# Woodburner??



## thejoys (Dec 17, 2009)

I know there has been threads on this in the past, but here goes, have just sold my eberspacher and purchased a small wood burner, any else using a WB for heating?? have just ripped out the kitchen to do a more practical layout, and guess what?, the wall behind the cooker was CARDBOARD!!! scorched through to the insulation foam!!!

So buying the burner has already saved us! no burner, no rip out kitchen, no find cardboard wall!

so can I have the benefit of your opinions on this subject, burners, not the twat who fitted the cooker.

many thanks

thejoys


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## Firefox (Dec 17, 2009)

I've no personal experience, but this conversion always caught my imagination;

Positive Evolution - our van conversion

And they made the burner themselves out of an old gas bottle - pretty impressive.


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## tiderus (Dec 17, 2009)

Hi, just had a wood burner fitted in a semi bungalow. Had the council inspector down and he condemed everything. They charged £1100 to fit it, and reline the chimney. Took a few visits, and the workman appologised as he had to go on a two day course to fit the asbestos rope on top of the fire. So many reg's nowerdays its over the top. The good news is that I had the fire cheap off ebay as it had a corner missing slightly on the top. £140 instead of £450. Iv'e noticed that the price of logs has rocketed lately, and the natural waistage has all but disappeared. 
Heat wise its fine, and helps when you use the top for cooking. A shovel of coal lasts all night, which is nice to get up to. One of the new air wash ones with a reburn plate on the inside top helps a lot. Best of luck with yours, and glad you had a lucky escape.
Rgd's Graham.

P.S. sorry I just realised that you meant in the M/H. Put it down to old age. Best of luck, really interested to hear how you get on.


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## PaulC (Dec 17, 2009)

Did you Ray Mears in Canada during winter a few weeks ago? He had what looked like a portable woodstove in a smallish tent! It was something like -20 outside!


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## Randonneur (Dec 17, 2009)

I remember seeing last year at the caravan show at the NEC they had an eco caravan with a wood burner in it.

I think they had to line the floor, wall and roof where it was fitted with metal for a heatshield.

There are plenty of hippy bus, traveller types who fit them so it can't be that hard to do.


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## PaulC (Dec 18, 2009)

Randonneur said:


> traveller types who fit them so it can't be that hard to do.


 Yes but what are the insurance regulations? You have to inform them about any modifictions or else your insurance is not valid and I don't think the companies will be happy having them installed! Unless you know different!


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## Firefox (Dec 18, 2009)

PaulC said:


> Yes but what are the insurance regulations? You have to inform them about any modifictions or else your insurance is not valid and I don't think the companies will be happy having them installed! Unless you know different!



Motorhome insurance will cover fitted cooking and heating in the van. This will certainly apply to gas or electric. It may be advisable to tell them you have a solid fuel burner but I don't think it would invalidate insurance with companies like Flux or Shield, it may just mean a slightly higher premium on fire grounds but you'd probably only be talking £10 a year or something.


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## runnach (Dec 18, 2009)

Firefox said:


> Motorhome insurance will cover fitted cooking and heating in the van. This will certainly apply to gas or electric. It may be advisable to tell them you have a solid fuel burner but I don't think it would invalidate insurance with companies like Flux or Shield, it may just mean a slightly higher premium on fire grounds but you'd probably only be talking £10 a year or something.



The important thing is that you tell them. If you dont then in the event of a claim wb related or not it could present a problem in terms of a claim.

Has Paul C suggests, anything which may influence premium, or indeed their acceptance of risk needs to be disclosed, naturally could effect the premium perhaps only marginal.

Years ago I was in the process of insuring a 4x4 which had side steps dealer fitted by the previous owner. At which stage Direct Line didn't want to know unless they were removed|!!

Has it happened E-sure happily insured me.

In the case of Direct Line in the event of a claim I would well have been up the creek had I forgotten to declare them.

I would imagine far more risk with a WB. therefore it definitely needs to be declared.

Channa


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## Firefox (Dec 18, 2009)

Yes I'd say tell them unless it's clearly mentioned in the general proposal for your motorhome cover that solid fuel burners are covered. Funnily enough, if you don't have cooking facilities, and that usually means gas, this can invalidate your cover, as then your vehicle doesn't fall into the motorhome definition which requires cooking, a bed, a table, fixed storage etc. I find places like Direct line are useless for motorhomes or anything modified. Hastings (my other insurer) wouldn't even insure a van last August although I think they do offer van cover now. Adrian Flux were the only ones I could find who understood the self build market.


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## Randonneur (Dec 18, 2009)

A lot of insurance companies won't touch anything other than standard vehicles these days. If it does'nt fit the script they read from on their computer screen you might as well give up. Don't forget, you're probably talking to a spotty teenager who does'nt even know what a motorhome looks like. If it don't fit the list it don't exist!!


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## runnach (Dec 18, 2009)

Other than the joys, does anyone else have a wood burner in their van ?

