Install wood stove in 5th wheel?

[jimspencer741]

Has anyone on here done an install of a wood stove in their rv? Or even thought/planned for one?

We're thinking about it and found this company out in Idaho that sells tiny wood stoves (Tiny Wood Stove).

https://www.tinywoodstove.com/produc...the-dwarf-4kw/

I think the 4kw stove would be enough since their btu calculator suggested we need around 14,673 btu/h and this size stove can go up to 15,000 btu/h, where if outside is 23 degrees and desired inside temp is 68 degrees.

Can burn logs in size of 8-10" long, can burn wood, coal or compressed logs.

We plan to install it in rear of the rv where the full size couch would go. (we took that out last year and installed two desks (his & hers). So one of the desks would come out and we would share just 1 desk if we do the install of wood stove.

We would get extra to go with it: heat shielding that goes on back and both sides of it so it can reduce the clearance distance from walls to only 8" from the sides and 9" from the back. And the wood storage stand, it raises the wood stove 10.5" more and holds the wood for you. You can attach it directly to the floor or to the tall/standard legs if you like.

For the flue parts get 10% off when you get stove at same time. We would make it turn 90 degrees to go through the side window (we would take out the window, fill it in and then cut hole for the flue to pass through) we are NOT going to go straight up through the above overhead cabinet and then the roof/ceiling.

We would build a hearth for it for floor and the surrounding two walls, that goes into the corner and stove would be at 45 degrees facing into living/kitchen area.

[Aussieguy]

If it is parked full time in one spot... yeah could work.
Make sure you factor in the cost of wood, if you are not collecting your own.
finding a supply of good clean burning wood at a good price can be a problem.

don't forget all these types of wood burning stoves require regular cleaning.
hardwood = less creosote.

if possible stay away from resin filled soft woods (Pine)
Compressed sawdust... find out if it is hardwood or softwood.




probably add more work to roof cleaning and maintenance too.

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by Aussieguy

If it is parked full time in one spot... yeah could work.
Make sure you factor in the cost of wood, if you are not collecting your own.
finding a supply of good clean burning wood at a good price can be a problem.

don't forget all these types of wood burning stoves require regular cleaning.
hardwood = less creosote.

if possible stay away from resin filled soft woods (Pine)
Compressed sawdust... find out if it is hardwood or softwood.

probably add more work to roof cleaning and maintenance too.

Thanks for replying.

We are parked full-time at a all year round RV campground here in NY. Staying here until we buy a house/land. No more hauling it cross crountry.

Our house we had back home (6 years there) we had a wood burning fireplace (built in 1927 and used it through out the year and did regular maintenance to it. We have family members with full size wood stoves and don't regret them.

Like I mentioned in my post, we are not going through the roof of rv, going out the side through the window. (we be taking out the window, fill it in and make the flue pass through)

Our campground supplies firewood for sale, large front end loader bucket size for $55, from the local trees, they have 65 acres.

We plan to have it has a back up to our main heat source (propane furnace), have it to cut down on the propane furnace use, and just give that country fell, after all we are in the catskill mtn range.

[TowPro]

NorthernTool sells pellet stoves around that size as well. If your buying wood, pellets cost the same amount per BTU as wood and its a whole lot cleaner.

Also check out marine as they put them on boats.

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by TowPro

Northern makes pellet stoves around that size as well. If your buying wood, pellets cost the same amount per BTU as wood and its a whole lot cleaner.

Also check out marine as they put them on boats.

Like northern tool and equipment? Just looked at their site, smallest one for under 2,000 sqft is $1,900 and weighs around 286lbs without filling the hopper which holds 80lbs.

The tiny wood stove is $895 and weighs 100lbs.

Even lowes as one that $999 and weighs around 147lbs for pellet stove.

One draw back to pellet stoves, needs electricity, if power goes out then ya have nothing, unless you run a generator.

I think we'll stay away from pellet stoves.

[CraigJean]

One thing to consider: does this wood stove bring in outside air for combustion? Wood stoves use a lot of oxygen to burn, so I would be concerned with proper ventilation.

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by CraigJean

One thing to consider: does this wood stove bring in outside air for combustion? Wood stoves use a lot of oxygen to burn, so I would be concerned with proper ventilation.

You can add if needed/wanted: direct-air intake box where it would be piped from outside to supply cold air to the firebox. From their site: "You can use 3″ flexible aluminum dryer vent to make the connection between the Direct-Air kit and your outside air supply."

Some of the people that shared their experience of using and installing these in their tiny homes/rvs/vans/school buses, didn't even us the direct-air intake box. Like this one: https://www.tinywoodstove.com/the-ug...e-house-truck/

[richp]

Interesting idea, but I would worry about sparks creating holes in my roof.

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by richp

Interesting idea, but I would worry about sparks creating holes in my roof.

what sparks? theres the metal flue going from wood stove to outside with a cap on it like these:

https://www.tinywoodstove.com/produc...eel-roof-vent/

https://www.tinywoodstove.com/produc...act-roof-vent/ - this even has a included spark arrestor.

