Wood burning stoves

Ridgeway said:
I think you need to change your forum name to cosy camper😁 a cat and a stove, the ultimate cosy camper set up, love it 😍

But need to see a picture of the cat now😂

Now trying to work out how to squeeze the Rayburn into our euro ice cream van🤔
Click to expand...
Maybe you’re right!! 😂 The cat loves it! I’ll get one taken!

Hmm that could be a challenge!!
 
PixelNomad said:
Just thought some others might be interested. Bought a stove from a company called Little Burners last year and with the cold weather setting in thought some others might be interested to know how I have gotten on. I will list the pros and cons. I also have a diesel heater fitted.

For the stove I have the Lenny Burner installed with a 3" single wall kit. I purchased everything from them to just make it easier, decided against the insulation flue as I didn't want a giant flue pipe in the van and I wanted as much heat from it as possible. I will see if I can link the burner.

Lenny Burner from Little Burners
2m Flue System
Base to store wood
Heat shield to protect the walls

Wood Burner

Pros
• Nice dry heat so when the weather is wet it does dry the van out, especially when bringing wet clothes in.
• I can cook on it! Which I love, doubling the uses of it! Ha.
• It's like a tv - love the flames.
• Doesn't require a power source, when my batteries have been running low and the diesel heater wont work I can still be warm and cook dinner, dry my clothes out etc.
• Far more cost effective than using the diesel heater, I can collect trees/twigs and small logs, pop them next to the fire for the night and next day I can use them. I do love this routine!
• I haven't got to drive to the petrol stations to get fuel to keep warm.
• Back up heating for when my batteries are dead!
• It's cosy as ANYTHING!
• Low maintenance. I probably clean my flue pipe every 6 months (If that!), no replacement parts and no error codes hahaha
• Simple and easy to use!
• I have lifted the burner on a plinth so I can easily store the wood and coal underneath!
• I can use wood, coal, peat, pallets, twigs... iterally anything that will burn.
• Easy to clean out
• I can bank it up with coal over night and keeps the van lovely at 21 degrees.

Cons
• I have to collect the wood.
• I've got to clean it every few months
• More expensive upfront than a diesel heater, but this didn't make a difference too much because I wanted to be off grid more than anything.
• It does take up space in the van whereas my diesel heater is installed in a box under the van.
• If I collect the logs and they are still damp then the fire doesn't get as hot, but this is fine because I live in a luton and the burner is a little too big for my needs.
• Can get a little dusty inside but it's fine, I am a software developer so I am always on my computer and in my van and I'm protective over my laptop, but it's not bad at all!
• Took a while to find a decent bag of coal.

The pros will always outweigh the cons for me because it can be as cheap or as expensive as I want, whereas a diesel heater - I have to buy the diesel.

Onto the diesel heater, Initially this was the first thing I fitted because everybody said how great they were! And I do love it for quick heat, however there are a few issues.

Diesel Heater

Pros
• Diesel is easy to get hold of - unless were back in another lockdown and we're not allowed to drive anywhere.
• Okay fuel efficiency.
• It's outside under the van so no space inside except for the ducting and pipework under the seating and into the shower.
• Heats up quickly!
• Cools down as soon as the heater goes off.
• Low maintenance.
• Back up if I run out of wood.
• Cheaper to initially purchase.

Cons
• Smells and is noisy. The ticking!!
• Not as off grid as I would like to be. I have 1100w solar panels on my roof and when they're covered in snow, the battery doesnt charge! But I still need heat!
• Requires power AND fuel.
• Cools down as soon as the heater goes off.
• Error codes!!
• Maintenance.
• Damp heat so causes a lot of condensation issues in the van!

