VAN LIFE Pros and Cons of having a wood burning stove in a camper van

[@samwolf2539]

You can clean the glass using the ashes from the burner on a bit off damp rag, a tip my nan taught me when I was little , as cleaning the fireplace was my job at her house.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Yes you can 👍

[@ewanstevenson]

Been there, done that. I bet you thought it was an honour too! The things parents and grandparents get away with! 🤣

[@dodibenabba525]

Steel wool 0000

[@legend343]

I have a cubic mini on board our 34’ boat. Absolutely love it. We have no problem with the sot on the window, all you need to do is pull the old burnt/burning wood to the front when filling with new wood. That cleans the window automatically for you so you can see the flames. I also used Cubic mini’s fire protection plates and wall mount, it saved a hell of a lot of room & weight. It truly is the best thing for heating up our boat on cold damp days. Warren s/y Legend

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Sounds great 👍

[@strawberryroad1347]

Those bricks are the reason why you have problem with soot. When using them, make sure that you have a blazing fire now and then, to burn away soot. If not, it can accumulate in the pipe and start a fire up there.

[@Bowwylad]

had a single wall 4" flue in van for 10 years its bolted through a stone slab and sits on hte floor, harder to fill yes bending down, 4kw burner, yes the flue gets hot and you have to be careful. but you get more heat for your wood, Lovely work btw the way, learning loads for my next build. keep going buddy!

[@Bowwylad]

aluminium thin sheets bolted to back and sides on furniture etc 1" air gap behind and below, air travels up and it never even gets hot!

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Yeah I got the same sort of plate on the back of mine works great 👍

[@mrchrisknight315]

Thanks for the great video. I had no idea they had a secondary burn chamber. Glad to see also that we make a good product here in Canada.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

You bet!👍🤓👍

[@barrypleavin5249]

Hi Mel very good video here’s a quick tip for your stove glass use a damp cloth dip it in the ashes when cold rub it on the glass you’ll need your sunglasses on 😊

[@bachello6218]

Hi Mel,i use an anti-downdraught cowl ,works very well even when driving with fire lit 👍

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you 🙏

[@Tannertraversed]

How do you find driving with chimney attached? I'm rigging up a setup here soon, manufacturer says to removed Chimney vent and cap prior to travelling. Do you have a clamp setup from stack to vent? Thanks!

[@bachello6218]

@@Tannertraversed mine stays up all the time with no problems but I do have it on drivers side so further away from low hanging trees ect

[@stuartchapman5171]

When I travelled in my youth we were a bit..... er.... mental. We drove trucks and buses with stoves and Rayburns, non of them fitted like we do today. I'm about to fit a minature stove, in my H1L1 Sprinter, properly(ish). Due to stove and van size I'll shave a few mm off the regs specs. Knowing what we used to do, I know it'll be more than safe. As for driving, well I'm not planning to, but once it's in and working I'll do a risk assessment. Depends how it shuts down. How far, etc. I certainly wouldn't fill it with thin dry pine, leave it open and drive.

[@robertdoyle8972]

I ordered a wind direction stove cap so when the wind blows then it wont get a back draft and have seen others drive down the road with the wind direction cap and have the stove going and I just ordered the grizzly to put in my truck camper and went with the grizzly because I ordered the roaster with it and the water heater cant wait to get them I will be using it here in Alaska so will more then likely end up using it in -60 F temps

[@mikebourke1185]

Looks nice n cosy Mel a few pieces of copper wire ..will give you some beautiful green n blue flames ..Peace ✌and Safe Travels

[@nikoloko5561]

Mel now it feels like winter’s coming ! A nice Rum and a mince pie would go down well cheers 👍😎

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Sounds like a great idea 🤓👍

[@smrangers22]

Great info again !!! Its all being stored in my brain cell for when I change from motorbike touring and go back to van touring !! Thx mate 😅 be lucky my man

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Glad to help stay safe 👍

[@Charlemagne1367]

Thanks, good tip on raising the stove. Looking to buy a Pomoly Dweller myself, lovely stove 😍

[@mahichlavrenteva2099]

No regrets. Quality wood stove!