[richp]

Okay Jim, I was just keying off my experience back in the good old days with other wood burners which, from time to time, allowed a spark or two pass the top of the chimney. But if this arrester works 100%, then no risk would seem to be involved.

[Sbosserman]

Well, a wood stove in a 5th wheel, can’t say I’ve ever heard of anyone wanting that before. Anybody out there want to install a spa in the bedroom? Why not!

[TowPro]

This one.


I know "its lower BTU". but 800 sq foot is 8.5' X 94' feet.
your RV is 1/3 to 1/2 of 800 sq feet.


I had an oversized wood furnace in my last home, and I could only use it when temps dropped into the upper 20's. Even than it would smolder once home was heated up, which caused creosote.

And stink every time the chimney got wet when stove was not running.
And the dust it created was a mess.
and the bugs coming out of the wood when you brought it inside and they wake up with the heat.
let along when temps were in mid 20's I could burn 1 chord a week.


never had that problem with my pellet stove, just turn down the feed and run the thermostat option. Fill hopper when needed. And the chimney was triple wall 3" pipe, rated for direct vent as long as its above the snow line. You could remove a window and built a reversible system that allowed you to replace the window when you go to sell RV. (guess you could do same for wood).
sure pellets need to stay dry, but so does firewood.



But this was just a suggestion, I see you already have your sights set on burning wood

[2plus1]

It seems you've thought through the process pretty good. After spending nearly ten years in the wood stove and fireplace business I would offer only this. Is the wood they sell dry/aged? If so fine. Your heat calculations don't show much headroom. Wet/cut yesterday wood decreases the BTU output by 25% on average. The 25% goes to boiling the moisture out of the wood. Otherwise it would seem you're good to go if that's what you want.

Paul

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by Sbosserman

Well, a wood stove in a 5th wheel, can’t say I’ve ever heard of anyone wanting that before. Anybody out there want to install a spa in the bedroom? Why not!

maybe you should get out more....

https://www.tinywoodstove.com/case-studies/

that links shows quite a bit of people who installed them in tiny homes, RVs, school buses, travel vans, etc.

also look on YouTube/Instagram people show casing their tiny wood stoves in RVs.

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by 2plus1

It seems you've thought through the process pretty good. After spending nearly ten years in the wood stove and fireplace business I would offer only this. Is the wood they sell dry/aged? If so fine. Your heat calculations don't show much headroom. Wet/cut yesterday wood decreases the BTU output by 25% on average. The 25% goes to boiling the moisture out of the wood. Otherwise it would seem you're good to go if that's what you want.

Paul

Thank-you for a great reply - better than some on here lol

We plan on not using it for the main heat source so for the BTU calculations, it's not set in stone per say. Was doing a rough calculation.

Yes the wood we can get is dried/aged.

Thanks again.

[frozen]

Call your insurance agency first.

[MR.M]

Actually there are several makers of wood stoves for RV's seem more popular in Europe . do a search and quite a few come up .If i had my unit in colder climates full time i would sure do it . they are small but beats the cost of propane .https://fireandsaw.com/best-camper-rv-wood-stove/

[Riverbend]

I think you'll enjoy having that in your 5th wheel. Be mindful that bends in the pipe tend to gather creosote, so make sure and take it apart and clean the pipe often. And don't skimp on pipe for overall height. The taller your chimney, the better draw it will have when it's heated up.

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by MR.M

Actually there are several makers of wood stoves for RV's seem more popular in Europe . do a search and quite a few come up .If i had my unit in colder climates full time i would sure do it . they are small but beats the cost of propane .

Yea we live in the Catskill Mtn. range in NY. Year round in our 5th wheel.

Yes small but pack a punch to say for how much heat they put out.

I'm looking at a company in Idaho that makes them and another one from Canada.

[jimspencer741]

Originally Posted by Riverbend

I think you'll enjoy having that in your 5th wheel. Be mindful that bends in the pipe tend to gather creosote, so make sure and take it apart and clean the pipe often. And don't skimp on pipe for overall height. The taller your chimney, the better draw it will have when it's heated up.

Yea about those bends lol might change it to go straight up thru ceiling/roof instead, one of the sites I'm looking at talks about going thru walls:

Our stove and flue pipe are quite small. Any elbow you introduce creates turbulence, restricting the draft which reduces the performance of the stove. When you exit out a wall you would introduce two elbows. One to go out, and one to go up. Also since you exit at a lower point in the space.

You have more flue pipe outside than if you exited out the roof. This would require you to insulate a much larger portion of your flue pipe. This is a more expensive set up, it requires more work, and you will end up with a lesser performing stove. For these reasons it is not suggest to exit through a wall.

We'll see, it all comes down to price and how much work we need to do to Rv to be able to vent it out.