16x20 in British Columbia

glenn kangiser · October 08, 2010, 11:46:47 PM

The little diesel heaters are great but do use a/c for controls and fans.

They use a little power - 275 watts preheat and 46 watts burning - not much - .173 gallons per hour on high

http://www.toyotomiusa.com/products/laserventedheaters/OM-22.php

Unfortunately, off grid - it is still a significant amount of power especially where you don't have a lot of sun. Cloudy days don't produce much power - but maybe you have running water or wind for turbines?

Betty · October 08, 2010, 11:58:38 PM

There are actually 2 people here with micro hydro systems. I really need to spend some more time researching it, but I do have a the perfect water source for one. This guy is about 20 minutes from me, he is completely off the grid with satellite phone/internet and the water turbine runs the whole cabin year round. http://www.magicallodge.com/ I'm not promoting him here or anything, but it's a very cool place to see, and the scenery is amazing. oops. I forgot to say..my elevation is around 1400 ft.

October 09, 2010, 12:50:52 AM

Cool place - informational links are no problem.

Wish he would have showed his hydro.

That could be a power supply for you then. Check it out a bit more. That would allow you to add some comforts and the oil furnace is way more efficient than any propane one could be. Maybe not so much in percent of efficiency, but in operation costs. Way more heat per dollar in the oil.

upa · October 12, 2010, 08:10:22 AM

Betty, I don't know if you have a Princess Auto(northerntool also carries them) handy to you but I installed this 45,00 btu direct vent thermostat controlled forced air propane furnace in my cottage. Frequently Princess sells these cheap off season. I got mine for $350 including vent kit. It's really marketed as a shop heater but works great in an open plan cottage(no heating ducting required). I have this in my garage as well and in the dead of winter can heat up a 700-1000sq ft space 20 degress in 30 minutes assuming it's reasonably insulated.
It has a exhaust fan so you can run the chimney verticle or in horizonatal applications, it's not sealed combustion so you have to make accomadation for a seperate intake air supply vent. It does requires 1.6amps at 120V to run the blower moter and exhaust fan. But these are typically intermittent loads and my modest battery bank/inverter have no troubles with.

jan nikolajsen · October 12, 2010, 09:33:19 AM

Looks good Betty. I like white painted tongue and groove boards.

Re heating I would strongly suggest a wood stove. They take up more floor space with clearances and all, and also the cost will initially be higher than most other options, but done right they are by far the most comfortable way of heating, IMO.

We lived at 1400 feet on the east side of the North Cascades, in an environment very similar to yours: lots of snow, lows around or below zero. Our cabin, for full time living was also 16x20, or about that, and heated with wood. Off the grid too.

The stove was a Vermont Aspen, the chimney elbowed thru the wall, and combustion air was ducted in to the back of the stove. Consumed much less than a cord per winter. We had low ceilings, though, which makes a difference in efficiency.

October 12, 2010, 10:14:25 AM

The VC Aspen is a great stove. We have one too. So does Oljarhead. The outside fresh air kit should be included, IMO.

grandmasplayhouse · October 13, 2010, 02:51:01 PM

Just love the fresh clean look of your cabin. I think making your interior bright is a good idea when working with limited lights.
Just wanted to to say that we are hooking up our Housewarmer direct vent 18,000 btu LP heater this weekend. I want clean,safe and fast heat here that we can shut off and walk away. We also do not have power at our location. Our son used this type of heater in his fish house and was happy with it. We are hooking up a 100# tank and had the gas company make up the regulator for us. Will let you know how it works.

We are heating a 12x14 with a small loft

MountainDon · October 13, 2010, 03:11:14 PM

Pull that electrical cord for the A/C up and out of the way before firing up the Housewarmer. The heat output is high enough to possibly do some serious damage to it. Maybe turn the electrical receptacle 180 degrees so the cord goes up the wall and then tie it up out of the way.

kimad · October 19, 2010, 05:10:17 PM

Quote from: Betty on October 08, 2010, 11:58:38 PM
There are actually 2 people here with micro hydro systems. I really need to spend some more time researching it, but I do have a the perfect water source for one. This guy is about 20 minutes from me, he is completely off the grid with satellite phone/internet and the water turbine runs the whole cabin year round. http://www.magicallodge.com/ I'm not promoting him here or anything, but it's a very cool place to see, and the scenery is amazing. oops. I forgot to say..my elevation is around 1400 ft.

There are actually half a dozen micro hydro systems in the Beaton B.C. /Trout Lake/Ferguson area near you. Those are all 20 mins from you. Some have been operating for almost 60 years.
Not sure if you drive up to see Patrick at his lodge often but it is quite a bit further than 20 mins from you at Beaton, if a vehicle can get through the washouts. We are not sure how he accomplished building way back there, let alone exist with the rock blockages and bridges out all the time.

And yes, he has an amazing setup using geothermal and micro hydro, zero sewage is probably the biggest feet of his. Most everything has been either totally designed by him or extremely modified to make it better. My cousin new him at university and said he was inovating and designing off grid products over 30 years ago.

Can't believe someone has never done a full write up on what he has accomplished. We could all learn much from his designs/philosophies of small footprint living.

October 19, 2010, 09:44:24 PM

The mountain hostel is 20 kms away from my property, although it's a rough drive at times it's easily done in 20 minutes, especially on the Raptor.

It's a beautiful place, that's why my family settled there over 100 yrs ago.

kimad · October 19, 2010, 10:23:47 PM

Quote from: Betty on October 19, 2010, 09:44:24 PM
The mountain hostel is 20 kms away from my property, although it's a rough drive at times it's easily done in 20 minutes, especially on the Raptor. It's a beautiful place, that's why my family settled there over 100 yrs ago.

Its actually not been the Mountain Hostel since 2008.
Its now the Incomappleux lodge.

You're probably one of the atv's that has come around blind corner at high speed and I've almost run over if you do it in 20 mins. LOL
It's at km 23.

Betty · October 19, 2010, 10:30:35 PM

Apparently I stand corrected...23 kms it is.

Betty · October 19, 2010, 10:34:46 PM

Thanks grandmasplayhouse! I can't wait to hear how it is. So great to hear advice from people who are doing the same things we are.

grandmasplayhouse · November 17, 2010, 11:46:26 AM

Have not logged in for awhile. Hope you are able to use your cabin more than us. Snowed a lot here and we have not been able to get to ours until we freeze up. Too muddy. When we hooked up our heater,I was happy with the way it worked. Very quiet and clean heat. The little cabin warmed up quickly and I had to get up in the night to turn it down. The heater starts with just a couple of pushes on the button (after the air clears from the line)This took awhile. Have a carbon monoxide detector installed. We used a 100# tank that should last us the winter for the few times we will go there. We didn't really like the hose the gas company made for us. They said it lasts longer than metal. Looks like air hose but is rated for LP gas and clearly maked for that.

Took Mountain Dan's advice and tied up the cord on the air conditioner,Then made a metal heat shield for under the air conditioner cause this heater gets HOT on top.