cubic mini wood stove ok in fireproof safe?

[tinyhousestove]

hello all,
I have purchased (and am waiting on) a cubic mini wood stove for a cargo trailer that I converted into a sort of super-insulated tiny house. the dimensions of the cubic mini stove are 11" wide, 12" tall and 10.5" deep. I suppose those dimensions include the feet and little rail around the top. I don't need either of those. I have an old fireproof safe that has inside dimensions of 11.5" wide, 14"tall and 17" deep. outside of the interior safe dimensions is two inches of some sort of stone material with steel sheeting on the inside and outside. (I know about the "stone material" because the safe combination/locking part had been broken by a relative who had forgotten the combination - i drilled thru to make a hidden bolt setup to lock and unlock it).
my thinking is that (most importantly) anything around the stove would be protected, and additionally, the safe rock and steel material would absorb heat and release it over time. also i could shut the door if i wanted a quick and safe shut down. obviously i would have to use a good hole saw bit to make the circular hole for the stove pipes.

questions are would this likely be harmful to the stove due to too much insulation? (I've seen stoves installed in fireplaces with relatively little clearance so i don't know that this would be an issue.

and also would all that insulation keep the stove from putting out optimal heat or would the heat simply be released more slowly?

thanks for all help

 

[bholler]

hello all,
I have purchased (and am waiting on) a cubic mini wood stove for a cargo trailer that I converted into a sort of super-insulated tiny house. the dimensions of the cubic mini stove are 11" wide, 12" tall and 10.5" deep. I suppose those dimensions include the feet and little rail around the top. I don't need either of those. I have an old fireproof safe that has inside dimensions of 11.5" wide, 14"tall and 17" deep. outside of the interior safe dimensions is two inches of some sort of stone material with steel sheeting on the inside and outside. (I know about the "stone material" because the safe combination/locking part had been broken by a relative who had forgotten the combination - i drilled thru to make a hidden bolt setup to lock and unlock it).
my thinking is that (most importantly) anything around the stove would be protected, and additionally, the safe rock and steel material would absorb heat and release it over time. also i could shut the door if i wanted a quick and safe shut down. obviously i would have to use a good hole saw bit to make the circular hole for the stove pipes.

questions are would this likely be harmful to the stove due to too much insulation? (I've seen stoves installed in fireplaces with relatively little clearance so i don't know that this would be an issue.

and also would all that insulation keep the stove from putting out optimal heat or would the heat simply be released more slowly?

thanks for all help

I really don't know but it sounds very questionable. What are the clearance requirements of the stove?

 

[begreen]

This is completely unknown territory for us and I suspect the stove manufacturer. It might be ok, or not, but we would just be hypothesizing.
One practical question, How would the stove be vented sitting inside a safe? Why not install it per the manufacturer's directions?

 

[tinyhousestove]

here is what i've found on clearances:

• Requires a clearance of 20" ( 50.8 cm ) in all directions without shielding.
• Clearances reduced to 3" ( 7.62 cm ) when using proper mounting and shielding.

 

[SpaceBus]

I don't see any benefit to using the safe.

 

[tinyhousestove]

venting - the door would be open or taken off. a hole would need to be cut with a hole saw bit for the flu. thanks for your insight - i can see how this would be unknown territory. my feeling is it could damage the stove and might not end up being efficient but i don't believe it would cause a hazard.

 

[bholler]

here is what i've found on clearances:

• Requires a clearance of 20" ( 50.8 cm ) in all directions without shielding.
• Clearances reduced to 3" ( 7.62 cm ) when using proper mounting and shielding.

So why not just use the proper mounting and shielding

 

[bholler]

venting - the door would be open or taken off. a hole would need to be cut with a hole saw bit for the flu. thanks for your insight - i can see how this would be unknown territory. my feeling is it could damage the stove and might not end up being efficient but i don't believe it would cause a hazard.

Unless the stove is severely overheated because of being stuffed in a box

 

[wagne223]

In my non professional opinion, if you want that stove to heat the trailer, probably should not place it in a container that is designed to minimize heat transfer.

Get some shielding and a stovemat so you can use that heat.

 

[tinyhousestove]

thanks guys. i can laugh at myself. normally, the results of thinking outside of the box have turned out very well for me but this involves thinking inside the "box". the shielding accessories cost about as much as the stove. if the glass broke - which is my biggest concern - i could slam the safe door shut and order another to do it normal. space conservation and preventing fire hazard are the main reasons i'm considering this. on the other hand, i was supposed to get the stove today but it is delayed about 6 weeks due to recent high demand. (i imagine due to everything going wrong in the world and people wanting to get an emergency heat source "just in case" ...) so my biggest concern is that i could not get a replacement if i broke the first one... anyone positive about this?

