Furnace idea.

[Ron Dickey]

In a teardrop, I would go with a 12v heated blanket laid underneath me on top of the mattress. Running that for an hour or so would warm the mattress and cabin up. No flames, no exhaust, minimal battery draw.

With the falling prices of solar panels and kits that can work. Solar power for a teardrop trailer is becoming an affordable camping "luxury."

Steve, talk to John in Los Osos he could show you how he added Solar to his.

I will cost a lot less for the candles and the tins But I to have thought of adding Solar on top of my Trolley top.

Ron

[Ron Dickey]

I think this should be re titled:

Heating your trailer on a " shoe string budget!!"

So if you know of anyone on the forum that is building with no money send them here!!

Ron

[jstrubberg]

Even without solar, a standard deep cycle battery should get your six or seven nights of blanket heat. Pretty cheap too, the last one I bought for my mother in law (so we could stop turning the heat up in the car to 80 degrees) was about $35.

[RandyG]

Speaking about the burning sticks or candles, does anyone make their own fire logs? Ive seen it done and they burn pretty clean, alot like a candle but more heat.

[Kullas]

So if you know of anyone on the forum that is building with no money send them here!!

Ron

Iooks like im in the right place

[Engineer Guy]

I used a couple of different types of the Insulation linked below in my Super-Insulated Retirement House.

One is 'Astro-Foil', just like 'Reflect It'. It's like Shipping Bubble Pak with a reflective Coating sputtered on. That was stapled on under the Drywall on top of the Studs. Properly taped off, it also acts as a Vapor Barrier. It adds about an R-7 equivalent to the overall Insulation value.

We also put the NON-Bubble Pak type linked below on top of the Roof Trusses and under the Roof Sheathing. This placement moderates Attic temperature, and ultimately buffers temperature excursions from the Attic to the House Ceiling. 'Astro-Shield' is like un-tearable 'Tyvek', and also has a reflective Coating sputtered on. It is flat; no Bubble Pak trapped Air in it. Unbelievably rugged!

To the point: I used a scrap of 'Astro-Shield' below our Fitted Bottom Sheet, on top of the Bed Foam Mattress. You could also put some under a Foam Bed 'Topper' to reduce any 'crunch' sound as you roll over. That little bit of sound didn't bother us. Body Heat Infrared provided all the heat we could use, even in a Tuff Shed at >9,000' elevation where we could see our Breath on Fall nights. Yah, it's a shocker to get out of Bed, but this wonderful stuff also eliminates the need for night time Space Heating in most cases. Heat 'Control' is via the type of top Blanket or Comforter you use. 'Too much' Blanket, and you'll overheat.

This passive effect means you can use 'safe' Heaters during the day w/o worry at night since there's little or no active heating req'd. 'Astro-Shield' is an Electric Blanket sans the Electricity. I've also used scraps of it over my Legs on cool Evenings, or put a piece up against a Rock Formation behind a Chair. It makes for a neat lil 'Micro Environment' on a cold, windy Day when the Sun is shining. A Scrap of it will keep Coffee or a Pot of Food warm, etc..

For retrofitting Insulation under my TTT Couch/Bed or under Dinette Seats, for example, I think 'Astro-Shield' is a good way to go.

Astrofoil

[KCStudly]

Is there no interest in this cookie tin candle heater? Just wondering...

Mike...

Mike, I have a lot of interest in this method and have had for some time since originally seeing you mention it way back in one of your TTT CAD concept models.

I wonder if all of the extra tins are really needed. If the heat requirements for a typical TD in weather that is not that much colder than freezing can be handled by two votive candles, I wonder if reducing the outlet port size would slow the air flow (for better heat transfer) w/o affecting the flame. Might actually increase the flow rate (bad). What would be the smallest port size needed that still allows good transfer of heat?

Also wondering if a nice big finned aluminum heat sink attached to the cover of one tin might take the place of the other tins, especially if that tin was well baffled inside. It would be nice to simplify the installation and reduce the required footprint.

What other materials can be used as an insulator? The hardiboard is basically fiberglass reinforced concrete, is rough, drab and tends to crumble a bit when handled. I wonder if a heat shield made from a thin aluminum sheet stood off from the wall and tin a quarter inch or so by some SS or porcelain spool spacers at the four corners would do the job while also putting some of that heat back into the cabin as a radiator (SS is a relatively poor heat conductor, and the air gap might set up some convection).

I don't see the need for the cement board in between the tins (other than as a spacer for the lids). Wouldn't it be more efficient to allow the air to convect between the tins by using a few spool spacers instead? Or would that send too much heat up to the ceiling (assuming it is close by)?

I wonder if, rather than gooping things up to seal, one could make a really cool steam punk version out of solder sealed copper. Think old moonshine still, except polished up a bit. Hmm , copper "tins" might be hard to find for a reasonable price. These are a little spendy, but copper and aluminum transfer heat better than tin. Making a custom box with baffles inside could be a fun fabrication project.

Mostly I'm wondering if I will need something like this for the camping that I intend to do. I'm thinking a project like this might make a fine add on feature; part of that 5/ct of construction that is never really done.

[Ron Dickey]

The heat sink is a very good idea.

