Dickinson vented propane heater

[wanabxtrm]

gone fishin, mind posting a picture or describing how you have your chimney set up on the exterior? Do you pull the exhaust cap and install rubber sealer doodad each time when your driving? How's it worked out with snow fall on the roof?

Thanks,

I'm still aways from installing a heater, but I'm up between the dickinson propane and a normal RV propane one.

[Gonefishin]

I have the chimney exiting out the side of the trailer. (Same thing BC Dave did.) I keep the Weatherguard on it when not in use. It attaches and is held on with a single wing nut. Snow is not an issue on or around the vent when in use, or when not in use. Weatherguard never has come loose, even after long drives at high speeds, and miles of washboard roads.


Here is the Weatherguard cap that Dickinson sells, which I wouldn't be without. Dickinson part #19-210. Price varies around $40-$50.
http://www.boatownersworld.com/dickinson-19-200.html

Same site has the 9000 on sale for $689!

[Prem]

Awesome heater for sure! And beautiful also.

[lrrowe]

I have the chimney exiting out the side of the trailer. (Same thing BC Dave did.) I keep the Weatherguard on it when not in use. It attaches and is held on with a single wing nut. Snow is not an issue on or around the vent when in use, or when not in use. Weatherguard never has come loose, even after long drives at high speeds, and miles of washboard roads.


Here is the Weatherguard cap that Dickinson sells, which I wouldn't be without. Dickinson part #19-210. Price varies around $40-$50.
http://www.boatownersworld.com/dickinson-19-200.html

Same site has the 9000 on sale for $689!

Gnefishin,
I have a question for you regarding the vent you are showing. In her post, Cindy had to add an extention to her exterior vent.
See: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=55219&start=105

How are you avoiding the conditions she had which caused her to add the extention? Or is it not a
problem to you.

A second question is about the exhaust gasses leaving streaks on the side of your CT. Do you see that as a "non problem also?"

[Gonefishin]

Bob, I have not had any issues at all which would cause me to have to add an extension to my flue pipe. I've ran it in some high winds, and it doesn't cause any venting issues or blow out the flame. I usually try to park the trailer with the nose into the wind to reduce shake, so the wind blows parallel to the side of the trailer and vent in most cases.

After approximately 600 hours or so of running, I see no discoloration on the trailer. I think it just burns clean, and since there's usually some kind of breeze, the exhaust doesn't just rise up in a straight line from my vent. Whatever the case, no signs of exhaust on the side.

It bears repeating that if I bought another trailer tomorrow, I'd order another of these heaters immediately without hesitation. I used only the stock parts that came with it, plus the Weather Guard. I'm also now using a longer rubber hose (20-footer) so I don't have to remove propane tanks from the bed of the pick up. That's working great too! I still haven't created a space on my v-nose to carry a tank, so they ride in the bed of the truck for now, one to use, and a spare for transition when one runs dry.

[lrrowe]

That is a good report on the heater and installation. Thanks.
And I was thinking that if there was streaking, one could put up a temporary shield above the vent position while one is parked.

[Gonefishin]

I'm sure you could. Any streaks might just clean up once in a while too, but so far so good with mine.

As for that pricey Weather Guard, I'm sure one could use a little aluminum foil and duct tape too! I also thought, after the fact, that I probably could have found a PVC end cap and drilled a hole in the center to cap the vent too. But the one Diockinson sells for it just fits like a glove, is the same kind of metal, looks good, and makes life easy. That's my justification for spending 40-something dollars on a round aluminum cap with a hole in the end anyway. Someone with skills could probably make it for under $5.

[hankaye]

Gonefishin, Howdy;

Or cut the bottom section off a 'pop can' and drill a hole in it.

hank

[Gonefishin]

Hank, its 6" in diameter, and 4" long. Maybe a metal coffee can though? Actually, that would be near perfect. Should have thought of that! Do they even still sell coffee in those metal cans?

So, curiosity just got to me. I just found an old 3lb. Folgers can, and low and behold, its exactly 6" in diameter! Its 7" high, so cut 3" off it, evenly, and it should be a perfect fit. Drill hole in the center of the "bottom" for the attachment. Maybe I''ll try it, but I can't think of what I have off-hand to cut off the 3" evenly. Jig saw, Dremel, and tin snips are my only cutting tools. Maybe the jig saw with a fine tooth, and some filing.

FREE WeatherGuard from Mrs. Olsen! You were on the right track Hank!

[Rainier70]

Irrowe, the vent pipe problems I was having were due to the different design of the vent cap that I was using. It isn't the same as the Dickinson one. It was scooping wind in at the sides.

The two problems I had were: one, that I if the wind was from behind the ct I was getting a tiny bit of exhaust gas pushed to my door, and two the wind was fluctuating the flame too much.

I tried an extension first and that helped, but it didn't fully solve the second problem of the wind fluctuating the flame. I took the extension off and changed the design of the exhaust cap itself. In the end it was a very simple fix. I used aluminum tape to close off the sides of the vent cap. That way it vented out the top only. That stopped both problems. Since then I have run my stove in wind gusts of 40 mph. It works great and never flickers at all.

[Prem]

Cindy,

Good thinking. Good work.

Prem

[abqlloyd]

These seem like a perfect solution. I did download the manual and install pdf. They don't recommend a side venting install.

What are the pros and cons of just venting through the roof?

[Gonefishin]

These seem like a perfect solution. I did download the manual and install pdf. They don't recommend a side venting install.

What are the pros and cons of just venting through the roof?

I actually emailed them the photos of my install, both before and after drilling the hole for the vent, and they said it was perfectly fine, congratulated me, said there were no safety issues with that install. Somewhere in their literature it stated that side venting was ok provided you didn't have a sharp angle or bend in the vent pipe. I guess mine was ok.

I did the side vent because that's what BC Dave did, and recommended. I did it because I didn't want a hole in the roof to worry about leaking. I did it because it took a shorter stove pipe. I did it because I wanted to be able to reach the vent easily for capping, uncapping, and maintenance. Working on the roof was not something I wanted to do. Climbing or stepping up there regularly is something I didn't want to do. I avoid steps and ladders in life whenever I can! And high places. The side vent is just easy to see, use, work on, and get to. It vents just fine.

You'll love the heater however you install it.

[lrrowe]

Thanks Cindy and Gonefishin.
Your work and posts help out alot.

[wanabxtrm]

1 other question- can you remove the vent cap/weather guard and just put a flat deck plate cover of some type over it? As a marine item I would have thought they'd have something along those lines.

Thanks,