# Fixed Heating In Your Van



## StreetSleeper (Jan 30, 2017)

Fixed heating in your van and we're not talking two rings or the oven door open. So the question has to be, do you have it and, if so, do you use it? And the other burning question (pardon the pun) if you didn't have it fitted, would you? Last but not least, what, in your opinion, would be the best one to chose?
Thank you, I look forward to the 'heated' discussion.......fire away.

Rae & Ann


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## yorkieowl (Jan 30, 2017)

We have the blown air gas/electric fire, but don't tend to use it much unless the air gets really chilly, I prefer to snuggle up under a blanket with my hot water bottle.


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## Obanboy666 (Jan 30, 2017)

Blown air gas/electric Truma combi. I'm always cold so have it on more or less 24/7.
No fire but not fussed as that frees up more living space in my pvc.
Doesn't appear use much gas and 12 volt from batteries and I can have blown air heating without having water in the boiler which is convenient if the dump valve has opened due to low temp.


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## mistericeman (Jan 30, 2017)

Eberspacher d2 .....cheap to run,reliable,safe and runs on same fuel as the vehicle its fitted in ....was a no brainer for us .

Warm and cosy even over sub zero temps Xmas new year .


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## yorkslass (Jan 30, 2017)

Gas fire, and I wouldn't want to be without it.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 30, 2017)

yorkieowl said:


> I prefer to snuggle up under a blanket with my hot water bottle.



Hello Sue & Ric,
Certainly no problems once we're in bed, like you say, well wrapped up and, yes, hot water bottles are used; a great invention. The problem being if we wish to stay in the van and watch DVDs it gets exceedingly cold during the winter months. Also another problem that occurs with our van is our feet have to enter the cab area and though thick curtains are drawn round it's still very cold.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 30, 2017)

Obanboy666 said:


> Blown air gas/electric Truma combi.



I'm not familiar with the system you've got so please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm assuming it's some form of water heater, if this is the case, unfortunately it would not be suitable for our van as we have a very small two berth Citroen C15 coachbuilt.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 30, 2017)

mistericeman said:


> Eberspacher d2



I have to confess I did take a notion for one of these; the only stumbling block is the price. The ones that I have been looking at are all around the £400 mark. Yes you can get them a little bit cheaper but, in most cases, by the time you buy the bits that are missing they work out the same. I have never looked at how cheap you can get a new one for but I was told they fetch over £600.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 30, 2017)

yorkslass said:


> Gas fire, and I wouldn't want to be without it.



Hello Sue & Dave,
Unfortunately a definite no no; for no other reason than I don't have a wall to screw it to.

Rae & Ann


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## Wully (Jan 30, 2017)

Rae you need an electric blanket connected to that daisy wheel of yours. Or get a couple of sheep in van for night. Ive got a couple of Norwegian army sleeping bags you could sleep outside in sub zero temperatures but you want to sleep in van so what about a1970s superser or best plan drink a bottle of scotch before bed you won't feel anything.  Couldn't think of anything constructive so if I come up with anything I'll be back cheers wully.      Knowing you you'll come up with somthing


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## Robmac (Jan 30, 2017)

After seeing Bazz's Truma 2400 at the weekend, I've decided to go for one of those Rae.

It was whisper quiet and his van was toasty.


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## n brown (Jan 30, 2017)

Hi mate, ebers and webastos fetch good prices, i'm not so impressed by the second hand ones,any kind of service or parts are top dollar- even for someone as fabulously wealthy as you !
the best ever heater IMO is a simple convection heater Carver Caravelle 'M' gas space heater - caravan / campervan | eBay like this, floor flued but it needs a big hole in the floor,with no obstructions and space in the van . can't see it in your motor, which leaves the propex. very easy fit, about £450 new, i reckon it's your best bet


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 30, 2017)

Looser cruiser said:


> Knowing you you'll come up with somthing



Hello Wully,
Normally the cold isn't a problem but last weekend Ann and myself were both under the weather a bit and the cold definitely took it's toll; in fact Ann didn't get up until dinnertime today so I think it might be time for an upgrade. Most of the restoration now is finished so there's only one or two little things needed to make it more comfortable. As I mentioned before, if you want to sit up and watch a DVD you really need to be fully dressed, preferably with a hat and scarf, in the van so, as you can imagine, this doesn't make for a comfortable night in. The other problem that I didn't mention is condensation and our little van suffers with it quite badly, so much so, the door at the back had ice all over it. If you want to get up during the night the cold just hits you. Now some would say we're getting soft and this may be true to a certain point but I think it would be nice that when Ann goes to bed she doesn't look like she's about to play a game of strip poker by the sheer amount of clothing she's wearing :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## Deleted member 9849 (Jan 30, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Fixed heating in your van and we're not talking two rings or the oven door open. So the question has to be, do you have it and, if so, do you use it? And the other burning question (pardon the pun) if you didn't have it fitted, would you? Last but not least, what, in your opinion, would be the best one to chose?
> Thank you, I look forward to the 'heated' discussion.......fire away.
> 
> Rae & Ann



I have the Truma blown air system,very warm and efficient but does take a lot of current from the battery when getting up to temperature,especially in winter.Once it does it ticks over at about 0.5A.It works well until the leisure battery gives up and then you have to have the oven on with the door open as I found out last weekend.In winter when wilding I think a convector gas fire that doesn't rely on battery power is a good idea.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 30, 2017)

Robmac said:


> After seeing Bazz's Truma 2400 at the weekend, I've decided to go for one of those Rae.