I experienced the benefit of one last year in a domestic property in France, and tbh the heat was incredible.

channa


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## thejoys (Dec 19, 2009)

Will look into the issue, the MH is in a sorry state at present, starting with ply walls today, then supalux fire board, then units and sink, will keep you posted, but first i've got a tractor to warm up and 49 hungry polo ponies to feed.

cheers for the helpful advice


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## BedfordMJ (Dec 19, 2009)

Adrian Flux may insure it. Advice on fitting could be sought from self build motorcaravanners club. Personally wouldn't touch one for the amount of wood you'd need to carry to keep warm, plus the mess.


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## n8rbos (Dec 19, 2009)

tiderus said:


> Hi, just had a wood burner fitted in a semi bungalow. Had the council inspector down and he condemed everything. They charged £1100 to fit it, and reline the chimney. Took a few visits, and the workman appologised as he had to go on a two day course to fit the asbestos rope on top of the fire. So many reg's nowerdays its over the top. The good news is that I had the fire cheap off ebay as it had a corner missing slightly on the top. £140 instead of £450. Iv'e noticed that the price of logs has rocketed lately, and the natural waistage has all but disappeared.
> Heat wise its fine, and helps when you use the top for cooking. A shovel of coal lasts all night, which is nice to get up to. One of the new air wash ones with a reburn plate on the inside top helps a lot. Best of luck with yours, and glad you had a lucky escape.
> Rgd's Graham.
> 
> P.S. sorry I just realised that you meant in the M/H. Put it down to old age. Best of luck, really interested to hear how you get on.



go round your local skip yards and waste transfer yards they glad to get rid of timber, something we tried and works brill is scrap melamine which you will get from kitchen firms etc (you will have to sweep chimney bit more regular though)


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## biggirafe (Dec 19, 2009)

n8rbos said:


> go round your local skip yards and waste transfer yards they glad to get rid of timber, something we tried and works brill is scrap melamine which you will get from kitchen firms etc (you will have to sweep chimney bit more regular though)



I've been burning wood for years, all spring, summer and autumn I keep my eyes out for people cutting wood 

The council are great they cut trees in early spring before the birds nest. If ask em they will fill ya car / van or trailer. Saturday mornings are good as they tend to bugger off on a Friday without clearing up behind themselves. I've got so good at it I invested in an electric chainsaw for home so that I can cut down long lengths easily 

All in all we buy about half the logs we burn and 'find' the other half


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## maingate (Dec 19, 2009)

I had a Bosky multi fuel burner in the farm cottage we had (huge for a cottage mind you, when I finished extending it). I also had a big barn and it was filled to the rafters with wood by Autumn.

One mate had the contract for the council tip and I got wagon loads of good stuff from him. Another mate tipped me off when the boat club were pulling all of the wood out of the River Tyne.

Those days, hardwood window frames were being ripped out for PVC replacements and I went to two double glazing firms to help myself. The top quality mahogany I cut up and burned was a crying shame. It would cost a fortune these days but nobody wanted it back then.


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## biggirafe (Dec 19, 2009)

maingate said:


> I had a Bosky multi fuel burner in the farm cottage we had (huge for a cottage mind you, when I finished extending it). I also had a big barn and it was filled to the rafters with wood by Autumn.
> 
> One mate had the contract for the council tip and I got wagon loads of good stuff from him. Another mate tipped me off when the boat club were pulling all of the wood out of the River Tyne.
> 
> Those days, hardwood window frames were being ripped out for PVC replacements and I went to two double glazing firms to help myself. The top quality mahogany I cut up and burned was a crying shame. It would cost a fortune these days but nobody wanted it back then.



Free heat is great, weve been burning all day without the central heating on 
If you can get a woodburner in your van I would say go for it. There is no end of wood to be burnt when you are out and about....


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## thejoys (Dec 19, 2009)

wood supply is no issue, we are on a farm with 240 acres of prime sussex land, I have more wood than I could burn in a lifetime! couldn't see a problem with insurance docs, been working on the new layout today, decided to rip out the seating as it was an L shape setup, going for a retro look with, wait for it, two sets of 70s jag rear seats facing each other with table in the middle ala yanky diner/wimpy bar!!! stop laughing, remember the Goddess is a DODGE, 30 years old, 27 foot long and 6.6ton, so its an alright look.

message for ajs, new race engine going in soon, so don't forget SANTAPOD 03-10


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## MrTreeGoblin (Dec 21, 2009)

*Hippy bus person*

Yes, us 'hippy bus' people love 'em (er... woodburners of course!) Free heat and fuel available just about everywhere - but please keep stressing about the insurance, so that situation never changes for us!


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## PaulC (Dec 21, 2009)

MrTreeGoblin said:


> but please keep stressing about the insurance, so that situation never changes for us!



So is insurance a problem or not! Do companies insure MH with woodburners? Just asking because if there is a get out they will use it! And that may/will leave you with invalid cover!


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## ajs (Dec 21, 2009)

thejoys said:


> message for ajs, new race engine going in soon, so don't forget SANTAPOD 03-10



what you puttin in.. 6 blackbird engines in a V formation 

regards 
aj

_ ps.. re santaplod...remind me again nearer the time... i'm old _


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## thejoys (Dec 24, 2009)

blackbirds don't do it for me aj!! Tuned R1 lump+NOS, my wife and I might also run a supercharge busa sidecar outfit, just got to do a deal or two to secure some sponsorship,

woodburner is taking shape in the goddess, pics to follow.

merry christmas to you all


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