Tipi tent with frontier stove - Carbon Monoxide and Smoke detector needed?

[Leigh Robinson]

Hi,

I have just got a tipi tent and frontier stove. I want to run the stove through the night. Do I need a Carbon Monoxide and Smoke detector? Any advice about what people are using would be appreciated.

I don't like the idea of letting the stove burn out before sleeping and then spending a cold night. I think the whole point is a warm, good nights sleep!

 

[persistent king]

I've just got a 2man lavvu and small home made stove I'm interested in knowing about this as I haven't used it yet on a camp. My stove was made from a fire extinguisher and I plan to take my son with me aswell, does it have to be well ventilated ? I was planning to use coal in it aswell.

 

[Orchard]

I'm sure some experienced chaps will be along soon, i'm at a similar stage to yourselves.
Afaik:
1. CO detectors in tents are fallible.
2. Check out a link posted earlier today re a synopsis of hot camping.
3. Adequate ventilation's a must
4. Burn through the night only if one maintains a watch system as conditions change.
I hope this helps lads

 

[ollyboyd]

I don't know if you need one but the CO alarm I bought last week didn't need to be installed at height, the manual said you could just leave it on a shelf at sleeping height

 

[Uilleachan]

Burning seasoned UK native wood, with the exception of stuff like laburnum etc, ensuring the stove is open-ish (IE not shut down) so it draws, there is a good draw from the lum (the space doesn't fill with smoke from blowback), and there's a through flow of air in the tent, there should be no carbon monoxide issues, once one starts burning coal paraffin etc, then carbon monoxide becomes a real issue.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

I would leave coal well alone. The frontier has quite a narrow flue to which will be a worry if burning pitchy wood. Ive read quite a few stories of blocked pipes and smoke filled tents. With good dry hardwood though it should be fine. I found i was really nervous about sleeping with the stove on initially but i gained in confidence and now it doesnt bother me.

 

[treadlightly]

Twodogs posted a thread yesterday alerting everyone to a very thorough post in Paul Kirtley's blog about how to set a safe hot tent. Sorry I can't do a link on the Ipad but it should be easy to find.

 

[Stringmaker]

Whatever you do, you won't be able to just leave it all night; you will find yourself having to refuel it, even if almost closed.

I was amazed at how much wood you can get through in just one night.

Don't the makers of the frontier specifically say it is designed for cooking and not as an overnight heater?

 

[ozzy1977]

Here you go http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2014/how-to-live-in-a-heated-tent/

 

[Twodogs]

Here you go ,

http://paulkirtley.co.uk/2014/how-to-live-in-a-heated-tent/

My view is this if the tent is made to have a stove in it will have loads of vents for air flow if it isn't just make sure you have some i.e the door open a bit .

Note the low level vent



Stoves and woodburners in a lavvu ,,,, love it,,,,,,

 

[dwardo]

I have a frontier stove and bell tent. I have a moxy alarm that comes on every trip that the stove does.
I have never seen the moxy alarm register anything whilst using the stove and chandelier. I dont tend to put the stove out before retiring for the night but I wont stuff it full either.
The stove doesn't have that great a capacity so wont last long without tending.

Just have plenty of kindling read for the morning so you can get the fire lit ad jump back into bed until things warm up. Plus if you did want it heating all night you would be up and down constantly stoking the thing, I would rather get a good nights sleep.

Disclaimer, my tent has a purpose fitted Jack, I clean the flu daily when out and i only use wood not coal. The tent has plenty of ventilation and I always use a moxy alarm.

 

[Alreetmiowdmuka]

When I bought my tent stove from the soulpad website.i was told too only burn wood as coal burns at a hotter temperature thus heating the the flue too much n causing a fire risk.i tend too stay awake till the fire starts too die down so I know its on its way out.i tend too keep prepped kindling ready so if I wake up in night cold I get fire going again easy.just have a play with it a few times n see what your comfortable with.i still take a kip bag for the sprog

 

[Ogri the trog]

If you are at all concerned about carbon monoxide becoming an issue, plan on letting the fire out - but, prepare two, three or more bundles of tinder & kindling.

If you have good sleeping bags, you'll sleep through the night without the stove and have the materials to hand to light the fire again in the morning.

If you have two or more bundles, you have the option to sit up and light the stove during the night to warm things up if you begin to feel cold.

Ventilation is the key to using a stove in a tent and having an alert and attentive fire watcher is a must if you want to maintain the stove through the night.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[boney gumbo mcgee]

I always let the tent stove die down before turning in. I always clean the flue out daily and make sure the spark arrestor is not clogged. I always take a carbon monoxide detector, Fire Extinguisher, I sit the stove on Fire Blanket. And I always keep a knife strapped to pole just in case I need to cut my way out.

I use a 4m Bell Tent and Pipsqueak stove.

 

[woodstock]

Living for real in a Tipi in winter letting the fire go out is not a option, no fire extinguisher no fire blanket, just a large fire in the middle at one point we had a log from the fire to the outside of the tipi.

 

[persistent king]

I would leave coal well alone. The frontier has quite a narrow flue to which will be a worry if burning pitchy wood. Ive read quite a few stories of blocked pipes and smoke filled tents. With good dry hardwood though it should be fine. I found i was really nervous about sleeping with the stove on initially but i gained in confidence and now it doesnt bother me.

Even smokeless coal ? Does that produce carbon monoxide aswell ?