# Heating your van when not in use



## gateshead887 (Dec 8, 2016)

Hi,was just woundering how many people leave a heater running in their van when its parked up on their drive in the winter,and what kind of heater.
I was thinking of leaving the van connected to the mains & leaving an oil filled radiator(800w) plugged in on a low setting,,, just to stop the dampness,what would it cost to run?:newhere:
cheers,Kev.


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## The laird (Dec 8, 2016)

I leave all cupboards etc open and have a small oil filled radiator that's thermostatically controlled and find this is sufficient ,also external silvers on.


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## 1807truckman (Dec 8, 2016)

I leave ours on the drive with electric connected to a timer and a small fan heater in the motorhome, timer comes on at 10:00pm and goes off at 6:00am heater is set at 1 which is 1kw, just keps the chill and damp away.

Graham


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## 2cv (Dec 8, 2016)

I leave a 1kw fan heater set to prevent the temperature getting below about 3*c. Most of the time it therefore is not running, just cutting in occasionally on very cold nights. When it does run I feel it is a good investment to prevent potential frost damage. I do of course drain as well, just belt and braces. I find that my van remains dry inside even when the heater has not run for weeks.


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## Obanboy666 (Dec 8, 2016)

The laird said:


> I leave all cupboards etc open and have a small oil filled radiator that's thermostatically controlled and find this is sufficient ,also external silvers on.



Same here but away more or less every week for a couple of nights so most of the time don't bother. I also leave the doors and windows open if the weather is dry, parked up next to house behind 7' drive gates and the dog usually sleeps in it during the day so no worries about any scumbags attempting to steal anything.


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## ScamperVan (Dec 8, 2016)

No, we don't. The boiler will have dumped it's water but we haven't yet drained down the system. Went into it a couple of nights ago and thought "brass monkeys" so zapped the mono detector which also shows temp, and it was 3 deg C inside.
We use ours every couple of weeks so I give it a heating/airing blast before we go if it's been cold and damp. Otherwise it sits on the drive on EHU.


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## witzend (Dec 8, 2016)

Night storage heater in van when not in use wired to Econ 7 circuit


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## ScamperVan (Dec 8, 2016)

We've done the 800w oil filled radiator thing in the past but it didn't seem that effective...

On the back of a recent discussion about condensation/silver screens I was curious as to how much dampness was lurking in our mh. I stuck our "large house" sized dehumidifier in it for over 24 hours and very little moisture was collected - I was surprised as I expected if not from the interior, that moisture from outside would be sucked in.


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## wildman (Dec 8, 2016)

everyone please do be aware that leaving any heating appliance on in an unattended van will invalidate your insurance in the event of a fire.


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## Deleted member 9849 (Dec 8, 2016)

ScamperVan said:


> We've done the 800w oil filled radiator thing in the past but it didn't seem that effective.......................
> 
> .



+1
I drain it down,open all taps,shower head in position.Water pump fuse removed(micro switch system),overcab bed lowered and all internal doors open to improve ventilation.I have done this for 4 years in some very cold temperatures and never had a problem with damp in the motorhome.
I don't think it's necessary to have a heater in the van over the winter,how many vans on dealer's forecourts have some form of heating on?


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## vindiboy (Dec 8, 2016)

gateshead887 said:


> Hi,was just woundering how many people leave a heater running in their van when its parked up on their drive in the winter,and what kind of heater.
> I was thinking of leaving the van connected to the mains & leaving an oil filled radiator(800w) plugged in on a low setting,,, just to stop the dampness,what would it cost to run?:newhere:
> cheers,Kev.


  That is exactly what I do, and am doing just now , mine is set just above the  frost setting no idea what the cost of running the heater is however but it can't be a lot I think.


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## portiapug (Dec 8, 2016)

If you are leaving the van hooked up 24/7 then your batteries are being charged as well. I don't like that idea myself but everyone is different.


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## trevskoda (Dec 8, 2016)

A oil filled rad is not effective ,a convector which will dry air is better by a long shot.
Small one on ebay 450w which will cost about 9p hr constant run but a timer would reduce 24hr cost.
I have one which can be wall fixed mounted at floor level in a open space,they do work well.
Ebay no 301359646892 £11.49.