Overall, I wouldn't be without them, building another van I will always put both heating sources in because if one fails I always have the other. I like that I can have the quick heat from a diesel heater, but I prefer the feel of the wood burner, everything warms up. I can cook my dinner on it, boil a kettle and it keeps me warm. I have cooked jacket potatoes in the burner - can't do that with a diesel heater. However, the upfront cost of the burner was far more than the diesel heater, but in the long run the lenny burner is a far better alternative in the long run.View attachment 982325View attachment 982327
Click to expand...
nice wood/coal burner you got there it will give lot heat off from all around the burner looks bit close to you camper wood fixings bit of advice you do not need a flame to catch fire the heat if to hot will burn things with out a flame be care full with my old coal burner had a gap all round 14 ins my wood fixings did get warm i had wood/coal burner for 8 years small one buy off ebay size w 4ins d x4 ins x h 14 ins x d 4mm with 2.half ins round flue pipe which whent out of n/s / back door and 4ins above camper tin roof it did get bit hot from time to time no frost,snow on my camper van tin roof i only take it out last oct 2023 as price of coal 2x20ks smokless coal cost £30.00 so like you i fitted diesel heater end oct 2023 just be for jack frost came around my thinking was you can buy lot diesel for £30.00 but the wood/coal burner was very good at the time nice and warm looks very good buy in your photo i not see a temp gauge you can buy them off ebay for around £10.00 ,£15.00 to control your temp in side you camper carry on camping
 
Happy Jack said:
Agree with you brains apart from one thing.
For a long time only HEETAS approved people are allowed to fit log burners. Are you ?
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I installed my log burner at home my self ,
Sign of by building control , I stuck to regulations and all instructions for fitting l was passed .
saved 21/2 grand .
And my old wood burner was installed by heetas approved installer also chimneys flue etc and he was a f cowboy . His work was disgraceful
This was before I move here , 3yrs ago,
All the correct paper don’t mean anything.
 
Once a bodger always a bodger

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buzz1 said:
I installed my log burner at home my self ,
Sign of by building control , I stuck to regulations and all instructions for fitting l was passed .
saved 21/2 grand .
And my old wood burner was installed by heetas approved installer also chimneys flue etc and he was a f cowboy . His work was disgraceful
This was before I move here , 3yrs ago,
All the correct paper don’t mean anything.
Click to expand...
Except, if you pick a company, and the work is bodged, when you go back to the company and ask for a fix, and the boss comes around and is shocked at the bodgery, you get results.

The work gets done properly, for free, with an apology.
The Bodger will not be working locally again.

45+ years in property maintenance, and I'm still using the same plumbing company, I'm just dealing with the grandchildren now.
The guy that runs the electricians I use was one of my Scouts, and the tiler was another.
Get to know your trades, as when you need someone you don't use often, like say a brickie, they know who they would recommend.
 
Brains said:
Except, if you pick a company, and the work is bodged, when you go back to the company and ask for a fix, and the boss comes around and is shocked at the bodgery, you get results.

The work gets done properly, for free, with an apology.
The Bodger will not be working locally again.

45+ years in property maintenance, and I'm still using the same plumbing company, I'm just dealing with the grandchildren now.
The guy that runs the electricians I use was one of my Scouts, and the tiler was another.
Get to know your trades, as when you need someone you don't use often, like say a brickie, they know who they would recommend.
Click to expand...
True but if they are APPROVED TRADE WITH ALL CERTIFIED . then you shouldn’t have to climb on your roof to check there work , how many customers are going to do that ,
 
We were at the Quirky Campers festival a few years ago and there were stove stacks poking out the roof of every other van. I saw one with the stove in the passenger seat... Last year, there were almost none. I think Chinese diesel heaters are the current flavour for #vanlife'ers.
 
Congratulations PixelNomad I've enjoyed reading this but if I'd been the OP I would be in Coventry by now 😂
I read a lot of posts, think a lot of things but generally, just let people get on with it, seems not everyone does.
I'm not sure why your van will spontaneously combust this year if it didn't last year, have a cosy winter (y)

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I’m not sure about one for the van.. I think I’d need a trailer for the wood.. but we do like ours lit in the room at home. Pics of wood delivery and chopping to size 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥



IMG_5103.webp

IMG_5102.webp

IMG_5096.webp
 
I'm sure you don't need me to tell you, but I will anyway.

