Alternative Heating

[S. Heisley]

I am looking for a different way to heat our camper. We have a small electric heater. It works great. It's a small space, so it heats very well. However, we don't always have a place to plug in at certain parks or places we go. My little solar panel won't power it. After 10 pm we have to turn off the generator. What alternative ways do you heat your camper?

No one has mentioned on-board batteries, charged by your solar panel, with an attached inverter to pull 120VAC from.
How big is your heater? Need wattage, or voltage and current ratings. Should be on the bottom. A sticker, or possibly cast onto the housing bottom.

Awaiting response.....Roger

I mentioned a Jackery or other such source and solar panels. You'd probably want either the 500 or the 1000. Pricey but good. (I don't know the cost of the various gas type heaters.) The Jackery can be used to power not only your electric heater but also your laptop etc. and it's an easy way to go,

[tony.latham]

No one has mentioned on-board batteries, charged by your solar panel...

As you probably know, it takes a lot of battery power to create heat. A lot.

Tony

[gudmund]

the "Mr.Heater"('as seen on TV') that I use if I have available electrical hook-up only uses 250watts and heats a teardrop up 'Just fine'!! The W-M one I used before was only 200watts = they both work just fine in a teardrop!! I use the Mr.Heater being it has no power cord - the heater being so small just plugs into the power outlet. Have been thinking about the checking out a 'Jackery', if there is one of the right size?? that would be enough to power a Mr.Heater/W-M heater if the need for heat was to come up. Have found that when using the heater, the need usually is only needing it to get trailer warm - than once after climbing in under the covers, I normally turn it off for the rest of the nite. (and now with the "weighted blanket" I am carrying and how well it kept me warm when we had outside freezing = I may just have the right set-up with a Jackery (along with all of it's other uses when camping - it may also enough power to run the our 'blender' (small one) for making them 'Montana Margaritas" also!!!!!????

[RJ Howell]

Depending on how big your trailer is and how warm you want it, a mini wood stove or even a candle lantern might be enough.

Links here:
https://cubicminiwoodstoves.com/collect ... wood-stove
https://www.ucogear.com/candle-lanterns ... anterns%2f

If you just need to warm a small insulated space before zipping into your sleeping bag, the candle lantern will drive off some of the damp. You might also consider boiling a large pot of water before you go to bed and letting it sit on the counter.

Happy holidays,
Kevin

I have the Candlier boasting 5,000 Btu's! https://www.ucogear.com/candle-lanterns/candlelier-candle-lantern-painted-c--c--std?returnurl=%2fcandle-lanterns%2f

[saltydawg]

I have the Candlier boasting 5,000 Btu's! https://www.ucogear.com/candle-lanterns/candlelier-candle-lantern-painted-c--c--std?returnurl=%2fcandle-lanterns%2f

Maybe 5000 btu total, candles on average are 75 btu an hour. So its about 225 btu an hour.

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/winterstorm/win ... 24%20hours.

[twisted lines]

I found these with a Elk Camp I sold, wasn't mine but these are now! haven't tried them
Garbage can has a 12v pump hanging by bolt in lid to recirculate the heating water, dish sprayer; after the dishes are done put the shower head on
Oh sorry this was about the heater it has a little fan inside the tubing 12v to recirculate the Air (ZODI) brand name! Mine is Tim Talered. Thank's Tim
I may need to leave the chuck box I haven't made yet; Home so I have room.

[NevadaBlue]

A wood stove is an option. Lots of small stoves are made for sailboat use and many are used in boats that have a cabin that is ‘teardrop’ sized.

I’m planning this... if I live long enough to finish it and live through the use of it, I’ll report back.

EEE50FCF-3A2F-4F25-A36F-9C67DF3558D4.jpeg (376.25 KiB) Viewed 1180 times

The pipe looks wonky in this pic because it was just a test fit to see if it actually would fit. It is a stainless Savovar with a wood firebox in the bottom and water heater tank on top. My plan is to heat the cabin in the evening and let the fire go out. The water will hold some heat for a while. Then in the morning, fire it again. So, I’ll have hot water for tea or coffee or soup, or bathing or whatever along with heat in the cabin. Maybe...

[Tomterrific]

Well, you said different.

How To heat a mini camper without electricity?
Build a coil of tubing inside a small propane tank type stove. The stove is outside the camper. Connect the upper coil tube to the top of a radiator and the lower tube to the bottom of a radiator. Fill radiator, and the tube coil, with water. Fire up the stove and you have a thermosiphon system.

Sit outside by fire. Fill with charcoal before bedtime. Get ready to fill with more charcoal when you wakeup!

Tt

[tony.latham]

Fill radiator, and the tube coil, with water. Fire up the stove and you have a thermosiphon system.

Out of curiosity, wouldn't it need something to prevent a steam explosion?

Asking for a friend.

Tony

[twisted lines]

Fill radiator, and the tube coil, with water. Fire up the stove and you have a thermosiphon system.

Out of curiosity, wouldn't it need something to prevent a steam explosion?

Asking for a friend.

Tony

The ZODI site has one, I think it’s out of stock? She might be able to get the soap off too

[tony.latham]

The ZODI site has one...

We've got a Zodi stovetop water heater. It pumps water from a water bucket, through a radiator that sits on the stove, and out from a showerhead.

It's not a closed coil that is subject to a steam explosion.

Tony

[twisted lines]

The buckets are not included so plumb as you wish
No thermosiphon either.

[NevadaBlue]

I had a wood furnace under the first house I built. It had a ‘loop’ of 1” pipe in the firebox. 18” in, double street ell and back 18” out. Connected to a water tank under the house, behind the furnace. It produced MORE hot water than we could use. I would usually fill the furnace during the night and fill the tub with hot water to heat the bathroom too. Basically free heat and hot water. It was of course pressurized as part of the house water system and had the normal water heater relief valve.

[Dahlia47]

AH! I see a few options I had looked and reasearched. The turkish teapot, I am not sure about the safety, But I have seen them used in tents in youtube videos. Does it heat a small space well?
Propane...I have some small propane bottles, not sure how long a small one would last? I have thought about outfitting the TTT with a bigger propane tank. After all, the older scotties also used them for light.
The mini wood stoves...These really interest me. But I am worried about safety. My TT is made of plywood. I have seen them used in youtube videos as well. The candelier, I like that. I have the perfect place for that to sit. I will research this one.

[iggy3860]

G'day All

Here is a Kiwi bloke using a DIY Alcohol Heater & doing a "DIY Alcohol Camper Heater Full Safety Test".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DONpK77 ... va&index=4

He has a lot of TinyHouse and Offgrid Resources which are well worth watching.

Regards