TheSamba.com :: View topic - Anyone ever change their stove to diesel?

Sun Jul 22, 2012 7:32 pm

kuleinc wrote: Link to smev top?

http://www.smev.com/

Lots to choose from, most will require going through sellers in UK/Europe. I had mine shipped over from UK with a Propex shipment. :wink:

Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:09 pm

kuleinc wrote: I think the problem lies when you go to other countries you can't easily get LPG as we know it here in the states... and you can get diesel anywhere. and having one fuel source would be sweet as well.

This is the basic reason for asking. Reading some of the amazing overlanding trips on Expedition Portal, it's just amazing where you can drive, and many places will only have so-so diesel fuel as the ONLY fuel available!

I have thought about a CNG conversion for my stove top as well! But I think I might run into the same fueling issues. I could run a duel fuel on the engine, or at least supplement the engine with CNG for better power and economy but that's for another thread. If I do happen to end up doing that, I will be changing my stove to CNG for sure.

Thanks for all the feedback though, it seems like the only drawbacks are price and stove warm up time!

Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:32 am

westyventures wrote: the unsafe Westy stove - which can easily be turned on accidentally and propane spews unrestricted.

When I was recently stove shopping for my house not one stove I looked at had flame sensors, considering that there are millions of household stoves running on propane in this country without flame arrestors I don't think they are all that needed in a westy.

Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:53 am

jackbombay wrote:
When I was recently stove shopping for my house not one stove I looked at had flame sensors, considering that there are millions of household stoves running on propane in this country without flame arrestors I don't think they are all that needed in a westy.

Modern home stoves are very different - many have pilot flames, most have spark ignition on the burners, and yes indeed do have flame sensing whether you can see it or not. Small RVs should have flame sensing as it is far too easy to create an explosive situation is a small space. Virtually ALL modern RVs use flame sensing. Even Dehler saw fit to use it on the tiny fold-out stove they installed. I've had several experiences where gas was flowing in my old Westy - children playing in the van, dog's feet on the controls, bicycles leaning against the cabinet slipping into the knobs and turning the gas on.

Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:13 am

jackbombay wrote: westyventures wrote: the unsafe Westy stove - which can easily be turned on accidentally and propane spews unrestricted.

When I was recently stove shopping for my house not one stove I looked at had flame sensors, considering that there are millions of household stoves running on propane in this country without flame arrestors I don't think they are all that needed in a westy.
We have always been in the habit of turning off the primary tank valve in addition to the stove top knobs.. to prevent loss of gas.

Admittedly.. I was mostly concerned about losing gas, rather than blowing up the van.

But we don't camp very often in a fully closed up van.. open the slider and any leaked propane dissipates rapidly.

I am not sold on the idea of a single fuel application. It makes sense in a yacht.. where you are often very far from fuel delivery.

But in a Westy? I'd be looking for multi-fuel capability... rather than limiting my options. I had been in the habit of carrying a little "backup" MSR multi-fuel stove with me for years.

Unless I was about to embark on an expedition very soon, I'd wait to making a decision since so many of these appliances come and go. I'd not want a $3000 stove that may not burn well on what passes for "diesel fuel" in some outpost 1000s of miles from a modern diesel refinery.

Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:09 am

westyventures wrote: jackbombay wrote:
When I was recently stove shopping for my house not one stove I looked at had flame sensors, considering that there are millions of household stoves running on propane in this country without flame arrestors I don't think they are all that needed in a westy.

Modern home stoves are very different - many have pilot flames, most have spark ignition on the burners, and yes indeed do have flame sensing whether you can see it or not.

Google says virtually all new residential stoves have electronic ignition, not pilot flames, fwiw. Also, the 2 stoves I have purchased recently have no flame sensor/reignition and among the many lower cost stoves I looked at none of them had "flame sensor" listed as a feature, maybe things are different in MD though? With both of my stoves if I blow the flame out gas will continue to flow.

I personally don't see the westy stove as dangerous at all, its virtually identical to the stoves in my house and garage.

Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:47 pm

Any updates? Thinking of doing this as well. It's expensive but solves a few issues I am having with propane.

Turns out that Wallas has an RV version available:

http://www.wallas.fi/index.php?id=117

Mon Feb 08, 2016 7:54 pm

Viva.Sabata wrote: Any updates? Thinking of doing this as well. It's expensive but solves a few issues I am having with propane.

Turns out that Wallas has an RV version available:

http://www.wallas.fi/index.php?id=117

Not a lot of people are mounting these unless you go travelling abroad.

I think there's a thread about the Webasto too on TS. I read quite a bit about them and will go the Webasto way as I don't need the heater thing.

Cheers!

Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:28 am

rubbachicken wrote: i don't know if it's been mentioned above, but there are also fridges that run on diesel

I once looked for a diesel fridge (absorption cycle), but now really can't find any RV type units out there.

Does anyone have any links?

Tue Feb 09, 2016 8:34 am

I know Pastis has a webasto diesel cooker.

I helped put one in my friends sprinter, and have wanted one ever since.

Tue Feb 09, 2016 9:17 am

westyventures wrote: I have an X100 Webasto sitting here waiting for my next project (16" Syncro highroof). There is no smell inside as the intake and exhaust for the burner vent to the outside just like a diesel, gas, or propane furnace. For camper use, you would want the Webasto version over the Wallas marine version (even though that optional heater lid is cool!) because the Webasto has an altitude compensation button so it burns well at altitude as well as sea level. Both versions are actually manufactured by Webasto.

Things I didn't think about. Karl thanks, I have been looking at the Wallas It never occurred to me to consider burn ratio at altitude. I spend the bulk of my time in high altitude. That would have been a bummer. I liked the Wallas feature of the cooker being a heater, space saving.

Tue Feb 09, 2016 11:04 am

I was all excited about the diesel cooker until I realised it is a ceramic top.

I need a flame. Cooking on anything else is joyless. buzzkill...

Tue Feb 09, 2016 11:08 am

ZanaEvyPapa wrote: I was all excited about the diesel cooker until I realised it is a ceramic top.

I need a flame. Cooking on anything else is joyless. buzzkill...

Yes, and Pastis broke one already during their trip. You need a cover on it when not in use and use thicker pots :wink:

Tue Oct 11, 2022 11:14 pm

Hello,

Wondering if there are any updates from the OP or anyone who is considering world travel & going with 1 fuel diesel?

Nowadays the Webasto RV line has the cooktop/heater dual & can add a stove or not, as well as the espar water heater or a few other options. The high altitude adjustment is a built in feature. I have not yet looked into what is out there for diesel fridges, yet have a sense that I would prefer an 'truck fridge/freezer upright style over a top loading unit. Yes the initial cost is more, significantly - yet the one fuel, reduced storage & monitoring of assorted fuels and canisters and worldly fuel access are still valid considerations when considering extended world travel.

In my case diesel makes sense - my rig is gutted on the interior, inviting options to build off newest options since the Dehler interior has not survived. Looking forward to hearing from y'all.