What precautions/tips on cooking inside a TTT?

[digimark]

I was thinking of putting a short cabinet/workbench in the front of the trailer to site a Coleman two-burner stove. Assuming windows, vents all open, side door open -- what are the carbon monoxide risks and/or burning the trailer down risks of cooking inside? Apart from a fire extinguisher, anything I should consider adding to make it safer or more convenient? How is a stove in a toy hauler different?

EDIT: I guess the same question applies to running a generator inside a cargo trailer. Anyone have thoughts there?

[Laredo]

Short answer: don't do it.

Longer answer: don't do it inside a traditional-size (4x8x4) tear.
You won't have room to do it safely or comfily, and there are many considerations other than the carbon monoxide risk behind this advice:
flammability of the bedding/shelving/walls, and (lack of) clearance from the stove to these items is the foremost, in my way of thinking.

If you plan to run a contained-flame generator, can you put it on the tongue of the trailer rather than inside the cabin?

Think of it this way: Inside the cabin of your tear = inside the cabin of a small aircraft. Fire is a bad thing there.

If you're building something the size/shape of a Serro Scotty ... think about putting a "front hatch" on and setting your stove/gen outside the trailer under the hatch in inclement weather -- this hatch could be, quite simply, a 24''x48'' fold-out shelf below the (openable) window and a hinged-above 25x49 cover, with a locking prop rod. About the only risk you'd have in those conditions is invading mosquitoes... and if you did have a fire, you could shove it all *outside*.

Serro Scotties had inside stoves -- my earliest trailer-camp experiences came in one, and after 3 days on a lake frying fish in dampish late-May weather, everything in the trailer had a "greasy spoon" feel to it.

[digimark]

Thank you for the advice, although I find it confusing, because it seems like many of the people converting cargo trailers in this forum are using some kind of stove inside the trailers. I can imagine there must be some kind of a safe way to use them. Even the tiny HyperLite and Airstream toy haulers and the T@DA trailers have stoves in them. In my case, I'd like to use the Coleman 2-burner propane bottle stove I already have.

The generator I mentioned is a 3KW Honda eu3000is generator that I'd like to use with my outdoor movie setup. If I could leave it in the trailer and let it run without removing it, it would be one less thing to have to haul out and back in. Is it safe enough to run such a generator inside the trailer, if no one is inside and the vents, windows, side door and ramp door of the trailer are all open?

[slyeager]

I'm assuming you are talking about a cargo type trailer and not a tear drop. I would be just as concerned about escape if something caught fire. Whether the stove is on the inside or outside, if the trailer is on fire it's on fire which makes evacuation a very important factor.

There are plenty of small spaces that contain stoves like boats and campers and I'm pretty sure these would have a built in air transfer system. Hood and vent to the outside above the stove. Metal or tile surfaces around the stove would make catching surrounding surfaces on fire less likely. Carbon monixide detectors won't break the bank and have at least one fire extingisher on board. For the hassle and loss of space in the TTT though it would just be easier to cook outside.

I just spent my first weekend in my cargo trailer, four little windows and a roof vent. Even though I didn't cook inside I did have the propane latern on for an hour or so. I had plenty of air movment, so I would have to imagine as long as you had air transfer to the outside carbon monixide wouldn't build up.

As for the generator, that would be outside just because of the noise alone. Not to mention that would run for longer intervals and even while you sleep. I'm assuming you wouldn't be cooking while sleeping.

Visit an RV or Boat place and check out the stoves and vents. Ask about the safety features.

Just my 2 cents. --I am not an air quality engineer, saftey officer, or fire marshel. This is my own opinion and not meant as fact, instruction or advice.

[digimark]

Yes, this is about a cargo trailer conversion. Adding a CO detector would be pretty straight forward, as would using a metal backsplash and undercounter guard near where the stove would be used.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear -- the generator would only be used inside during my movie nights when the trailer is in cargo mode and not camping mode. Specifically, running a generator inside the trailer would only be for the convenience of not dismounting it and the trailer could baffle some of the noise from the movie patrons. I can't imagine taking such a large generator with us camping -- it would be overkill. The generator is at least 150 pounds and a 2'x2'x2' cube.

[brian_bp]

Even though nobody would be inside with the generator, I wouldn't do it. Aside from the exhaust, I wouldn't want gasoline fumes.

Can a lockable box be mounted on the tongue? I dislike the loading up of trailer tongues, but this might be the situation in which to do it.

An alternative would be to build a box in one front corner big enough for the generator, accessible only via a lockable door in the outside wall which would be left open when the generator is in use. In camping mode, this could be an outside-accessible storage compartment, perhaps carrying stuff such as a propane tank; on the inside it would be a table or a base for an upper storage cabinet.

