| Author | Message | ||
| Mike (Busone)
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I was just browsing over the Harbor Freight site and noticed some pellet stoves. Would a pellet stove be a bad idea for a bus? It would not use much power and would put out a load of heat. Of course it would only be used when parked. I really like the webasto but hate the idea of heating with taxed fuel. It seems like pellets would be much cheaper to heat with. Of course I am probably overlooking something that would make a pellet stove a bad idea for a bus but I am sick and my mind is shot. | ||
| Lin Rating: N/A |
I think a pellet stove would be workable. You would probably only need a small one. From what I understand, you would need some electricity, but that would be no more than other heaters. I know wood stoves have been used in buses and a pellet stove would not require the same type of chimney as a wood stove. Pellet stoves can manage with a flu like a gas stove. Of course, you would have to carry a supply of pellets. I do not know how easily available they are when traveling or what the bulk-to-heat issues might be. | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
If you want to heat with an untaxed fuel, I understand you simply need a seperate system for the webasto and genset, Of course, this requires a second operation/stop for the different fuel. | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
I have seen pellet stoves with automatic feeds , but for most pellets are like wood or coal , great when youre there , hard to leave for a few days. Oil or propane has the a advantage of operating 24/7 with out the need for an operator in attendance. Your lifestyle? FAST FRED | ||
| TWO DOGS Rating: N/A |
for pellets...stop at any grain elevator & get corn | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
If there's any need to break camp and hit the road quickly, that stove will be a problem. You can't just "turn it off"; it needs a chimney and a damper, and the difference in air pressure while rolling can blow soot throughout the bus if the damper's not sealed. You'll also have a problem with oxygen consumption, unless you open a window. In a home, with a large area and plenty of drafts, it isn't a problem... but with the small area of a sealed bus...? Pellet stoves are designed to be started up and used for a fairly long amount of time; They take some time to heat up (to work efficiently). And once hot, they'll stay burning for days with proper dampening and feeding. If your pleasure is to live in one place for an extended amount of time, the stove might be a viable option. If you have a motorhome because you like to move around.... I'd forget the stove and get a system designed for the purpose. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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And where, pray tell, are you going to find a grain elevator east of the Mississippi? Why not use the space that you would use for storing pellets to install a tax free fuel tank? Richard | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary)
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My first "Real" job when I was 16 was building woodstoves (lied about my age) this was my introduction to woodstoves, in the late 70's when woodstoves became all the rage (At least in Oregon). Over the years I have done a lot of woodstove work, including quite a bit of antique stoves, like old Montags and the like. this work is really a lot of fun. When pelletstoves came out, I was dubious to say the least, thinking how silly it was to take the most ancient and universal of heating methods and make it dependendent on a commercially produced consumable supply. Well.. you can still buy the pellets and the stoves are truly amazing. My wife's grandparents bought one and they were able to heat a very, very large house with a pretty tiny stove. the "Stovepipe" is pretty small and you could work it out however, I think the problem you would have is you won't be able to find one SMALL enough for a bus. the smallest one I have ever seen would chase you out for certain. YMMV Gary | ||
| bruce knee (Bruceknee)
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I just installed a pellet stove in my house. It works with a thermostat on the wall just like my central heat. when it calls for heat, a handful of pellets drop into the burn chamber and in 2 or 3 min. the fire lights itself. When it reaches temp. the fire goes out. It will burn as required for days, unsupervised, maintaining the temp. within 2 degrees. It does not require a chimney, just a 3" vent through the wall. I should have put one in years ago. I still think that when it is time for heat in my bus, I will use a Proheat. For what it's worth. | ||
| Mike (Busone)
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I attached a link to the one I was looking at. It would take up some interior space though. Since I am still a wannabe I am just thinking. My wife says all my thinking gets me in trouble. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90785 | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary)
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A little Pricey, doncha think? Gary | ||
| Brian (Bigbusguy)