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## 2cv (Dec 8, 2016)

wildman said:


> everyone please do be aware that leaving any heating appliance on in an unattended van will invalidate your insurance in the event of a fire.



I have read through my entire insurance terms and conditions and can find no reference to this being the case, do you have a reference to confirm that this is in fact the case?


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## oppy (Dec 8, 2016)

We have an old greenhouse heater with a frost guard setting stuck in the middle of the van, and providing I remember to plug the van into the mains, it seems to work-----------------I think


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## Jimhunterj4 (Dec 8, 2016)

Oil filled radiator left on and cupboards left open


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## trevskoda (Dec 8, 2016)

oppy said:


> We have an old greenhouse heater with a frost guard setting stuck in the middle of the van, and providing I remember to plug the van into the mains, it seems to work-----------------I think



It will but not as effective as a convector which dries moisture from air,remember your science classes at school .


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## IanH (Dec 8, 2016)

Small, dessicant, electric dehumidifier is a much better way.
Set to continuous drain, humidistat set to circa 40%RH. All electrical energy (circa 200w) is recovered as heat inside the MH, so is the same as a 200w heater but also removes all moisture down to 40%RH
Google Meaco 10L Dehumidifier. 
You could use it in the house 1 week, MH the next etc etc.


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## trevskoda (Dec 8, 2016)

IanH said:


> Small, dessicant, electric dehumidifier is a much better way.
> Set to continuous drain, humidistat set to circa 40%RH. All electrical energy (circa 200w) is recovered as heat inside the MH, so is the same as a 200w heater but also removes all moisture down to 40%RH
> Google Meaco 10L Dehumidifier.
> You could use it in the house 1 week, MH the next etc etc.



Unless you can seal the van you will be drying out the british isles.
But yes they do work and i have one but must try it in van,ta.


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## IanH (Dec 8, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> A oil filled rad is not effective ,a convector which will dry air is better by a long shot.
> Small one on ebay 450w which will cost about 9p hr constant run but a timer would reduce 24hr cost.
> I have one which can be wall fixed mounted at floor level in a open space,they do work well.
> Ebay no 301359646892 £11.49.



Sorry to be picky, Trev, but how does a convector heater DRY the air??


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## IanH (Dec 8, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Unless you can seal the van you will be drying out the british isles.
> But yes they do work and i have one but must try it in van,ta.



That's where the humidistat comes in


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## IanH (Dec 8, 2016)

ScamperVan said:


> We've done the 800w oil filled radiator thing in the past but it didn't seem that effective...
> 
> On the back of a recent discussion about condensation/silver screens I was curious as to how much dampness was lurking in our mh. I stuck our "large house" sized dehumidifier in it for over 24 hours and very little moisture was collected - I was surprised as I expected if not from the interior, that moisture from outside would be sucked in.



Surprising, but perhaps not!
The output of a dehumidifier ESPECIALLY if its a compressor type, is totally dependent on the ambient temperature it is working in. Most are designed to be at their best at 30c, I am certain that is not the case in your otherwise unheated MH.

Our dessicant one, at circa 10c, took 1.5 or so pints, out of ours in just 8 hrs the other day. ZERO the next, same ambient temp.


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## yorkieowl (Dec 8, 2016)

Never bothered with heating van when not in use, just drain tanks, turn off pump, open taps,  cupboards, and use electric blanket on bed when ready to re use, never had a problem in 9 years.


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## trevskoda (Dec 8, 2016)

IanH said:


> Sorry to be picky, Trev, but how does a convector heater DRY the air??



Very simple ,as the wet air goes up over the red hot element the water is evaporated of,but you must have a vent on roof open or it will condense and return into van,hope this clears it up.


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## wildman (Dec 8, 2016)

2cv said:


> I have read through my entire insurance terms and conditions and can find no reference to this being the case, do you have a reference to confirm that this is in fact the case?


there was a fire and when the owner claimed the insurance company claimed the van had been "modified by adding a heater, There was actually a big fuss at the time because it was caused by an oil filled radiator that caught fire. It was some years ago and on another forum that I read it. But it is better to check with your insurance company anyway.


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## IanH (Dec 8, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Very simple ,as the wet air goes up over the red hot element the water is evaporated of,but you must have a vent on roof open or it will condense and return into van,hope this clears it up.