Yesterday it got a little nippy in the house. Have not had the house heater on in 3 yrs. Use a little plug in in the Living room from time to time and the pot belly smokes need to extend the chimney. Any way I pulled out a candle with a holder with wire sides and stuck a tin can on top. The room is 3 times bigger then a TD but I thought what the heck. I felt a little warmer but what I also did was pulled out a thermometer and put it one inch above the can after it had bin burning for several min.'s . I held it on inch above the can and it read 100 degrees. not this was a little little candle 1/2 " high and 1 " wide. the can was the size of a regular soup can.

But I might cut out a heat sink and see if that helps. I should put it on a tray and take it in the trailer and see if I get warm.

I had wondered about connecting a copper tube from the fire box to the vent out. and a heat sink would make it even more efficient

[RandyG]

A thick piece of aluminum would work for a sink. I know the fins in heat sinks are to keep them cooler but they could spread the heat in a room a little better than just a plate. Hmm, sounds like another experiment, fins vs a plate.

[oakinteriors1]

An electric alternative...not sure how hot it gets....If these things work to keep water from freezing for chickens.

The cookie tin heater was made using a exterior light bulb socket with a 40 wt high temperature oven light held in place with a reflector light bracket using a 6x32x1.5 inch stainless bolt secured thru bottom of tin and bracket.The plug is rubber outdoor type used to make extension cords.

[rowerwet]

The only advantage of adding heatsinks to the lid and sides would be to allow you to use just one cookie tin, once you figure out how many it would take to get 4 times the surface area. you would still need both the air intake and exhaust going into one box, to do this you would also need to add a baffle(s) on the inside of the box to keep as much heat as possible inside. All of which adds complexity to a simple solution.
Single engine piston aircraft use engine exhaust to heat the cabin, (just like the old VW bug) most designs have "studs" welded through the wall of the muffler, that stick as far into the exhaust area as they do into the heater shroud. Brass bolts secured in place through the cookie tin wall?

The more metal mass you add to the heater, the longer until it puts off heat, the thin cookie tin may not have much extra surface area, but it puts heat off almost instantly thanks to the lack of mass to heat up. the extra cookie tins give you much more surface area to transfer heat (if the candles are only in the first one) or places to add as many as you can to fight a really cold night.

Using metal pipes to connect each tin to the next would give more surface area for heating as each face of each box and the pipes would be a heat exchanging surface. Much more work though, to get that many sealed pipe connections, which is why the original idea used a board inbetween.

Even with the wingnut lid holders this design is the simplest there is. My own idea using a kerosene lantern takes up more room, but you can't add another lantern if you need more heat.

[rowerwet]

An electric alternative...not sure how hot it gets....If these things work to keep water from freezing for chickens.

The cookie tin heater was made using a exterior light bulb socket with a 40 wt high temperature oven light held in place with a reflector light bracket using a 6x32x1.5 inch stainless bolt secured thru bottom of tin and bracket.The plug is rubber outdoor type used to make extension cords.

40 watt = 136 btu's
60 watt = 184 btu
100 watt = 307 btu
candle = aprox 50-60 btu
kerosene lantern = 900-1,700 btu depending on wick, mantle and chimney
a person gives off about the same btu's as a 100 watt bulb

[Martiangod]

Found this browsing around, another twist on candle heat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHqBcZqNzE
looks like it would work good, the double pot would be the key to good heat

[Ron Dickey]

to add to that having insolated walls will reduce the heat lost or reduce cold penetration to the cabin by some factor.

I just put in house insolation but the isolation that is mentioned farther up could be a big factor too. and the couple under the covers are creating their own heat too.

Some sleep in a sleeping bag. we use sheets and layers of blankets But it is when you get up to make breakfast or do you thing is when that heat comes in to play even more.

Insolation also comes into play in a hot environment to keep your self cool Hmmm can we put ice cubes thin there??

a mini heat exchanger installed in or around the tin could allow heat to be exchanged through out the trailer faster.
go to goole images: fireplace heat exchanger

I find it interesting to see how one person comes up with a proved working idea and how we all try to improve on it. My hopes are in the end a newer modern improved idea comes out of this and it will be interesting to see what others come up with and if they use them in their trailers, or fishing huts!!

in my cast I have an open frame walls not up. I have a trolley top with the back window being round where I could put the in and out vents. Or I could put one out vent because I also am putting in Saddle bags on the sides where the batteries will go and vents will be too. So I could put in an in vent there and the out vent at the top with Candle/ lantern station in a cabinet that looks like a mexican pie cabinet that will keep us warm at night. This at this point is just a dream, but I will keep it in mind as I do my build.

Spencer thank you for coming up with the idea and thank you Mike for showing his pictures.
Ron

[rowerwet]

Found this browsing around, another twist on candle heat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHqBcZqNzE
looks like it would work good, the double pot would be the key to good heat

the only problem with an unvented candle in a small space, a good percentage of the wax does not burn and instead ends up on the walls and ceiling, it also will end up coating your lungs if used in a small room, tent, tear, or boat cabin, long term.
In a house (like the video shows) a lightbulb under a pot would be safer, and about the same cost, depending on rates in your area. http://www.heatstick.com/_GlowWarm.htm sells a kit to make your own, easy to copy the design...
It is funny that part of the reason given for banning incandescent bulbs was the heat given off, up here in the north east we measure the A/C season in weeks and the heating season in months.