Wood vs Diesel Cook Stove

[wolfenzee]

It turns out that my stove is a Dickinson Berring, The only way I could load wood into it would be from the top (not feasible on a boat) or from the back or side if I converted it to a pellet stove. I am exploring the possiblity of converting to a pellet stove, but I can't find plans to convert/build a pellet and the way our economy is geared all the information I can find is where to *buy* a new stove. If I could get the guts to a pellet stove it would be a fairly easy conversion.

[wolfenzee]

My stove is an old Dikinson Bering

Originally Posted by Astrid

What make is your diesel stove?

The model I have slightly different. flue in the middle/back, fuel intake is on the side, corner posts are cast w/ drop in bronze rails, and a few cosmetic differences

[capt. Russ]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

How do you light the stuff.........................is it tomorrow yet.

Stillraining, Three methods that work-toss some small pieces on existing coals from your wood fire, use a propane torch, and the Judicious use of diesel, Of course as with a wood fire, you want two or more surfaces of the combustable parallel and close together so the radiant heat starts the process. question good, not curious bad.
(as in, I wonder if I'm doing this posting thing right? Maybe I should ask)

safe passages, capt. Russ

[capt. Russ]

Stillraining, I posted to the wrong thread I guess. 3 Methods that work-- Toss small pieces of coal onto your existing wood coals, propane torch, and the judicious use of diesel. Of course as with wood you want to have two or more surfaces of the combustables parallel and close enough together (not all the way together) for the radiant heat to start the process safe passages, capt. Russ

[Stillraining]

Your doing great Captian...Thanks..

Having an almost endless supply of wood in my line of work it is hard to let go of the wood stove idea regardless of reasoning...but I am also mindful of the sparks and mess on deck that could be a huge problem or worse ruin a sail from it..I have pretty much decided to give it a go with a stack and stove location that can be fairly painlessly converted to a diesel Dickerson stove if it is decided to be to messy or to much of a hassle.

The wife keeps reminding me....... "I was convinced to try this sailing stuff due to the price of fuel and there for the lack of use of our power boat ..so how can we justify burning more of it to heat this boat"..... she has a point that I cant wiggle my way out of so easly and thats the main reason we will be I'm sure trying wood heat first..

[capt. Russ]

Stillraining, Agree with you about leaving the carbon locked in with the hydrocarbons and the money locked up in my wallet but sometimes my back just won't agree! and it's sure not from sitting on a fat wallet. Definetly use a spark arrestor. Even with one, when using coal you can still get a little soot on your deck, but it clenas off and I do like staying warm, Safe passages, capt. Russ

[Stillraining]

Got two ruptured discs my self Cap...getting back into this sailing gig is an experiment on a whole...one of the main reasons I have to have a decent sized boat in the first place as no way can I stoop over all the time...shoot I may have to get rid of my Bimini just for that reason as just stooping to get in and out of the cockpit is a chore I dont need..but it sure is nice to have...

[capt. Russ]

Stillraining, A post script, I don't feel to bad when I burn wood due to the fact that the same carbon would be released if you left it to rot. (just a little slower oxidation rate.) as above, cR

[Amfivena]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

...just stooping to get in and out of the cockpit is a chore I dont need..but it sure is nice to have...

We tie ours off with bungee cords. Doesn't work well in a stiff breeze, but in calm weather it's great. Just push it aside to enter/exit with a straight back and it slide backs to block the sun.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Amfivena

We tie ours off with bungee cords. Doesn't work well in a stiff breeze, but in calm weather it's great. Just push it aside to enter/exit with a straight back and it slide backs to block the sun.

Wont work with ours..It is not designed to stow in any way shape or form.

Takes about 2 hours to install or disassemble and a lot of grumbling and need for multibal beers at the end...

Been out in 47 knt winds with out so mush as more then a slight quiver out of it..Dont think I have to worry to much about it up to about 60.

It's not as bad as I might have made it sound..it just puts me into that vulnerable position where my back could go out...so I am just really mind full of it..and plan my steps so Im not jumping in and out of the cockpit a lot for needless reasons...like trimming a sail or some silly thing like that....