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Look into the heaters for boats there very small and can use wood or diesel http://www.ahoycaptain.com/shop/cabinheaters.html That what Im putting in mine. Also at the FMCA show at redmond this year some one was selling propane fire place looking heaters. Lots of heat and looked good too. Brian 4905 Klamath Falls Oregon | ||
| CoryDane RTSII Rating: N/A |
When I was searching the internet some time ago, in search of heating systems, there were two buses that had pics of their pellet stoves. They used boat hatches to seal the roof hole for the stack and when they stopped, they would put the stack in. They appearantly lived up, or traveled, where it was cold and snowy because they mentioned the fact that they enjoyed the wood (pellet) burner when the snow was on the ground. Dunno where they get the pellets but they had a little auto loader that used a kinda conveyor to feed the stove. I couldn't see it in the picture so it must be small. If I had the room, I think I would give serious thought to this one. cd | ||
| Ethan Tuttle (Mrert)
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I have a pellet/ corn stove in my house! No way would i put one in the bus! It is rated for a 1500 square foot house and heats my 4500 square foot house real good. It would be hard to regulate it down enough for that small of a space. I have it in my family room in the bassment and it will heat our whole house. 80 in the family room and about 72 up stairs and that is with a temp outside right now of 5. And it uses a taxed fuel! Happy with the stove but not for a bus! I put two rv type propane furnaces in my bus, works good for me! Ethan 81 Eagle 10 | ||
| MCI Larry (Eurof3)
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Heat that's a good thing in a bus, well where we go it is. Being self contained would be nice. Like all electric. Big ole diesel generator running off my main fuel tank, With enough power to run electric heat or ac, any tool I could carry and my home if need be. Nothing beats being self contained and only needing one type of fuel. But hay a custom built smaller caliber pellet stove might suit your fancy. We Gotta do the BIGOLEDIESELGENERATOR thing ! And wish you the best ! Larry Naturopath 96A3 85/04 "Happy Holidays to all" | ||
| don (Bottomacher)
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I installed about 400 pellet stoves (Whitfield) for a company in Maryland in the 90's and had one in my house. The universal problem is dust. The entire house becomes dusty, and when time comes to clean it out, you won't enjoy the process, I promise you. They are wonderful for heat, but the fan noise can be a little irritating for some folks. (Only a few stoves burn corn, by the way. Most require premium low-ash pellets unless you want to be hauling ashes nonstop.) As soon as I could afford a propane direct-vent stove for myself (no natural gas in my area), my pellet stove went out to the woodshop and stayed there. If I can find a small propane "woodstove-looking" unit for the bus, or a shell to build one, that will become my main heat source. If anyone knows where to get a small propane stove body, please let me know. | ||
| Moonrover
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I have a very efficient pellet stove in my shop. Love it, it's fully automatic except for loading the hopper which holds about 40 or 50 pounds of pellets. Besides the drawbacks already noted above for use in a bus, I will add another one ... VERY HEAVY. Why subject yourself to hauling around a boat anchor like that? Whereas my stove will heat a poorly insulated workshop (1600sf), it would roast you if installed in a fairly well insulated bus conversion (320sf). | ||
| CoryDane RTSII Rating: N/A |
Don B The problem with the Propane stove, is similar to the wood stove, the size of the stack. The Propane stove is usually around 3", there is a smaller one at 1" but rated about 6 or 7000 BTU. West marine has several Propane as well as diesel and I think a wood stove, all are very small in size and put some heat out. Dunno if you'd want to enclose it in a "wood stove" facade though. They look pretty good as is. I like the fact that they don't require any power to operate. Always a good thing, since my old RV used to run the darn battery down. I took note of that for sure. My Thoughts cd | ||
| skool bus nut
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Hi, Mike I heat my home (2500 s.f.) with a pellet stove, and yes, I love it! I also am considering having one installed in my bus. The one I plan on using runs on 12 volts. Yes, its very tiny, too. It is designed for zonal heating, or for back up heating. (NOT for an entire home) As far as the dust problem mentioned above, I think the only ones that have a prblem are the positive pressure style, not the negative pressure ones. There will be some challenges with heating a bus with a pellet stove, as mentioned above. But I think most can be easily overcome. The model that I am refering to is an "Avent" made by Reliant Industries of CA There may be another mfg. that makes a 12 volt model named "Thelin" from Canada. I have a Webasto oil fired heater under my bays that I am planning on removing, because I plan on heating with something that I know a little about! I have been in the stove/fireplace business for 17 years, so pellet stoves and gas stoves are what I'm comfortable with. Hope you make the right choice for yourself! mark 75 Gillig 636D Cat turbo 3208 diesel pusher skoolie type bus (NOTE, Two Dogs!): I refer to my bus as a skoolie type bus, even though it never was one! No flashing lights up on top, no double-door entry. Had overhead luggage racks, high-back reclining seats, under floor storage bays, highway gears and saddle tanks! I like to refer to it as my "SUB" (as opposed to SUV) SPORT UTILITY BUS!! looked at lots of other busses. never considered an Eagle! nothing against yours, tho! I'm quite happy with it. I like the rugged, simple no frills coach that I will transform into a fsc, practical RV that I will be able to enjoy with my wife and 3 kids! skoolbus nut | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