Understood!

So its OK for you to heat the planet, but not for me to slightly dry it!!!!!!!:mad1:


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## oppy (Dec 8, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> It will but not as effective as a convector which dries moisture from air,remember your science classes at school .



Er no !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Robmac (Dec 8, 2016)

IanH said:


> Understood!
> 
> So its OK for you to heat the planet, but not for me to slightly dry it!!!!!!!:mad1:



Darn straight!

Every time you switch it on, some poor bloke in Australia is watching his waterhole disappear.


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## trevskoda (Dec 8, 2016)

IanH said:


> Understood!
> 
> So its OK for you to heat the planet, but not for me to slightly dry it!!!!!!!:mad1:



Very true but looking at it that way there is not much that we dont do that heats the planet ,fridges coal fires ,burning f/fuel,even having a richard the thurd.:wave:


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## Fletch6 (Dec 8, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> Very simple ,as the wet air goes up over the red hot element the water is evaporated of,but you must have a vent on roof open or it will condense and return into van,hope this clears it up.



"Wet air" so the water is already evaporated. Warm air can hold more water vapour, is that what you mean? 
I put an oil filled radiator in the van for the first month when we get back to encourage evaporation. After that the temperature inside doesn't make any difference.


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## Bikeralw (Dec 8, 2016)

I'm also in the 'no heating in the van when not in use' camp. Just a waste of time and money in my opinion. As others have said, drain down, open all cupboards, move soft furnishings away from cold walls and leave the van at the temperature of it's surroundings. Battery charging is taken care of by an 85 watt solar panel and battery master. 
The one and only time I've had damp in the van was the winter I covered it in an expensive bespoke cover, breathable it said, my ar*e...! It went on ebay the following spring.. 
Al.


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## trevskoda (Dec 9, 2016)

Fletch6 said:


> "Wet air" so the water is already evaporated. Warm air can hold more water vapour, is that what you mean?
> I put an oil filled radiator in the van for the first month when we get back to encourage evaporation. After that the temperature inside doesn't make any difference.



The moisture is in soft parts of van ,its a red hot element witch air/water will pass up and over will evaporate it quicker than a warmish rad surface,but you must open a top or roof vent,mine has one in the loo.
A 1000w costs about 19p an hour so a 450w heater on a time clock 50/50 on off will be just under 1.20 for 12hrs x by 7 for a weeks running.


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## Geraldine (Dec 9, 2016)

I take Gerealdine ( our van ) out weekly and have moisture captures. Roll on March.

David


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## royh28 (Dec 9, 2016)

*Van heating*

During a recent cold spell, having drained down all water, I left the gas fire pilot light on overnight with silverscreen on front window. Minus 7 outside overnight, plus 2 in MH. no condensation on windows. Don't know the cost or how effective in the long term but it worked and could be driven away without scraping ice off the windows in the morning. 

Enjoy, from Pauline and Roy.


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## Beemer (Dec 9, 2016)

Never arranged van heating when not in use.
I have perhaps been lucky, but even when I had icicles hanging out of the taps on my Autocruise (not really winterised), which we owned for 2.5 years, I had no problems with the water system after thawing (maybe plastic pipes helped).
My current m/h is a Eura Mobil, it gets used at least every 4 weeks, and I do not drain any of the water, heat it or open cupboards.  I always leave fresh water in the holding tank between trips, but it gets drained out before we go away each time.
Having said that, if I am aware of a particularly freezing spell coming, I would drain and open all taps.   better safe than sorry.


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 9, 2016)

royh28 said:


> During a recent cold spell, having drained down all water, I left the gas fire pilot light on overnight with silverscreen on front window. Minus 7 outside overnight, plus 2 in MH. no condensation on windows. Don't know the cost or how effective in the long term but it worked and could be driven away without scraping ice off the windows in the morning.
> 
> Enjoy, from Pauline and Roy.



Hi ya,
This is genuinely interesting to me, I think it was at the beginning of the week when we had a Cpl of nights at around the -6/-8 mark, I had my gas fire on the lowest it would go and it was WAY to hot for me inside to, So during the ritual night time toilet visit I turned it off. BLOODY FREEZING in the morning LOL LOL.
I didn't even think about just leaving the pilot light on !. But what I DID notice for the very first time since fitting my internal screens and using then since March was that the windows was absolutely RUNNING with condensation !. So much so that I had to mop the floor pan area.
I will actually have a go at just keeping the pilot light on for a night.


