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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Heating question..... Don't think I should use wood. What do you think?
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Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 16:01
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I've built my cabin in Ontario this year. Would like it to be heated for the fall and winter months.

See the link for my cabin info.


URL


So here's the next question... What do you guys out there recommend for heating in the winter? I have insulated. My building, as I've said above, is 8x12, with an 8 foot rear wall and a 12 foot front wall. I think that wood heating will be too hot for the small space, and am worried about how much floor space a fireplace will take up. Suggestions???

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 16:23
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I agree about wood stoves being not a great choice in a very small cabin.

How about a direct vent propane wall heater like one of these.

They have a blower (120 VAC) but you can run the heater without AC power. The blower helps with air circulation. We have a larger version of the same brand and half the time don't use the blower.

groingo
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 16:23
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After countless years of using wood last season I made the move to Propane mainly because it was much more controllable and in the end very cost effective and oh yah, no mess!
In your case because propane is very compact that is a bonus and a good vented propane system is like money in the bank and your trees will love you for it, just set and forget!

Nirky
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 16:23
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You could do wood. But with clearances, wood stove would take up a bit of room, which you don't have much to spare.

Propane might be your best choice, I'd look at vented because of safety. If you go want to gamble with ventless and risk someday never waking up, keep windows cracked at all operating times.

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 16:48
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Yeah I'm not interested in the headaches that come without venting when using propane. Namely, death. I will look at see what I can find for vented propane heaters. Anyone familiar with a nice, small version of one?


Thanks so much everyone.

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 17:20
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Anyone familiar with Nu-Way Stoves? Think this may do for such a small cabin?

http://www.nuwaystove.com/model2000.php

LoonWhisperer
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 17:40
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Our cabin came with a woodstove in place. It is hideous but functional. The cabin is only 10x10.

Has done the job so far with little fuss but it comes at the cost of some lost space.
cabin4.gif
cabin4.gif


bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 17:41
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A small, wall mount marine solid fuel heater might work-

http://www.sigmarine.com/SIG-CCHSF.html

Problem with this is it won't burn overnight. A propane direct vent heater on a thermostat will keep you toasty at 3am. Be ready to pay for a lot of propane.

I think the best solution is to have both- a very small woodburner and a wall mount propane. Use wood during the day and when you go to bed, then when the stove poops out the propane kicks in by thermostat.

But in a 8x10 there's not enough room for both.

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 17:59
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I am looking at either the Nu-Way wood, or propane heater. They both are under $150 and are meant to hunting blinds and ice huts. Seems to me with such a small space I won't need much more than that. I have considered the Sig Marine, but the cost for me is a bit much at the moment.

Loon - I have a small wood stove, but in looking at having to install based on bylaws (If the inspector chose to come around), it would take up much too much floor space in my cabin. I have to have minimum 18 inch clearance on all sides from the walls. To do it that way it just plain takes up too much room unfortunately for me.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 18:11
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Quoting: Gotta Gettaway
I have a small wood stove, but in looking at having to install based on bylaws (If the inspector chose to come around),


The Nuway would also be a code problem. Ditto a marine stove in a cabin.

Steve961
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 22:33
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The perfect wood stove for your cabin would be the Mini 12 from Gray Stove Works. They are not cheap, but they are incredibly well made. There is also nothing like a wood stove burning on a cold winters night.

Gray Stove Works
Mini12Stove.jpg
Mini12Stove.jpg


groingo
Member
# Posted: 23 Sep 2014 23:39
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Regarding propane heaters, be sure to note the gallons per hour ratings, there is a wide spread between them and of course with increased efficiency increased cost.

brooksm29
Member
# Posted: 24 Sep 2014 00:19
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I have an 8x12 myself and I wrestled with the same dilema. I personally like the idea and nostalgia of a wood burning stove in my little cabin. I have looked at all the little woodstoves Jotul, Dickinson, Mini and many others. I settled on a neat little stove made by Fatsco Stoves (The Midget 9in wide x 15in tall). It will burn either wood or coal. The wood would be great during the day when awake and the coal should hold the fire through the night. The Fatsco stoves are basically marine stoves and designed for small clearances. The company can be found on line, they are very friendly and the best part is that they are from my home state of Michigan. My 2 cents worth.

1300_stainless
Member
# Posted: 24 Sep 2014 10:11 - Edited by: 1300_stainless
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Gotta Gettaway, I've recently purchased a Nu-Way propane model and am in the process of installing it. Plan to do a bit of a review on here sometime in the near future. I think it's going to be the ticket for my 10x10. If your interested they have a Canadian distributor and he's a great guy to deal with.

