12 volt supply and it's done.
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That's pretty neat. Friend of mine is experimenting with this idea in his Scamp, however, but I don't think he is using a prefab fan convector. The prefab fan convector would definitely make it easier to build. Last I checked, he was redesigning his experiment to get more heat out.
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02-11-2021, 08:44 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
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Better boat heater alternative??
Here's another boat heater, but its propane fueled. The Dickinson Cozy Cabin propane heater. It has a one inch flexible metal flue and a thermocouple to shut off fuel if the flame goes out. It has adjustable heat but no thermostat.
https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=48912#
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