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## Robmac (Dec 9, 2016)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Hi ya,
> This is genuinely interesting to me, I think it was at the beginning of the week when we had a Cpl of nights at around the -6/-8 mark, I had my gas fire on the lowest it would go and it was WAY to hot for me inside to, So during the ritual night time toilet visit I turned it off. BLOODY FREEZING in the morning LOL LOL.
> I didn't even think about just leaving the pilot light on !. But what I DID notice for the very first time since fitting my internal screens and using then since March was that the windows was absolutely RUNNING with condensation !. So much so that I had to mop the floor pan area.
> I will actually have a go at just keeping the pilot light on for a night.



Would a 10 hour tealight have the same effect?

They are cheap as chips.


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## Obanboy666 (Dec 9, 2016)

Geraldine said:


> I take Gerealdine ( our van ) out weekly and have moisture captures. Roll on March.
> 
> David



Roll on March ?
Keep using it throughout the year, I do.


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 9, 2016)

Robmac said:


> Would a 10 hour tealight have the same effect?
> 
> They are cheap as chips.



Yeah, Your Spot on, I use up to 9 of the 10 Hr Tea lights in my Evening Light holder to add warmth & Help Dry my washing on a regular basis, They work a treat.
Dropbox - IMAG1769.jpg
I have put a Metal floor in my Shower cubicle
Dropbox - IMAG1779.jpg
& added Drying Racks above, & ofcourse it's got a 
Vented roof hatch.
Dropbox - IMAG1805_1.jpg
But my Shower cubicle is at the Extreme Rear Left of The Nest, In my Permanent Bedroom area, So 
any heat is up & out the top really. and of course is never left unattended.
Where's my Gas fire is in a more central area.


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## ChrisInNotts (Dec 9, 2016)

IanH said:


> Small, dessicant, electric dehumidifier is a much better way.
> Set to continuous drain, humidistat set to circa 40%RH. All electrical energy (circa 200w) is recovered as heat inside the MH, so is the same as a 200w heater but also removes all moisture down to 40%RH
> Google Meaco 10L Dehumidifier.
> You could use it in the house 1 week, MH the next etc etc.



This is exactly what we use and I think these things are brilliant.  I power the van twice a week for 8 hours on a time switch and the humidity in the van stays nicely low versus the outside (the Meaco remembers what you set it to).

Keith


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## Lee (Dec 9, 2016)

Nesting Zombie said:


> Hi ya,
> This is genuinely interesting to me, I think it was at the beginning of the week when we had a Cpl of nights at around the -6/-8 mark, I had my gas fire on the lowest it would go and it was WAY to hot for me inside to, So during the ritual night time toilet visit I turned it off. BLOODY FREEZING in the morning LOL LOL.
> I didn't even think about just leaving the pilot light on !. But what I DID notice for the very first time since fitting my internal screens and using then since March was that the windows was absolutely RUNNING with condensation !. So much so that I had to mop the floor pan area.
> I will actually have a go at just keeping the pilot light on for a night.



If you have one I would suggest you might put a dehumidifier in the van, if not it I would try some of the crystal ones.


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## Robmac (Dec 9, 2016)

LeeLinda said:


> If you have one I would suggest you might put a dehumidifier in the van, if not it I would try some of the crystal ones.



I'm not sure that would suit the Zombie as he lives in his van. They can give you a terrible sore throat if you have one on whilst you are sleeping.


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 9, 2016)

Yes, And the Power drain of around the 2000w that would be required (approx. 10hrs) to use the DE humidifier !.
I actually had one on my boat and it was brilliant, kept it going for 15hrs most nights NO problem, Amazed at BOTH the amount of water it drained & the warmth it gave out. But my boat had Oodles of power reserves so wasn't an issue, Not so lucky on The Nest.


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## Lee (Dec 9, 2016)

Robmac said:


> I'm not sure that would suit the Zombie as he lives in his van. They can give you a terrible sore throat if you have one on whilst you are sleeping.