Hello Rob,
Gas or diesel.......for that is the question? As I don't have a lot of room under my seat I think gas could be not an option due purely down to the fact our gas bottle is only a four and a half and carrying a spare one is not really viable.

Rae & Ann


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## Wully (Jan 30, 2017)

You have to remember it's January and we're only 500 miles from Iceland. Think we're all getting a bit carried away with ourselves camping in January 20 year ago you would have got locked up for that but no us lot of bam pots we think coz it's a meet and there'll be other bam pots there that it's ok it's a disease I tell you a disease


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## n brown (Jan 30, 2017)

in my last van i had a webasto 3200, very warm and very noisy . when it went wrong i managed to fit a carver type floor flued  convector heater in a cupboard. just as warm, no noise, no 12v needed- lovely ! in this van i couldn't find room for it ,i was gutted, but the propex is fine


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

n brown said:


> ebers and webastos fetch good prices, i'm not so impressed by the second hand ones



Hello Nige,
I think we're on the same page with the second hand ones mentioned. The gas does look awfully easy to fit but, as I mentioned previously, I'm at a disadvantage with the gas bottle size.

Rae & Ann


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## n brown (Jan 31, 2017)

well stick a box on the back for a bigger bottle then . if i had to change my bottle every couple of days, i'd do it to keep warm !


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## n brown (Jan 31, 2017)

n brown said:


> well stick a box on the back for a bigger bottle then . if i had to change my bottle every couple of days, i'd do it to keep warm !


 last propex i fitted took about 2 hours if that


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

wakk44 said:


> you have to have the oven on with the door open as I found out last weekend



Hello Steve,
I did actually think about getting a large square of metal and sitting it on the gas ring; some say a brick will do the job just as well. There seem to be a lot of issues, whether it's with gas and the lack of size of the bottle I carry, leisure battery as I only carry one or just down to the lack of space. I think I've worked out the easiest answer, don't bother with a heater, wild camp in winter in a warmer climate :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Looser cruiser said:


> we think coz it's a meet and there'll be other bam pots there that it's ok it's a disease I tell you a disease



Hello Wully,
Well I've been doing it for quite some time now. For many years Ann and myself used to spend New Year's Eve wild camping in a layby above Moffat called the Devil's Beef Tub and I actually have photographs showing my poor old Bedford CF surrounded by snow. I think it's more down to just getting out in the van and sleeping outside........but being warm might make it a bit better.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

n brown said:


> but the propex is fine



Hello Nige,
I think at this moment buying a heater could be a bad thing and I might just sit on my hands until the warmer weather hits us.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

n brown said:


> well stick a box on the back for a bigger bottle then



Hello Nige,
I have contemplated cutting a hole in the floor and that way we could carry a much larger bottle. The other thing we have to take into consideration here is weight which I think you could appreciate; I must be nearly on my limit by now.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

n brown said:


> last propex i fitted took about 2 hours if that



Hello Nige,
Yeah but how many have you fitted? Let's put it into perspective here, you're last van conversion, how many days was it? My last van restoration, four months so I think it could take a tad longer :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## molly 2 (Jan 31, 2017)

If you can't carry enough gas eber is the way to go  .My truma 2400  used a 100 grams  an our on low, 200 grams on high  0.6 amp on low 1.2 on high ,£4  for 2  night's at buggy  (gasit ) on 24/7 100 amp battery no solar , 3 nights plus .


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## Deleted member 64209 (Jan 31, 2017)

*DON'T try this in your M/H. but it works for me...*

In my as yet poorly insulated stealth MWB PVC the electric blanket and a darn good quilt are essential. They take very little juice indeed and a life-saver climbing into a bed as warm / hot as you like. A single one in the centre of a large bed I find is enough. If things get really chilly then I use an antique unvented catalytic heater, wow superb radiant heat on low and again seems to nibble gas. Allegedly I should be dead by now due to fumes and lack of oxygen but as yet I am still here using such a thing in a confined space for 20 odd years. For instant radiant heat say when you're getting up on a freezing night I sometimes carry an old 800 watt quartz heater, it has 2 x 400 watt elements and only one works which is handy to keep consumption down, great for a quick bit of instant heat but too heavy on batteries for prolonged use...

Tea-lights of an evening can provide a surprising amount of heat and you can turn some lecky ones off saving battery power.  Using a point and read thermometer the temperature on the ceiling can be 10 or more degrees warmer than the floor or even at knee level.. So when I get a chance I'll wire up a small computer fan or two at eye level to blow the heat back downwards, they use minute amounts of lecky but should even out the heat a bit and possibly help keep condensation down... which can be a problem when it's below 5 degrees, so more insulation req'd.! 


Repeat, unvented gas appliances _should_ kill you in a confined space... so do not do as I do!


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## wildcampnewbie (Jan 31, 2017)

This works very well. I put it on in the morning whilst making a cuppa, I jump back into bed and by the time the kettle has boiled the van is toasty.

BRIGHT SPARK 2 KW STAINLESS STEEL HEATER ADAPTOR | eBay

The usual confined space warnings apply.


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## mistericeman (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Nige,
> I think we're on the same page with the second hand ones mentioned. The gas does look awfully easy to fit but, as I mentioned previously, I'm at a disadvantage with the gas bottle size.
> 
> Rae & Ann



I wouldn't touch a second hand eber with, a dirty stick unless it was cheaper than free. 
My brand new one was £575 for the full fitting kit down to the last nut and bolt (only extras I bought were exhaust/inlet silencers. 
very simple to fit AND comes with a full 3 year guarantee. 

