Temp Heat for the RV/shop

[Rougespear]

Hi all, I'm building myself a shop, and eventually a house in a couple years - the wife and I are living in an RV under a roof attached to the new shop.  It's - more accurately, "she's" - cold!  I'd like to hook up some sort of wood heat (I have 8 cord of firewood seasoned and ready), but I'm really drawing a blank.  Hoping to get some help for some insightful folks here.

Eventually, I'll put a standard wood stove in the shop, but right now it's just a framed building (no insulation, doors or windows).  There's just no room in the RV for a wood stove, and I fear the fire aspect of it.  For temporary RV heat I'm considering an outdoor wood furnace of some type positioned near the trailer.  This is obviously not a common idea because I'm finding little info online.  At this point, I'm thinking of buying a very small wood stove (something that heats a couple hundred sq ft), building a 6'x6' building around it a couple paces from the RV, and using a blower motor and insulated ducting to transfer warm air from the little building to the RV, and a cold air return.  What do people think?  Am I over thinking this, or will it not work?  I'm very open to ideas...

Thanks!

[DDW_OR]

...living in an RV under a roof attached to the new shop.  .....I have 8 cord of firewood seasoned and ready........for heat I'm considering an outdoor wood furnace ...... I'm very open to ideas...

I assume the budget is tight.  how about a 55 gallon barrel stove kit = about $60 + 2 metal barrels

second option is putting a Rocket Stove inside the RV. remove one of the roof vent covers.
then use that opening for the chimney and a second pipe for air intake to the stove.

third option is to enclose the area under the roof that the RV is under to make a mini heated garage.

[gspren]

  If you could find a deal on a wood fired boiler (OWB) then you would have some easier options but if you had to buy new it wouldn't pay.

[Grizzly]

Salmon Arm climate is not that bad, so I'm wondering. This roof space your under; if I read right it is closed in just not insulated? Then the RV furnace shouldn't have much trouble. If it's not closed in and wind can take heat away then it's another story.

For short term (1 winter) fix I'd go with getting warm air into the trailer rather than trying to set up an OWB. Your btu requirement will be quite low and a small wood stove will do wonders. Following some of the ideas already given look at wood stoves for ice fishing shacks. Very small but they produce cheap heat and the better ones (over $150.00) are well built and will also keep your coffee warm.

Don't think we're allowed to post links here but I see some nice ones on Kijiji that would work well for you. Princess Auto also has some.

[TKehl]

Depends on how long "eventually" is and if you have use for the stove after you do the upgrade.

It may make more sense to run propane or electric if we are talking short term.  Could be cheaper than fussing with a stove even if the fuel is free.  You would have to put a pencil to it.

I heated the bus I lived in (no insulation) with two space heaters and an electric blanket.  Skirting underneath the RV can still help even if the building blocks the wind.

The enclosed room should work.  You could also build a "great room"  ;) addition to the RV and put the stove in there with maybe a box fan.   

There are also forced air outdoor furnaces.  I have a Byran forced air unit ducted to my mobile home and am well satisfied.  There are also Fire Cheif and Lil' House Heaters.  (Do research on the Lil' House if you go that way.  Cheap for a reason IMHO.)

[Novascotiamill]

Im having the same dilemma,my rv furnace crapped out,I tried electric space heaters but kept tripping fuses,kerosene heater(just returned it to ct too smelly and way to expensive to run.finally ran a length of armoured 6 gauge wire from a 40 amp breaker in my nearby shed,bought a 220 volt construction heater with built in thermostat ,so far its been fine ,temp has dropped to about -3C so far. Total cost was 315.00 ,install time about 50 minutes. The heater doesnt get warm on the outside although its a bit noisy,my rv is a 30 ft fith wheel with double slides,im hoping it will be the answer for the winter. I bought a mr heater big buddy as a backup in case the power goes out,im a fair bit back in the woods!

[Hilltop366]

Hi Novascotiamill a co2 detector wold not be a bad idea with that mr heater big buddy if you don't already have one.

I was in your area last week picking up a front axel housing from the used parts guy in Whynotts Settlement.

