I'm beginning to design a backpack-able wood burning stove for my shelter (tipi or tent). Is there a reason I can vent out the side of a shelter instead of through the top? I guess my thought is to shorten and thereby lighten the stovepipe. If the pipe is screened what are the downsides?

M

I can't answer your question but my experience is that a big percentage of the heat in my tipi comes from the glowing red stovepipe rather than the stove.

I've made large and small stoves and for the most part if the tipi woodstove is going along I relax a lot about the weight of my pack. Unless your in a better environment than I usually am you need a few tools to manufacture a decent wood supply and the pack weight adds up.

I prefer a bigger stove that burns for 15 to 30 minutes to my small-lighter versions and I also place a premium on easy to reload.

Good luck with your project I'm sure it's workable to go out the side or a lower spot than the peak, I don't worry much about sparks that's what silnet is for.

If the stove was going to be in the center of the tent, venting out the side would take away some room inside the shelter, wouldn't it?

This is pretty much it. I put a stove jack in the side of an SD origami 4 because I thought it would be a better use of space somehow. What I found was that my medium Kifaru stove would barely heat it in 40 or 50 degree temps.

Same tent, same stove, stove jack in the top instead of the side, and it heats pretty well down below 20 (haven't tested lower with that particular config). Besides, having the stove over on the side didn't end up being a very good use of space on a 5 sided tipi anyway.

Another reason is that near the center there is more structure and the effects of wind and snow loads are decreased. That plus heat from the pipe, and heat distribution makes the center the way to go.

Stack robbers / baffles may keep more heat lower in the pipe or in the stove, but probably not enough to make a big difference

Kevin

My biggest concern would be wind load. Maybe not an issue in a short shelter, but if you get a pipe 72" or longer to go abouve the peak, you don't have much stability if most of it is above the stove jack.

The heat factor, or lack of heat is also a big concern. That thin pipe is going to heat up red hot, no point in heating the great outdoors rather than inside your shelter.

And THATS why I post here. I didn't even think of the heat dispersion qualities of the pipe, nor the wind effect on the tent that may cause the tent to push around the pipe-or into the stove. Looks like I'm designing for the center. Thanks all

Mike

The top of the pipe should be higher than the peak even if exiting on the side or it won't draft correctly.

Mr. VernAK,
Why won't it draft properly?
Appreciate the advice.
Best Wishes

Hey, if I can spare anybody else a patched over ex-stovejack hole in the side of *their* tent, I'm happy to help. That SD origami was kind of a POS anyway. I revived it with a real zipper and the use of a stronger center pole when I do take it out, but it's still not as nice as other alternatives.

First, warm air rises....traveling horizontally doesn't work well....the rising warm air creates the draft that pulls the fresh combustion air into the stove.

Second, If the top of pipe is lower than the peak, a down draft can occur when wind is coming from the opposite side.

Heat rises, so if you go out the side of a tent with the flue, you'll need to also go upwards with the flue. The stove won't draft well at all with a horizontal-only flue. The rising heated air pulls fresh air through the stove.

My flue goes out of the wall about 4' and then up about 4' and it works just dandy.

That will work with a wall tent but not so much with a sil nylon shelter. Not enough structural support for the pipe.

Forgot to mention that the L joint 4' outside my tent is supported on an old aluminun chair frame. The I or up section is wired to trees. No fire danger there as the I section is just past warm temp plus I wire it 2" or so away from a tree.

Sounds like a thing of real beauty -- and like something I would do!

John

I finally found a picture.

as to venting height, I think a tipi would negate the needed height by formula as its not much of a wind block up top.

Rule of thumb at least 3 feet above a ridgeline on a roof to draw the right draft or elevated enough so that the top of the end the vertical section of pipe is horizontally at least 10 feet from the closest section of roof. Thats sorta hard to understand without a drawing....

I'd simply do it in the center due to less loss of heat and the support of the pipe.

I have a SL-4 with a Ti-Goat jack located in the top back of the tent. I've had some vent covers sewn into to the top of the tent. My tent has taken several days of +30 mph winds, with the stove inside. You will find that the exposed edge of your rolled stainless steel stove pipe is super sharp. So much so, that I dont assemble (roll into shape) the stove pipe without gloves. That sharp edge will abraid any stove jack. So take care.

I would have hard time placing a stove pipe in a semi horizontal position because of 1) a fluke gust of wind blow down the pipe which could lead to abit of comotion in the tent if you know what I mean. I like to have the 'fire box' left open when things get to going. 2) With a stove pipe in the vertical position. I would think that any hot ash that made it up and out the stack would probably keep on going up, catch the wind and clear the tent verses the ash possibly being blown back against the tent and creating a small hole.

Lastly, the stove pipe conducts alot of heat as others have said. I think if you cut down on the exposed lenght inside the tent you would loose a lot of the heating capacity of your stove. I guess you could always get a bigger stove.

peace / out / thanks

jeff