Granted not cheap BUT makes a world of difference to comfort and year round usability.


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## 5andy (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> I think I've worked out the easiest answer, don't bother with a heater, wild camp in winter in a warmer climate :lol-049:



Does it for me Rae but even then it can get pretty cold at night. I would suggest Alde heating but I suspect you would prefer some room to actually sit in the van. Good luck with your search.
Sandy


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## Derekoak (Jan 31, 2017)

*Propex*

I have a smaller camper than you. Doblo high roof. I have a propex, not essential for 4 season use,down clothing does work but hard to wash down after you cooked with turmeric wearing down clothing for a week! If you do not have enough gas convert to lpg. No need for a 2nd bottle just fill up at lpg station when the gauge reads red. No problem abroad. You recoup your cost with about 13 fills  . I have 6kg bottle. winter use lasts me at least 3 weeks cooking every day. If that is too big get a 2.6 kg bottle will last 10 days or so. You can find filling stations on the Internet.  We had to come back to Ullapool from assynt was the most inconvenience we have had


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## clf86ha (Jan 31, 2017)

mistericeman said:


> Eberspacher d2 .....cheap to run,reliable,safe and runs on same fuel as the vehicle its fitted in ....was a no brainer for us .
> 
> Warm and cosy even over sub zero temps Xmas new year .



Ditto the above. no point in being cold when I can be cosy warm


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## caledonia (Jan 31, 2017)

I have a propex in my VW T5 and its noisy and 12v hungry. Usually use it in the mornings to take the chill off the air.


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## Beemer (Jan 31, 2017)

Currently have blown air heating which works really well.  set the temperature and it switches on and off accordingly.
Previous van had an Erbespacher, which was very efficient at heating the van, but was noisy and battery hungry on start up.
If I could choose a system(s) I would want a blown air Erbespacher system and a non blown air, wall mounted gas fire.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

molly 2 said:


> eber is the way to go



Hello Bazz,
Very interesting point. Gas seems to be a very good option but, unless I can fit a bigger bottle somewhere in my van, it would be impractical, diesel on the other hand I have an abundance of it and all that is required is to tap into the tank, somehow.

Rae & Ann


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## Derekoak (Jan 31, 2017)

*Propex*

Caledonia is right but what do you compare a propex to? An eberspatcher is definitely more 12 volt hungry as instead of a spark it needs a glow plug every time it ignites. Anything with a fan makes a noise and quiet is peace, still shivering in perfect peace may not be better. Propex and lpg! In a small camper nothing is better. If by 4 and a half you mean 4.5 kg then your bottle is big enough. Your problem is your hired bottle Is too much trouble to replace!


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

bedonwheels said:


> I use an antique unvented catalytic heater



We normally use one of these cheap heaters that you put a gas canister in and only run it for a short period until the van warms up. At the weekend we ran it slightly longer because of the cold and the carbon dioxide alarm went off and then spent the next 10 minutes trying to stop the beeping noise. During a conversation this morning my good lady informed me that she was not happy with this form of heating as she felt slightly unwell.........I will continue to use it but for only short periods now.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

wildcampnewbie said:


> This works very well.



I used to have a smaller version of something like this that used to sit on my petrol stove and it worked quite well.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

mistericeman said:


> I wouldn't touch a second hand eber with, a dirty stick unless it was cheaper than free.
> My brand new one was £575 for the full fitting kit down to the last nut and bolt (only extras I bought were exhaust/inlet silencers.
> very simple to fit AND comes with a full 3 year guarantee.
> 
> Granted not cheap BUT makes a world of difference to comfort and year round usability.



Yes, I have to confess the package you get from buying a new one is the only way to go. As you mentioned, getting all the bits makes a huge difference and the three year guarantee makes it very appealing.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

5andy said:


> I suspect you would prefer some room to actually sit in the van



Hello Sandy,
One advantage of standing up is it is hotter the nearer you get to the ceiling but I do think it's a tad drastic 

Rae & Ann


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## alwaysared (Jan 31, 2017)

My van is fitted with a Truma Combi 6 and although it seems a a bit temperamental at times it definitely puts out a lot of heat and the hot water is HOT! We used it in the Peak District last weekend and it kept us nice and warm despite the snow outside 

Regards,
Del


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

runnach said:


> is there space for a small woodburner



Hello Terry,
Started making a small one especially to fit in a van but, by the time we take into consideration the space required around it, I felt it was not viable; when you look inside our van there is very little free space.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> convert to lpg.



Hello Derek,
We ran our vehicles on LPG for quite some years but, living in Scotland, there was always a big problem filling up; especially on the west coast but certainly a refill system is a very good option due to the fact that you can top up a bottle as opposed to wait until it's run out and then replace.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

clf86ha said:


> Ditto the above. no point in being cold when I can be cosy warm



It's definitely the way forward.

Rae & Ann


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## campervanannie (Jan 31, 2017)

Rae as you know I bit the bullet and succumbed to a propex in my van this year and yes well worth it (thanks Mr B) and I don't think you need a bigger gas bottle judging by the gas I used at the Bugsworth meet on the propex website it tells you how many hours of use you get out of each size bottle.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

caledonia said:


> propex in my VW T5 and its noisy and 12v hungry



Just on those two things alone makes it unfavourable.

