Camping/Tent Heater

[jermz]

So what do you guys suggest?

I'm mostly looking for something to put in the tent or in the back of my xj during those cold nights. Plus maybe the girlfriend will acutally want to go camping during those colder seasons. happy wife..happy life? http://jeepin.net/forum/images/smilies/iono.gif hahaha

I was thinking about some kind of 12V heater but those don't seem to put out much BTUs compared to the propane ones. And how safe is it to have a propane heater inside? Don't really want to die while camping..

[4Lo]

I was looking at getting myself one of these. Measures 14''x7''x14''.



http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/portable-buddy-heater/19573

[gavman]

Regardless of the fact that that heater can be used indoors, I would not use it in a tent and fall asleep, only to heat it in the morning or just before bed.

[jeeper]

Regardless of the fact that that heater can be used indoors, I would not use it in a tent and fall asleep, only to heat it in the morning or just before bed.

I thought that was what the loud explsosion was everynight you went to bed and the kids yelling -----OH DAD -was for !

I didnt realize you used an actuall heater !

Fortunatley Im never awake for the early morning warming of the tent , or at least camped close enough to hear it !


bruce

[lornix]

Half the fun of camping with your woman IS "warming up the tent"! :)

[physcofreerider]

1 can of black refried beans mixed in with your dinner such as Chili. Pre make at home, put in some freezer bags, then heat it up on the fire. Chili works wonders on those cold nights. If you're sleeping in a tent. Make a big fire (get the ground really hot) then before you go to bed put the fire out (not with water) put some boughs on the ground and put your tent on top. The heat transfers through the tree bows but doesn't melt your tent. (green only, dead stuff burns)

I usually just get a poking stick and transfer the flame somewhere else. That way you still have the fire for later. Put some sand on the ground where the fire was. Works well too if you prefer to sleep under the stars not in a tent or truck just in your bag. You stay warm all night.

[Binford]

I was going to suggest something similar: Dig out a good sized fire ring and build a healthy fire in it. When it's all down to coals, cover it all with dirt and then set your tent on it.

I've never tried it, but read about some military scouts doing this on waaaay cold nights in the bush.

I would not have any flame or flameless flame thing inside my tent, even if I were awake, however.

[whitetrash96]

I have not used this personally but it was recommended to me when I was looking for some type of heater for my Boler trailer. They are a little on the expensive side but what is a life worth?

http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consumer/zodihotvent.html

[CMCCT]

Hi, I don't know how much you want to spend, but if keeping the wife happy when cold weather camping is worth as much to me as it is to you, I'd suggest looking into an Espar air heater. I have a D2 Airtronic heater in my tent trailer. It has kept us all warm on some cold nights, most recently in the Columbia Ice Fields during the snow in late August. I run it on Kerosene so there is little smell, and the outlet air from the heater is so warm , it actually is a dry air. Best of all, I have run it for 3 days on my single deep cycle battery and still not killed the battery.
http://www.espar.com/html/products/airheaters.html

[gavman]

Hi, I don't know how much you want to spend, but if keeping the wife happy when cold weather camping is worth as much to me as it is to you, I'd suggest looking into an Espar air heater. I have a D2 Airtronic heater in my tent trailer. It has kept us all warm on some cold nights, most recently in the Columbia Ice Fields during the snow in late August. I run it on Kerosene so there is little smell, and the outlet air from the heater is so warm , it actually is a dry air. Best of all, I have run it for 3 days on my single deep cycle battery and still not killed the battery.
http://www.espar.com/html/products/airheaters.html

Cool, Can I borrow it on weekends:beer

[Tmax]

i personally dont trust anthing that burns. too many horror stories.


a good sleeping bag goes a very long way. you'll be sruprise at how well you'll sleep with cold air surronding you in a nice bag.

[Shortcut]

When i was in scouts and we went camping in winnipeg in late January we use to put 8"-12" rocks next to the fire and about 5 min before we went to bed ud grab a rock wrap it in a sweater and stick it at the bottom of ur sleeping bag. if u had 2 rocks and could keep the fire going all night, u just alternated between the 2.

