Author Topic: Wood burning stove in a caravan (Read 23578 times)

scotelf · « **on:** January 23, 2012, 07:49:17 pm »

Hi, I'm sure I read on here that someone had installed a wood/multi fuel stove in their caravan. I'd like to do the same , but not sure about what I'd need to put on the walls and floor to stop the caravan walls getting too hot. I think I'd need a dual skinned flue/chimney thing, there is a hole where the flue for the defunct gas fire is anyway. Is there anything else I need to consider? Any help appreciated

robert waddell · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2012, 07:52:48 pm »

a friend along the road has a coal fire in a residential caravan

Anke · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2012, 09:38:52 pm »

If you have planning permission I would talk to Building Control, they should be able to point you to the right tome of legislation.... but seriously you wouldn't want to buckle the walls....

scotelf · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2012, 10:40:00 pm »

A coal fire

in a caravan! They're not frightened of going up in flames are they, lol.

Thanks Anke

mab · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2012, 11:40:16 pm »

This doesn't answer your question but...

A few years back I lived on a boat which had an old oil fired stove (constructed from stainless steel) for heating. It didn't have any instructions and when I first used it I turned up the drip-feed control too quickly 'cos I was cold; this resulted in the oil pooling in the bottom of the stove which was still cold.
After 1/2 an hour it warmed up to the point where the oil started burning off and the stove suddenly got very hot indeed - the flue pipe above the stove was glowing bright red; the inner wall of the stove (visible through the vent holes in the outer wall) was glowing orange!

I put the dog out on the pontoon and had the phone on deck with nines already punched in whilst I rushed up and down sponging down the (wooden) bulkhead to which the stove was bolted and the (wood & fibreglass) deck around the flue pipe fitting. After about five mins of near panic it burned off the surplus oil and settled down to a normal temp.

The relief was blowing from my ears like steam.

Still; got the boat to a balmy 23°C

If you know what stove you're going to fit you could ask the manufacturer about their recommendations about fitting in 'flammable' buildings - people often install them in wooden sheds, houseboats and those finnish wooden chalet-type self-build houses.

tobytoby · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2012, 01:31:13 pm »

My father had one in his static 30' van in my garden. If you buy proprietery lining/flue etc you won't have a problem. Best to locate it about 6" off the wall, with a protective fire resistant board at the back, to stop any radiating heat. If you make sure you don't have it burning like an inferno it will be great. The joists under the floor are not great in vans but if you can get a piece of sheet steel about 2-3' square dependant on the size of the stove, this will support the weight, that rests on the floor. He had it in the van for about 8 years, until it became an eyesore in my garden - and i took a Sthil saw to it, and got rid of the old pest LOL.

Sudanpan · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2012, 03:01:22 pm »

We had one in our 30' caravan while we were building the cottage. The caravan was a standard ally walled affair, though it had been insulated and plaster boarded so I think that might have helped. Otherwise our woodburning stove was a Stovax - the smallest one they do - we had it on a slightly raised tiled hearth and there was a gap of at least 6 inches off the walls (it was in the corner) We had a double walled flue running up through the roof (asphalt). It was brilliant - even when there was snow on the ground outside we would have to open the windows cos it got so warm inside. But we never had any sign that there was heat damage to any ofthe walls or the roof.
Go for it

When we finished the cottage build we installed the woodburner in our new sitting room

colliewoman · « **Reply #7 on:** January 24, 2012, 08:38:33 pm »

I've got the double skinned stack pipe, and have heat resistant matting with tin plating over the top behind the stack, and a marble slab underneath.
Sat in front of it as I type

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2012, 11:58:16 pm »

Quote from: tobytoby on January 24, 2012, 01:31:13 pm

My father had one in his static 30' van in my garden. If you buy proprietery lining/flue etc you won't have a problem. Best to locate it about 6" off the wall, with a protective fire resistant board at the back, to stop any radiating heat. If you make sure you don't have it burning like an inferno it will be great. The joists under the floor are not great in vans but if you can get a piece of sheet steel about 2-3' square dependant on the size of the stove, this will support the weight, that rests on the floor. He had it in the van for about 8 years, until it became an eyesore in my garden - and i took a Sthil saw to it, and got rid of the old pest LOL.

I hope the 'old pest' is the caravan not your father.