Rae & Ann


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## Acidclown33 (Jan 31, 2017)

I've got a newport dickinson propane p12000 heater, heats the van up a treat, uses about 0.02a to run the fan, and costs about £2.50/24hr in gas, doesn't make any noise, balanced flue so no danger of CO poisoning. I converted a 43 litre tank from a scap lpg car to run on vapour instead of liquid and mounted under my chassis so I can refill at autogas stations, it also supplies my cooker and shower, when its really cold I sometimes leave the heater on all day so I get back to a toasty warm van.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Beemer said:


> I would want a blown air Erbespacher system and a non blown air, wall mounted gas fire.



I would say that is a very good combination. Unfortunately, we have no spare wall to mount a heater to so it's going to have to be some form of blown air.

Rae & Ann


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## campervanannie (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Just on those two things alone makes it unfavourable.
> 
> Rae & Ann



Mine had very little impact on my batteries and according to the all knowing all seeing eye that is admin he assures me that the 12v usage is diddlysquat.


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## Deleted member 5816 (Jan 31, 2017)

We have had one van with  a Propex gas blown heating and 5 vans with Eberspacher D2 heaters on a small van such as yours with a limited gas bottle storage I think the best option is the D2.  A while ago I bought an extra exhaust silencer and have moved this on to every newer van last year I bought an intake air silencer both these do reduce the noise. On first starting it is prudent to start the Engine where possible this saves the high starting surge of the heater when running of a smaller battery with our Romahome Duo it did not take long to warm the vane eng with the roof up.
If you look about there are several earl offers on a complete D2 kits I would buy new a pump can set you back £150 so at least with New you have the guarantee. 

Alf


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> Your problem is your hired bottle Is too much trouble to replace!



Hello Derek,
You've probably hit the nail on the head there but that's the good thing about a forum, with everybody's input, I should be able to come to some compromise about fitting a heater.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

alwaysared said:


> the hot water is HOT!



Hello Del,
The only hot water required is for washing and making copious amounts of tea. The tap we have is for cold only and we don't have a fixed water tank but, having said that...........it would be nice to have facilities like yours.

Rae & Ann


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## Robmac (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Del,
> The only hot water required is for washing and making copious amounts of tea. The tap we have is for cold only and we don't have a fixed water tank but, having said that...........it would be nice to have facilities like yours.
> 
> Rae & Ann



I'll rig you up something at the next meet with a tealight and a watering can Rae.

You know I like to be of assistance.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

campervanannie said:


> I bit the bullet and succumbed to a propex.



Hello Annie,
We're definitely going for some form of heating. Ann and myself have not been well and last week, getting cold, has not helped. Having said that, the seven hour drive there and then back didn't help either. 

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Acidclown33 said:


> newport dickinson propane p12000 heater.



Thank you for bringing this model to my attention, it's not one I've heard of so I'm off to have a look as soon as I stop writing.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

campervanannie said:


> Mine had very little impact on my batteries and according to the all knowing all seeing eye that is admin he assures me that the 12v usage is diddlysquat.



Hello Annie,
The all knowing all seeing eye, I may have to have a conversation with the chap but he always seems to be preoccupied: perhaps I could pm him and make an appointment :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Alf said:


> D2 kits I would buy new



Hello Alf,
First of all, how are you doing, haven't heard from you for a while?
I don't think I would contemplate buying a second hand Eberspacher as it seems to be a false economy. You mentioned the pump, I was shocked at the price they are fetching so a 36 month warranty seems quite a good investment; which obviously you don't get when buying second hand.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> I'll rig you up something at the next meet with a tealight and a watering can Rae.
> 
> You know I like to be of assistance.



Not another makeshift appliance by Bob The Bench. I could make you a chair but you'd have to plug it in :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## Nesting Zombie (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Thank you for bringing this model to my attention, it's not one I've heard of so I'm off to have a look as soon as I stop writing.
> 
> Rae & Ann



ABSOLUTLY BRILLIANT little things,,Look up the 9000 model I loved it in a mates 32ft boat, A warning about the Fan though,,,Don't bother, FAR far to loud, Don't even connect it up.


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## Robmac (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Not another makeshift appliance by Bob The Bench. I could make you a chair but you'd have to plug it in :lol-049:
> 
> Rae & Ann



Old smoky eh Rae?

You could of course try the Origo;

Origo 5100 Heat Pal - TCS Chandlery Ltd


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> You could of course try the Origo



Hello Rob,
Nice piece of kit but I have to sidetrack a little here and ask should you not be working away on your van and not sitting on the computer mocking the heat challenged fellow Wild Campers, namely........me. Having said that, I only have one thing to say, when working I find music helps, may I make a small suggestion in this matter........Gene Pitney's Greatest Hits........if they haven't got that, anything by Elmer Fudd.......sorry mate, couldn't help myself.

Rae & Ann


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## Robmac (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Rob,
> Nice piece of kit but I have to sidetrack a little here and ask should you not be working away on your van and not sitting on the computer mocking the heat challenged fellow Wild Campers, namely........me. Having said that, I only have one thing to say, when working I find music helps, may I make a small suggestion in this matter........Gene Pitney's Greatest Hits........if they haven't got that, anything by Elmer Fudd.......sorry mate, couldn't help myself.
> 
> Rae & Ann



:mad1::mad1::mad2:

Never listening to that old fuddy duddy again now!

On the plus side, I have got a gas fitter coming tomorrow to price up all of the gas fittings in the van, (obviously including my Truma gas heater (with dual outlets doncha know)).