The hard part is finding the rocks under 10 feet of snow.

[4x4boy]

Something Like shortcut said when us scouts go camping we usually boil water before bed and throw it in a nalgene bottle or a thicker plastic bottle so it doesnt melt through. It works awesome.

[shimmy]

Wiskey and longjohns do the trick everytime:boring

[bulldozer]

Sleep in the hotsprings....
Nah, wake up lookin like a California Raisin.

But when I was canopy camping I often put the coleman lantern in the canopy 10/20 minutes before bedtime. That got things toasty warm, coupled with a towel wrapped hot water bottle filled with boiling water in the sleeping bag and I was warm for hours. One draw back in my case was the canopy skin was aluminum, condensation would drip for the first few minutes. Another drawback was the aluminum skin over the years also thinned. With the heating and cooling overtime(years) the skin got thinner and thinner, eventually very small pin holes developed(Duct Tape). I had a layer of water tank insulation on the deck of the P.U. and my Thermarest. Always keep an opening in your window or tailgate. Not to big an opening thou, freakin mice will get in...

I also did the buried campfire thing a few times, depended on weather the ground was soft enough. Best time was at Long Beach on the Island when you were able to drive and camp on the beach. The first night was bitchin cold and windy. The nieghbouring campers pack it in, So I covered their campfire with sand and moved my tent over top of it. Spent the next week toasty warm behind a windbreak over that campfire.

[rudar]

Something Like shortcut said when us scouts go camping we usually boil water before bed and throw it in a nalgene bottle or a thicker plastic bottle so it doesnt melt through. It works awesome.

And if you need serious heat to the body core, stick the hot water bottle between your legs. There's two massive big veins there close to the surface of your inner thighs, so the heat gets transferred straight into the blood that's flowing back up to your body core. Works amazingly well. And all the innuendo possibilities are mere bonus :)

[smac]

the thought of putting water into a sleeping bag is just scary. one pop and you're screwed for the night.

[rudar]

the thought of putting water into a sleeping bag is just scary. one pop and you're screwed for the night.

True, but Nalgene bottles don't pop :)

I mean, if we get right down to it, sleeping in a tent is just scary. One pole crack, and you're screwed for the night. At some point, you have to trust your gear.

[Jai's Power]

At night I have a small Coleman heater that screws onto one of the green propane bottles and a Coleman lantern these warm up the tent very nicely I shut them both off before I go to sleep.

In the morning I have the coffee sitting on the stove so reach out start the stove and the lantern and when the coffee is ready it is warm enough to get out of the sleeping bag.

[dilligaf]

a simple safe heater for a tent is a larger size tin can like tomato juice comes in...with a "window" cut in it an inch from the bottom...and the opposite end is perferated...slide a candle in the bottom the "window" keeps the melted wax inside the can...the hole up top allows heat to radiate...just remember to place the heater on a non-flamable base...rock,brick etc and to snuff the candle before bed...or have adequate ventalation....


mojo

[Jai's Power]

You mean like this? :D

The old time prospectors/trappers/bushmen that used to use these during the early 1900's - 1960's called them a "Bug Lite"...

http://www.hunt101.com/data/561/medium/Old_timers_Bug_Lantern_002.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/data/561/medium/Old_timers_Bug_Lantern_003.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/data/561/medium/Old_timers_Bug_Lantern_004.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/data/561/medium/Old_timers_Bug_Lantern_005.jpg

[gavman]

That is cool, must try that out to see the heat output...

[dog812]

I have a Procat.. works amazing!!
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1603298

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/07/65/01/21/0007650121515_AV1_500X500.jpg

[Jai's Power]

I have one of those as well find it is so big that I leave it at home and hardly ever use it.

[zedjay95]

So what do you guys suggest?

