Additional heating whilst skiing

[nickit]

Opinions please!

I'm looking for some additional heating whilst Skiing, I have a Carver heater and a blown air diesel heater, but the first seems to produce the heat of a candle and if I’m not on hook up I think heavy use of the blown air would drain the batteries quickly? I have a solar panel but not expecting much from it in Feb.

So, would this be a good idea for some additional heat whilst in the van?
The output is from 9,200 to 17,000Btu/hr

Or secondly a greenhouse heater, Output is about 1.5 kw.
Perhaps this could be left on overnight? (maybe with a vent open?)

Maybe I could grow some tomatoes whilst there?

So am I being a numpty or are these viable ideas!!??

Thanks
Nick

 

[watchthis]

Hi
I would NOT use an open gas fire apart from the C02 issue's for every litre of gas you burn you will produce 1 litre of water and it will make the inside of the van damp!!. From the threads on this site it seem's that most prefer the diesel blown air option from what I understand it does not drain to much out of the battery. Someone's bound to come along soon with other suggestion's. But I hope this help's
Bye for now
Freddie

 

[biggirafe]

Keeps your eyes open for an older Carver Model, I have a 2000s. The older ones are not so dependent on the blown air so you can turn the fan off and not use any battery

Mine really kicks out the heat as those in the forest last weekend will testify.

 

[robjmckinney]

catalytic heater

Try a catalytic heater, does not have the problems of CO2, can be purchased cheap on ebay and fitted temporary. Excellant little heaters from about £38 stand alone disposal gas cylinder to £68 for a type taping into your gas supply!

 

[nickit]

Thanks BG, mine is an older gas heater as its a 95 van, perhaps it needs looking at as it doesn't kick out the heat i'd expect, maybe it needs to be on longer to really get going and see.
Do you find yours provides the heat levels you mention quite quickly.
Thanks Nick

 

[rickboy]

Opinions please!

I'm looking for some additional heating whilst Skiing, I have a Carver heater and a blown air diesel heater, but the first seems to produce the heat of a candle and if I’m not on hook up I think heavy use of the blown air would drain the batteries quickly? I have a solar panel but not expecting much from it in Feb.

So, would this be a good idea for some additional heat whilst in the van?
The output is from 9,200 to 17,000Btu/hr

Or secondly a greenhouse heater, Output is about 1.5 kw.
Perhaps this could be left on overnight? (maybe with a vent open?)

Maybe I could grow some tomatoes whilst there?

So am I being a numpty or are these viable ideas!!??

Thanks
Nick

Yes you are being a numpty!!
Dont use anything that burns the air from inside the camper or there will not be enough left for you!!!
I go skiing in my camper (coachbuilt) and my blown air propane Truma is plenty.(draws air from outside,underneath)
They take a while to heat up ,but a camper is only a small area.
You may need to extend the roof flu if you get lots of snow on the roof.
I use a cover for my roof vents to allow tricle ventilation even with snow on the roof.
If staying on ehu I use an oil filled rad or 2.

Good luck
Rick
I leave mine on tickover overnight and its plenty toasty.

 

[bigboack]

Keeps your eyes open for an older Carver Model, I have a 2000s. The older ones are not so dependent on the blown air so you can turn the fan off and not use any battery

Mine really kicks out the heat as those in the forest last weekend will testify.

I second that.
I got one one those in my kontiki and it is too hot in there sometimes, Blown heating into the loo area also, so good for wet stuff. Dont use the blown much though as it would drain the battery.

 

[n8rbos]

i use a butane heater if i require extra heat(£15 from b&m) as for condensation i have permanent vents in my skylights so have little or no condensation and air replenishment is plentiful, dunno if it would help your problem! if you buy bulk butane you can get 20 refills for about £20-£25 off ebay.i was paying as much as £5.50 each in scotland!!! teach me just to take 4.

 

[biggirafe]

Thanks BG, mine is an older gas heater as its a 95 van, perhaps it needs looking at as it doesn't kick out the heat i'd expect, maybe it needs to be on longer to really get going and see.
Do you find yours provides the heat levels you mention quite quickly.
Thanks Nick

sThe heat come from heating up all the internal tubing. If you take the front off you will see its like a snail inside and you have to run it for about 15 minutes on full power before it gets really hot then turn it back to about 50% and it stays really hot. During the night we turn ours back to trickle.

Maybe you need the burner servicing, can you hear it 'roaring' when its on full bore?

 

[nickit]

Thanks for your replys. Numpty status acepted!!!!

I have 2 things to look at I think.
Firstly the thermostat on the blown air, currently it makes no difference which setting it is on -it still comes out the same!- tepid at best!
I do get the Roar you mention BG whilst on - but certainly not enough heat to sit without anything additional and as i mentioned earlier I guess this would drain the power quite quickly?

As an extra source I'm now looking at this as another idea.

I've seen another thread that mentions condensation as a big problem with these? anyone else used them?

 

[Channa]

I have a trumatic heating system with hot blown air, ( same people as carver today i think)
And the blown air part is useless.