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Hey Mark - Any pics of your Gillig posted anywhere?? RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| skoolbusnut Rating: N/A |
Dont' have any right now... Maybe I can figure out how to post here on BNO. Mark | ||
| Gillig-Dan Rating: N/A |
Mark, I'm looking for a heater for my Gillig. I am thinking I would like to go with a diesel unit. Want to sell yours? Where are you located? Gillig-Dan West Point, VA '70 Gillig 636D E0013 | ||
| Geoff (Geoff)
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Mark-- Don't remove the Webasto! It is the best heating system for the interior, plus it can provide hot water and engine pre-heating. Learn to use it-- it can do more than a pellet stove ever could. --Geoff '82 RTS CA | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary)
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Don't listen to thse guys Mark, dump the Webasto. Since they are so hard to dispose of you can just send it to me so that I can deal with it properly.  Gary | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
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I understand (think I do) that all of them do require some electrical power (usually under 100 watts, 115 VAC 60 htz) to run the auger thing that feeds the pellets into the burn chamber. If you are boondocking depending upon battery bank power, this may eat you alive. The energy consumption over time may drain your batteries. However...if you are on hook ups, then a pellet stove may work just dandy. Other posts have explored the tactical/logistic situation. With a safe installation, go for it. Merry Christmas. | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
You can spoon feed the thing, Henry. There's no need to go with any automatic feed, unless you're going to leave it all alone for days on end. I wouldn't do that in an RV and expect to find one amid the ashes, anyway... And some heaters don't need a fan, but a 12v/24v small one for modest circulation would do fine. The biggest problem would be to heat the water tanks, etc. Running a hot water coil around the heater and circulating the hot water around the tanks and pipes, might work.. For stationary use, with no immediacy of having to move... maybe.. For normal RV type use? I'd go with propane, diesel, webasto, or similar. Forced hot water is my desire, but hot air is easier. (much of what I already have? there. I said it) | ||
| H3 (Ace)
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Don't know why but the last few nights down here has been pretty cold. I know not near as cold as you guys up north but for us Floridians, 30 degrees is pretty cold. Anyway, getting the bus cleaned out and loaded for Arcadia, not to mention troubleshooting, we had the heat on that comes from the 3 roof airs. Well, we took a break and went to get a bite to eat and when we came back, we could hardly breath because it was so hot in the bus. The roof airs only have a low heat and I made the mistake of turning them all the way to the red zone. I tell you what. For roof air heat, I can't complain! In fact, we turned 2 of them off (the BR and the LR) and kept the center one on. It stayed so warm in there that while watching my first movie in the BR on my new DVD/tv, the clothes started coming off! Well to make a long story even longer, the movie eventually ended and to the house I started to go and I found that the bus door had been left open allowing for either my bus heat to escape or natures cold to enter, whichever way you want to look at it! Needless to say, the coleman roof air/heaters DO work as using only one was plenty enough for me! Ace | ||
| H3 (Ace)
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Forgot to mention, that the front half of my bus is not done and it has a lot of window space that is still uncovered meaning no blinds, shades or curtains of any kind! Ace | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary)
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What's your current draw on the "Roof Heat" Ace? Gary | ||
| Butch Williams
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Richard (DML) asked: And where, pray tell, are you going to find a grain elevator east of the Mississippi? Howdy Richard, welcome to the midwest, I live in North Central and they (and feedstores) are everywhere, as a matter of fact, I have one right across the street from my home! Butch Williams, 1987 MC9 | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
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Thanks Butch. I got a little carried away when I said east of the Mississippi. I probably should have said East of the Ohio. For sure there are none in my area of the country. Richard | ||
| Gary Carter Rating: N/A |
Any place they farm you will find elevators and feedstores. |