Short term heating

[Burroman]

I’m aware of all the pitfalls of relying on stove burners for heat.
Just curious what objects people use to capture and release heat from stove top burner.
I sometimes heat a small, inverted ceramic flower pot for 10 minutes to take off the chill-+always with window or vent cracked.
Good sleeping bags provide good warmth at night.
Moisture is always a problem, unless you have a wood stove, electric connection or vented propane heater.
Knowing the dangers, what objects work the best for people for short term heating?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Burroman

I’m aware of all the pitfalls of relying on stove burners for heat.
Just curious what objects people use to capture and release heat from stove top burner.
I sometimes heat a small, inverted ceramic flower pot for 10 minutes to take off the chill-+always with window or vent cracked.
Good sleeping bags provide good warmth at night.
Moisture is always a problem, unless you have a wood stove, electric connection or vented propane heater.
Knowing the dangers, what objects work the best for people for short term heating?

I don't use the stove top. Too dangerous. I use the built in propane furnace which has the fire box vented to the out side. We use sleeping bags. Short or long term no difference. Moisture is not usually a problem keep a small opening in the cieling vent and I have the window over the stove we keep open a bit. This lets air in and warm up and escape with moisture through the ceiling vent to outside.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Burroman

I’m aware of all the pitfalls of relying on stove burners for heat....
I sometimes heat a small, inverted ceramic flower pot for 10 minutes to take off the chill-+always with window or vent cracked.
...

So knowing the risk, you still choose to take that risk?

Interesting.

Originally Posted by Burroman

Knowing the dangers, what objects work the best for people for short term heating?

... people use soapstone. Some seem to think its a good way to heat the inside. I suspect that most do not in fact know the dangers.

But I am no alarmist. I do think that the non-vented heaters such as a Wave catalytic heater are a reasonably safe alternative to a vented furnace if properly used and properly maintained. However the need to properly maintain it and properly use it means that it is inherently less safe than a vented furnace which is largely "idiot proof."

But stove-top heating is different. i would never do it.

[k corbin]

Think it through, these things are very logical. Way too many people think there is some kind of magic that is going to happen with flowerpot heaters. There is not, a hot water bottle under the cover is more effective. Or else heat a brick or heat safe stone in the oven, wrap that in a towel and take it under the covers for longer lasting warmth. You need the insulation to keep the heat from migrating away into the cold room. You won't get that with a flowerpot on the stove top.

[Burroman]

Yeah, I think you’re right.
Probably a small Mr. buddy, or install a vented , suburban style heater.
I have a gas fireplace at home, vented, and it heats well without the fan when the electricity goes out.
Not many campsites in the Sierra have electricity, so that’s not an option.
Moisture is an issue with anything except electric heat, propane/wood stove or a vented heater.
Good down clothing, which I have is probably the most flexible.
Wood/propane stoves take up lots of room in a small Burro.
I’ve heard of gravity flow furnaces for small trailers that don’t require electricity
But can’t seem to find one,
Thanks for the ideas.

[Jon in AZ]

You have nailed the issues.

Gravity furnaces were common up to around the mid 70's. They were eventually deemed unsafe due to high surface temperatures on the cabin grate. Not start-a-fire hot, but burn-your-skin hot. They remain in demand among boondockers for safe, vented heat without power. Finding a 40-year-old unit for sale that still works is unlikely. Parts and service are problematic. Most legitimate RV shops and LP techs won't work on them. They take up more space than a modern furnace.

I'll vote for installing a small conventional RV furnace. Since you only plan to use it in the evenings and mornings to take the chill off, the power draw will not be huge. That's exactly how we use ours. It heats up a small 13' trailer very quickly, and our small G24 battery lasts 2-3 days without power or means to recharge. You could extend that with solar, a small inverter generator or a larger battery array.

Ours is installed under the street side sink and over the wheel well in a space that wouldn't be very useful for storage anyway. You could also install it at the bottom of the curb side closet just above the wheel well, though you may not want to do that if you have an awning and outdoor living space on that side.

