Outside stove Vs /Inside stove?

[ScouterMom]

In simple terms, what is the primary diference between having a stove hung on the outside of your camper Vs the inside?   I mean - for the gas connections?

my old camper had a 2 burner stove that I could hook up either inside the camper, or hang on the outside.  I always used it outside, as that camper was really tiny.

My Starmaster 6 has a nice, counter drop in, 3 burner stove that works great after I got new tanks and regulator.  

However, I'm going to be taking the cabinets out for some remodeling and replacing the flooring, and was toying with the idea of converting that stove to a box version that I could use inside or hang on the outside, like my old camper had.   Even though we have loads of room in the Starmaster 6, I still prefer doing my cooking OUTSIDE the camper.  Just a quirk of mine - but if it wasn't too difficult to do, I would do it.  

There is already gas line to the door side of the camper, as the furnace is located just inside the door.



here's a floor plan of my camper - after I removed the rear cabinets to fix the rotted floor corners.  The furnace is in the cabinet just to the left of the door.  I could either set the stove on top inside, or hook it on the outside.

As it is now, the cooler is under the stove, and the sink/stove top lifts up.  The water tank was also in the cabinet I removed just left of the sink.  So eventually, I'll have to find room for it to go back somewhere.  But I got a 2.5 Cu ft dorm fridge that will sit in the rear corner (door side) so I might put the water tank in where the cooler is now, as I don't intend to use the cooler. I like the open space in back - as it leaves room to store either the big dog crate, rubbermaid tubs, coolers or even a playpen if Pauls' daughter is along with her youngest.

I also have an idea to extend the rear bed INTO this space, over the fridge, to make it a queen size bed.

But that is after I fix the floor.

So what do you think? is there any reason that I can't build the stove into a box that I can hang on the outside of the camper and use in or out?

Laura

[austinado16]

Go for it.  My Starcraft has just that system.  You can get the quick disconnect fittings from StarcraftRV, I just ordered a new set.  You need 2 quick disconnects with the on/off gate valve built in, $23ea and one quick disconnect nipple $5, and the fitting with nut it threads into that will then be bolted to the side of the box you make.

On my camper, there is copper hard line comming up into the under cabinet area, and then a flex propane line that goes up into an outside plastic "cup" with a door on it.  Open the cup, pull out the flex line which has the quick disconnect on the end and snap it into the nipple on the side of the stove's box.

Lemme know if you need some pictures.  We use ours inside and outside and really like that feature.

[flyfisherman]

My Starcraft has the indoor/outdoor 3-burner Suburban (drop in) cook stove. I've noted that later Starcraft models have gone to the Suburban 2-burner stove, which in my case would work about as good as I've never used any more than two burners at one time.

http://www.rvcomfort.com/suburban/products/cooktops/dropin.php

The Suburban design was primarily for inside use, however, it's set in an incasement that allows it to be used as an indoor/outdoor stove and there's an outdoor connection for it right next to the door. But lugging that thing in and out is a chore all in itself. So I just leave it inside and use it for perking the morning coffee or heating water or soup ... no serious cooking inside the camper. From the tenting days I still have a Coleman L/P 2-burner stove that can use the disposable 16oz tanks or it can be connected to a regular 20# L/P tank, which is what I do.  I carry an extra 20# tank and usually set the Coleman stove up at the picnic table, or do have a 2' X 3' folding aluminum table that I set-up right next to the PU, under the awning. It's with the Coleman camp stove that all serious cooking is done ... and, of course, outside.

The Suburban cook stove does O.K., but that Coleman camp stove will out perform it hands down! For example, if you place one of those folding Coleman ovens on the Suburban you'll be lucky to get it to 200 degrees; but that Coleman stove will have the oven at 450 in just a jiff.
 
For me ... I like the two stove set-up I presently have.




Fly

[austinado16]

That is a good idea about the Coleman 2 burner propane stove, Fly.  I've started packing and using one of the Weber-Go-Anywhere portable propane BBQ's for doing steaks and chicken on (outside) and that's been a great little piece of gear.

Where'd you get your aluminum table?  Is it one of those cool roll-ups?

[flyfisherman]

Where'd you get your aluminum table?  Is it one of those cool roll-ups?

Picked it up from camping world when I bought the present PU ('00) - the thing was on sale to begin with and since I signed up for something (?) when I visited there, the thing ended up costing about fifteen bucks.  And it's a solid table ... fits right on the floor (table top down) and I place the cook stove on it for tooling down the road. Put a piece of cardboard down first so there's not metal to vinyl foor rubbing and then put the carboard under the bunk end when setting up.

[austinado16]

Perfect.  Just found a 32" square version at //www.sierratradingpost.com for $36.  Would be perfect for setting up as you suggest, and have a little work station next to the stove on the side of the PUP.  Put the little Weber up there, utensils, etc.

[ScouterMom]

I have one of those roll up aluminum tables - they are really nice to have.  I got it after someone brought one along on a canoe trip we were on. It sure made a difference to have somewhere to prepare dinner that was NOT down in the ground, where we were always getting a bit of sand in the food! I keep it in the PUP, and it's come in handy there, too.

On my old PUP, the stove was a 2 burner.  It had the J channel  (like on the tables) with a prop leg to hang it on the side of the camper.

I took the hanging hardware off the stove itself and mounted it on a kitchen counter sink cut-out I picked up at Menards for $ .50.  That way I could either set the stove on the counter, or I could just use it as a small table by itself.  

I picked up a couple of these cut-outs - they made great replacement tops for my old camper cabinets, in fact, I think I still have one or two around.

the Starmaster's stove is a little bit bigger, but I doubt it would be a whole lot harder to move.  For one thing, the 2 burner had a drawer built into the cabinet that held utensils - making it taller and heavier.

I'll have to think about it - right now we usually use a small 1 burner camping stove that uses the little cannisters, and a smokey joe weber tabletop grill.  If we do use the camper's stove, its to heat water or make coffee - tho we did make the bacon on it last time while someone else made pancakes on the 1 burner.  It is kind of handy to have two cooking areas, so people aren't stepping on each other while cooking.  Maybe it would be worth it to look into adding a 2 burner stove that could work off the big propane tanks and leave the original inside. I saw this one once from Harbor tools and like it alot......

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43343

might be an excuse to get it next year? Heck, then I could even bake a cookie or two at a time? it's got a small oven in it!

Laura