I see that now, I missed the fact that it was Zombie's post I was replying to, of course an electrical one will be of no use but the crystal ones may still be okay.

The other thing, which I assume he has thought of is to maintain a small amount of ventilation.

Probably telling him how to suck eggs!!!


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## Byronic (Dec 9, 2016)

If you've have solar panels there may be sufficient energy to continuously run a 12v computer cooling fan (£6) suspended from the ceiling, and leave an exterior vent or 2 open so as to have a constant airflow through the van, obviously leaving cupboard doors etc open will help.


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## trixie88 (Dec 9, 2016)

i use a small dehumidifier every now and again.......and if its really damp outside for a long period,  take cushions etc indoors.


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## trevskoda (Dec 9, 2016)

I had mine out today,THE VAN and give her a we run to keep brakes free and splash some oil around g/box,plenty of heat from van heater got her up to 19.5c and she is as dry as a bone.:dance:


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## trixie88 (Dec 9, 2016)

trixie88 said:


> i use a small dehumidifier every now and again.......and if its really damp outside for a long period,  take cushions etc indoors.



OH SORRY, just read post which says its n.zombie who lives in his van.    useless post mine was then  EH????


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 9, 2016)

trixie88 said:


> OH SORRY, just read post which says its n.zombie who lives in his van.    useless post mine was then  EH????



Certainly NOT a useless post, as the thread is about 'when not I use', 
& taking the Soft furnishings out if possible is a great idea.


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## Campercaillie (Dec 9, 2016)

Bikeralw said:


> I'm also in the 'no heating in the van when not in use' camp.....



Another one here!  Our van stays parked up over winter - No heat whatsoever, despite temperatures that get down regularly to minus double figures. Open it up in Spring, fresh as a daisy!!


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## elfish (Dec 10, 2016)

I'm just using mine as a run-a-round until my new one's ready. I keep the truma heating/hot water on the lowest setting - just ticking along - so that my water doesn't dump & pipes don't freeze. 

I don't trust the weather reports so it's reassuring more than anything. 

X


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## IanH (Dec 10, 2016)

*Dehumidifiers*



hairydog said:


> The reason it didn't collect much is that domestic dehumidifiers dont work properly if used in cool conditions. Either heat the van to 20c or use a dessicant dehumidifier and you'll probably see a different result.



Lets clear away a lot of misunderstanding here.

If you want to dry out the inside of a MH, using electricity, there are only 2 options.

You can run a small electric heater, the type is irrelevant as ALL give off heat, but oil filled are far and away the safest. They work in 2 ways. They heat the air and warm air holds much more moisture than cold air. As warm air also rises, then it needs a high up outlet to escape from, otherwise all that will happen is that the MH will be filled with warm moist air with no where to go, so some high level ventilation is vital

You can use a dehumidifer. BEWARE though, there are 2 main types, compressor and desiccant. The compressor ones usually have a RATED output of x litres per day. The RATED output is usually based on 30c and 85%relative humidity, so if you live in Hong Kong or similar, then this is the one for you! At our temps of 5 to 10c, say, the output will be very small, BUT they'll consume the same amount of electricity as the one in Hong Kong!

A desiccant (google MEACO, as one example) works in a very different way. A solid disc of desiccant is slowly rotated and a fan blows air over it. The desiccant absorbs the water in the air. At the lowest point of its rotation, the desiccant is heated and releases the water into a tank or hose. These work at much lower temps than the others. There is a great side effect though, we now need no ventilation as all of the water is released into the tank, not to the outside. All of the electrical energy used is given off as heat so the air in the MH is also being heated slightly which improves the recovery of the water from it! Win Win

Ours uses 300w and dehumidifies a 4 bed large house, we take 4 to 5 ltrs a day out of it. In the Mh it does about 1 to 1.5 litre a day in about 8hrs. Then the HUMIDISTAT senses the lack of moisture and switches it off.

So, in a nut shell, these are the only 2 practical options.

Should you be tempted with gas options, do remember that a litre of gas gives off a litre of water when burned!!


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## trevskoda (Dec 10, 2016)

hairydog said:


> Simply not the case. There is no difference between an oil filled radiator and a convector heater. Both use electric heating elements to warm the air. They do not dry anything; they just warm it, which makes it appear drier - but it isn't. To dry, you need heat AND ventilation.
> The running cost is the same for all electric heaters, no matter what rubbish the marketing tells you. They are all 100% efficient, no more, no less. However a thermostat will save a lot of unnecessary heating and so a lot of money.



