Paraffin heaters - more camping than bushcraft

[myotis]

Has anyone any experience of using one of these, or something similar, in a tent in winter.

http://www.compass24.com/watersports/abnetshop.pl?ARTNR=985860

It seems a possibile, but not nice, alternative to a wood burning stove for occasional use in winter.

Graham

 

[wicca]

I use a paraffin heater aboard my boat, but there are a couple of points that need considering. My heater is vented via a proper flue to the outside deck. Obviously this removes the possibility of a build up of fumes within the confines of the cabin. I am told, although I can't vouch for the figures, that a paraffin heater will produce 1 litre of moisture as condensation for every litre of paraffin that is burned. On a cold day if I was to light the heater, close the hatches and close the flue, within a very short time the cabin would be toasty warm, reeking of fumes and the windows and other surfaces wet with condensation.

How all this would effect use in a tent I'm not too sure, but going to sleep in an unvented tent with the heater on would I suspect be a passport to a very long sleep indeed..
Used with care in a vented tent, secure from being knocked over, and turned off before diving into the sleeping bag would probably be acceptable though.

A health and safety expert will be along to shout at me in a moment probably..

 

[myotis]

Wicca,

I well remember when our only heating in the bathroom was an old Valor parafin heater, so I have an idea about the fumes, so I have some concept of this issue.

But I have no real idea how a modern heater, in a 4.5m Tipi with some sort of air flow running through it, even when everything is tied down, will perform. But I agree thinking about fumes, condensation and CO2 build up will probably need thought about.

Graham

 

[helixpteron]

I'm about as far from being a health & safety bod as its possible to get! (o:

Actually, I just wanted to add a +1 to what Wicca said about moisture and fumes created by paraffin heaters.

We used to use them for heating and cooking at home, and quickly learned about moisture and fumes.

What with paraffin lamps too, it got very damp and fumey (new word!) very quickly.

 

[myotis]

helixpteron,

Yep, as I said in my last post I remember this from home as well, but was rather hoping that people were going to say its not that bad in a tent :-(

Graham

 

[helixpteron]

helixpteron,

Yep, as I said in my last post I remember this from home as well, but was rather hoping that people were going to say its not that bad in a tent :-(

Graham

When I started on my post, Wicca's was the last puplished post showing, which is why I posted as I did!

 

[myotis]

When I started on my post, Wicca's was the last puplished post showing, which is why I posted as I did!

Yes, I guessed that, I was just affirmng what I had said, not suggesting you hadn't read the post, sorry if it sounded as if I was ticking you off for not reading the post.

Graham

 

[greeneggcat]

Hello i used one of these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Heater-Paraffin-Kerosine-Oil-Valor-202-Home-GreenHouse_W0QQitemZ290291961408QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_Hearing_Cooling_Air?hash=item290291961408&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

I used it for a week over christmass and new year. It was cold about -5 ish and the setup i was using was a bit of a bodge. The sleeping tent was a propper double skin mountain tent which i slept in with the two kids ( lots of condensation on a morning even with the vents fully open). However the door opened straight into one of those single skin millets tepees. Hard to describe, but basically one door of the tepee was opened and the tent erected with its porch in the teppe. Total bodge!
We were using the tepee as our living area and i wouldnt have bothered with a heater if it was just me, but thought i would try it for the kids.

Bloody glad i did! I set the heater up in the centre of the tipi right next to the central pole. I then opened the "top hat" thingey at the top and the two chimenys on the heater sent the fumes up and out. I turned it off on a night time. Didnt really create a condensation problem in the tipee in fact it kept it warm and dry. Bearing in mindd the tents were covered in thick frost/ice every morning it was nice to have one warm and dry.

You do have to make sure the flames are burning properly to minimise odour. If it stinks the flame aint right.

Cant say what it would be like in a cotton tipi but i wouldnt use one in a srandard design tent. You really do need the ventilation ( this design is ideal for a tipi coz of the chimenys pushing the fumes straight up)

Of course if i was loaded i would get a wood burner but i only paid £20 for the heater (not from this seller though) and my next big purchase will be a propper cotton tipi. The heater will be used again!

Long winded but of some help i hope.

:theyareon

 

[myotis]

greeneggcat,

thanks, yes that was useful according to what I read somewhere the Valor 202 was originally designed for use by the military in tents, so I had looked at these.

What I can't find out is how big it is, can you give me rough idea of the dimensions?

I remember that with our parafn heaters you needed to keep it burning relatively low to make sure it didn't smell

Sounds like you really appreciated having it

Graham

 

[greeneggcat]

Just nipped down to the shed, dimensions are H57cm W33cm D21.5cm.

Yes mine was ex military, came from a clear out over at brize. Yes i was very grateful to have it! The trick with the flame is to have no yellow/orange on it, When i had it working right the flame looked just like a normal gas ring, all blue.

With this model if you dont need both burners on you just have one, which is what i did most of the time, boy does it chuck out some heat!

 

[myotis]

>Just nipped down to the shed, dimensions are H57cm W33cm D21.5cm.

Thanks that's useful.

Graham

 

[greeneggcat]

Your welcome.

ATB

 

[gunslinger]

I just bought one that is also a cooker for a fiver at the local junk shop.

Its a Valor so I guess its a good make.
I grew up with them as the only heating we had other than a coal fire, and as previously posted if it smells that bad adjust the flame. We had them on in the bedroom as kids until my parents went to bed and switched them off,and I dont recall fumes ever being a problem.

I bought mine to use in a 18 ft cotton tipi, so any info on that use is welcomed

ATB
GS

 

[myotis]

I grew up with them as the only heating we had other than a coal fire, and as previously posted if it smells that bad adjust the flame. We had them on in the bedroom as kids until my parents went to bed and switched them off,and I dont recall fumes ever being a problem.

Same here, except I remember the fumes, but maybe that was because we had the problem that we could never get enough heat out of them and and them running higher than they should have been .

Graham

 

[gunslinger]

I seem to remember something about trimming the wick regularly.
Can remember my mother doing it with a pair of scissors.

GS

 

[myotis]

I seem to remember something about trimming the wick regularly. Can remember my mother doing it with a pair of scissors.

Yes, that rings a bell with me as well.

Graham

 

[myotis]

Well, thanks to those who contributed to this, but it seems that the idea of a paraffin heater in the tent does not meet with approval of the person who I was primarily trying to sort out some heating for (given we cannot afford a wood burining stove).

So while I have found it a useful exrecise, it doesn't look as if I am going to be buying one.

I stll appreciate the help though.

Thanks again.

Graham

 

[lub0]

i'll be buying a couple of paraffin heaters/cookers for emergency preparedness. is it true the co2 build up can become dangerous, and what techniques can i use to vent the fumes from a house without opening windows?

 

[wicca]

Lub0, type paraffin heater safety into google and see what the various websites of county firebrigades and other organisations say about using paraffin heaters in confined spaces. All new heaters come with a safety warning.." Do not use in a confined space without adequate ventilation "

 

[myotis]

i'll be buying a couple of paraffin heaters/cookers for emergency preparedness. is it true the co2 build up can become dangerous, and what techniques can i use to vent the fumes from a house without opening windows?

I think you need to get some proper advice on this, I assume their will be H&S advice from some Governtment body/paraffin industry on this. Google?

As mentioned in the thread, keeping the wick trimmed and not turning it up too high (blue flame and not orange) helps with the fumes, but not sure about CO2.

Graham