I haven't installed it yet but am quite pleased with my purchase so far. It's quite a simple design but looks durable and seems to have the proper components to operate safely. It's going to be an easy install and the stove is simple to use. My only complaint is the paint seems cheesey. Some flaked off during the first burn, but in hindsight I probably should have brought the stove to temperature slower than I did to properly cure the paint.

phutch85
Member
# Posted: 24 Sep 2014 13:09
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I've got an old little Sears & Roebuck pot belly that heats my 10x12 with a small loft just fine. I can control heat pretty well with it and it doesn't take up a terrible amount of space. I will say it gets to be a pain making wood that's small enough to fit in it nicely. Here's a link to the stove: http://antiquestoves.net/dir/images/stove_images/PB675/675_front.jpg

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 24 Sep 2014 14:16
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Thanks for all the insight guys. Looks like I have alot more research on my hands than I originally supposed. Still really like the Nu-Way's price point though. The Fatsco Marine stoves also look quite interesting to suit my needs.

I would be interested to read any reviews that you have particularly on either of those two stove types I mentioned.

rmak
Member
# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:16
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Does anyone know if Gray Stove Works got their mini stoves UL and EPA approved? I was so close to buying one, but was worried about insurance coverage if something went wrong. I'm not trying to plant doubt or dis the stoves, which I personally think are great. Seems like it's another example of governmental bureaucratic issues getting in the way of commerce.

razmichael
Member
# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 11:24
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Quoting: rmak
Does anyone know if Gray Stove Works got their mini stoves UL and EPA approved?

I assume not - no mention of any certification on the site and the 15 Aug News post on their home page states
"We didn't pass ...again.
She burns clean and safe, it is just that the test is not made for such a small unit. That's okay, we'll get there. We appreciate all the support! What we are going to do is sell it as a NON-CERTIFIED outdoor wood stove "

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 21:17
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Yeah I saw that on the site. The price is a little high on that one for me anyways.

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 26 Sep 2014 10:20 - Edited by: bldginsp
Reply 


Another option that hasn't been mentioned here is the 'Kimberly' stainless steel stove. Very small, very high efficiency, and far too expensive to be a real option. But worth a look at.

http://www.unforgettablefirellc.com/kimberly-wood-stove/

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 27 Sep 2014 12:45
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That is a beautiful looking option, but you're correct in that it is definitely more than I would like to spend.

Nu-Way stoves seems to be the way I'm leaning.

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 27 Sep 2014 14:24 - Edited by: bldginsp
Reply 


A much less expensive option than the Kimberly, but still far more expensive than a Nu-way, is the Little Sardine, my personal favorite. $1150 before shipping from the East coast, but it is EPA compliant. Probably the smallest EPA compliant stove out there:

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

Just
Member
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:07
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works for me 9x12 150$ T.S.C. can. surprisingly good quality for a small price.
I did the glass myself pirex bowl from dollar store .
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Nirky
Member
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 14:16
Reply 


Please be wary of using Pyrex in this situation. My friend builds rocket mass heaters, and tried using Pyrex as a view window. The Pyrex held up for 6 hours but then failed. In an explosive way. His RMH probably generated considerably higher temps than a small wood stove, but all the same I'd take every precaution.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 14:27
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Pyrex does not have as high a temoerature rating as the real glass made for wood stove doors. Pyrex is rated for something like 550 - 600 F, whereas the real thing is rated for up to 1400 F

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 14:39
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I think the glass used in woodstoves (that have it) is a special ceramic formulation, made to take the heat differences involved. Could be that you could just order that type of glass for a situation like this. Might be pricey.

Pyrex is just tempered glass I think, which is more resistant to breakage that plain float window glass, but not immune. Tempered glass is required in windows in the wild land urban interface, for this reason. In a fire sometimes the first thing to go on a house exposed to high heat is a window, which then lets the heat inside to burn the interior contents.

But I wonder whether tempered glass can handle what will be thrown at it (in terms of heat, not baseballs) as a woodstove door. The instructions for my woodstove say to replace the glass, if broken, with the high temperature ceramic glass supplied by the manufacturer

1300_stainless
Member
# Posted: 29 Sep 2014 12:21
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Gotta Gottaway you can check out my experience so far with the Nu-Way propane model here:

http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/3_4935_0.html#msg72634

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 29 Sep 2014 15:44
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Great! Thanks so much. That's the kind of experience with the product I was looking for

Gotta Gettaway
Member
# Posted: 29 Sep 2014 16:11
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I'd love to hear and see pics when it is set up in your cabin.

txpowdercoater
Member
# Posted: 18 Oct 2014 18:25
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get a small wood stove and learn to use it. I have a nice big "Lopi" and it can be "shut down" and simmer so to speak, anyways, you can load up a wood burning stove till it wont hold no more and the size of fire is regulated by how much air you let in. There is no better "off the grid" heat than an efficient wood burner used properly.
Lopi's are designed to make radiant and convection heat.

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