[jheldatksuedu]

Originally Posted by cal40john

I don't get it. Donald Street also said wood is dry heat, don't use liquid fuels for heat in his books. What I don't get is if you have a chimney the products of combustion are going outside. To me if you're getting wet your chimney isn't drafting correctly, or your using something like a stove with no outside exhaust.

John

I think the dry heat concept is do to the overwhelmingly hot surface of a wood stove, it really dries stuff close to it. Unlike a forced air system that mixes the air well. and everything is about the same temperature. If something is wet inside it will stay wet longer since it's not near a surface that is radiating lots of heat. In reality one is not any drier than the other, it's just a nice feeling to be able to sit next to a nice warm woodstove. And if it's really roaring you just move a little farther away and open the windows.

I love wood heat in a boat, It's really doesn't use very much, since you normally don't heat the entire boat, just a small space around the woodstove, just enough to make you comfortable. I would collect a medium sized cardboard box full of 1 inch to 2 inch sticks that you can easily break with your hand, and that would last a couple days in 30 degree weather on my 30 foot boat. I had a Cole woodstove, about 1 cubic foot or so. I'm putting it on my 45 footer but need to find another for the rear cabin. I would transport the wood box on my kayak without any problem. I always anchor out. I also head my house with wood, have been doing so for 30 years, ever since I got the first electric bill.

At home I have this neat little thing to help light the fire. It's a little cast iron bucket about 4 inches diameter and 6 inches tall with a lid that has a slot in it. Inside the bucket is old drain oil or diesel and a stone ball that has a bolt through it as a handle. You set the ball in a piece of newspaper and then build a pile of wood on top, light the paper the rock catches and burns all the oil out of the rock by that time the fire is burning quite nicely. You fish the rock out of the fire or ashes and after it has cooled store it in the bucket for next time. I suspect the rock is something like cast firebrick with a hole through it. On the boat I've always just used a piece of paper and twigs, I wasn't burning much more than twigs anyway.
I have used a tuna fish can "pot burner" about half full of diesel or oil in the stove too. Normally a stick in it will get it started.

[jheldatksuedu]

===============
I tried to edit the above post, had this all typed in and it wouldn't let me, so you'll have to live with a double post and the new improved version here...
I've corrected a few wrong word errors and expanded on some descriptions,

then I edited it and removed much of the double posting, just left the changes.
===============
The dry heat concept is due to the overwhelmingly hot surface (due instead of do, I hate it when I type a correct but wrong word)

I have a Cole woodstove, about 1 cubic foot or so. I removed it from the 30 footer and I'm putting it on my 45 footer but need to find or build another for the rear cabin.

I would transport the cardboard "wood box" on my kayak without any problem. It wasn't very big. I always anchor out if possible.

At home I have this neat little thing to help light the fire. I found it at an auction or fleamarket. Inside the bucket is old drain oil or diesel and a 3 inch diameter stone ball that has a bolt through it as a handle that fits the slot.

I've never had a problem with bugs.

[wolfenzee]

Everything bad I have heard about diesels I have heard from peopel that don't have them and everything good I have heard was from people that do. The Dickinson Bering diesel cookstove I mentioned at the begining of this thread can not be converted to wood, so I will be installing Boat Cruisersit as diesel. But will also be installing a small wood heater between the main cabin and forward cabin. As far as the wet heat/dry heat debate, if the stove is vented up a stack (like my diesel and wood stove) any moisture generated goes up the stack. Any moisture generated by my propane cook top or sea-swing are vented by an open hatch above them. If it were so cold that the hatches were closed I would be running wood stove which dries the air. My boat is thick wood with a 2" space between hull and "cieling" so any condensation I have ends up in the bildge.

[lookoutnw]

I ahve a DICKENSON PACIFIC in mine. I will be taking it out spring of 2009 and putting in new propane for my cruising and staying out of the cold. 1/4 cup of denatured alcohol and small piece of paper towel as wick gets it to operating 400 + in less than 1/2 hour. small computer type fans move the air in the boat to keep it warm. Does well, maybe a small heater in teh aft cabin would be better, but I installed a Hurricaine II Hydronic for my use. So, come march or april...

[Stillraining]

Lookoutnw: Im not familiar with that model..they dont list it..Is it an older unit?..I might be interested depending on size and price...Time frame would be good as well.