A heater with a red hot element will take air with water in it well over boiling point as it passes element which in turn will steam of and rise,a oil filled rad will never do this.
I have no probs anyway as my van never sits more than a day or two so dont give a fiddlers fart.:wave:


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## trevskoda (Dec 10, 2016)

QUOTE=hairydog;768519]If you don't care, why post incorrect stuff about it? 

Even if convector heaters has red hot elements (they don't) they would not do what you suggest. Like all other electric heaters, the current flowing through the resistance causes heat, which is all transferred to the surroundings, mostly by convection currents in the air..[/QUOTE]

Well my we element heater 450w has element which glows bright red so would think well over 99c but only used a few days when i was changing back axle and it worked a treat compared to my oil rad which was 800w,so i will stick with my theory even if you think i was incorrect to post so i will apologize as i have no science deg.
When i said i did not care i was ref to my van not others,sorry for any confusion.:bow:


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## trevskoda (Dec 10, 2016)

trevskoda said:


> QUOTE=hairydog;768519]If you don't care, why post incorrect stuff about it?
> 
> Even if convector heaters has red hot elements (they don't) they would not do what you suggest. Like all other electric heaters, the current flowing through the resistance causes heat, which is all transferred to the surroundings, mostly by convection currents in the air..



Well my we element heater 450w has element which glows bright red so would think well over 99c but only used a few days when i was changing back axle and it worked a treat compared to my oil rad which was 800w,so i will stick with my theory even if you think i was incorrect to post so i will apologize as i have no science deg.
When i said i did not care i was ref to my van not others,sorry for any confusion.:bow:[/QUOTE]


Now heres why it works ,both types of heater say 500w give the same heat in van but the big oil rad has the heat spread over a large surface so will not evaporate any moisture in air where as the little wire wound element in a convector will heat air around it to a very high temp so as to vapor of any moisture held in the air,but you must vent van,anyway having a big mug of coffee with a dollop of drinking chocy in it slurp slurp.:lol-053:


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## Johnnygm7lsi (Dec 11, 2016)

hairydog said:


> No it won't. Unless there is such a clause in the insurance policy (I've. never seen one like that) in which case you need a different insurer.



When I have got insurance quotes, insurance companies always ask if your vehicle has been modified, they can use it as a get out clause, I could guarantee that everyone on this forum has modified their van in some way or another, if I told them about all the modifications I have done the phone bill would have been more than the insurance. Strange thing is, every motorhome/camper has been modified, I told that to the girl that was giving me quotes, she wanted me to contact Adria to find out the original price of the vehicle and the price of the vehicle after the modifications were done, I told her I had already asked (Which I hadn't,  and new what Adria`s answer would have been) and they didn`t have those figures, off she went to ask and came back and said thats ok.


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## trevskoda (Dec 11, 2016)

hairydog said:


> No, that's simply incorrect. If the small hot element did evaporate water as you describe (it doesn't but explaining why not is really too technical to explain here), it would condense out again just a few seconds later as the air cooled again.
> 
> Oil filled radiators are safer if left unattended because they have less risk of overheating, and they give a more even heat (the on/off cycles are masked by the mass of the radiator) but for warming the air, they work almost identically. Warming the air increases its ability to hold water so it will draw moisture from its surroundings.
> 
> ...



I do agree that a fan heater works as i used one in the first year of build,yes more dangerous than a rad,but about 20 years back i had a oil filled rad in work shop which went on fire at the stat ,lucky i was standing beside it.


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## Fletch6 (Dec 11, 2016)

Trev, water that is in the air IS already water vapour, it cannot evaporate again. It can only evaporate or boil when it's in its liquid state.


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## hextal (Dec 11, 2016)

Johnnygm7lsi said:


> When I have got insurance quotes, insurance companies always ask if your vehicle has been modified, they can use it as a get out clause, I could guarantee that everyone on this forum has modified their van in some way or another, if I told them about all the modifications I have done the phone bill would have been more than the insurance. Strange thing is, every motorhome/camper has been modified, I told that to the girl that was giving me quotes, she wanted me to contact Adria to find out the original price of the vehicle and the price of the vehicle after the modifications were done, I told her I had already asked (Which I hadn't,  and new what Adria`s answer would have been) and they didn`t have those figures, off she went to ask and came back and said thats ok.