I supplement the radiator part with a halogen heater excellent heat when on EHU.

Channa

 

[rickboy]

Sounds like you need to sort out the stuff thats onboard already.
When its v.cold you do need to circulate the heat and block off any areas (without plumbing)that are not used at night when it is coldest.
A small computor fan will circulate the heat from a gas fire and uses v.little energy.If your gas system is ducted blown air it needs quite a high setting.

My advice is if you have not skied from the van before go somewhere where you can retreat to a campsite,your main cost will be ski passes so the camp cost is only a small part of your overall cost.

Rick

 

[biggirafe]

Thanks for your replys. Numpty status acepted!!!!

I have 2 things to look at I think.
Firstly the thermostat on the blown air, currently it makes no difference which setting it is on -it still comes out the same!- tepid at best!
I do get the Roar you mention BG whilst on - but certainly not enough heat to sit without anything additional and as i mentioned earlier I guess this would drain the power quite quickly?

It should not drain any power, you should not need to have the 'electric' part of the heater turned on at all if its working properly. The blowers do help to circulate the warm air into hard to get to places such as the bathroom but just like a fire at home I don't think they are nessasary.

Before you spend money I would get your carver sorted as it really sounds like its not working, for instance when ours is on after 15 minutes without the blower tunred on you can't put your hand on top of the heater its so hot!!! Then when you turn on the air blower the heater cools down but the heat is then comming out of the vents. HAve you checked that the tubes are all attached to vents and you aren't pumping hot air into voids or cupboards?

I took mine out this year and sent it to this guy, Gary, It came back working great with a new burer unit etc. He specialises in servicing older heaters, boilers etc
http://www.arcsystems.biz/

 

[nickit]

Thanks BG - funnily enough thats all of about 5 miles from my house!

Thinking of la bresse Rick, close by and easy skiing for nervous wife - sites can be about 40e per night but i've seen some details for local aire and car park near lifts. I'd rather not pay 200e+ just for elec!

 

[biggirafe]

Thanks BG - funnily enough thats all of about 5 miles from my house!

He's a great guy, take a drive round and he will soon tell you if you have a problem.

 

[rickboy]

Thanks BG - funnily enough thats all of about 5 miles from my house!

Thinking of la bresse Rick, close by and easy skiing for nervous wife - sites can be about 40e per night but i've seen some details for local aire and car park near lifts. I'd rather not pay 200e+ just for elec!

La Bresse will not give you the Big mountain feeling of The Alps.Don't go in French school holiday times ,it would be very busy as it has a catchment area of several countries as well as France.For beginers quieter pistes are more important than the colour of the run.
I would try Praz de Lys aire,easy skiing with wc for water and waste dump.(50 cents per person per day).There is a reasonable municipal site down the road in Taninges .
Rick

 

[Boxerman]

I would NOT use an open gas fire apart from the C02 issue's

CO2 is not a particular problem, CO2 is Carbon Dioxide which is around us every day, it is not poisonous although it is a "greenhouse gas". It's CO - Carbon Monoxide which is the killer.

(Just to save anyone looking foolish when talking to experts )

Frank

 

[biggirafe]

CO2 is not a particular problem, CO2 is Carbon Dioxide which is around us every day, it is not poisonous although it is a "greenhouse gas". It's CO - Carbon Monoxide which is the killer.

(Just to save anyone looking foolish when talking to experts )

Frank

Sorry buddy but this is wrong advice.

Carbon Dioxide in high levels will kill you. Its known as Hypercapnia. In short if levels of Carbon Dioxide reach a high enough level then the levels of Oxygen will be too low and you pass out and eventually your organs fail and you die of asphyxiation

Carbon Monoxide is more dangerous and the more likely to occur with gas fires, its also difficult to treat once you are suffering as our lungs can't remove carbon monoxide as easily as carbon dioxide but both are dangerous.

This is all taught in the confined spaces courses I had to take when building Slurry Stores and Farm Yard storage tanks which would be full of Cow Poo, boy those were the days

 

[rickboy]

Great idea!!! Cow poo would keep you warm and you could power the genny on the gases.Green or what!!

 

[Boxerman]

Sorry buddy but this is wrong advice.

Carbon Dioxide in high levels will kill you. Its known as Hypercapnia. In short if levels of Carbon Dioxide reach a high enough level then the levels of Oxygen will be too low and you pass out and eventually your organs fail and you die of asphyxiation

Carbon Monoxide is more dangerous and the more likely to occur with gas fires, its also difficult to treat once you are suffering as our lungs can't remove carbon monoxide as easily as carbon dioxide but both are dangerous.

This is all taught in the confined spaces courses I had to take when building Slurry Stores and Farm Yard storage tanks which would be full of Cow Poo, boy those were the days

Well you live and learn! I accept what you're saying but it's a bit like saying that water is poisonous 'cos if it fills your lungs you'll drown.

Bet you didn't smoke near those slurry tanks

Rgds
Frank