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

You got that right!

[@johncullerton]

Great vid Mel (as per usual). "When" I get a van I'm not sure if I'd go down this route but have fond memories of a proper wood burner in my last house, the smell was really comforting. Keep up the good work 🙂

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you buddy really appreciate your encouragement 👍

[@joedoe1268]

Love Mel's videos. Had to pause/fast forward at cubic mini part of video. Want to support local UK businesses hence getting Mini Cyclops from Glastonbury Burners as opposed to have one shipped from Canada. Almost three years living full time and I either pay £500 per month to check in caravan park to keep warm in winter or have a log burner installed. My diesel heater was working but drained my starter battery. Thus, having log burner is fool proof. Also don't like the damp in van.

[@petegaskell4274]

Just the video I was wanting. I designed and built my entire van around the log burner, now that i've bought the log burner i'm umming and ahing about installing it. My reservations are insurance, added weight, having to clad my lovely cladded wall and cutting a hole in my lovely new ceiling 😅 Ah i dunno, maybe I should just go for it! One thing i would like to do is remove it in the summer but I still have not yet figured out a way to make this possible. Would be keen to know your experiences with insurance and the log burner, to my knowledge it seems only Flux are happy to insure, which is a worry if they change their policy at some point? Maybe a subject for a good old wednesday waffle? Keep up the good work Mel. Peace and love. Pete

[@angeladawn805]

Forced perspective: it took the entire video for my brain to process the actual size of that wee cub. We have regular woodstoves in our house, so my brain was telling me that the stove was "far away" to quote Father Ted (explaining to Dougal that cows in the paddock were not the same size as his toy cow) 🐮🐄. 🤣

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Lol 😂

[@freakyflow]

I spent good money on what i see as better insulation that 90% of vans/RV. That runs R-12 Sealed And vapor locked Now i'm at the point for my 200amp system And looking at both a diesel heater And wood stove (a back up for each other) Last year The van had poor insulation And in Canada i was lucky to make it to Dec 20th before i could no longer sleep in winter weather This year i bet i will be wearing T-shirts lol

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

I absolutely love my cubic wood stove and like you say it’s an extra way of heating the van and mostly it’s 100 percent reliable 👍🤓👍

[@anothercampervanchannel]

That is weird you putting this out today, as I was just watching your other wood burner videos this morning 😊👍

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Hi coral thank you 🙏 hope all is going well with you x

[@JOHNMONO]

Hi Mel, if you get some of the fine ashes from the ash pan, mix them with water in a jar, and with some kitchen roll paper rub the glass you will be amazed how clean the stove glass will look. Great show and thank you

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thanks for the tip!

[@jeffsoyk6994]

Try setting a couple of bricks on top of the stove

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

That’s a great idea 🤓👍

[@sandygraham7943]

Nice video ! You taught me stuff about wood stoves I didn't know .😊

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Glad to help

[@Sam-bz4hf]

Getting one this week BBC buying it for me so I'm getting a solar generator with my bit of money

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Nice 👍

[@richardhewitt.easyvanlife.6957]

Great stuff Mel. And it’s not a Wednesday.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you 😊

[@rubblestacker]

What a cracking little burner )👍

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you 🙏

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

here's a link to cubic mini wood stoves website cubicminiwoodstoves.com/collections/all?ref=melpettipher

[@jakethemuss5678]

I have just order the 'outback firebox' mini woodstove from Amazon for £190 👍

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Nice one 👍

[@craiggrady7938]

Hi Mel. I Heard there are issues with insurance for European travel if you have a woodburner? Have you had any problems with insurance? Great videos.

[@jorgenbyde496]

great video very informative thanks for the effort

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Glad it was helpful!

