Wow It has been a while since I have updated this, with Covid, and a bunch of general life related issues that required me to stay closer to home I have been doing more a single day trips.

That has brought up an issue that was less problematic in my youth, being cosy warm. While a campfire is nice here in the Pacific Northwest spring and fall result in a lot of cold very rainy wet days. These do not stop me from going out but is nice to have a bit of warmth,ok a fair bit of warmth.
My little butane heater works pretty well on cool nights, I put it under my chair with a wind break and it keeps my legs toasty, but in cold rain it is less effective.

I am looking at 2 solutions to be implemented :

• a light canvas type tarp that can go under my awning to protect the fabric from sparks and heat damage or
• Some form of spark catcher for above the fire
• Chinese diesel heater (parking heater)

I considered a propane fire ring, but that is a lot of extra weight and generally you need to be right on top of it to stay warm.

For fires I generally have small fires maybe 24 to 30 inches across with very little height, it is about some heat, the noise and really truth to be told I just like a small campfire

The cotton needs to be treated to be fire resistant, this spray works well and will protect my chairs too : .
For 30.00 CDN I get a 12 x 8 canvas drop cloth that will work well for what I need and may not need treatment, of course that is based on testing.
The other option that occured to me was to pick up an old fireplace screen and build a simple frame to hold it above the fire, these can be found pretty cheap at around 20.00 and would serve the purpose really well.

The diesel heater is more of a multi- purpose year round tool. On day trips with a tarp over the back door, I can sit inside read a book at a lake or overlook and run the heater to keep toasty when I can not have a fire.
As they are heat exchangers there are no combustion by products to worry about so it can also warm the RTT on cold nights or mornings.

The style I am looking at is the self contained unit, it is not really weatherproof but that is easy to fix. They come with a remote start and can be setup with a timer start



More to come

 

Heater is ordered and on the way should be here shortly, a few things to do :

1. Improve my secondary battery - it is in a box but needs cleaning up
2. Add a tiny rack to keep the diesel fuel can on 1 gal/5 liter can
3. Build a collapsible stand and weather cover for the heater

 

We use a single Airtronics diesel heater in Earthroamers and they are incredible. Literally can heat up a 2 car garage no problem.

 

@Saturnine The heater actually arrived today, Nice solid unit but the exhaust pipe is a joke, easy replacement though.

 

The Airtronics exhaust is a 1" metal flexible hose? What you got?

 

@Saturnine same thing 1 inch flex pipe but very thin and short, I need a longer one