On the minus side, got to go to a funeral in a bit.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> in a mates 32ft boat



That might be a bit of overkill as the internal measurements of my van, including the kitchen and toilet area, is eight foot long. When sleeping me and the wife's feet have to enter the cab area.......but it all works well.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> Never listening to that old fuddy duddy again



Hello Rob,
Are you talking about me or Gene? :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## Robmac (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Rob,
> Are you talking about me or Gene? :lol-049:
> 
> Rae & Ann



You and Elmer Rae. I've forgiven Gene.

Have you looked at the Planar;

Air diesel heater Planar 2kW (12,24 V) for trucks, vans, caravans, boats, buses

Seem similar to Ebers, but cheaper. 

Anybody else tried one?


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## Nesting Zombie (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> That might be a bit of overkill as the internal measurements of my van, including the kitchen and toilet area, is eight foot long. When sleeping me and the wife's feet have to enter the cab area.......but it all works well.
> 
> Rae & Ann



Yeah, I suppose The Cabin area was about say 12ft x 7ft, The heater was constantly on itd Low setting with no fan, as this is truly noisy  , inevitably we was in n out the door as the Cider Poured. Must say the two of us spent 4 days n 3 nights aboard in November Going from Bath Marina to Glouster & never felt the cold at all. I was impressed.
I had the Tayler's Drip heater in my Boat, LOVED it & Miss it infact, Stupid expensive to buy, BUT Stupid Cheap & Silent To run. Needs NO power, Dead easy to fit, & Hot as hell in my 42ft boat. Would I have one in The Nest,,YEP, if they was cheaper.


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## Deleted member 5816 (Jan 31, 2017)

Hi Rae when we had the Duo we carried 2 very good Stainless steel flasks which we filled with boiling water each time we used hot water we refilled so as to have a supply of hot water for testing brewing or washing up etc. With a small van you need to have a good set routine.We had the Duo 3 years and enjoyed every minute of ownership small vans enable you to go places bigger vans cannot go.

Try David Butler Tecknik in Sturton by Stow near Gainsborough for a price cash on collection 

Alf





StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Alf,
> First of all, how are you doing, haven't heard from you for a while?
> I don't think I would contemplate buying a second hand Eberspacher as it seems to be a false economy. You mentioned the pump, I was shocked at the price they are fetching so a 36 month warranty seems quite a good investment; which obviously you don't get when buying second hand.
> 
> Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> Have you looked at the Planar?



Hello Rob,
No but I will do. I can honestly say I haven't a clue which way to go with this, there are so many fors and againsts I suppose what would be a good idea is to take another look under the van floor and see if I can extend where the gas bottle sits......that's one option or just go for the diesel and tap into the tank.

Rae & Ann


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## Nesting Zombie (Jan 31, 2017)

Alf said:


> Hi Rae when we had the Duo we carried 2 very good Stainless steel flasks which we filled with boiling water each time we used hot water we refilled so as to have a supply of hot water for testing brewing or washing up etc. With a small van you need to have a good set routine.We had the Duo 3 years and enjoyed every minute of ownership small vans enable you to go places bigger vans cannot go.
> 
> Try David Butler Tecknik in Sturton by Stow near Gainsborough for a price cash on collection
> 
> Alf



I STILL use a BIG SS Thermos flask to put the remainder of the Kettles Hot water in when making a Coffee, as I use this for Washing up, Having a wash as you say,


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> if they was cheaper.



This is the problem, I keep thinking to myself the warm weather is coming, in a few months time we'll be sitting outside, chilling our beers in the fridge, is it worth the outlay for one or two months?

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Alf said:


> Try David Butler Tecknik in Sturton by Stow near Gainsborough for a price cash on collection



Hello Alf,
Thank you for taking the time to post those details.

Rae & Ann


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## Derekoak (Jan 31, 2017)

*Propex*

Caledonia seems to have put you off propex but any diesel heater will definitely be more 12 volt hungry and in my opinion louder both just because the fuel is harder to burn. You seem to be put off lpg because you live on the west coast of Scotland and ran an lpg car. I can imagine needing to find lpg every couple of days when touring up there. As I said we had to retreat from Assynt to Ullapool once which showed lpg is not always on the doorstep. However Both camper van Annie and myself assure you that if you got lpg just for cooking and heating and a 6kg bottle not much bigger than your existing, you would need to fill every 3 weeks or month in winter. Even on the west coast that is not a big problem.


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## Robmac (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Rob,
> No but I will do. I can honestly say I haven't a clue which way to go with this, there are so many fors and againsts I suppose what would be a good idea is to take another look under the van floor and see if I can extend where the gas bottle sits......that's one option or just go for the diesel and tap into the tank.
> 
> Rae & Ann



I've changed my mind so many times on this Rae! Even ordered a Propex and then cancelled because I wasn't sure.

In your situation, I would go diesel and tap into the main tank. It's not a big job and fuel used is negligible.


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## Obanboy666 (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> I'm not familiar with the system you've got so please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm assuming it's some form of water heater, if this is the case, unfortunately it would not be suitable for our van as we have a very small two berth Citroen C15 coachbuilt.
> 
> Rae & Ann



Yes it's a  Truma combined water boiler / blown air heater. Most new vehicles have these or the Aldi wet system.
As you say probably not suitable for your vehicle due to space availability for the boiler and size of water tank required.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> I STILL use a BIG SS Thermos flask to put the remainder of the Kettles Hot water in when making a Coffee, as I use this for Washing up, Having a wash as you say,



We used to put the kettle on when we got in the van to warm it up and, like you say, we either used the hot water to fill hot water bottles or make tea.

