Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => All Other Gear => Topic started by: WilliamWallace on August 20, 2011, 06:54:31 PM

Title: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: WilliamWallace on August 20, 2011, 06:54:31 PM: What is everyone's opinion on using propane stoves in a wall tent? We have a 16'X18' tent, the wood burning stove doesn't regulate the heat very well. Sometimes its hotter than hell and then a few hours later its colder than crap! So we were tossing ideas around and this was an unanswered idea.

-Does anyone use one during elk season?

-Any recommendations on our issue?
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Trailstrider on August 20, 2011, 07:00:41 PM: :yeah: Great post! We have the same problem with our 15X20 and anything that works better than wood would be great! So all whats out there to use that keeps us all one temp through the night?
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Bulldozer on August 20, 2011, 07:14:50 PM: Instead of a light wall tent stove, if you have room, go with a regular house woodstove. They will hold heat longer and are better regulated. Weight is the only problem with them.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: runningboard on August 20, 2011, 07:43:01 PM: I think the big buddy heater works great but it usually runs out before morning if you don't use the hose and BBQ size bottle. sometimes have a hard time decidng which setting to use since it has 3, top setting too hot mid setting just not quite warm enough.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: wayner on August 20, 2011, 07:52:57 PM: I have a three burner heater that sits on top of a propane tank. I have 2- 30 gal propane tanks that will easily last a week. It will heat you out of a wall tent. But you better be able to drive to your camp.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Gamblin Guy on August 21, 2011, 08:32:38 AM: The problem with propane is you end up with a lot of condensation on the inside of the tent. I use a heater similar to this during archery season, if its needed, and to take the chill off if we are hunting when fires are legal.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332739_200332739 (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332739_200332739)
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Bigshooter on August 21, 2011, 08:34:49 AM: Buy a better sleeping bag.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: ghosthunter on August 21, 2011, 09:35:17 AM: I use a Big Buddy heater. And a wood stove. I have had no problem with moisture as long as we keep a window cracked.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: mtndew on August 21, 2011, 09:12:41 PM: Spend more time playing with your wood stove, you should be able to bank it full of wood, damper it down, and have it last most of the night. With consistent heat output. Propane creates H2O when it burns. Hard to dry wet hunting clothes with a damp heat source. I'll take wood over propane any day of the week. :twocents:
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: TheHunt on August 21, 2011, 09:28:44 PM: I agree I would take a dry heat source like a wood stove then a wet heat source.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Roost Run on August 22, 2011, 07:12:56 AM: We have a 16x20, and the wood stove works just fine. You have to make sure you are burning good wood. Tamarack is what you are looking for. We can stock the stove and it will burn most of the night. You might have to stoke it once. I usually end up sleeping on top of my bag because it is so warm
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Rainier10 on August 22, 2011, 10:39:39 AM: I have a 15x24 that I use a Cylinder stove in and had the same problem. Two years ago at the sportsmans show I bought a wood pellet feeder attachment that they make for it. When we used it this year I used the wood to get the tent warm before bed, all the corners and equipment and then used the wood pellets through the night, it kept the chill off and burned all night long. In the morning we stoked up the wood to get it toasty in the tent again but the pellets kept the chill off and kept me from having to restoke the fire in the middle of the night. A 3/4 of a bag of pellets lasted all night and they are cheap and clean. I would recommend them as a good option.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: whacker1 on August 22, 2011, 10:43:14 AM: Quote from: Rainier10 on August 22, 2011, 10:39:39 AM
I have a 15x24 that I use a Cylinder stove in and had the same problem. Two years ago at the sportsmans show I bought a wood pellet feeder attachment that they make for it. When we used it this year I used the wood to get the tent warm before bed, all the corners and equipment and then used the wood pellets through the night, it kept the chill off and burned all night long. In the morning we stoked up the wood to get it toasty in the tent again but the pellets kept the chill off and kept me from having to restoke the fire in the middle of the night. A 3/4 of a bag of pellets lasted all night and they are cheap and clean. I would recommend them as a good option.

