Heat loss
I do not want to take over the other thread about preheating a camper so I thought that I would start this thread. I was wondering if anyone has ever done any tests to see how long the heat is mainta...
Forum Discussion
Photomike,
FWIW, I remember seeing a couple crosscorntry skiing in the U.P. years ago that had kind of a neat setup. They were parked right next to us and inside heating a pot of chili. Out our TC window I noticed a finger like thing turn on his side vent when they were inside warming up and heating the chili. His range vent was high also so he couldn't reach it and they didn't have a ladder on the back of his older TC so he could go up to turn the clips if he wanted to.
When he came out I asked him where he got his flapper release from and he said he made it. It was so simple. About a 1/4" dia looked like brass rod with a flat metal spring clamped between 2 nuts on the outside end of the rod. He said he drilled a hole thru the wall and pushed a headed nylon bushing in each side that fit the rod and ran the rod thru to the inside where he put a washer over the rod against the wall. Then a round wire coil spring, and on the end, a round white knob with a set screw in the side to hold it on. When they used the range they'd pushed the knob out and turned it which turned the rod and the flat spring on the outside and hence released the flapper. When done using the stove, push the knob and turn it back to hold the flapper closed again with the coil spring pressure. So cheap and simple and yet sensible! Just gotta use the ole noggin!
BTW, only takes a second or two to slide the bagged screen out for range use and to put it back in. It doesn't make a bit of difference as there are no bugs in the winter anyway and that's what the screen is really for!
We don't ever need to use our hood vents because I make/made my own storms and put a 5" X 12" stainless top edge hinged insert window over an 1" smaller opining in the Lexan storm behind the range/sink. It has a 2" long velcro strap on the bottom to keep it tightly closed until we want it to vent. The Lance TC and our Carriage 5'ers have tinted crank out windows (a must have for us) and the crank shaft goes right thru and mating hole in the Lexan storm and has the crank handle on. Simply open the little hinged vent insert window and the velcro up on the window keeps it open, crank the TC window open an inch etc, and open a roof vent a little so there's actual air flow and cook or whatever. All the humidity and smell etc goes right out the open roof vent. Warm air always rises anyway so it's a natural action. No fans needed!
If you want a pic, PM me an email addy and I'll send a couple to you so you can see one of them. I make a lots of things for our RV's but I sell nothing as we're long retired and very comfortable. Remember that I used to own an engineering business for many decades and also have my own work/machine/welding shop right here so it's very easy for me to design/engineer and make things myself the way I want and it's fun too!
FWIW, I remember seeing a couple crosscorntry skiing in the U.P. years ago that had kind of a neat setup. They were parked right next to us and inside heating a pot of chili. Out our TC window I noticed a finger like thing turn on his side vent when they were inside warming up and heating the chili. His range vent was high also so he couldn't reach it and they didn't have a ladder on the back of his older TC so he could go up to turn the clips if he wanted to.
When he came out I asked him where he got his flapper release from and he said he made it. It was so simple. About a 1/4" dia looked like brass rod with a flat metal spring clamped between 2 nuts on the outside end of the rod. He said he drilled a hole thru the wall and pushed a headed nylon bushing in each side that fit the rod and ran the rod thru to the inside where he put a washer over the rod against the wall. Then a round wire coil spring, and on the end, a round white knob with a set screw in the side to hold it on. When they used the range they'd pushed the knob out and turned it which turned the rod and the flat spring on the outside and hence released the flapper. When done using the stove, push the knob and turn it back to hold the flapper closed again with the coil spring pressure. So cheap and simple and yet sensible! Just gotta use the ole noggin!
BTW, only takes a second or two to slide the bagged screen out for range use and to put it back in. It doesn't make a bit of difference as there are no bugs in the winter anyway and that's what the screen is really for!
We don't ever need to use our hood vents because I make/made my own storms and put a 5" X 12" stainless top edge hinged insert window over an 1" smaller opining in the Lexan storm behind the range/sink. It has a 2" long velcro strap on the bottom to keep it tightly closed until we want it to vent. The Lance TC and our Carriage 5'ers have tinted crank out windows (a must have for us) and the crank shaft goes right thru and mating hole in the Lexan storm and has the crank handle on. Simply open the little hinged vent insert window and the velcro up on the window keeps it open, crank the TC window open an inch etc, and open a roof vent a little so there's actual air flow and cook or whatever. All the humidity and smell etc goes right out the open roof vent. Warm air always rises anyway so it's a natural action. No fans needed!
If you want a pic, PM me an email addy and I'll send a couple to you so you can see one of them. I make a lots of things for our RV's but I sell nothing as we're long retired and very comfortable. Remember that I used to own an engineering business for many decades and also have my own work/machine/welding shop right here so it's very easy for me to design/engineer and make things myself the way I want and it's fun too!
