Smaug
Guest
Be aware that CO is produced by any open flame where it is not well ventilated, so the bio-ethanol stove is just as likely to kill you if starved of oxygen & ventilation. Very unlikely to be an issue if vented properly.
whitevanwoman
Guest
I have a parafin lamp at home which I've used during power cuts etc but it seems to be quite smokey which, apart from the CO risk, put me off using it in the van. Same with an oil lamp with citronella oil. They'd be ok to use for light with the van door open but I don't think they'd be much use as a heater.
Smaug
Guest
Trim the wick & make sure it isn't too long.
Paraffin should not smoke & smoke is not an indicator of CO, but does indicate possible carcinogenic particles. :scared:
I use a paraffin lamp on the boat with lamp oil in it so there is no smell of paraffin. Smoking is easy to deal with by trimming the wick to follow the burner profile & remove any burnt edges to the wick
whitevanwoman
Guest
Thanks for that, I think I am going to be spending this weekend playing with fire :lol-053: the new BE heater, and the parafin lamp and citronella oil lamps.
idea: Hmmm, now then, I wouldn't mind a visit by the boys in the big red van on sat evening, if I fire up the BBQ too, I might be able to persuade them to stay a bit longer once they've checked that I'm not about to set fire to the house or van :tongue: )whitevanwoman
Guest
That's my hands (deservedly) slapped for skim reading posts and not properly digesting the contents. Mine is the smokey cheap (probably Chinese) version, even I with my "it won't happen to me" attitude, wouldn't use it in my van, and only reluctantly in the house during power cuts because it's a Victorian house with high ceilings which need repainting anyway :hammer:
Smaug
Guest
Here is a home made charcoal heater from a boaty forum. He uses an old spoon as a charcoal shovle to fuel it, and it has a chimney, part of which is made from a vacuum cleaner wand, to carry the fumes (& any CO if it isn't burning right). I reckon you could soak a couple of blocks of charcoal in Bio-ethanol to make it easy starting.
This pic was taken while the boat was on its trailer, it is normally well fastened in at sea. But a mini-charcoal burner offers many advantages for a small van or boat.
This pic was taken while the boat was on its trailer, it is normally well fastened in at sea. But a mini-charcoal burner offers many advantages for a small van or boat.
vwalan
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i have a couple of vapalux lamps by willis and bates . give loads of light and some heat . we used them outside for evening drink ups at vw shows . hardly any smoke and brill light . also have a few parrafin stoves for heat . one we have is a beatrice no 33 we bought it for travelling around africa . made a nice cooker and a heater all in one . mind gas was cheap in many countries but a variety of cooking fuels is needed on a round africa triup.
Flyboy
Guest
Not A Problem young sir Try this link you will find it along with some fine photo of the week end.
(Any chance of a large hi-res image of your heater - the one you uploaded is rather small! )[/QUOTE]
WildCamp Hardraw Meet
(Any chance of a large hi-res image of your heater - the one you uploaded is rather small!
)[/QUOTE]WildCamp Hardraw Meet
Flyboy
Guest
I didn't mean to denigrate your heater in any way, Flyboy. I was really commenting on the high price of ethanol (in whatever form). Having had a Swedish Origo two burner hob in my small sailing yacht, many years ago, I know how much clean heat is produced by ethanol. And it is safer than gas.
But it seems that paraffin is very expensive in the UK, which probably simply reflects the lack of demand for it in the domestic environment.
(Any chance of a large hi-res image of your heater - the one you uploaded is rather small!
Not a problem young sir click link below some fine photos of the weekend aswell
WildCamp Hardraw Meet
Flyboy
Guest
Not my work have just copyed a link from another post.
Firefox
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These heaters look really good. Simple, easy to make, and kind on emissions.
Buy £50 worth from a sensible supplier and it's £2 to 3 a litre. There are many real scam suppliers though, charging £5 or even £10 a litre.
In an off grid camp, I wonder how easy or legal it would be to distill your own. Water, plants and wood are available from the forest. Spending a couple of months in summer distilling may yield a useful supply for winter for clean indoor burning.
Buy £50 worth from a sensible supplier and it's £2 to 3 a litre. There are many real scam suppliers though, charging £5 or even £10 a litre.
In an off grid camp, I wonder how easy or legal it would be to distill your own. Water, plants and wood are available from the forest. Spending a couple of months in summer distilling may yield a useful supply for winter for clean indoor burning.
outtolunch
Guest
I think that off grid it would be easier to fit a chimney and just burn the wood
this is my fire currently on offer at a well know diy (.com ) supplier but usually only at the larger warehouse stores
the blurb says
Elegant and easily portable, the Merida can be enjoyed indoors and outdoors. Affordable and large enough to take the chill off any room. No installation required and minimal maintenance. Flueless fire that requires no chimney, gas connection or electricity supply. Decorative focal point in any room or outdoor space.