I'm mostly looking for something to put in the tent or in the back of my xj during those cold nights. Plus maybe the girlfriend will acutally want to go camping during those colder seasons. happy wife..happy life? http://jeepin.net/forum/images/smilies/iono.gif hahaha

I was thinking about some kind of 12V heater but those don't seem to put out much BTUs compared to the propane ones. And how safe is it to have a propane heater inside? Don't really want to die while camping..

how do you decide which to take camping wife or girlfriend

[zedjay95]

I have a Procat.. works amazing!!
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1603298

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/07/65/01/21/0007650121515_AV1_500X500.jpg

does she come with it

[d0ubledown]

if im in the tent...she'll definitely be coming... :clown

[Moose good]

You mentioned sleeping in your Cherokee...what about installing a bus heater in the back ? Once the thermostat is open you've got a great source of heat and best of all, no carbon monoxide inside the vehicle. If you put disconnects in the coolant lines, you could reconnect it with longer hoses to put it in your tent for a few minutes to take out the chill. Assuming your water pump is up to the job...

Food for thought...when you're installing a heater in a boat, the 'building code' (ABYC) says you must absolutely positively without exception provide a separate source of outside air for combustion. Using 'cabin air' for combustion has the possibility of replacing all of the oxygen from the space (especially a volume as small as an XJ) and replacing it with CO. I mention boats because it IS relevant...hulls are sealed to keep water out, RVs are not. Vehicles are sealed to keep out road noise...or at least they are when they're new...mine is a symphony of whistles and roars depending on my speed, lol.

The dangers of CO poisoning are that 1) you don't wake up when it reaches dangerous levels, and 2) it accumulates in your bloodstream, so a little bit...night after night...till finally one night...you get the idea. I'm sure you know this, but CO is heavier than air as well so it fills the vehicle up...just like water. Given that you're sleeping right on the floor....
I'm not trying to be a wet blanket, but combustion heaters in enclosed spaces need to be installed properly with an eye to the potential dangers. People do actually die from this every year.

I've installed a bunch of Espars as well, both airtronic and hydronic. Great units and cheap to run, but probably a little more than you want to spend. And don't install it yourself, there are a couple places where noobs mess up - let's just say there wasn't much profit on my first one and leave it at that...:D
Oh, and they burn diesel...only.

And you're right about the 12V heaters btw...there just isn't any efficient way to generate heat from 12V.

@ CMCCT: When you got your trailer, I assume heater came with it ? Was there a CO alarm installed as well ? Just curious if it's standard in the RV market.

[smac]

a simple safe heater for a tent is a larger size tin can like tomato juice comes in...with a "window" cut in it an inch from the bottom...and the opposite end is perferated...slide a candle in the bottom the "window" keeps the melted wax inside the can...the hole up top allows heat to radiate...just remember to place the heater on a non-flamable base...rock,brick etc and to snuff the candle before bed...or have adequate ventalation....


mojo

or you could buy one of these

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 1503&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302697119&bmUID=1245894429963

[Jai's Power]

Extremely limited warmth/heat generated from either of those candle sources...

[Zuk Rider]

On extra cold nights I just bring my sleeping bag next to the campfire to warm up with me..... keeps me extra warm in the tent till i ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I have a "tent catching on fire" fear, as well as a "cannot get enough oxygen" fear with many heaters - probably unwarranted with many newer models, but i still prefer insulation, body heat, and booze :beer_cheers:

[Pinebushman]

I have a couple friends that heat a couple rocks in the fire and put them in a steel pot to use as a heater. Just dont put the pot on anything seriously affected by heat, such as the nylon of your tent. They put it on a piece of plywood and have never had a problem, although the plywood is somewhat black now. I would have no hesitation using this in my xj.

[Jai's Power]

but i still prefer insulation, body heat, and booze :beer_cheers:

Problem with the booze especially when you start getting a little older is that you have to get up a couple times during the night to empty your bladder... :cwm36:

Not good when it is freaking freezing out... :cwm31: