Wood vs Diesel Cook Stove

[wolfenzee]

I have access to an old diesel cookstove/oven (which needs a bit of work to get it going). What I was wondering, assuming it would feasible to change over to wood. What are the pros and cons of each. With diesel prices going up, space for tank and complexity of plumbing in the diesel(though I would have an auxiliary engine fuel tank available). In addition to the diesel (or wood) stove/oven I have a two burner propane cook top and propane sea-awing. I live on in the Pacific Northwest and cruise BC and Alaska.

[Sunspot Baby]

Get a propane oven and quit messing around. Carrying wood for the oven sounds like a nightmare.

George

[AnchorageGuy]

if you already have a propane stove, why put yourself through all of that at all? Carrying enough wood to make it worthwhile will require towing a small barge.

[wolfenzee]

I am not really that comfortable with propane on board espescially with an oven, what I have now is a 2-burner propane cook top (no oven). I have made room for it so I can install a diesel cook stove w/oven (which I traded a bunch of otherwise useless stuff for) and not loose any counter space (I'll actually be gaining space). I will probably continue with my original plan and install the cook stove as a diesel. I have a 3 gallon tank, place to put it with deck fill, space in my engine room for filters and what not, and enough room in my lazzarette along with everything else) for 4 Gerry cans of bio-diesel.
I will still have a small wood heater between the main cabin and forward cabin. 1gal. shop-vac works great for removing *cold* ashes & there are otherwise unuseble spaces that can be used for wood storage.

[Squeaks]

Wolf:
I've cruised Puget Sound so know the value of heat and wood/pellets/junk mail makes a cozy, dry heat, but to quickly heat up a cup of joe or soup is far easier w/ propane. Diesel heat would be nice, if you can draw from your engine tank, but puts out more moisture.
Keep warm,
John

PS - I've cruised quite a bit w/o an oven, much can be baked on a stove top.

[Cheechako]

The diesel stove (marine?) is good up here. Most the fisherman use a Dickenson or something equivalent. You just light it (sometimes not that easy!) and leave it on all day for cabin heat and to keep the coffee warm. On the other hand if it's summer and it's warm out, it takes a while to really get it cranking for cooking.

[Jesse]

My only concern with wood is that lots of it harbors bugs, and lots of them are mean. An infestation of any kind has to be bad news.

Jesse

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Jesse

My only concern with wood is that lots of it harbors bugs, and lots of them are mean. An infestation of any kind has to be bad news.

Jesse

Best argument against I have heard so far...were still hashing it out ourselves...wife loves wood heat..me to..our boat might just be to small for the mess of it all though..still its a hard idea to let go of.

[Jesse]

Great photo. And yes us geezers do become fond of our comforts.

Jesse

[stuartcnz]

I've been on boats that have wood stoves and I have a dickinson pacific diesel oven on my boat. Both have a nice dry heat. Fuel for my diesel stove is easier to manage than wood would be for me, but boat stoves are generally small, so don't need much wood to run.

If I was in your situation I wouldn't try to change the fuel from what it is designed to run on and if possible would also keep the propane stove for times of warm weather.

[Astrid]

Wolfenzee,

I agree with Stuart on changing a diesel stove to wood burning, if indeed that is what you were suggesting. Even though both use a fire-box principle, there are a lot of differences in basic construction and safety margins. It is more feasible and safer to convert a wood stove to an alternate fuel than the other way around--some wood stove manufacturers such as Navigator, offer kits to convert their wood stoves. I personally prefer a diesel stove for cooking (Dickinson Beaufort).

[Capct]

Originally Posted by wolfenzee

I have access to an old diesel cookstove/oven (which needs a bit of work to get it going). What I was wondering, assuming it would feasible to change over to wood. What are the pros and cons of each. With diesel prices going up, space for tank and complexity of plumbing in the diesel(though I would have an auxiliary engine fuel tank available). In addition to the diesel (or wood) stove/oven I have a two burner propane cook top and propane sea-awing. I live on in the Pacific Northwest and cruise BC and Alaska.

Boats love wood heat.You can almost hear my old girl sigh with joy when she warms up with wood.All hydrocarbon driven heating systems have water in the fuel.Which can cause all sorts of condensation issues.But if you can switch over to wood you won't regret it.Heating with diesel is also expensive if you are living aboard.
Propane will cost you considerably more
I have a propane oven and stove as well and I use them regularly as well and they put an amazing amount of moisture back into the air
But for heat
I have a small airtight made of 3/8 plate steel and
I also have a 1500 watt electrical heater when Im at the dock

When its snowing outside.Im sitting inside with all the windows open with a tshirt on.
I burn bio bricks , which are small bricks made of white wood chips compressed with steam.No chemicals or anything just compressed wood.They cost about 40 cents a piece and 2 bricks will burn for 12 hrs
so for around 1.60 a day , The pup and I are in heaven.

Yes , wood or bricks are messy and require more attention but nothing a dustbuster wont handle.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Capct

Boats love wood heat.You can almost hear my old girl sigh with joy when she warms up with wood.All hydrocarbon driven heating systems have water in the fuel.Which can cause all sorts of condensation issues.But if you can switch over to wood you won't regret it.Heating with diesel is also expensive if you are living aboard.
Propane will cost you considerably more
I have a propane oven and stove as well and I use them regularly as well and they put an amazing amount of moisture back into the air
But for heat
I have a small airtight made of 3/8 plate steel and
I also have a 1500 watt electrical heater when Im at the dock

When its snowing outside.Im sitting inside with all the windows open with a tshirt on.
I burn bio bricks , which are small bricks made of white wood chips compressed with steam.No chemicals or anything just compressed wood.They cost about 40 cents a piece and 2 bricks will burn for 12 hrs
so for around 1.60 a day , The pup and I are in heaven.

Yes , wood or bricks are messy and require more attention but nothing a dustbuster wont handle.

Mind posting a picture of your setup?

[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

[bobsadler]

All hydrocarbon driven heating systems have water in the fuel.Which can cause all sorts of condensation issues

all fuels (wood, propane, diesel, coal) combust to water and CO2

free water in diesel shouldn't be confused with water from oxidation (i.e. combustion)