Gas usage. Blimey!!

[barryd]

This last week is the first time we have used the heating off grid in this van for any sustained period. Usually by this time of year I am nicely tucked away for a few weeks on a site with hookup. Thanks to Merl's super Solar system though we haven't had to do that so far. However the bloody Truma heating system in this van (Which is a huge space to heat) don't half use some gas. Its not like we have it on all the time either. Maybe last thing at night and for a couple of hours in the morning.

Filled the 6kg Gaslow on Sunday and its pretty much empty today. Some days its not been on at all apart from the Fridge. I do have the 6kg Calor back up but apparently we are not allowed to use that. Will fill up tomorrow at Marquis motorhomes near Exeter. I had expected it to do better than it has. Ten days off grid at our next place solar permitting but its the gas that is going to be the issue I think not power. Huge van, puny gas locker.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Staying the obvious here, But I’m guessing it has a lot to do with the settings on the thermostat. Sometimes it’s better to have it on Lower for longer .

 

[merl]

These sort of things happen Barry when your bathroom is bigger than our whole van.

 

[jann]

A 6kg bottle lasts 5 days when we have the heating on

 

[edina]

Diesel heater?

 

[ProDave]

We have a diesel water and space heater and I am astonished at how little diesel it uses. The tank holds 2 gallons and doing all our water heating thus season has used perhaps 10% of that.

 

[YeoBlade]

Add an underslung is an option, bit dear, or any where else to put another cylinder at all. We get through about 6kg/ 2days but some like it hot min 22. I'm hoping I can get 2 x 11kg in our new one, as I been told, but waiting to check locker size for sure. I know your locker size was the same as on my old van and I had 2 x 6 kg gaslow in there, but looking at it I thought there may have been a possiblity of having 1 x 11kg Gasit + 1 x 6kg gaslow ??

 

[barryd]

Staying the obvious here, But I’m guessing it has a lot to do with the settings on the thermostat. Sometimes it’s better to have it on Lower for longer .

We had an argument about this. I reckon it's best to leave it on ticking over but Michelle doesn't like that idea. Thing is if you keep switching it off and on hours later it sounds like an aircraft taking off for ages so I just assume it's using more gas.

 

[YeoBlade]

Diesel heater?

When you have 80l of diesel on board on pulling up on site you know you wont be cold for a while, had it on my 1st van brilliant once warmed up.

 

[barryd]

Add an underslung is an option, bit dear, or any where else to put another cylinder at all. We get through about 6kg/ 2days but some like it hot min 22. I'm hoping I can get 2 x 11kg in our new one, as I been told, but waiting to check locker size for sure. I know your locker size was the same as on my old van and I had 2 x 6 kg gaslow in there, but looking at it I thought there may have been a possiblity of having 1 x 11kg Gasit + 1 x 6kg gaslow ??

I cant get anything other than 2 x 6kg in. Looked at all the options. Alko underslung is very expensive and the way LPG is going diesel may be a better long term option but I gather it uses more power.

It's not a big deal. It's just annoying

 

[runnach]

I would have thought you being a famous rock god, you would make your own heat?

 

[YeoBlade]

I put a 11kg Flow gas in the garage and back feed thru' BBQ point when we went away one winter, works fine.

 

[barryd]

It's going to be tight for Salcombe then. Nearly two weeks off grid and I ain't freezing! Trouble is if the super solar keeps working I don't want to chicken out and go on hookup. Calor it is then. She won't be happy!

 

[Nabsim]

You don't need 1200 replies and 100 pages for this one Barry, you have already been given the solution. Fit a diesel heater. Yes it will use more power but you have already said you have loads of that and use hookup in Winter.

 

[mistericeman]

One of the main reasons I swapped to Eberspacher...

Even with 2 x 6kg Gaslow....
Having the fire on chomped through the gas.

 

[Fisherman]

I found the same on my last van Barry, hence why I went for diesel on this van.
It seems to use hardly any fuel, and heats the van quicker than the Truma gas boiler we had on our last van.

 

[barryd]

Is it not a humongous job to replace the Truma system with a diesel system? When it finally knackers itself maybe which of course it most definitely will.

 

[merl]

I put a 11kg Flow gas in the garage and back feed thru' BBQ point when we went away one winter, works fine.

Baz, you could get a couple of those 47kg bottles outside your van......start selling lucky heather and clothes pegs.

 

[alcam]

Quite surprised at the heavy usage . New van has diesel heater , gas for water heating .
Previous vans mostly all gas but don't remember using anything like that amount

 

[mistericeman]

Baz, you could get a couple of those 47kg bottles outside your van......start selling lucky heather and clothes pegs. View attachment 146312

Couple of these for water too.....