Furnace idea.

[rowerwet]

I would also be concerned about gusty wind blowing the exhaust back into the trailer, or blowing the flames out, with the intake and exhaust right next to each other, facing the same direction, wind shouldn't be an issue.
With the heater under the floor, holes shouldn't show.

[mikeschn]

If you don't exhaust your tin heater:
There is a danger of inhaling wax particles into your lungs, as well as carbon monoxide.

If you don't provide a fresh air intake from outside:
You are depleting your oxygen in the teardrop, and asphyxiation becomes a concern.

Mike...

[RandyG]

Asphyxiation was a concern thats why I want a seperate vent as with any small space. I'll most likely vent outside, seems safer.

[Esteban]

A while ago I suggested using a Perko vent for the outside of the cookie tin heater. I had in mind their clam shell vent covers like this: wholesalemarine.com/perko-chrome-clam-shell-vent. They come in several sizes. I like the look and the feeling it would keep rain out. Might need a bug screen to keep critters out.

edit: Though I suppose any critters that get inside the heater will get toasted.

2nd edit: I'm remembering more about Robert's original cookie box heater, thanks to his recent photos posted here. It was in a 5 x 10 camper with only one side door located all the way in the rear in a camper without a galley. The heater was installed inside on the opposite wall without a door.

For anyone with a smaller camper, especially one with two doors the size and placement of a cookie box heater may be a design issue/problem.

Many of us, more so those of us with 2 door campers, may have limited unobstructed wall space where we could/can attach a heater. This leads me to think a heater that is narrower than Robert's might fit best. Maybe by using 3 or 4 smaller cookie tins stacked one atop another.

Whatcha think?

[KCStudly]

Those Perko scoops are neato.

For those that do not have aluminum skinned exteriors, it might be a good idea to monitor the one on the exhaust for high temps, or mount it with a suitable thermal break (a silicone gasket?), otherwise, if it sits in the exhaust stream and collects heat, it could potentially damage the finished surface of your TD.

[Esteban]

Those Perko scoops are neato.

For those that do not have aluminum skinned exteriors, it might be a good idea to monitor the one on the exhaust for high temps, or mount it with a suitable thermal break (a silicone gasket?), otherwise, if it sits in the exhaust stream and collects heat, it could potentially damage the finished surface of your TD.

Robert's camper had plywood sidewalls sealed with epoxy and paint. Your idea and caution is good. It may or may not be a real issue...based on Robert's experience. Wish he would participate in this discussion and share an update on his camper and heater. He is a tnttt member...though he has not posted very much. Ron Dickey wrote that he saw Robert and his camper recently. Ron "said" that Robert is soon going to build a new camper.

[mikeschn]

Posted eariler... just wanted you to see it again... the dangers of wax! Imagine that!

Mike...

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.

[mikeschn]

You could probably get by with two cookie tins, one above the other. Plan on running either 2 or 3 candles in the bottom tin, depending on how much heat you need.

The bottom tin would the the combustion chamber, and the top tin would be the heat radiation chamber!

Mike...

Many of us, more so those of us with 2 door campers, may have limited unobstructed wall space where we could/can attach a heater. This leads me to think a heater that is narrower than Robert's might fit best. Maybe by using 3 or 4 smaller cookie tins stacked one atop another.

Whatcha think?

[rowerwet]

2nd edit: I'm remembering more about Robert's original cookie box heater, thanks to his recent photos posted here. It was in a 5 x 10 camper with only one side door located all the way in the rear in a camper without a galley. The heater was installed inside on the opposite wall without a door.

For anyone with a smaller camper, especially one with two doors the size and placement of a cookie box heater may be a design issue/problem.

Many of us, more so those of us with 2 door campers, may have limited unobstructed wall space where we could/can attach a heater. This leads me to think a heater that is narrower than Robert's might fit best. Maybe by using 3 or 4 smaller cookie tins stacked one atop another.

