Just thought some others might be interested. Bought a stove from a company called Little Burners last year and with the cold weather setting in thought some others might be interested to know how I have gotten on. I will list the pros and cons. I also have a diesel heater fitted.
For the stove I have the Lenny Burner installed with a 3" single wall kit. They do now sell insulated pipes but I am sticking with the single as it isn't in the way at all and I've never touched it. I purchased everything from them to just make it easier, decided against the insulation flue as I didn't want a giant flue pipe in the van and I wanted as much heat from it as possible. I will see if I can link the burner.
Lenny Burner from Little Burners
Heat shield to protect the walls
Wood Burner
Pros
• Nice dry heat so when the weather is wet it does dry the van out, especially when bringing wet clothes in.
• I can cook on it! Which I love, doubling the uses of it! Ha.
• It's like a tv - love the flames.
• Doesn't require a power source, when my batteries have been running low and the diesel heater wont work I can still be warm and cook dinner, dry my clothes out etc.
• Far more cost effective than using the diesel heater, I can collect trees/twigs and small logs, pop them next to the fire for the night and next day I can use them. I do love this routine!
• I haven't got to drive to the petrol stations to get fuel to keep warm.
• Back up heating for when my batteries are dead!
• It's cosy as ANYTHING!
• Low maintenance. I probably clean my flue pipe every 6 months (If that!), no replacement parts and no error codes hahaha
• Simple and easy to use!
• I have lifted the burner on a plinth so I can easily store the wood and coal underneath!
• I can use wood, coal, peat, pallets, twigs... iterally anything that will burn.
• Easy to clean out
• I can bank it up with coal over night and keeps the van lovely at 21 degrees.
Cons
• I have to collect the wood
• I've got to clean it every few months
• More expensive upfront than a diesel heater, but this didn't make a difference too much because I wanted to be off grid more than anything.
• It does take up space in the van whereas my diesel heater is installed in a box under the van.
• If I collect the logs and they are still damp then the fire doesn't get as hot, but this is fine because I live in a luton and the burner is a little too big for my needs.
• Can get a little dusty inside but it's fine, I am a software developer so I am always on my computer and in my van and I'm protective over my laptop, but it's not bad at all!
• Took a while to find a decent bag of coal.
The pros will always outweigh the cons for me because it can be as cheap or as expensive as I want, whereas a diesel heater - I have to buy the diesel.
Onto the diesel heater, Initially this was the first thing I fitted because everybody said how great they were! And I do love it for quick heat, however there are a few issues.
Diesel Heater
Pros
• Diesel is easy to get hold of - unless were back in another lockdown and we're not allowed to drive anywhere.
• Okay fuel efficiency.
• It's outside under the van so no space inside except for the ducting and pipework under the seating and into the shower.
• Heats up quickly!
• Cools down as soon as the heater goes off.
• Low maintenance.
• Back up if I run out of wood.
• Cheaper to initially purchase.
Cons
• Smells and is noisy. The ticking!!
• Not as off grid as I would like to be. I have 1100w solar panels on my roof and when they're covered in snow, the battery doesnt charge! But I still need heat!
• Requires power AND fuel.
• Cools down as soon as the heater goes off.
• Error codes!!
• Maintenance.
• Damp heat so causes a lot of condensation issues in the van!
Overall, I wouldn't be without them, building another van I will always put both heating sources in because if one fails I always have the other. I like that I can have the quick heat from a diesel heater, but I prefer the feel of the wood burner, everything warms up. I can cook my dinner on it, boil a kettle and it keeps me warm. I have cooked jacket potatoes in the burner - can't do that with a diesel heater. However, the upfront cost of the burner was far more than the diesel heater, but in the long run the lenny burner is a far better alternative in the long run.
I posted this on a previous forum and these are my extra thoughts.
• Yes I know it is very close to the cushions, but i am always in my van when the stove is on so it doesn't worry me.
• Yes i drive with it lit, I close the ash pan so nothing blows into the van.
• Yes i have a carbon monoxide and smoke detector in the van.
• Yes I cook on it and dry my clothes.
• Cosy heat!
• Yes my insurance know
• Yes it flues out the roof and it sticks out about 120mm, just enough the silicone boot.
• No it doesnt leak.
• No, I wont be crowd funding if my van goes up in flames haha.
• No the ash doesnt drop on the floor - see photos.
• Yes, my insurance still know about it... 🙄
• The cat loves it
• Yes i have driven in Europe with it - no issues.
• Only smokes for the first few minutes when I light it.
• I have lived in America with a camper and a stove fitted - they are everywhere over there!