[Novascotiamill]

Thanks Ive got one but I need to replace my smoke detectors theyre looking old,probably original in the trailer. Im heading to Egerton tomorrow to pick up a winch for the tractor,made by gerard couture in quebec but I cant find any info on their stuff.looks like a nice likttle winch,guess ill find out tomorrow. If your ever out burning gas with no destination and can notify me ahead of time your welcome to drop by for a chat and cold beverage. By the way witch lighthouse is that?

[Hilltop366]

Well you got me beat, I've never heard of Egerton or Gerard Couture but a tractor winch is very handy!
Thanks for the invite, I don't get out of the county much but you never know.

I't is the Peggy's Cove Lighthouse, I kind of like the picture but I took it with a old flip phone a few years back so I can't make it big enough to print.

[Rougespear]

Thanks for all the thoughts folks!  Budget is not as tight as you might imagine, more interested in getting something wood-burning to work.  We only have temporary power here - and its a whopping 108v on a 15amp breaker at the end of 500' of under-sized cable from the neighbors, so electric heaters are a no-go until we get real power.

Over the next couple weeks I think I'll focus on insulation.  I'm going to screw 3" white rigid to the roof (roof is on its last legs anyways), and also skirt in the bottom. 

I like the idea of an enclosed room attached to the RV - I may for that on one end of the lean-to shed, put a stove in there.  Just throw up some quick walls and use some rigid insulation.  I'm still caught on the idea of putting a woodstove just 10' away from the shop's shed roof (for fire reasons) in a small shed and blow in the heat from there.  I'm still pondering... haha

[Hilltop366]

I'm kinda thinking that getting the stove and chimney that will be used in the shop would be the way to go if practical at all, even better would be to set it up in the shop where you want it and temporarily enclose and insulate it in a smaller room but perhaps it would be too far from your camper to transfer the heat.

[DDW_OR]

I agree, buy it once and use it twice.

LED lights work great on low voltage, 108V, they do not burn out like standard or CFL bulbs

area photos would help

[snowstorm]

I used 3 inch foam used big washers and screwed it to the trusses.  But the foam I used was made by firestone with fiberglass coating on both sides. It was the same price as 2 inch blue board

[62oliver]

If it's temporary, buy a 100# propane  cylinder and crank the heat.
If you wanna build the separate wood stove heated room, buy the stove you want for the garage and just use it in there first, or buy her a bigger coat, haha

[DelawhereJoe]

If you had better power you can get a 3000 sq ft rated forced air wood furnace with built in 850 cfm blower from lowes for about $1000.

[dave_dj1]

Fins a Fawcette enterprise hot air wood furnace then build a small enclosure around it and duct it into the trailer, you could set it outside the shop and once the shop is ready heat that too.
I have two of them that I put together, one for the garage and one for the house. One would be big enough if the garage and house were attached. If you have any questions feel free to ask. This will give you an idea. Of course this forum won't allow pictures from Imgur so if you want some pics, pm me or email me @sargoodconstruction@gmail.comsix (Lose the word six at the end) this prevents bots from picking up my email addy

[Rougespear]

DelawareJoe, that's exactly what I've been looking for but can't find in Canada!  That's the bummer part :(

As it stands now, I'm gonna take folks' advice here and try and install a stove in the shop and close it in a bit.  See if that works.  If not, then at the very least the stove is installed and ready to go for the shop.

Propane is the heat in the rv now, but I go through about 40-50lbs a week...

[DelawhereJoe]

You could always go on a road trip, everyone loves road trips.

[DR Buck]

The outdoor wood boiler as suggested would be your safest option.   You could put heat exchanges inside and circulate hot water through even basic PEX.   Although there would be heat loss if it's a short distance  you can cover the PEX with pipe insulation.    This way there would be no chance of fire, no smoke or dust inside and you get to use your wood.

Even better, after you build you can use the outdoor boiler for heating your shop or even the house.

[Grizzly]

You could always go on a road trip, everyone loves road trips.

I have advocated this for years! I've told the wife and family............ think of the money we'd save on heat, winter clothing, block heaters, snow removal, and on and on. And then schooling for the children......... science at every night stop we make and in each new climatic zone we enter.......  Social studies with each new zone we go through (from trucking days i know that the states has many) we learn accents and social norms and extremes for any given area........  So many reasons to live on the road. Alas, I married a girl that likes to see scenery from one spot upon earth.