The people I know that use propane heaters have a condensation problem.

I would suggest the pellet feeder if you are looking to maintain the heat through the night vs switching over to propane.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: dad98684 on August 22, 2011, 11:03:28 AM: I go with a combination of my cook stove and a pellet stove.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: losdaddy7 on August 22, 2011, 05:44:31 PM: I have a two room 12X24 wall tent with 5 foot walls. I originally used a Little Bear wood stove and it heated up the tent to sauna temperatures.... It was great, but a little too much work packing the stove each year and supplying the fuel daily. I switched to a big buddy heater with a 5 gallon propane tank a few years ago and would NEVER go back to a wood stove. I don't even use the battery powered fan on my big buddy and it still heats up my tent nicely. On cooler nights (10-20 degrees) I'll cut it down to low and run it all night. A 5 gallon bottle usually lasts 4-5 days.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: WilliamWallace on August 22, 2011, 06:07:57 PM: Thanks for all the input! Is the pellet feeder easy to add to an existing stove? I haven't done any research to see the process.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: RightPlace-RightTime on August 23, 2011, 05:16:33 AM: With a wood stove, A while ago I got some advice, It works.

When you cut your wood for your stove. Cut just a couple inches short, so you have the wood the full length of your stove. Will make the world of a difference.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Rainier10 on August 23, 2011, 03:15:46 PM: Cutting the wood to fill the stove is a great tip. Another easy one for first thing in the morning is a simple Presto log.

The pellet feeder I got was very easy to install, they give you a template to cut the hole and it hangs off the back of the stove. I used a drill and a jigsaw, took me about 15 minutes to modify my stove. It comes with a cover plate to put back over the hole if you don't have the feeder with you. You can burn pellets or close the chute on the feeder and burn wood in the main stove. At one point I had the pellet feeder going along with the wood last year. They also have an attachment that lets you burn diesel, kerosene or used motor oil. I went with the pellets because they were easier for me to pack to where I hunt. You can also buy the stove and the pellet feeder or oil drip as a package already fabbed up if you are not mechanically inclined or don't already have a stove that can be modified.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: WilliamWallace on August 24, 2011, 10:10:33 AM: Quote from: Rainier10 on August 23, 2011, 03:15:46 PM
Cutting the wood to fill the stove is a great tip. Another easy one for first thing in the morning is a simple Presto log.

The pellet feeder I got was very easy to install, they give you a template to cut the hole and it hangs off the back of the stove. I used a drill and a jigsaw, took me about 15 minutes to modify my stove. It comes with a cover plate to put back over the hole if you don't have the feeder with you. You can burn pellets or close the chute on the feeder and burn wood in the main stove. At one point I had the pellet feeder going along with the wood last year. They also have an attachment that lets you burn diesel, kerosene or used motor oil. I went with the pellets because they were easier for me to pack to where I hunt. You can also buy the stove and the pellet feeder or oil drip as a package already fabbed up if you are not mechanically inclined or don't already have a stove that can be modified.

Where do you buy the feeder? Brand name? Ect...
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Rainier10 on August 24, 2011, 11:45:53 AM: PM sent with information on manufacturer. I didn't want to break any rules about advertising.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: whacker1 on August 24, 2011, 03:43:05 PM: A couple manufacturers make gravity feeders designed for their own stoves, but the most commonly advertised is Cylinder Stoves brand.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: dad98684 on August 24, 2011, 04:24:58 PM: i have made a few pellet stoves, they are fairly easy to make if you have the tools.
Title: Re: Propane Wall Tent Stoves?
Post by: Rainier10 on August 25, 2011, 10:52:33 AM: Quote from: whacker1 on August 24, 2011, 03:43:05 PM
A couple manufacturers make gravity feeders designed for their own stoves, but the most commonly advertised is Cylinder Stoves brand.
That is the one I use and have no complaints.