We don't use ours much, but it has saved more than one trip. Flipping up the thermostat from inside my warm sleeping bag before exiting to dress in a warm, cozy trailer- priceless!

[WizWid]

Originally Posted by Burroman

I’m aware of all the pitfalls of relying on stove burners for heat.
Just curious what objects people use to capture and release heat from stove top burner.
I sometimes heat a small, inverted ceramic flower pot for 10 minutes to take off the chill-+always with window or vent cracked.
Good sleeping bags provide good warmth at night.
Moisture is always a problem, unless you have a wood stove, electric connection or vented propane heater.
Knowing the dangers, what objects work the best for people for short term heating?

Heat water.
Make pot of tea.
Drink tea.

[dmad1]

If you don't mind running the stove top for a few minutes, use a sauce pan and heat up about a half container of regular table salt. We tie it up in a pillow case and use it under the covers. Will heat for many hours and is reusable. Also makes for a good source of heat for the back, etc.

[rogerramjet]

Hi - I have a 12ft 72 Boler. When I winter camp I use a electric blanket and bypass all furnace possible issues. Use a space heater when I am awake. Works great. Living in Canada.

[cpaharley2008]

The Wave heaters do not require electricity but do need venting, https://www.campingworld.com/camco-o...0%26%20heaters
I'd stick with a vented furnace.

[Jon Vermilye]

I have a CO detector that includes a digital readout. While it has not alarmed using the cooktop, I sometimes get a reading on the display. Starting the oven will sometimes cause it to alarm if I don't run the stove vent. I would be concerned about using any flame inside the trailer whether inside a flower pot or not.

[D Davis]

Short term and better than a flower pot is to turn an iron skillet or iron pot upside down over one burner till hot then cut the burner off. or just turn on a coleman propane lantern for a while, it will heat a small camper.

[Burroman]

THAT is a great idea!
I have a very small Coleman lantern.

[WizWid]

Originally Posted by Burroman

THAT is a great idea!
I have a very small Coleman lantern.

What fuel does a coleman lantern burn?

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by widgetwizard

What fuel does a coleman lantern burn?

Depends. White gas or more likely these days, propane.
It's still combustion and still produces CO.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by D Davis

Short term and better than a flower pot is to turn an iron skillet or iron pot upside down over one burner till hot then cut the burner off. or just turn on a coleman propane lantern for a while, it will heat a small camper.

Propane lantern could be dangerous. It uses oxygen and puts out CO the same as portable propane heaters. Friends husband died using one of those. We have used a candle in a pie pan sitting in the sink with nothing that could fall on it around. Only use it for a little while as it is an open flame but so is the stove burners. I only heat the trailer with the stove when heating water for something to drink. I do cook in my trailer.

[Defenestrator]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

I have a CO detector that includes a digital readout. While it has not alarmed using the cooktop, I sometimes get a reading on the display. Starting the oven will sometimes cause it to alarm if I don't run the stove vent. I would be concerned about using any flame inside the trailer whether inside a flower pot or not.

Running it inside a flower pot almost certainly makes it more dangerous and not less, too. Less airflow means the fire's getting less oxygen, so it's producing more CO vs CO2.

[whoot]

I used a 900w space-heater with a tip-over detector, but I had shore-power. That worked down to about 0F. The built-in furnace was like a giant flame-thrower, way too hot. The stock thermostat also kept stopping working because of "residue" on the contacts, I would try to sand it clean, but it would stop again. I had to wire it to always be on, and then it got like 110 inside while it was -10 outside. It was so hot the sheets of ice on my windows fell off, melted, and soaked my bed. Then it all froze again while I was at work.

[Glenn Baglo]

You should not sand electrical contacts. That removes the coating on the contacts. Try an ordinary pencil eraser to clean contacts.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

You should not sand electrical contacts. That removes the coating on the contacts. Try an ordinary pencil eraser to clean contacts.

Used to do that with old "D" batteries that had started to corrode