[VAL] Propane fireplace

["Tom Doland" <retireb42020@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all,

I've been reading several of the posting about heater
issues and problems.  I've never been impressed by the
concept of a forced-air furnace in a trailer,
primarily because it draws current to power the fan. 
My experience is that if you are off the grid, the
battery runs down fairly quickly and you are then
without heat and light.

I'm about to try an alternative.  A while ago my
sister bought a Dickenson propane fireplace for her
sailboat.  These little units are made of high grade
stainless steel and can operate with or without an
electric fan.  They are manufacured in Vancouver, B.C.
Canada.  They are direct vented via a flexible pipe
and a sort of chimney that attaches to the upper deck.
 A 1.5 or 2 inch diameter pipe carries the exhaust,
and a 3 inch diameter pipe into which the smaller pipe
fits draws air from outside for combustion.

So I bought one of these stoves for my '73 23'land
yacht.  My plan is to mount it in the forward sitting
area to the right of the sink.   I will have to cut a
3 inch hole in the ceiling and run the flex pipe to
it.  The pipe might not be too attractive, but I think
the fireplace itself will be.  

I know that mounting the unit at one end of the
trailer will result in uneven heat, but I would rather
put up with that than an inefficient, noisy Suburban
furnace.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this, and I'll
post photos once the project is done.

Tom Dolan
Portland, OR