You should calculate the age and dryness of the obvious, as a percentage, multiply that by the max theoretical KW output of the stove, then times that by 0.28 to find the distance in mm that pine cones can be safely placed near a fire. Your pine cones are MUCH too close, so don't be asking me to donate to your go-fund me page when it all goes up 😠😡.......................'\

1732480974321.webp
 
PixelNomad said:
I’m not ignoring it. You’re right, but I wanted a stove, it was my decision. When I spoke to the company they told me not to, but I wanted the burner in my van and it couldn’t go anywhere else 🤷🏻‍♀️ Don’t worry, if my van is on fire I will be sure to give you a special shout out 🙄 I’ve had it fitted for 12 months and the ONLY person who has an issue is (other than the stove company) you 😂 you’ve got it! I will get on with it. I’m not overweight, I’m actually 742kg under (how amazing!). Im not a driving hazard in a sense of I have underrated brakes etc - my vehicles is serviced and legal on the road. I have insurance, I have standard insurance, tool insurance and contents insurance. Both companies are well aware of the stove 🙂 neither had an issue. Just had to search up crowd funding for vanlife 😂 that just shows how much attention I pay to others lives? I don’t have social media so that’d be a non starter also! But I guess you’re right, if others want to give other people money based off a bad circumstance then surely that’s their choice, after all it is their money and their life 🙂
Click to expand...
Most on here are over weight in more than one way 🤣
 
I fitted an inset burner, right next to where I work through the winter, Burns 1kg of wood an hour and means I've always got something to stare at when I'm pondering, and I'm cosy doing it.

fire.webp

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Happy Jack said:
The Lenny burner website states they are not certified by any organisation, to be installed at your own risk.
Our house multi-fuel stove is 4KW Smoke exempt and although only slightly taller than yours and slightly deeper it is more than twice as wide as yours, so I guess yours is no more than 2KW output at full fire.
Also, I notice yours does not have an air control vent which cannot be fully closed. This normally means it cannot be used in smoke control zones, and in any case coal cannot be used in smoke control zones.
Also, your stove is too near to combustible surfaces, in the worst case your insurance might not pay out.
The non flammable stand does not protrude far enough.
Click to expand...
Soooo...........that's the bad aspects out the way!
And now tell us the good points, so we don't all get too confused................!
I feel a bit of jealousy coming about!!!! :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
From what I can see, it's just a small log burner, and as you said, it's only about 2Kw. I can't see anything too close for it to cause a fire.

You enjoy your fire PixelNomad, I think it looks great.....
 
PixelNomad said:
Just thought some others might be interested. Bought a stove from a company called Little Burners last year and with the cold weather setting in thought some others might be interested to know how I have gotten on. I will list the pros and cons. I also have a diesel heater fitted.

For the stove I have the Lenny Burner installed with a 3" single wall kit. I purchased everything from them to just make it easier, decided against the insulation flue as I didn't want a giant flue pipe in the van and I wanted as much heat from it as possible. I will see if I can link the burner.

Lenny Burner from Little Burners
2m Flue System
Base to store wood
Heat shield to protect the walls

Wood Burner

Pros
• Nice dry heat so when the weather is wet it does dry the van out, especially when bringing wet clothes in.
• I can cook on it! Which I love, doubling the uses of it! Ha.
• It's like a tv - love the flames.
• Doesn't require a power source, when my batteries have been running low and the diesel heater wont work I can still be warm and cook dinner, dry my clothes out etc.
• Far more cost effective than using the diesel heater, I can collect trees/twigs and small logs, pop them next to the fire for the night and next day I can use them. I do love this routine!
• I haven't got to drive to the petrol stations to get fuel to keep warm.
• Back up heating for when my batteries are dead!
• It's cosy as ANYTHING!
• Low maintenance. I probably clean my flue pipe every 6 months (If that!), no replacement parts and no error codes hahaha
• Simple and easy to use!
• I have lifted the burner on a plinth so I can easily store the wood and coal underneath!
• I can use wood, coal, peat, pallets, twigs... iterally anything that will burn.
• Easy to clean out
• I can bank it up with coal over night and keeps the van lovely at 21 degrees.

Cons
• I have to collect the wood.
• I've got to clean it every few months
• More expensive upfront than a diesel heater, but this didn't make a difference too much because I wanted to be off grid more than anything.
• It does take up space in the van whereas my diesel heater is installed in a box under the van.
• If I collect the logs and they are still damp then the fire doesn't get as hot, but this is fine because I live in a luton and the burner is a little too big for my needs.
• Can get a little dusty inside but it's fine, I am a software developer so I am always on my computer and in my van and I'm protective over my laptop, but it's not bad at all!
• Took a while to find a decent bag of coal.

