A Homemade Heater

[Big Guy with a Little Guy]

A few years ago, we made some emergency heaters that I think might work for a small trailer.

We took a new one quart can, (the style that paint comes in, with the tap-on lid) and put a role of toilet paper inside. You remove the cardboard core and compress the roll, and it fits perfectly in the can. You then fill the can to the top with rubbing alcohol. The paper acts as a wick, and the alcohol burns slowly and under control. You can get about 6-8 hours from a refill, and you can blow it out and reslight it anytime.

That's the heat source, which of course, you would not want inside because of CO. But, you make a heat exchanger to be placed outside out of a larger can and coiled or snaked copper tubing inside the larger can over the flame of the smaller can. The tubing would then be routed to an inlet in the cabin wall. A small 12v fan would pull the fresh warmed air in the tube into the cabin. The warmed air intake would need to be away from the burner to draw in fresh air.

It's a simple concept that would require some experimentation, but I think it would provide enough heat to be comfortable.

[BrianB]

A catalytic heater would probably be a little safer and more manageable.

[mikeschn]

Is there any way to turn that catalytic heater into a vented heater? I wouldn't want to go to sleep with a catalytic heater running in my teardrop. I wanna wake up again!

But I doubt there is a way to convert it. You'd probably just have to buy an Atwood Hydro Flame...



Mike...

[mexican tear]

The PetCool heats also.

kai

[mikeschn]

The PetCool heats also.

kai

That's a good point Kai... but I remember reading somewhere that it no longer works when the temps hit 40*. While that may not be a problem where you are at, here in MI, and other cold states, where we might want heat at 32* or 20* or even 0*, we need another alternative...

Mike...

[TomS]

Why fool around with heaters that can start a fire or affixiate you? A decent pair of decent sleeping bags will keep you warm as toast.

I'm not talking about the el-cheapo bags you find in Wal-Mart. Get the kind backpackers use. You can find them at Campor, REI or EMS. A compression stuff sac will squash a 20 degree down bag to the size of a grapefruit. Stash 'em in the back of a cabinet. The trailer's insulation should boost effective rating of a sleeping bag (I estimate by at least 20 or 25 Deg. F). If that's not warm enough, wear a wool hat, long undies and a pair of thick wool socks to bed.

[Guest]

A decent sleeping bag will keep you warm

I climbed to the summit of Mt. Rainier, back in my Boy Scout days.
I don't know what the wind chill factor was on one of those nights, but I was warm an toastie in my down bag... no socks, no pants, no shirt, just my jockey shorts.
I still have that bag and to my recollection, the only time I ever zipped it up to mummy style was during that trip on Mt. Rainier.

[Q]

I have one of the heaters like in the picture Mike posted. It works great down to below zero degrees.

As an old backpacker/motorcycle tourist I agree that a good sleeping bag will get you through just about any cold night, but I don't find them especially comfortable. In really cold weather the only way I am able to keep warm is to snug everything up so just my snozz is sticking out of a small hole. Hard to roll over and change positions. Then comes the worst part, getting out of the sleeping bag in the morning.

Q

[doug hodder]

Hey guys, If you don't have a wife or girlfriend, get yourself a golden retreiver. They're a built in heater in the trailer, always ready to go camping, love going boating, and the later you are coming home the happier they are to see you. Doug Hodder

[TomS]

I have one of the heaters like in the picture Mike posted. It works great down to below zero degrees.

As an old backpacker/motorcycle tourist I agree that a good sleeping bag will get you through just about any cold night, but I don't find them especially comfortable. In really cold weather the only way I am able to keep warm is to snug everything up so just my snozz is sticking out of a small hole. Hard to roll over and change positions. Then comes the worst part, getting out of the sleeping bag in the morning.

Q

My own opinion is that a furnace is overkill for your average 3-season camper who may encounter occaisional chilly nights in the mountains or at the beginning or end of their camping seasons. For people that do a lot of winter camping, I suppose a furnace might be a good investment.

I have no expeience with that furnace or any other furnace. I can't make any truly informed comments on it's safety. However, the idea of running any gas fired heating device while sleeping in a 5 x 8 foot plywood box gives me the willeys. I've been using sleeping bags since I was a kid. My gut instinct tells me to go with what I know.

Another alternative is a 12 volt electric blanket. I've seen them on the Web. Unfortunatly, I don't have the URL handy. The downside is cold weather really weakens your battery at a time when you'll be depending on it the most.

I guess the decision boils down to your design priorities and how often you camp in cold weather. And, that's the beauty of building your own trailer. You can tailer it to your exact needs.

[mikeschn]

It's not the same URL that I had the last time, but they do sell the 12v electro warmth bed warmers here...

http://www.righttrak.net/warmers/

Mike...

[Mark Mckeeman]

Hi,

Has anyone considered installing an old Southwind combustion heater from a VW. They have a heat exchanger built in with outside combustion air source. They use 12v ignition and are thermostatically controlled.

I know most folks didn't like them much in the car but that was due to poor ducting. It would roast your feet off and you would still be driving with an ice scraper in your hand to clear the inside of the window!

Mark

[angib]

Has anyone considered installing an old Southwind combustion heater from a VW.

Surely you have similar heaters in US trucks? Here in Yurp, Eberspacher rules the premium market for trucks, RVs and boats. Their smallest heater might be a bit much (2.2kW) but at 12" x 5" x 4.5" should not be difficult to fit in (needs a diesel tank, though).

Andrew

[D. Tillery]

Some of us are not so used to the cold so some type of heater is a must. I was in a trailer in W. Texas once and we ran out of propane in the middle of the night. When we woke up, the water in the dog's bowl was frozen. Man it was tough getting out of those sleeping bags even though that warm, wonderful, sweet, fat black Lab was curled up next to me.
D. Tillery

[BrianB]

I was camping near Houston back in November and it got plenty cold for me, so I know I need something even being this far south. When/if I ever get mine built, I'll probably just take a few ceramic stones along with me that I can heat over the fire and slip under the sheets before bedtime. That way the bed will be nice and warm, and with enough blankets, no heater will be necessary.