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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Tiny cabin owners (144sqft~) - what wood burning stove are you using?
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optimistic
Member
# Posted: 7 May 2013 20:57
Reply 


Hey,

I was certain I found my wood burning stove (The Hobbit from UK) but I am now thinking it might be too small... And if the cabin is cold - my wife will kill me. She hates it cold.

It is 4kw and according to an online calculator I need 3.2 for my space but my cabin will have no floor insulation (at least for the first winter) and batts in my 2x4 walls.... no to mention the giant windows I am planning. So in a 12x12 by 13ft high space.... I think I need a 5kw but I cannot find one in the states with a viewing glass.

What are small cabin owners here use?

oldgringo
Member
# Posted: 7 May 2013 21:25
Reply 


Any of the small stoves won't hold enough wood to last a reasonable amount of time...they require constant tending, and will go out soon after you go to sleep. Your wife will then kill you.

I put a full sized soapstone stove in my cabin, and just open some windows. Burns all night.

GomerPile
Member
# Posted: 7 May 2013 21:49
Reply 


Jotul 602 is a good compromise between size and burn time. Still will be lucky to get 5 hours from it.

optimistic
Member
# Posted: 7 May 2013 22:04
Reply 


Oldgringo.... Talk about a golden tip. You, my friend, have solved my quandary. I will do that.

Following your rational - I am going back to the wood stove I wanted in the beginning: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Englander-1-200-sq-ft-Wood-Stove-17-VL/202051504#BVRRWidge tID

If it gets too hot - I will open the window! Damn it.... I didn't I think of that ;)

You saved me money and my life! She would have been mad if I had the fire die in the middle of the night.

CabinBuilder
Admin
# Posted: 8 May 2013 10:58
Reply 


My Small Cabin wood stove:
http://www.small-cabin.com/small-cabin-off-grid-heating.html
http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/3_105_0.html

creeky
Member
# Posted: 9 May 2013 10:15
Reply 


I get up around three and throw some more wood on...

oldgringo
Member
# Posted: 9 May 2013 11:24
Reply 


Quoting: creeky
I get up around three and throw some more wood on...


Are you sure you don't get up to pee, and then tend the fire?

Dillio187
Member
# Posted: 9 May 2013 11:38
Reply 


I found a Jotul Combifire #1 on CL last fall that is installed in my 16x12. It will burn you out of there unless you dampen the air way down once it gets warm inside. Not the most ideal (it adds buildup on the stove pipe) but for weekend use, it's fine. With a full load and the air damped down, there are usually just a few coals left in the morning to rekindle a fresh fire. I use a direct vent propane heater to keep the temps inside in the low-mid 60's at night.
stove_open.jpg
stove_open.jpg


creeky
Member
# Posted: 14 May 2013 09:51
Reply 


old gringo you've got my number ... wonderful going over the hill ain't it.

groingo
Member
# Posted: 16 May 2013 21:47
Reply 


This next season I will be heating with propane as the primary heat with the Waterford wood stove as backup only, a lot less mess and effort for a very minimal cost.

creeky
Member
# Posted: 17 May 2013 09:27
Reply 


which propane unit? I'm doing the same. I love wood, but the getting up in the middle of the night ...

FantasManis
Member
# Posted: 16 Jul 2013 11:58
Reply 


Dillio187
I posted foto with your stove on my blog. Please, write me if you don't agree. I really like this stove. And my blog is not commercial. I added your name in signarture and this forum website.

To admin:
I write my question here because on this forum i'couldn't find messenger system. Please, let me ask Dillio187, and don't delete my post.

Dillio187
Member
# Posted: 16 Jul 2013 12:03
Reply 


no problem FantasManis. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing the old stove in use still.

foxdud
Member
# Posted: 27 Jul 2013 17:32
Reply 


I use a small box wood stove and a wall mounted propane heater that has a thermostat and takes over when the wood burner goes out in the middle of the night.

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 28 Jul 2013 09:58
Reply 


Ran across this tiny marine stove, looks nice:

http://www.marinestove.com/sardineinfo.htm

If you do install a propane backup, then I guess the smaller the woodstove the better.

One thing to watch is the manufacturer's listed clearances to walls. Some stoves are designed with double walls or deflector panels and have greatly reduced clearances as a result. Makes a big difference in a small cabin. There are other ways to reduce the clearances too.

rebeccap
Member
# Posted: 29 Jul 2013 20:00
Reply 


I'm building 10x20 and contacted the marinestove.com folks (they're in my neck of the woods) about best size. Sardine does NOT appeal to me as you have to cut the wood so small. He said little cod would be just right, also sent this link:

http://paddleways.com/blog/gypsyrose/2008/02/firing_up_the_little_cod.html

Actually my ideal would be... My mother-in-law's potbelly sort of stove in her home in an alpine village in NW Greece. Tiny thing, works a charm, I have cooked on it too. She has a heating oil furnace but it's way expensive to run so she uses the stove a lot. Wish I could find something like it here.

bill mitchell
Member
# Posted: 20 Nov 2014 03:13
Reply 


I find that as a male in my 60's, I am usually up at least once at night anyway. It would be easy to fill up. Jotul's 602 is a very nice stove. It is beautiful in either black or spruce green enamel, and can be had with or without a glass door panel. I bought mine for 250 dollars and was not about to haggle...happy to get it. I plan to have both gas and electric as back-ups for my heat. It just makes sense. If you do not have electric, then surely a gas bottle can be brought in to most sites. My sister has a huge tank behind her house, filled once a year...otherwise they are completely isolated and they run their refrigerator, stove and freezer on gas.

rugercpl
Member
# Posted: 16 Jun 2016 19:40
Reply 


my cabin is about 700 sq ft with nearly 10' ceilings. I like to cook at the cabin and cook professionally as well. I splurged on the woodstove and got a cook stove that I can cook in...and on. The baking oven is great...pies, lasagna, casseroles, roasts, bread, biscuits, you name it. I've also done shish kebab right in the fire box through the top openings. It is ample for heating the cabin when temps go below freezing.

http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Vermont-Bun-Baker-Wood-Cook-Stove?gdffi=8261c8c20818404 ab52cabb73d44a76c&gdfms=90E50189498A4BB28E0D2FFFCA959219&gclid=COHNhIjbrc0CFYE2gQodIt YE-A

groingo
Member
# Posted: 18 Jun 2016 12:42
Reply 


Now three years after this thread started I am still using propane with only two regrets, quality from tank to tank is not remotely consistant so heat output and use overtime can vary dramatically and prices fluctuate all over the map.....being that I have been doing propane for three years now I do know how much I do use so am looking onto just getting a larger tank that I would have to fill once a season, but that brings with it rental fees....need to keep looking.

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