The pros will always outweigh the cons for me because it can be as cheap or as expensive as I want, whereas a diesel heater - I have to buy the diesel.

Onto the diesel heater, Initially this was the first thing I fitted because everybody said how great they were! And I do love it for quick heat, however there are a few issues.

Diesel Heater

Pros
• Diesel is easy to get hold of - unless were back in another lockdown and we're not allowed to drive anywhere.
• Okay fuel efficiency.
• It's outside under the van so no space inside except for the ducting and pipework under the seating and into the shower.
• Heats up quickly!
• Cools down as soon as the heater goes off.
• Low maintenance.
• Back up if I run out of wood.
• Cheaper to initially purchase.

Cons
• Smells and is noisy. The ticking!!
• Not as off grid as I would like to be. I have 1100w solar panels on my roof and when they're covered in snow, the battery doesnt charge! But I still need heat!
• Requires power AND fuel.
• Cools down as soon as the heater goes off.
• Error codes!!
• Maintenance.
• Damp heat so causes a lot of condensation issues in the van!

Overall, I wouldn't be without them, building another van I will always put both heating sources in because if one fails I always have the other. I like that I can have the quick heat from a diesel heater, but I prefer the feel of the wood burner, everything warms up. I can cook my dinner on it, boil a kettle and it keeps me warm. I have cooked jacket potatoes in the burner - can't do that with a diesel heater. However, the upfront cost of the burner was far more than the diesel heater, but in the long run the lenny burner is a far better alternative in the long run.View attachment 982325View attachment 982327
Click to expand...
Hey PixelNomad, I love it......
It's not too small, it's not huge, it's looks the dogs b*ll***s.
Tidy on a Friday, son.

And for god's sake, don't take any notice of the critics on here as most of them haven't a clue what they're talking about........
 
B-JandBella said:
Hey PixelNomad, I love it......
It's not too small, it's not huge, it's looks the dogs b*ll***s.
Tidy on a Friday, son.

And for god's sake, don't take any notice of the critics on here as most of them haven't a clue what they're talking about........
Click to expand...
Thank you! It is really really cosy! I love being in the van in winter, even with the snow we have just had it was -6 outside and a toasty 22 in the van, soooo... I wasn't cold. Read other threads and they've said they're cold, the cat and I aren't at all. I've lived with the Lenny burner for around 12 months, maybe a little more, and it is the best thing in the van! I don't take notice hahaha

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B-JandBella said:
Soooo...........that's the bad aspects out the way!
And now tell us the good points, so we don't all get too confused................!
I feel a bit of jealousy coming about!!!! :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
From what I can see, it's just a small log burner, and as you said, it's only about 2Kw. I can't see anything too close for it to cause a fire.

You enjoy your fire PixelNomad, I think it looks great.....
Click to expand...
Exxxxxactly!

Good points... as cheap as needed i.e free wood, okay I pay for the coal, but no different than me paying for diesel for the heater. To be honest, there are so many good points to having the burner installed!
Yep ,I thought the same... But I take no notice anyhow, just showing an option that not many people know about.

It's an absolutely fantastic burner and I am over the moon with it, honestly an ace purchase for the van and I am so glad I chose it over some of the others out there. Thank you for the kind words.
 
Jim said:
I fitted an inset burner, right next to where I work through the winter, Burns 1kg of wood an hour and means I've always got something to stare at when I'm pondering, and I'm cosy doing it.

View attachment 982534
Click to expand...
BuT It Is tOo CloOosE tO CoMbuStIbLEs...

Looks great! Love that so much! It looks unbelievably cosy. I find I sit looking at the burner instead of the computer ha.
 
Onemanandhisdog said:
Congratulations PixelNomad I've enjoyed reading this but if I'd been the OP I would be in Coventry by now 😂
I read a lot of posts, think a lot of things but generally, just let people get on with it, seems not everyone does.
I'm not sure why your van will spontaneously combust this year if it didn't last year, have a cosy winter (y)
Click to expand...
Ahh let them get on with it, was a highlight to my evening anyway.