They are not designed to be primary heaters but when your central heating oil runs out it does take the chill off as I found when we had our second winter in April and as it says easily portable so at the next meet will have to bring it along
this is my fire currently on offer at a well know diy (.com ) supplier but usually only at the larger warehouse stores
the blurb says
Elegant and easily portable, the Merida can be enjoyed indoors and outdoors. Affordable and large enough to take the chill off any room. No installation required and minimal maintenance. Flueless fire that requires no chimney, gas connection or electricity supply. Decorative focal point in any room or outdoor space.
They are not designed to be primary heaters but when your central heating oil runs out it does take the chill off as I found when we had our second winter in April and as it says easily portable so at the next meet will have to bring it along
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mariesnowgoose
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outtolunch
Guest
No bottles of rum on site as far as I'm aware, yer honour
yes there was, several
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outtolunch
Guest
Christmas pudding and a bottle of brandy ?
to be fair they are mainly advertised as decorative first and the heat output is a secondary benefit and having oil central heating I got mine to place on the hearth of a blocked up fireplace that was uneconomical to open up when its use would be minimal.
to be fair they are mainly advertised as decorative first and the heat output is a secondary benefit and having oil central heating I got mine to place on the hearth of a blocked up fireplace that was uneconomical to open up when its use would be minimal.
outtolunch
Guest
I had been looking at electric fires but for the good ones with realistic flames the cost is in the hundreds
Flyboy
Guest
If you burn the Bio fuel in a metal / cast iron container (gas bottle) as i have used with heat release holes in top of bottle see the pictures this firstly starts to heat the room and secondly heats the container which stays hot and radiates heat into the room long after the flame has distinguished. If you leave the heat release hole out it will just heat the container which then acts as a radiater. I do agree that these will not sufficiently heat a large room unless on constantly which then does become an expensive item to run.
whitevanwoman
Guest
One rusty small chiminea rescued out of the "Car boot sale" box, one small stainless steel bowl, one steel pan scrub, an old baking tray, a rusty old fireguard which was going to go to my local scrappie, a can of black spray paint, some bio ethanol and a few hours over the weekend...
and... voila... I have a bio ethanol heater, currently taking the chill off my living room and which will be perfect in the van and safer than using the camping gas stove.
Pictures here Bio Ethanol Heater Photos by whitevanwoman-photos | Photobucket
I've used the old fireguard to make a new tubular one, "sewn" together with wire, which fits over the chiminea stove, to prevent singed and burned dog tail, and have spray painted that as well as the chiminea.
Am really pleased with the result. BIG thanks to Flyboy for his inventive idea, and to Outtolunch for dropping off some bio ethanol so that I've got some until I source a supply. I owe them both some beer :cheers:
I know it's not going to be as effective as a proper fitted heater but this has cost me only the price of the pan scrubs - everything is recycled or I already had, and it's safer than using gas as the fuel bowl will only hold about an hour's worth of fuel, so no chance of leaving it burning for hours and no carbon monoxide. There's enough draughts in my van to allow the CO2 to disperse harmlessly.
In terms of running cost, a standard spirit measure (1/6 of a gill, whatever that is in metric) gives about half hour burning time. If anyone fancies doing the maths, the cheapest bio ethanol I've sourced online works out at approx £2.30 per litre if buying 20 litres.
In comparison, the camping gas stove will burn for approx 2.5 hours on one gas canister at a cost of £1.
and... voila... I have a bio ethanol heater, currently taking the chill off my living room and which will be perfect in the van and safer than using the camping gas stove.
Pictures here Bio Ethanol Heater Photos by whitevanwoman-photos | Photobucket
I've used the old fireguard to make a new tubular one, "sewn" together with wire, which fits over the chiminea stove, to prevent singed and burned dog tail, and have spray painted that as well as the chiminea.
Am really pleased with the result. BIG thanks to Flyboy for his inventive idea, and to Outtolunch for dropping off some bio ethanol so that I've got some until I source a supply. I owe them both some beer :cheers:
I know it's not going to be as effective as a proper fitted heater but this has cost me only the price of the pan scrubs - everything is recycled or I already had, and it's safer than using gas as the fuel bowl will only hold about an hour's worth of fuel, so no chance of leaving it burning for hours and no carbon monoxide. There's enough draughts in my van to allow the CO2 to disperse harmlessly.
In terms of running cost, a standard spirit measure (1/6 of a gill, whatever that is in metric) gives about half hour burning time. If anyone fancies doing the maths, the cheapest bio ethanol I've sourced online works out at approx £2.30 per litre if buying 20 litres.
In comparison, the camping gas stove will burn for approx 2.5 hours on one gas canister at a cost of £1.
