Diesel heaters

BwanaDave

BwanaDave

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I retired the old wall tent and bought a new one this year ( same size) 12x14 with 5' walls a 5' awning and aluminum pole set, I was just looking at the old wood stove and remembering all the times over past seasons I woke up cold to crawl out of the fart sack and throw some more wood on the fire .
I thought I'd ask if any of you use a diesel heater and what you think of them versus the traditional wood stove.
 
The couple that Ive used in the past smelled of deisel fuel when being used. We used them as shop heaters, I would try it out before you take it up to your camp.
 
I looked into them for the same reasons you have. What I found was they just use way too much fuel. With diesel around 5.00 a gallon the consumption rates on these heaters is just too costly.

Darryl
 
Yes, I use one in my shop and you do get that diesel smell "in everything", but they do blast the heat.

When I hunt up north (tent for the week) we bring up a propane heater. A couple 20 pound tanks do us for the week, plus power the stove and light and are no more cumbersome than hauling 5 gallons of diesel. And propane doesn't "stink up" the tent.

I might opt for wood except where we go the wood is so wet and of poor quality (saturated black spruce) it's really tough to burn, so not the best option.
 
galamb said:
Yes, I use one in my shop and you do get that diesel smell "in everything", but they do blast the heat.

When I hunt up north (tent for the week) we bring up a propane heater. A couple 20 pound tanks do us for the week, plus power the stove and light and are no more cumbersome than hauling 5 gallons of diesel. And propane doesn't "stink up" the tent.

I might opt for wood except where we go the wood is so wet and of poor quality (saturated black spruce) it's really tough to burn, so not the best option.
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+1 I find this (propane) just more convenient in a lot of ways with all the accessories you ever could need
 
We always used wood as we had a good quality supply all around us. One of the four of us was always up during the night for a pee so the stove never went out. 14'x16' wall tent. Used propane for lights and cooking. I had a large portable diesel/ kerosene heater that we thought we might try, that thank God we tried it before going north as although it threw a good heat it did smell of diesel, so we stuck with the wood.
 
make a hippy killer stove out of a old 20 pound propane bottle to use during the night, fill it up with BBQ briquettes when you go to bed, should still be warm in the morning when you get up for coffee
 
You should have a warm enough sleeping bag that you will stay warm all night, regardless how cold it gets.
I speak from experience and used to have a big down bag that kept me warm all night, even to 30 below, F.
Most likely your partner will not have as warm a bag and he will get up and make the morning fire.
 
H4831 said:
You should have a warm enough sleeping bag that you will stay warm all night, regardless how cold it gets.
I speak from experience and used to have a big down bag that kept me warm all night, even to 30 below, F.
Most likely your partner will not have as warm a bag and he will get up and make the morning fire.
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I like the way you think!
 
While I agree with you to a point and do have a couple of good bags including the CF down bag, I learned many years ago on my aircrew arctic survival course in resolute bay in the middle of winter that no matter how good your bag is you are either going to get frostbitten on the face (even wearing two balaclava's) or keep your head in the bag and bring on the ensuing moisture problems that go with it.
I'm going to try the bbq briquets and green wood trick this year and see how it goes, Ive got a 30 lb propane bottle I'm considering trying as a stove as well and if all else fails the propane heaters may just be the answer.
 
I would think burning charcoal would be pretty dangerous. Briquettes contain some coal dust in the mix. A poor draft and a less than air tight stove could be a disaster (carbon monoxide) I just purchased a new stove for my tent last fall. It is the "Hunter" by Drolet out of Quebec. It is a well engineered stove and works very well while remaining portable. When loaded with good wood it will hold for about 6 to 7 hours.

Darryl
 
Most likely your partner will not have as warm a bag and he will get up and make the morning fire.
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I've used a similar technique in the past. If there are many people involved its most important not to have the worst bag, but it is best to also not have the best bag of the bunch either. When the "cold bag" guy gets up in the middle of the night to stoke the fire he'll get it too warm and the "best bag" guy will fry. If its cold enough that isn't an issue.

When we were hunting muskox there was a problem with the diesel heater. It would work at full blast or nothing, so we would get the "cabin" hot and let it cool down until someone couldn't stand it and fired up the heater again. Usually it was one of the Eskimo kids that were along to haul and learn. Seeing from a 80 below Wiggys bag was the perfect perspective. I think I could have traded that bag for any two rifles there.
 
I have a great wood stove we used for years...still have it. When we bought our newer tent, the guys wanted diesel. We have the Prospector model from Deluxe Wall Tents. Heats our 16x20 tent quite nicely...actually too good..been warm the last few years at moose camp...guess it helps to have a good sleeping bag too boot.
 
Sometimes having the "poorest" sleeping bag isn't the answer. Mine are super cosy warm. Years of getting up at 0600 every day conditioned me to get up at 0600 every day in moose hunting camp the last few years. No alarm clock. Just an internal one.

Not drinking the night before probably helps, but then I really don't drink much anyhow.

I'd be up early and get the fire going in the cook tent, and have coffee burnt before the rest of the crew even though about crawling out of their fart sacks.
 
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