[slyeager]

I would imagine it would be safe as long as the exhaust wasn't close to anything and no one was inside, but would have to think that the exhaust fumes would penetrate the walls and leave that smell lingering.

I would definitely do a practice run somewhere safe first where you could keep a close eye on it. Checking the walls ocasionally for warmth and if you have the CO detector mounted it should be an easy read. Also after the test run have the wife/GF (Never both at the same time) come out and see if they complain about the smell inside.

[Kankujoe]

I would not cook inside my TTT if I had any other option available. In a pinch I've used a single burner butane stove with good results but I would not use a larger propane stove.

[len19070]

I built a 2 sided drawer for my stove. The same drawer that slides out the back, slides into the cabin as well.



Well it does work with a butane stove...but I'm not going to be using it with any frequency. Even though it is installed properly and ALL safety practices are used, it still spooks me.

Did it, but don't recommend it.

Happy Trails

Len

BTW my intended use for this "inside stove" was only for coffee, never entire meals.

[bobhenry]

AAAHHH! Nothing like the smell of day old fried fish and lingering exhaust fumes in the morning.

Fresh air is overrated

[MrBuzz]

Another consideration...heat rises! A Coleman stove (any stove, really) throws off a lot of heat and that heat goes right straight up. If you cook indoors you will need some sort of heat shield / vent hood to protect the ceiling and backsplash areas from coming apart, melting, scorching or even starting on fire.
In this pic you can see where my stove is stored. I tried using it on the counter once and the inside of the hatch immediately got so hot that I couldn't touch it.
On my short list of things to do is to make a metal heatshield for the inside of the hatch in case I need to use the stove under cover at some point.

[len19070]

AAAHHH! Nothing like the smell of day old fried fish and lingering exhaust fumes in the morning.

Fresh air is overrated

BTW my intended use for this "inside stove" was only for coffee, never entire meals.

Who said anything about FISH!

Mine only smells like Coffee. Heck I like the smell of Coffee.

I want cologne that smells like coffee

Happy Trails

Len

[S. Heisley]

It is possible to do but I would purchase a new stove unit that is made for that purpose. When you purchase a new stove that's meant to be installed inside a camper, it comes with instructions to keep you and all around you safe, such as number of inches of clearance needed from each side, front, back, and top. (Each is different.) Purchase the unit before you finish designing your camper because, inevitably, you'll have to modify your design to meet the requirements. I bought mine early and am glad I did as I had to re-think the galley area, roof, and deck area. Sorry, got no pics as I am just halfway done with the deck and am
sl-o-o-o-w, kinda like trying to get maple sap out of a tree in the dead of winter!

[Frog]

Using a generator inside is a very bad idea. Your bedding will smell of engine exhaust as well as the curtains, your clothes and your food. How would you refuel this 145 lb generator? If it's too heavy to take outside to use it sounds like you will also leave it inside to refuel it. Add spilled gasoline to the other smells. Even if it is safe, which I don't think it is, you have to consider the heat generated by the engine as well as the smell. Your trailer could soon become uninhabitable.

Do you really need a generator that large for an outdoor movie. If so, then it should be mounted outside or only used outside. Heck, any engine should only be used outside. RV generators are always mounted in an outside box with at least one side open for air circulation.

If you plan to cook with a propane stove inside, there is the danger of gasoline fumes inside the trailer if the generator is stored inside full of fuel.

At best you'll wake up with a bad headache, at worst you won't wake up at all.

[digimark]

I should have clarified this... I'm building this trailer for dual purposes.

As a camper it will have a bed, etc. But when not using it for that, I'll be using it as a traditional cargo trailer for hauling around a Honda generator, a 16'x25' inflatable movie screen (it's huge -- two stories high), sound and video projector equipment and a popcorn machine, along with all the cables and tables needed to show outdoor movies. Think backyard drive-in movies. I'd leave all of that equipment in the garage when camping.

In fact, I was considering mounting the projector inside the trailer somehow, perhaps behind a hatch, so that the trailer becomes the projector house. It's of a theme -- I'm lazy and would love to set up things so I pull up to the venue, push a couple of buttons, pop a hatch and the popcorn machine's already churning out kernels and the intermission trailers are running.



My thinking about the generator was only when using the trailer for movie night and the trailer would otherwise be empty. But I've since learned from all of you guys that running either a generator or a camp stove in the trailer is generally a bad idea. Besides, I've got too much invested in this to mess it up with gasoline fumes, etc.