[@alisoncrossey6984]

Might have been mentioned in other comments so apologies but what about ventilation and carbon monoxide poisoning? I know you can get detectors but I would prefer prevention over detection firstly. Thanks In advance

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

I have lots of ventilation

[@-2103]

You can google anti downdraft chimney cap.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you 😊

[@gregfawcett5152]

Another heater placed too high...go to Dickinson Diesel Heater best install ever. Put the heater as low as possible even if you have to cut out cabinets or settees. The longer chimney 4 feet or more will distribute more heat via convection inside your space and also be safer as the temperature exiting at the top of the camper will be lower. The heat (if placed low) will make for more heat lower rather than having your head bake and your feet freeze.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

My chimney is 4 foot long and I love nothing more than sitting on my sofa with my feet rite buy the fire it’s perfect for me thank you very much and the next van I’m building the stove is going up on the counter so will be even higher . Why? Because that’s where I want it 😘

[@DaveTheDasher77]

Great stuff as always

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you buddy 👍🤓👍👊🇦🇺

[@keithgrainger8797]

Can you not get a different cowl for the flue so you don't get the wind affecting draw.

[@brianweedy9212]

Great video as usual Mel have you tried glass hob cleaner on your fire I used it on the one in my last house and it worked great cheers mate, Brian

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Hi Brian i is the ash and damp newspaper works a treat 👍

[@MrBotwood]

Hey Mel, always love your friendly videos! I'm sure this is nothing new, but do you clean your stove glass door using just a damp rag and the cold ashes from the stove? It really works well! No need for expensive chemicals to clean it! Anyway, thanks for your content. I look forward to many more.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you and yes I do 👍

[@MrBotwood]

@@BigVanSmallWorld I kinda had a a notion you would have known this! Lol (Thanks for being such a great caring person.) Frank

[@Marcus-xl9kr]

Is there some kind of defuser to put in the top of the flue to keep air from going down in it?

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

No need it draws really well

[@steveffuksake]

If you have a tee or a H on the end of the chimney it won't blow back?and if you have fire bricks inside the fire the heat goes up the chimney instead of heating the camper ?

[@michael735014]

Pretty sure you glass is black because not enough air flow over top mine in my house is clear after and 5 years.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

I dose get clear eventually 👍

[@jartotable]

Difficult to get a good airflow when it's only 25cm high.

[@kevinisom505]

Nicely done thanks

[@kevinisom505]

Single blade razor to clean glass

[@tonyrichard2705]

Drove my bus numerous times with my blazing log burner

[@WhipperdeetsAdventures]

I really love this wood burner bud ❤ Truly amazing thing in the van 🚐 great video bud

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Hay buddy thank you 👍🤗👍

[@WhipperdeetsAdventures]

@@BigVanSmallWorld one day try she save for one :) 💙

[@pageant1fd]

Our stove burns wood or coal Mel does that one do similar? As always a terrific video many thanks sir.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you buddy it’s wood burner I did try out other stuff but it wouldn’t work 👍

[@TaylorRose981]

In America, insurance companies will not insure your vehicle with a wood stove. And if they do have a wood stove, they haven't told the insurance company.

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

good vid thanks lee

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you 🙏

[@povaraioan1650]

Very nice!!

[@vanlifeembracingdiversity5431]

Very nice. Curious if you considered UK made mini log burner?

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you and I did lots of looking and to be frank I couldn’t find anything as good as or better than the cubic mini wood stove 👍

[@ThatBonzaLife]

Hi Mel, Long term subscriber, struggling living in my van this winter with such poor solar here in the UK. I have a propex HS2000 heater but I'm not generating enough to use it. I want to install a wood burner but I also want to keep my LPG setup as a back up (Great for drying wet hiking/trail running shoes) and potentially install an LPG oven. I have drop outs in all LPG connections. Is it possible and safe to have these set up, I'm not planning on running both together. My other option is to fit an outbacker wood burner that has an oven attached to it. and change the end cap to prevent rain ingress. Hope you are well. Kyle

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Hay Kyle as long as you install the wood burner properly I’d say yes and I would highly recommend cubic mini wood stoves as they are extremely well made links in the description of all my videos 👍

[@robertdoyle8972]

The lpg puts out moisture you would be better off looking at a diesel heater instead of the lpg I’m going to use one for a backup to my grizzly mini that I just ordered

[@bennystokes8481]

do you think this would work in place of an old gas fire in the home? i have old flues built into the cavity..with these being small do you think i could just run a decent size straight pipe up the chimney cavity.?