Rae & Ann


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## Derekoak (Jan 31, 2017)

*Lpg*

I suppose the nearest lpg fill to your home makes a difference. If I was going to assynt now I would fill up 2 miles away and then I would be fine.


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## Robmac (Jan 31, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> I suppose the nearest lpg fill to your home makes a difference. If I was going to assynt now I would fill up 2 miles away and then I would be fine.



At the meet at Buxworth at the weekend, we were discussing LPG.

Apparently Morrisons services are not going to supply anymore.

I don't know if this is down to 'supply and demand', or if any more chains will follow suit, but it may be a consideration if the more expensive non refillable gas bottles are the only option?


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> you would need to fill every 3 weeks or month in winter.



Hello Derek,
As I mentioned in a previous post, I fully intend to be looking to see if I can cut a hole in the floor and drop a bigger bottle in. We have been looking at using the lightweight 6kg Propane bottle but we're not too sure on it's availability as, at one point, you couldn't get a refill......certainly not in Scotland.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> I would go diesel and tap into the main tank.



Hello Rob,
If you recommend it, then it's a definite no no :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## Robmac (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Rob,
> If you recommend it, then it's a definite no no :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:
> 
> Rae & Ann



And there was me gonna bring a spike and a mallet to Glasson Dock!


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## Nesting Zombie (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> At the meet at Buxworth at the weekend, we were discussing LPG.
> 
> Apparently Morrisons services are not going to supply anymore.
> 
> I don't know if this is down to 'supply and demand', or if any more chains will follow suit, but it may be a consideration if the more expensive non refillable gas bottles are the only option?



Yes, I must say, I Never have a problem getting on to the Gas refill point at a garage, Its always been vacant, I wonder if its seen as a viable stock item by the garage !.

Just to say, I carry BOTH, Gasit Plus & a 6KG standard Calor gas bottle, & swap over from my refillable if & When I run out, OR no re fill point is to hand.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> I suppose the nearest lpg fill to your home makes a difference.



Hello Derek,
Fortunately where we stay there are three LPG outlets but as you start going north they become a bit more scarce. Though the vehicle we use now is diesel our previous vehicles ran on LPG; which the last one did 16 miles to the gallon and a couple of times we have been nearly caught out as we would turn up at a station only to find no LPG so, at the end, we were phoning up the stations to find out if they had any in. Also another annoyance was the variation in price of LPG, certainly in some of the satellite villages the difference was astronomical.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> Apparently Morrisons services are not going to supply anymore.



Hello Rob,
Now you mention it I can't remember the last time I saw somebody filling up with LPG: certainly when we had ours you couldn't get anywhere near the pump but, if this is the case, refillable bottles will become the new wood burning stoves.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Robmac said:


> a spike and a mallet to Glasson Dock!



Hello Rob,
Great minds think alike but I was thinking more a stake and a mallet :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> I carry BOTH, Gasit Plus & a 6KG standard Calor gas bottle



I would imagine if these refillable bottles become hard to refill there's going to be a lot of..........not happy campers. I have no idea what the kit costs but I would imagine it not to be cheap.

Rae & Ann


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## molly 2 (Jan 31, 2017)

IF you fitted an eber  your gas bottle problems are  done , you  would also use your heating much more than 2 months a year  ,a heater makes a world of difference to your comfort and pleasure .


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

molly 2 said:


> IF you fitted an eber  your gas bottle problems are  done , you  would also use your heating much more than 2 months a year  ,a heater makes a world of difference to your comfort and pleasure .



Hello Bazz,
Totally agree.

Rae & Ann


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## Derekoak (Jan 31, 2017)

*Lpg*

With Lpg near you fill up before you go North if you are going for more than a fortnight plan a refill when the gauge reads amber. Internet shows many lpg places even in Scotland. if you are moving you are bound to pass near one or one and a spare in a week? There isn't the urgency of grinding to a halt if it is heating fuel that you are running out of. After a week searching (if it ever came to that) stop having the heating on until you get to a fill, so you can still cook. Even on the west coast you will be OK. If you go abroad I know Belgium France and Spain are fine.


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## Derekoak (Jan 31, 2017)

*Deisel*

Because of pollution and asthma I suspect there will be penalties to using diesel in the next 5 years. People will look for alternatives. lpg is not dead.


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## Acidclown33 (Jan 31, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> ABSOLUTLY BRILLIANT little things,,Look up the 9000 model I loved it in a mates 32ft boat, A warning about the Fan though,,,Don't bother, FAR far to loud, Don't even connect it up.



The fan which comes with the heater is a cheapo PC fan, I changed mine for a silent fan for about £3, virtually silent running now.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> Because of pollution and asthma I suspect there will be penalties to using diesel in the next 5 years. People will look for alternatives. lpg is not dead.



Hello Derek,
I have to agree with you and that is why the campervan that I am building now is using a petrol engine and not a diesel. I am in a fortunate position with the Rickman Rancher, I can fit a multitude of engines.

Rae & Ann


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## Nesting Zombie (Jan 31, 2017)

Acidclown33 said:


> The fan which comes with the heater is a cheapo PC fan, I changed mine for a silent fan for about £3, virtually silent running now.



OH Yes,, Now THAT would be a great improvement, & probably takes less power too !.
Have you got the 9000 model then ?.


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Acidclown33 said:


> I changed mine for a silent fan for about £3, virtually silent running now.



Picked up three fans to work in conjunction with my fridge......believe it or not, to take the hot air out of the van behind the fridge......I know.

