Last year, I installed a diesel heater which I’ve only used to warm and dry up the shower cabin. When the temperatures dropped below 15 degrees Celsius at the end of October, I had to use the heater more often. The fan was quite distracting. The hot air that was blown out of the diesel heater didn’t really create a comfortable environment, either. As I was planning to spend a little more time in Germany this winter, I started looking for a wood stove that would create a more comfortable environment in my van.
Picking the right stove
I read about a few people who installed the Cubic Mini wood stove that was designed for boats, small cabins and RV’s. Apart from the expensive price and not being available in Germany, I didn’t like that the mini stove only fitted 14cm long logs. The wood sold by German woodmen is usually cut into 33cm logs. I ended up buying a camping stove from a Finish manufacturer. The stove was built out of stainless steel, light-weight and big enough to fit at least two big 33cm logs.
Building the chimney
As the stove’s flue tube got very hot when I tested it, I built an insulated pipe sleeve out of ceramic fiber and a 150mm hot-dip aluminized steel pipe.
I mounted the pipe sleeve inside the van to protect the insulation and the wooden ceiling.
I adhered the ceramic fiber all the way through the roof,
and finally covered it with a heat-resistant silicone adapter that prevents water seeping down the flue tube.
The flue tube can easily be removed and covered with a plastic cap while driving.
Building heat shields
Before installing the stove into my van, I throughly tested its behavior under extreme conditions to get a sense about the heat it produces.
The stove and parts of the flue pipe started glowing and emitted a lot of heat when intensively stoking it. To prevent the wooden walls in my van from catching fire, I built some heat shields.
The aluminum construction reflects the heat and protects the floor, wall and the bed from over heating. Even when the stove gets really hot, the aluminum remains relatively cold.
The flue pipe also required a heat shield. I used two perforated aluminum plates and a thin aluminized ceramic fiber mat. After performing several tests, I came up with a construction consisting of multiple layers that partly surrounded the flue pipe to reflect all the heat into the van.
I intensively stoked the stove for more than an hour. While the air in my van became unbearable hot, I was still able to touch the outer heat shield which was only slightly warm. I definitely feel comfortable hanging clothes and towels behind the heat shield. They really don’t get hot.
Improving the air circulation
The air above the table became warm really quick. However, the air below the table remained cold and took a very long time to warm up. I solved the problem by installing a fan above the stove. The motor of the fan is powered by a Peltier device that serves as a thermoelectric generator. The fan silently blows warm air below the table as soon as the flue tube warms up and automatically turns off when the pipe cools down. There’s no external battery required.
Insulating the doors
So far, I’ve insulated everything but the doors. Although I regularly aired the whole van, I still observed a lot of condensed water after using the stove when the temperature outside dropped below 5 degrees Celsius. After thoroughly insulating the doors, I couldn’t observe any condensate any more. 
Using the stove
I’ve been using the stove almost every day for about a month and am really happy with the outcome of this project! The stove creates a really cozy heat.
The foldable handles on the side of the stove are perfect for drying the wood before burning it. I really enjoy cooking with the stove.
I also use the stove to boil water in a little tank that nicely fits around the flue pipe.
The water tank can be removed easily to fill or drain it.
What a great project! 