Exactly! Unless vans have started developing a spontaneous combustion feature I missed, I think i'll survive another winter.

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PixelNomad said:
Hi! Yes, when I asked them about this they said they can't get them certified because they can turn the airflow off permanently. I was looking at other far cheaper options before I found Little Burners and to be honest they were so thin they wouldn't see me through a season, and they also turned the air off completely. Yes, Lenny is around 2.5kw, which is perfect for my space, they do have a smaller burner which would have been way more suited to the size but I wanted to have the extra space above the grill so I can bank it up with coal. It has an air control at the front on the ash pan and it can be fully closed down, which is what I wanted. You can't burn wood (unless approved) in smoke controlled zones either, you can only burn smokless coal. You can burn smokless coal in a non approved appliance also, so this is why I can burn this IF I wanted to go into a smoke controlled zone, generally I burn anthracite.

The back of the burner I have a 232mm gap (this is WITH a heatshield too), the right side is just shy of 540mm and the left hand side is 220mm. I've had the burner fitted since last year and never had an issue, material is fine, foam is fine and I sit next to the burner to watch TV. It's a small space so heats up pretty quickly with a small amount of wood, keeps burning for hours with a few pieces of coal!

I know, as i said in a previous reply - I live in a van... If it sticks out anymore I will constantly be kicking it hahaha, and the ash pan holds the ash and never had anything fall on the floor. Blimey! If I had a 4kw heater i'd melt!!! One thing I have learnt is that it would have been better to have the smaller burner and run it higher than run this one lower as the flue gets sooted up so I have to clean it between 6-8 months. Nevermind, the next van build I will fit a Little Lenny! It's all about learning.
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Looks great. We're doing to be spending long periods in the alps this winter so that might be a winner for us too! Does the flue go straight out of the roof? Have you had any issues with soot and the like staining the van? How much does the flue have to stick out of the top and do you have it out all the time even when driving?
 
Trots55 said:
Looks great. We're doing to be spending long periods in the alps this winter so that might be a winner for us too! Does the flue go straight out of the roof? Have you had any issues with soot and the like staining the van? How much does the flue have to stick out of the top and do you have it out all the time even when driving?
Click to expand...
Hi! Yes, mine goes straight up as I had built the van with no cupboards over that section because I wanted the stove there. On one end of the pipes it had three holes for the rain cap to attach to, I put them above the silicone boot so I could take the rain cap off if I needed to (but I never have!), even to clean it. No never, my Lenny burns clean so I haven't got an issue with soot, I just clean the flue pipe a couple of times a year though - never get very much but I do it just to be on the safe side. Yes, the flue stays there all year, even with the horrendous rain we have had - not had an issue, sometimes I can hear rain dropping into it, but it is barely anything, it would go straight into the Lenny anyway if it did drop down, but it's winter and its evaporated before it gets there haha. Yes, I do leave it uncapped even when driving, my theory is that if i'm driving at 50mph it's the same as some gusts - no issues! I did get a funny look though when I went to Europe (summer this year) on the ferry, but they weren't bothered at all just said to make sure it is out, obviously!
 
It’s a lovely idea in theory but then you have the chore of maintenance, cleaning it out, getting and storing fuel, the dust/emissions in your van which is in the news lately.

Wouldn’t you sooner just press a button like us on the Alde, sit back and relax without any of those worries?
 
Molly A said:
Yep, can't see this being permitted under " modifications" 😂😂😂
Click to expand...
You mean like everybody tells their insurance company they have installed a diesel heater (with no prior experience), or a gas boiler, or I bet they don't even have the correct tyres on their van so when they have an accident, insurance won't pay out because they didn't read their terms and conditions ;) I wonder how many people have gas in their van (cookers, boilers, heaters etc) WITHOUT a carbon monoxide alarm. But yeah, I'm the problem with an installed chimney which they they know about - they asked for photos of the installation AND the pipe coming out the roof. They said make sure to have a carbon monoxide and smoke alarm installed... I'm covered.

Some insurers wont cover a change of suspension, non standard paintwork, a change in alloy wheels or any engine replacement! I've taken an empty aluminium box van and put a home in it, I made sure I was covered.

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