Had a fun conversation with an insurer a few years back, bearing in mind she knew it was a self build van conversion.

"Has the vehicle been modified in any way?"
"Yes, comprehensively, it was a panel van and now it's a campervan"
"I understand that sir, but has it been modified?"
"Er, yes, totally modified, holes cut in it, solar panels added, gas, electric, furniture"
"Yes sir, I understand that, but I'm asking if it's been modified?"
"Er, I think I'll try somewhere else"


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## molly 2 (Dec 11, 2016)

wildman said:


> everyone please do be aware that leaving any heating appliance on in an unattended van will invalidate your insurance in the event of a fire.


that's a good point, dose that mean if you leave your heating on when using the van even  on a site you are not covered ,going out for a meal or a walk . ???


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## Gaspard (Dec 11, 2016)

Well . I am a little perplexed.
I have read through this entire thread and no one seems to EHU and use the vans heating system.  Why is it always separate heating ?
We just plug in outside the house and leave him be til we need him.  We are winter travellers though and the van was designed for winter use which may be the bit I am missing.
Can someone shed light ?


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## maingate (Dec 11, 2016)

Gaspard said:


> Well . I am a little perplexed.
> I have read through this entire thread and no one seems to EHU and use the vans heating system.  Why is it always separate heating ?
> We just plug in outside the house and leave him be til we need him.  We are winter travellers though and the van was designed for winter use which may be the bit I am missing.
> Can someone shed light ?



If a Fan heater or Oil filled radiator fails, it costs you £20 to buy a new one.

If you use your Truma or Alde heating constantly, it costs a hell of a lot more to replace or repair.


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## Gaspard (Dec 11, 2016)

***** said:


> Maybe it is because the water system is drained. or maybe because we don't want to wear out expensive van equipment.



Lots of maybes there. Not much light shed.


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## Gaspard (Dec 11, 2016)

hairydog said:


> My van's heating runs on LPG, not mains. I think most are like that. If there was the option of background heating from EHU, I'd use it, but there's no hookup, no electric heating. Leaving the gas heating on low would run the batteries down



That makes sense. Thanks.


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## Gaspard (Dec 11, 2016)

maingate said:


> If a Fan heater or Oil filled radiator fails, it costs you £20 to buy a new one.
> 
> If you use your Truma or Alde heating constantly, it costs a hell of a lot more to replace or repair.



That also makes sense.  If you dont use the van in winter then I understand its a better option.  We tend to be away for half the winter on various trips.  The packing / unpacking alone uses up most of the standing still time. 
We only leave on " frost stat " though which rarely kicks in tbh.


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## Gaspard (Dec 12, 2016)

***** said:


> Well, live in the dark, disregard the may be's, and wear your Truma out!
> :hammer:
> 
> edit
> ...



No.
I do not " see that ".
I do not have Truma heating. I have now discovered through asking that Truma seems not to run on EHU.  I would never have imagined that as I have Alde heating.  I do not drain the water system as it does not need to be done. 
People usually ask questions for a reason. When looking at this thread I was puzzled  because I did not know a fundamental aspect of Truma heating.  If anyone is choosing a heating system for their van then surely thats a good thing to know.


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## Bikeralw (Dec 12, 2016)

I thought all Truma systems run on either gas or EHU. Mine is the most common of the era and has 500W 1000W and 2000W settings, controlled by a thermostat and which can be auto fan-assisted if required.
Al.


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## Gaspard (Dec 12, 2016)

I am rude and you are helpful ? 
There are ways of writing helpful replies and there are ways of writing sarcastic/ironic responses that imply the poster should really know better than to ask such a stupid thing.
I know which category you fall into.

I shall not bother posting again.  Its a good job membership was free.


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## Byronic (Dec 12, 2016)

Enough hot air generated on this thread to heat a 3bed semi.


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## Nesting Zombie (Dec 12, 2016)

I can Feel the Love !


