A dreaded generator question

We have run gennys for many years now if not decades and so far have failed to annoy anyone for the simple reason we never park up beside anyone and if the reverse happens we move off. We don't run it every night especially in the new van with the solar and 2nd leisure but when we need to charge up the electronics now and again that is where it comes into it's own.
Ours is a Kipor (Honda under a cheap badge) pretty quiet and economical. After a journey it takes some 20 pulls as the fuel is shaken out of the lines but after that she fires up no bother.

B2
 
Have you thought this out you will need a very large generator to power a useful electric heater. Having a VW PVC. Where will you store it the best way forward with your van is self contained heating as there is limited gas storage it seems diesel is the better option as a VW owner I must say the underfloor Ebberspacher is ideal no storage or floor space taken up.
If you search VW motor caravan converters or Ebberspacher agents near you you will get better advice, as previously advised the diesel tank standpipe is the worst job.

Alf


Moonraker 2 said:
I recently posted a question about getting heating in my little van. Thanks for some suggestions but I have not had much success. One garage only does full conversions, one garage was in Scotland and one garage never replied.

The dreaded (love em or hate em)generator question? Should I get one for occasional power to run small electric heater. I can't see a situation where I would run it all night.

I know some of you have generators but i have not been able to get the information I need.
Therefore: can you get small generators? Quiet ones? Are they easy to use? Best place to buy and rough price guide.

Thanks very much.
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Have you used this to power an electric heater is so what size.

Alf

Borders2 said:
We have run gennys for many years now if not decades and so far have failed to annoy anyone for the simple reason we never park up beside anyone and if the reverse happens we move off. We don't run it every night especially in the new van with the solar and 2nd leisure but when we need to charge up the electronics now and again that is where it comes into it's own.
Ours is a Kipor (Honda under a cheap badge) pretty quiet and economical. After a journey it takes some 20 pulls as the fuel is shaken out of the lines but after that she fires up no bother.

B2
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Thanks for the comments so far. There are a few things to look into.
I had seen the Chinese deisel heater but I cannot fit anything.
I would not envisage running the genny for long, certainly not all night and the heater I have is just a little 2 bar halogen.
I do check into campsites but apart from the C&CC they can be expensive for a single, and sometimes in Spain none near where I find myself. I don't go camping in winter, it is just the few nights spring and autumn when the temperature drops, and despite good window covers my van is very cold.
 
Running a generator to power a heater is very inefficient, you're burning fuel to create electricity to convert to heat.

Generators aren't cheap, unless they're very basic and very noisy, and neither is petrol.

I suggest that having a diesel fuelled heater is the way to go.
 
I use a generator when parked more than a day or two unless I go on a site with EHU (rare). I have a Hyundai HY1000si which is plenty to run my onboard battery chargers. You can get them petrol or dual fuel with lpg. If I wasn’t getting Hyundai I would go for Kipor, could not justify the cost of a Honda.

that said I don’t think it a good idea to run a heater from a generator. There are lots of people now setting up to install the Chinese diesel heaters and using an installer you should get one supplied and fitted for £300 depending if you want extras. I have an eberspacher and it’s great, if you have inlet and exhaust filters fitted they are no louder than the fridge on a Hymer running on gas.
 
witzend said:
Most of the small Halogen heaters on ebay are !000 to 1200 watts so won't work off most small generators
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And the heat from something like halogen heater etc won't keep the interior of a van warm for very long at all after it's switched off.

Diesel heater....
Deff the best way to go IMHO....
I wouldn't be without our eberspacher.

I've bought another the replace the carver blown air gas fire in the Moho...
Just need to get around to fitting it.
 
I am not against anyone using a generator if they Consider other campers. Running a generator to power a heater Would not be considarate or practical as it would very expensive .cost could be lowered considerably by using an LPG Genny with refillable gas bottles .As others have said a diesel heater is the way to go ,they can be run on red if you use a separate tank cutting costs even more . I have a gas blown air heater, using gas for cooking and fridge and 24 .7 heating just cost about £4 for 3 nights .Far cheaper than a Genny .and annoyed no body .only down side of any blown air heating is keeping battery's charged .
 
r4dent said:
We've got wet central heating so we are spoiled.

Our first caravan (1973) had no heating. We used a gas catalytic heater ( No fumes, no dangerous CO2, no flames.) Seems an ideal choice for MoHo heating. Anyone else remember them and are they still available?
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They give of a lot of condensation and can deplete oxygen to dangerous low levels so need a lot of ventilation. they were available for marine use plastimo .their are some reviews on YouTube for the American heat Buddy
 
mistericeman said:
And the heat from something like halogen heater etc won't keep the interior of a van warm for very long at all after it's switched off.

Diesel heater....
Deff the best way to go IMHO....
I wouldn't be without our eberspacher.

I've bought another the replace the carver blown air gas fire in the Moho...
Just need to get around to fitting it.
Click to expand...
Thats because there radiant heat rather than thermal.
 
r4dent said:
We've got wet central heating so we are spoiled.

Our first caravan (1973) had no heating. We used a gas catalytic heater ( No fumes, no dangerous CO2, no flames.) Seems an ideal choice for MoHo heating. Anyone else remember them and are they still available?
Click to expand...

Yep, Mum & Dad used a Campingaz catalytic heater in their Autosleeper campervans in the 1970s & 80s. I inherited it but couldn't get it to work when I tried it, I think I broke it.
The popular one with tenters now is the Coleman Black Cat heater. There are other makes available as well.
 
Did you try the facebook group I suggested in your diesel heater thread. If so I am amazed no one near you will fit one.
 
Fazerloz said:
Without doubt your best solution is a diesel heater but do not buy a 5 kw heater a 2kw will be plenty big enough. These heaters fair better when run harder rather than a 5kw that would be on its lowest setting 95% of the time.
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Very true but you could fire it up for a short time and switch of saving battery,or out it on a timer giving full blast for set times.
Small jets get blocked easy,and you can run them on 28 heating oil which costs less than red.
 
trevskoda said:
Very true but you could fire it up for a short time and switch of saving battery,or out it on a timer giving full blast for set times.
Small jets get blocked easy,and you can run them on 28 heating oil which costs less than red.
[/QUOTE
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trevskoda said:
Very true but you could fire it up for a short time and switch of saving battery,or out it on a timer giving full blast for set times.
Small jets get blocked easy,and you can run them on 28 heating oil which costs less than red.
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That really is not the best way to run them as every time they would go through the start up and cool down sequence which pulls approx 11A whilst going through each sequence as against. 1to 2A if just left running and far less noise.
 
Fazerloz said:
That really is not the best way to run them as every time they would go through the start up and cool down sequence which pulls approx 11A whilst going through each sequence as against. 1to 2A if just left running and far less noise.
Click to expand...

As above.....
They are best sized to suit space being served.... Both power wise AND not sooting up like some vehicle that's driven by the local vicars wife at nothing more than 30 mph
 
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