 

[SpaceBus]

If the glass breaks put a piece of sheet metal in place of the glass. The safe is excess weight you don't need.

 

[wagne223]

the shielding accessories cost about as much as the stove

Have you designed and priced the flue parts yet?
I have an entry level stove in my home. The flue and chimney pipes cost more then what the stove cost!

 

[wagne223]

if the glass broke - which is my biggest concern

Which is why you should have a proper hearth. Does not matter if the stove is in a mansion or a utility trailer.

 

[tinyhousestove]

ok. now i know. thanks everyone above. points well taken. i will probably need expensive shielding, give up space and, as planned, use double layer pipes with easy access to brush out creosote. another thing - i will need to use an elbow and go out the side with the pipes since my roof is entirely covered with solar panels. probably attach something like diamond plate outside behind the pipes and go 2 or 3 feet above the roof and clean the panels and flu regularly when using the stove. i saw a video on removable pipes (on the outside) and an H-cap. any input?

 

[bholler]

ok. now i know. thanks everyone above. points well taken. i will probably need expensive shielding, give up space and, as planned, use double layer pipes with easy access to brush out creosote. another thing - i will need to use an elbow and go out the side with the pipes since my roof is entirely covered with solar panels. probably attach something like diamond plate outside behind the pipes and go 2 or 3 feet above the roof and clean the panels and flu regularly when using the stove. i saw a video on removable pipes (on the outside) and an H-cap. any input?

You will want a tee outside and you will want the pipe easily removable when in transport. And you shouldn't need sheilding outside just follow the required clearances.

 

[tinyhousestove]

i plan to put the stove near the back where there are double doors that swing open. in that area, i figure on putting down concrete backer board and then tiles so i can just open a door and sweep out any ashes that fall out when moving the ashes from the stove to a metal bucket. (not hot - no embers, etc). normally there are plastic spacers used before grouting. are the plastic spacers between tile ok? is there a special concrete backer board i should use?

 

[bholler]

i plan to put the stove near the back where there are double doors that swing open. in that area, i figure on putting down concrete backer board and then tiles so i can just open a door and sweep out any ashes that fall out when moving the ashes from the stove to a metal bucket. (not hot - no embers, etc). normally there are plastic spacers used before grouting. are the plastic spacers between tile ok? is there a special concrete backer board i should use?

You would remove the spacers after laying the tile and before grouting. As far as what hearth is needed that should be speced out by the stove manufacturer.

 

[wagne223]

Personally, I remove the tile spacers prior to grouting.
I don't think there is a performance difference in the different concrete boards but Durock is the most known.

 

[wagne223]

Also, I have seen a few tiny house builds, and my one concern is engress and egress.
Please be sure you have a means of escape from both ends and the loft (if you have one).

 

[tinyhousestove]

i never expected so much help so quickly. THANKS

 

[tinyhousestove]

have i completely ruled out the fireproof safe? no. i may have new research info if i try it

 

[moosetrek]

As someone who has build and insulated a converted cargo trailer, the safe seems like excess weight? Not sure what you're running for axles and size. I considered a woodstove in mine, but after insulating decided it would be hard to maintain constant temps so opted for a LP heater. Granted, I don't live in it. What makes you so concerned about the glass? Risk of breaking during towing and movement?

 

[David.Ervin]

Most fireproof safes work by basically being "really hard to heat up and cause to burn" rather than actually being entirely non-combustible. Last time I had to drill through a fireproof safe to mount it to a floor, I learned the material between the outer layers was actually some sort of heavy fiber soaked in water. Apparently this is really common because getting all that water hot enough to steam off in case of a house fire isn't very likely, so the contents don't burn, even if the safe itself is more or less sacrificial. I could see that over a long time of actual fires inside it, you would drive off all that water and be left with a brittle shell of... whatever it's made of. I think you'll be better served by building a proper alcove around the stove, and for transport maybe figuring out a way to slot a piece of steel in front of the glass so it doesn't get knocked.

 

[brenndatomu]

I don't see any benefit to using the safe.

Redneck mass heater?

 

[SpaceBus]

Redneck mass heater?

Chicken wire and rocks would probably be more effective, and in keeping with the theme.