Rae & Ann


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## Obanboy666 (Jan 31, 2017)

I pass my local Calor depot more or less weekly so pop in when needing a refill, it's always cheaper than local garages. Called in yesterday, no go, moving the refill station so closed until March.
Called in my local BP garage, recently refurbished, no longer have lpg.
i reckon there isn't much demand for lpg and when / if garages have a refurbishment they don't bother again lpg.
Fortunately there are 3 others within 10 miles of my home that still sell auto lpg.


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## Nesting Zombie (Jan 31, 2017)

Obanboy666 said:


> I pass my local Calor depot more or less weekly so pop in when needing a refill, it's always cheaper than local garages. Called in yesterday, no go, moving the refill station so closed until March.
> Called in my local BP garage, recently refurbished, no longer have lpg.
> i reckon there isn't much demand for lpg and when / if garages have a refurbishment they don't bother again lpg.
> Fortunately there are 3 others within 10 miles of my home that still sell auto lpg.



Yep, This together with the steady demise of the POI locations over the last Cpl of years, Sounds like the start of a down turn for the availability of re fill points then !.
Maybe, I will reverse my thinking & in time Have to use my Gasit Plus system as my Reserve & Not my Primary system LOL lol.


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## Acidclown33 (Jan 31, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> OH Yes,, Now THAT would be a great improvement, & probably takes less power too !.
> Have you got the 9000 model then ?.



I've got the p12000, I spoke to dickinson before I bought it, I asked about the Fan and they said they had updated the heater a couple of years ago to the new fan, perhaps your mates boat is the old model? It's a really simple thing though, just unscrew the bottom, remove the old fan, wire in the new one, done!


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## mistericeman (Jan 31, 2017)

Just incase anyone is interested the Eberspacher d2 i bought ...I got from these guys ...

Eberspacher Airtronic D2 Heater 801 12V Heater Kit - 36 Month Warranty | eBay

Great service and first class product


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## malagaoth (Jan 31, 2017)

Same as most people, gas/electric blown air, I do use it (I was in Orkney a couple of years back and the heating was on all day - it was JULY!) dont see any point in being cold.

I dont run the heating at night though  - wouldnt even consider running the gas whilst I was sleeping even though its supposed to be safe and even though I have a CO detector   no just wont do it!


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Obanboy666 said:


> when / if garages have a refurbishment they don't bother again lpg.



We have been caught out a couple of times by this, looked in the book, found a station that sells LPG only to find out, when you get there, they no longer sell it. Doesn't make for a very enjoyable trip.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Have to use my Gasit Plus system as my Reserve & Not my Primary system



That will be a sore one, especially after the outlay for the kit.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

mistericeman said:


> Just incase anyone is interested the Eberspacher d2 i bought ...I got from these guys ...
> 
> Eberspacher Airtronic D2 Heater 801 12V Heater Kit - 36 Month Warranty | eBay
> 
> Great service and first class product



Thank you for putting that link up, I'll have a look.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Jan 31, 2017)

malagaoth said:


> wouldnt even consider running the gas whilst I was sleeping even though its supposed to be safe and even though I have a CO detector   no just wont do it!



This is a very interesting point. For a long time Ann and myself would not use the fridge for the above reasons, nowadays we seem to have a bit more confidence in gas appliances but I can fully respect where you're coming from.

Rae & Ann


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## Nesting Zombie (Jan 31, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> That will be a sore one, especially after the outlay for the kit.
> 
> Rae & Ann



Well, I'm sure i will be able to still get refilled Somewhere No matter HOW thin refill points eventually get, & it Should always be cheaper, So it's just a case of Managing your on board Supplies as best you can, if I'm in an area of known available Refills, Then I will be using my Gasit system, if Not, Then maybe it's the Standard Calor Bottle that gets used for a while. Let's be fair,,22lt lasts me EASILY 4wks in Winter, & 6wks ish in Summer before I even get on to the 6kg Calor bottle giving me maybe another 2-3wks, So Should find somewhere I would hope during this time.
No,,I honestly don't worry about getting gas on my travels, Bound to be Somewhere or another...


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## eddyt (Jan 31, 2017)

hi
  theres a calor gas distributor near me dixons of westerhope they are
  stopping selling the gas out the pump. i think not enough use.


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## Derekoak (Feb 1, 2017)

*Lpg / petrol*

Street sleeper.  You probably know, if you get a petrol car that does say 40 mpg and convert to lpg how much mpg are you likely to get


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## Deleted member 9849 (Feb 1, 2017)

malagaoth said:


> Same as most people, gas/electric blown air, I do use it (I was in Orkney a couple of years back and the heating was on all day - it was JULY!) dont see any point in being cold.
> 
> *I dont run the heating at night though*  - wouldnt even consider running the gas whilst I was sleeping even though its supposed to be safe and even though I have a CO detector   no just wont do it!



Me too,even though it is probably being over cautious I wont run the gas heating overnight and I also have a carbon monoxide detector fitted.We have a 13.5 tog rating duck down duvet for winter use and no matter how cold it gets outside we snuggle up together,share our body heat and are always warm even in minus temperatures.

The painful bit is getting out of bed first thing in the morning to switch the heating on,unfortunately I sleep on the outside of the double,so it's my job.It's surprising how quickly I can move and jump back under the duvet in those temperatures.It doesn't take the Truma blown air long to warm the van up,about 15 minutes and then I will venture out from under the duvet to make the first cuppa of the day.