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

I wouldn’t like to say you need professional help on that one 👍

[@DaeliaVanlife]

Lol i always drive with my wood stove working people are like wtf when they see me at a light with all the smoke 😂

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Haha

[@baneverything5580]

Hello Mel. Found you by searching for "tent stove in camper." I live in an old 5th wheel and the freezing storm we just had has me looking for off grid heat or next time I may have to set up a tent next to a bonfire. I plan to have solar power for a tiny air conditioner in about two months. I`m in hurricane country in Louisiana. I have a 300ah 12v battery, 2000w inverter, 60 amp charge controller, and have used a plug in charger with it before storms. I have to get another 190w panel and some switches next month then one more 100w one to set up a series/parallel setup of 24v/780 watts solar. I have a collection of small and medium small solar power stations I got cheap, small power banks, and rechargeable batteries for all my radios and such. I play acoustic guitar too. What kind do you have?

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Hi ya did you ever think to move to Florida 😂 I have an old guitar that I got given it’s a rite old banger but I love it 👍🤓👍

[@Intergalactic3000]

Hi mate ,wouldn't you be better of using a gas bottle heater.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Watch this week’s episode of waffle on Wednesday

[@SteveHuntingdon]

Given up on the diesel heater then ?

[@ajediheisnot]

Hope you have an air vent open all the time. It's the most important thing you need along with a carbon monoxide detector. . You need a higher flue for a proper draw on chimney. Most stoves need a minimum of 4 metres of flue pipe. Choking it down to slow burn is not a good idea in a room you sleep in. It increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning considerably. The hearth made of tiles is not safe. Under current regulations a hearth needs to be 5" thick of non combustible material. A concrete floor can make up part of that .I am a Hetas trained stove engineer. Be careful out there if fitting a stove in a camper. Talk to a trained professional. They will normally give you advice for free.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Thank you

[@philhealey4443]

Have you any experience of the Hobbit stove with external air intake option to make the combustion isolated from the room ?

[@jeffreybail353]

they say that woodburnung stoves make the best air to breath

[@jimbossimrigs7961]

Hi Mel. Great video. Im looking at the cub mini for my van. I have lpg so this is purely an expensive novelty for me and therefore used rarely. Given this, would it be possible to have the stove removed whilst driving and brought out on the odd occasion when I want to use it? I suppose what im asking is how 'removable' the flu connection is? (I will leave the flu itself in-situ all the time.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Yes, absolutely you could do this flu id just a slide on fit

[@phbrand8548]

Does coal brickets burn longer than wood?

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

No 👍

[@Sam_Green____4114]

If you live full time in your van how do you get on with having an address where it is registered and how did you receive the V5 log book ? What about the insurance company? What address do you give them ?

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Friends and family

[@walkingthefields1217]

I tried to get one of these from Canada but they wasn't very helpful with delivery to the UK. Do you know where I can get this in the uk.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

It just so happens I’m planning on taking mine out to make room for a wardrobe if you’re interested in a second hand one then look me up on insta and send me a private message 👍🤓👍

[@mmwaashumslowww7167]

Your next task will be to see how many people you could sit in your van, when the price of power and gas will have them looking to keep warm. Not a police knock but an I'm freezing one. 😫

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Haha 😂

[@bennystokes8481]

is that a 3 inch flue mel?

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

Yes it is

[@dubious6718]

Buy a saw and an axe, free wood.

[@darrincambridge2377]

Ha propane and a match simple 😈

[@davecampbell5176]

Looks very small.

[@BigVanSmallWorld]

The clue is in the name 👍

[@SteveHuntingdon]

Sorry, should have watched a few more minutes 😕