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## maingate (Dec 12, 2016)

Gaspard said:


> That also makes sense.  If you dont use the van in winter then I understand its a better option.  We tend to be away for half the winter on various trips.  The packing / unpacking alone uses up most of the standing still time.
> We only leave on " frost stat " though which rarely kicks in tbh.



I have had the Alde heating in my last 2 vans and rate it highly although it uses a fair bit of gas when it is very cold outside. You must have the later 3010 or 3020 system (mine have been 3000 model) as mine have not had a Frost Stat option. The cost of spare parts for them are eye watering and finding someone capable of repairing them is sketchy. Luckily I have been able to do my own maintenance on mine.

I particularly like the options to use the central heating while travelling and to arrive with a tank of hot water. Although it is possible to run the heating without any water in the boiler, I have never done that and would use the methods in my earlier post (if I bother at all).


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## BGT180 (Dec 12, 2016)

The laird said:


> I leave all cupboards etc open and have a small oil filled radiator that's thermostatically controlled and find this is sufficient ,also external silvers on.


Do the same but note the damp tester shows a bit of an increase from 12% to 15% in some places. When travelling my Rapido has heating radiator in the living area with fan so all of the Motorhome is warm


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## Moonraker 2 (Dec 12, 2016)

I thought I would put in my five penneth.
I have a small VW T4.
I leave it parked on a friends drive for 5 months. No heat.
I take out as much soft furnishing as possible. Open small vents where possible and roof, and leave the cupboard doors open as there is a draw of air through the gas vent. It has always been lovely and dry when I retrieve it in March/April. A good current of air is my advice.


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## trevskoda (Dec 12, 2016)

Fletch6 said:


> Trev, water that is in the air IS already water vapour, it cannot evaporate again. It can only evaporate or boil when it's in its liquid state.



You are correct but i would think it would boil of over a hot element,but as hairydog said it will condense again on thinking about it though if a roof vent is open it may be up and out fast,any way its always going to be a prob here as every thing is blinkin damp.


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## trevskoda (Dec 12, 2016)

Fletch6 said:


> Trev, water that is in the air IS already water vapour, it cannot evaporate again. It can only evaporate or boil when it's in its liquid state.



Surly any water in soft parts like seats linings will be drawn out with a heater.


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## trevskoda (Dec 12, 2016)

hairydog said:


> A heater warms the air. Warm air can hold more moisture. So as long as the heat is long term, the soft parts will warm through and the moisture in them will be drawn off. But only into the warm air. Unless you replace that air with drier air, you are not removing moisture, you are just warming it. The moisture is still there in the air, waiting to condense back when you turn the heat off.



You are prob right,now looking to vac seal van,hay there may be money in this.:wave:


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## trevskoda (Dec 12, 2016)

hairydog said:


> Sealing it is a bag would makes things worse: preventing air changes. But vacuum - well, that's an idea. Reduce the air pressure enough and the water in everything would boil away. The snag is that the van would collapse under the weight of the air outside. But it would be vacuum dried.
> 
> On balance, I reckon that a dessicant dehumidifier with the drain pipe down the shower plughole is the best bet. That's what I'd use if I had hookup.



Surly you would just be drying new air as it would be entering van to replace the old dried air,though i have one up stairs and will give it a go to see if any better than my we convector.:rolleyes2: just remembered no shower hole.


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## maingate (Dec 12, 2016)

hairydog said:


> Truma heating systems are the same: you can set the thermostat as low as you like. You can use the heating and the hot water when driving. You can use it with or without water. The difference is that Alde uses pipes full of hot water, Truma uses ducts full of warm air.
> 
> On balance, I think I'd choose Alde, but my van has Truma, and it is perfectly lovely.



The en route heating and hot water is supplied from the engine cooling system via a Heat exchanger.


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## alwaysared (Dec 12, 2016)

Gaspard said:


> No.
> I do not " see that ".
> I do not have Truma heating. I have now discovered through asking that Truma seems not to run on EHU.  I would never have imagined that as I have Alde heating.  I do not drain the water system as it does not need to be done.
> People usually ask questions for a reason. When looking at this thread I was puzzled  because I did not know a fundamental aspect of Truma heating.  If anyone is choosing a heating system for their van then surely thats a good thing to know.



Some Trumas can be used on EHU, the Combi 6E for example.

Regards,
Del


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