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## n brown (Feb 1, 2017)

wakk44 said:


> Me too,even though it is probably being over cautious I wont run the gas heating overnight and I also have a carbon monoxide detector fitted.We have a 13.5 tog rating duck down duvet for winter use and no matter how cold it gets outside we snuggle up together,share our body heat and are always warm even in minus temperatures.
> 
> The painful bit is getting out of bed first thing in the morning to switch the heating on,unfortunately I sleep on the outside of the double,so it's my job.It's surprising how quickly I can move and jump back under the duvet in those temperatures.It doesn't take the Truma blown air long to warm the van up,about 15 minutes and then I will venture out from under the duvet to make the first cuppa of the day.


move the switch nearer the bed


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 1, 2017)

wakk44 said:


> Me too,even though it is probably being over cautious I wont run the gas heating overnight and I also have a carbon monoxide detector fitted.We have a 13.5 tog rating duck down duvet for winter use and no matter how cold it gets outside we snuggle up together,share our body heat and are always warm even in minus temperatures.
> 
> The painful bit is getting out of bed first thing in the morning to switch the heating on,unfortunately I sleep on the outside of the double,so it's my job.It's surprising how quickly I can move and jump back under the duvet in those temperatures.It doesn't take the Truma blown air long to warm the van up,about 15 minutes and then I will venture out from under the duvet to make the first cuppa of the day.



It truly does Depend on WHAT Heater you have, HOW its installed & the size of your on board Fuel supply. 
I HAVE run my heating on its very lowest setting all night on a few occasions, It only burns just over a LTR of gas to maintain a good internal temperature of say +16 degrees C, For around the 60 -80p mark MAX to stay Warm n Toasty when its Minus silly socks or more outside. if you have a well installed heater, Good Co Readings from your last Habitation check, With Checked on board Co & Fire alarms fitted, & a bit of Both High & Low level Ventilation then all should be good leaving the heat on as often & for as long as you wish. Remember,,,Co Doesn't know if its Night OR Day, So Taking the above into account it follows that if its safe for you to have on for extended periods During the Day, Then its going to be the same at night !.


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> No,,I honestly don't worry about getting gas on my travels



The only problem we had is the vehicles we ran only ran on LPG and only covered 200-250 miles which, you can appreciate, isn't a great distance.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

eddyt said:


> hi
> theres a calor gas distributor near me dixons of westerhope they are
> stopping selling the gas out the pump. i think not enough use.



Hello Eddy,
I find it a bit of a regional thing. When we're down south, especially London area, quite a few LPG stations and quite expensive; I've always put this down to people running large petrol engines and the stringent laws of taking diesels inside the M25.

Rae & Ann


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## Nesting Zombie (Feb 1, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> The only problem we had is the vehicles we ran only ran on LPG and only covered 200-250 miles which, you can appreciate, isn't a great distance.
> 
> Rae & Ann



If you mean that the Main Vehicle engine only ran on LPG @ a MAX 250 mile range ! Then Oh my word yes,,Totally different,,Blinking Hell,,,
I wouldn't have been at ease at all !. It would CONSTANTLY be a worry.

How did you cope ?.
& Was the savings worth the worry ?.

Brave move though !


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

Derekoak said:


> Street sleeper.  You probably know, if you get a petrol car that does say 40 mpg and convert to lpg how much mpg are you likely to get



Hello Derek,
Unfortunately never did a fuel consumption test on petrol. With LPG being half the price and the Pinto engine doing 16-18 to the gallon on LPG the thought of running it on petrol never entered the equation. In fact, thinking about it now, the only time I ran it on petrol was bringing it home after I bought it.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

wakk44 said:


> venture out from under the duvet to make the first cuppa of the day.



Hello Steve,
When I had my Bedford I could lean out the bed and turn the gas ring on without leaving the bed........a lot of thought went into that design :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

n brown said:


> move the switch nearer the bed



Hello Nige,
I rest my case.

Rae & Ann


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## mistericeman (Feb 1, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> Hello Steve,
> When I had my Bedford I could lean out the bed and turn the gas ring on without leaving the bed........a lot of thought went into that design :lol-049:
> 
> Rae & Ann




Even more thought over here .....Eberspacher stays on all night ...and kettle can be switched on via app on my phone ;-)


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Co Doesn't know if its Night OR Day, So Taking the above into account it follows that if its safe for you to have on for extended periods During the Day, Then its going to be the same at night !.



I agree with all of the above, the only difference being I try not to sleep during the day and sleep through the night so if there was a problem during the day I would probably do something about it as opposed to night time when I would sleep through it.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Was the savings worth the worry ?



Yes. In those days we were covering 15,000+ miles in a year in a 1973 Bedford CF with a 2.3 slant.......burnt the exhaust valves out in 10,000 miles and had to get upgraded valves and seats fitted......twice over it's life with us.

Rae & Ann


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

mistericeman said:


> Even more thought over here .....Eberspacher stays on all night ...and kettle can be switched on via app on my phone ;-)



That's better than kicking the wife out the bed.........sorry dear, only joking :lol-049:

Rae & Ann


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## mistericeman (Feb 1, 2017)

StreetSleeper said:


> That's better than kicking the wife out the bed.........sorry dear, only joking :lol-049:
> 
> Rae & Ann




Sadly my Android app doesnt work with the "other half" (Trust me i tried ) ....


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## StreetSleeper (Feb 1, 2017)

mistericeman said:


> Sadly my Android app doesnt work with the "other half" (Trust me i tried ) ....



Sadly my Ann app doesn't work either :lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:.........going to hell for that one.

Rae & Ann


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