Whatcha think?

the lack of wall space is what led me to settle on the idea of a box below the floor housing the candle boxes.
it seems looks is another issue for many, four boxes on the wall doesn't fit very well, in a well below the floor with a propperly barricaded vent should look and work fine.
I need to do some measuring around the frame under the floor, I would like to have the vent and well near my feet/wheel well, but keep coming back to the best space being along side the pillow.
the only possible drawback to below floor location being the lack of radiant heat (warm sunshine on your face) from the cookie tins, below the floor all the heat will be convection (hot air rising)
I like below the floor also as I think it will do a better job of getting the heat down to the level I'm sleeping at. back when I was first sleeping in my tear it was a cold spring, I had a small ceramic heater on the shelf above the bed (to keep any blankets or clothes off) I ended up with nice hot air above me, and a cold mattress.

[oakinteriors1]

With the Wily windows I'm building the panel is easily replaced for a winter heater...Perhaps a single tin with baffles..
Just happen to have an 11'' round 5'' deep..I think I'l try 1/2'' air intake and outlet using electrical conduit connectors that 1/2'' copper tubing will fit in ...

tn_100_4040.JPG (61.34 KiB) Viewed 2185 times

[mikeschn]

Rowerwet,

Think this might help?

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/69010?pr ... 0047741097


Mike...

2nd edit: I'm remembering more about Robert's original cookie box heater, thanks to his recent photos posted here. It was in a 5 x 10 camper with only one side door located all the way in the rear in a camper without a galley. The heater was installed inside on the opposite wall without a door.

For anyone with a smaller camper, especially one with two doors the size and placement of a cookie box heater may be a design issue/problem.

Many of us, more so those of us with 2 door campers, may have limited unobstructed wall space where we could/can attach a heater. This leads me to think a heater that is narrower than Robert's might fit best. Maybe by using 3 or 4 smaller cookie tins stacked one atop another.

Whatcha think?

the lack of wall space is what led me to settle on the idea of a box below the floor housing the candle boxes.
it seems looks is another issue for many, four boxes on the wall doesn't fit very well, in a well below the floor with a propperly barricaded vent should look and work fine.
I need to do some measuring around the frame under the floor, I would like to have the vent and well near my feet/wheel well, but keep coming back to the best space being along side the pillow.
the only possible drawback to below floor location being the lack of radiant heat (warm sunshine on your face) from the cookie tins, below the floor all the heat will be convection (hot air rising)
I like below the floor also as I think it will do a better job of getting the heat down to the level I'm sleeping at. back when I was first sleeping in my tear it was a cold spring, I had a small ceramic heater on the shelf above the bed (to keep any blankets or clothes off) I ended up with nice hot air above me, and a cold mattress.

[rowerwet]

it would, but I like the simplest idea possible, putting the heat below me, means it will heat where I am with no extra effort.
I'm also heating my house with a woodstove, the forum I go to for info on that is full of threads asking how to get heat to far away rooms, levels below the heat source, crawlspaces, etc. heat rises, cold sinks, working with that fact makes everyones life easier. (in my case my house is 2 story with the bedrooms upstairs and the wood stove in the livingroom, no fans involved )

[oakinteriors1]

OK guys..Since Rock is the best thermal mass why not use a wire mesh for baffles and line the (Shelve-Baffles) with pebbles ....Could even preheat the stones a little....

[BobBash]

This is a great topic ! With regards to the vent holes , maybe a rotating /sliding cover mounted under the exterior rain gaurd would work . It would block air transfer when the candle heater is not in use & also ad some control to the burning of the candles ( just like a woodstove) so that the inlet/outlet holes wouldn't be so critical in size ????

[Rainier70]

Interesting thread.

I think if I was doing this, I would go with one box off set from the wall a little. Then I would put a shield or partially open box around it. The shield would keep from getting burns, and would also provide an air path around your burner box for a computer fan to draw more heat off.

At the very least I would experiment with one box first and see how much heat your can get off of it. Easier to problem solve venting and sealing issues on one first.