tube heaters (1 Viewer)

lee52

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Hi does anyone use tube heaters in there vans

I have a 5kw eberspacher unit but was thinking of having some tube heaters for night time background heat (silent heat lol) are these any good?
the van is 28ft x 7.5ftx 6.3ft so abig ole area to keep warm (walls and roof insulated, wooden floor), also thinking about losing the gas fire
 

pappajohn

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safer using thermostatic oil filled radiators unless you are present at all times the heating is on.

higher wattage (400/500 watts) tube heater can get extremely hot....hot enough to melt plastic bags if they fall on the tube.
 

Ed Excel

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Tubular electric heaters are, typically, 60watts/foot. So you can see how big it would have to be to substitute your 5000watt OE heating.

Assuming you would raise the temperature initially with your Eberspacher, you may get away with something around 2 or 2.5 kW to maintain a comfortable level.

Oil filled rad definitely better proposition.

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lee52

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safer using thermostatic oil filled radiators unless you are present at all times the heating is on.

higher wattage (400/500 watts) tube heater can get extremely hot....hot enough to melt plastic bags if they fall on the tube.

was thinking of using tube heaters with the thermostatic control buit in with tube guards ( i use these heaters for my bigger snakes)

just thinking the oil rads are a big and bulky and was wanting something perm fastened in place
just more wondering what sort of wattage would i need
 
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lee52

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Tubular electric heaters are, typically, 60watts/foot. So you can see how big it would have to be to substitute your 5000watt OE heating.

Assuming you would raise the temperature initially with your Eberspacher, you may get away with something around 2 or 2.5 kW to maintain a comfortable level.

Oil filled rad definitely better proposition.

yeah the eberspacher is the main heating source the tubes would to be used to maintain temps for the night time (or thats the idea lol)
 
Feb 24, 2013
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Am I missing something here, there have been a few similar posts recently, why do you not want to use the van heater. On ours we can chose 1, 2 or 3 Kw electric options and set thermostat to anything from 5C upwards

My hope is that a 1Kw heater option set around 8C will do nicely and as it uses the blown air will air the whole MH

If I am wrong please tell me, but be gentle

David

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lee52

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Am I missing something here, there have been a few similar posts recently, why do you not want to use the van heater. On ours we can chose 1, 2 or 3 Kw electric options and set thermostat to anything from 5C upwards

My hope is that a 1Kw heater option set around 8C will do nicely and as it uses the blown air will air the whole MH

If I am wrong please tell me, but be gentle

David
LOL I will be gentle:winky:

Its a self build at the mo i have a 5kw eberspacher (will be fully ducted when finished refurb) and a carver gas fire
dont want to use eberspacher unit during night time because of noise (my other half hates noise) and dont want gas fire left on (and its not thermstatic controlled anyway)
 
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lee52

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or would wall mounted panel heaters be better

something like this
 
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Ed Excel

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We had a 2kW panel heater in a self build. Had to to get rid of it. It sounded like a tin full of nails when we moved.

Having said that we've never used heating over night, just a good quality silk filled quilt. 'Just smell that fresh air'.

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FULL TIMER

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Your vehicle sounds similar to mine although my box is only 20ft long but very well insulated, when I built it I allowed for the use of 120w tubular heaters only have three 1 in washroom along with a 60w towel rail, and one under each seat base obviously in cages, the seat backs have an inch gap between them and the sidewall so heat rises through it, I also have a 400w frost protector in the bedroom area on one wall and the boiler is under the bed on the other wall, also another 400w in lounge area on a cupboard door so a total of 1220w, the tubes give a reasonable all round background heat with the others available but normally only one in use. like you we also have the Eberspacher D5 tucked away for when really needed but find it is way to much most of the time and not used very often, in fact I might even change it for a 3kw one.
 

FULL TIMER

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or would wall mounted panel heaters be better

something like this

they are the same as the ones I have but take note they do get pretty hot above them so if using be carefull where you position them. along with the tube heaters they are more than adequate for keeping our truck at a very comfortable level of warmth
 
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lee52

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Your vehicle sounds similar to mine although my box is only 20ft long but very well insulated, when I built it I allowed for the use of 120w tubular heaters only have three 1 in washroom along with a 60w towel rail, and one under each seat base obviously in cages, the seat backs have an inch gap between them and the sidewall so heat rises through it, I also have a 400w frost protector in the bedroom area on one wall and the boiler is under the bed on the other wall, also another 400w in lounge area on a cupboard door so a total of 1220w, the tubes give a reasonable all round background heat with the others available but normally only one in use. like you we also have the Eberspacher D5 tucked away for when really needed but find it is way to much most of the time and not used very often, in fact I might even change it for a 3kw one.

aye the D5 is a bit full on it is thermostat controlled so not to bad like you say a 3kw one probs more than enough but the bus came with the D5 so its gonna stay lol, so u find the tube heaters good? just want to stop the ambient temps from dropping to low on a night time just our lass has a freezing point of about 30c:Eeek:, shes a bugga come home today heating on full blast cos shes cold but had the windows open cos she wanted fresh air :Doh:

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lee52

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Fulltimer the D5 probs mainly get used when driving as I only have the stock heater box in the cab area, the bus did have 2 of those coolant fan units one in the middle and rear but one had a leak so they have gone the journey
 

Ed Excel

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Sounds like you need aircon not just heating lol.

The size of heater should be based on raising the temperature to a comfortable level (20C) above an external figure around freezing (-5C) within an hour. Obviously, this is worst case and in the warmer months your heating will cope easily. If you reduce your heater output you may put its performance at risk.
 

FULL TIMER

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ours has a separate cab so that's one area we don't lose heat on, we find the set up pretty good I leave the tube heaters on all the time and just use those frost protectors if needed, right at this moment we just have the 3 tubes on and one frost protector, always have the roof vents open a little and a couple of window's open a little bit I'm sitting here in shorts and t shirt and am a bit to warm for my liking but other half is happy.
as for the Eberspacher ours is on a thermostat and once the room has reached temperature it the slows right down so you can hardly hear it, trouble with ours is that once it reaches the stage of shutting off it won't come back on again, I have a couple of complete D3's and a D4 that I need a fuel pump for plus a Mikuni MY 30 in the workshop so might fit one of those instead later on. I think as the box is so well insulated sides around 2.5 inches thick roof and floor around 5 inches, once the walls are warmed up the tend to stay that way I tried to get an all round heat so every area is evenly warmed, we don't seem to get any cold spots and therefore very little condensation even on the single glazed window's

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lee52

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ours has a separate cab so that's one area we don't lose heat on, we find the set up pretty good I leave the tube heaters on all the time and just use those frost protectors if needed, right at this moment we just have the 3 tubes on and one frost protector, always have the roof vents open a little and a couple of window's open a little bit I'm sitting here in shorts and t shirt and am a bit to warm for my liking but other half is happy.
as for the Eberspacher ours is on a thermostat and once the room has reached temperature it the slows right down so you can hardly hear it, trouble with ours is that once it reaches the stage of shutting off it won't come back on again, I have a couple of complete D3's and a D4 that I need a fuel pump for plus a Mikuni MY 30 in the workshop so might fit one of those instead later on. I think as the box is so well insulated sides around 2.5 inches thick roof and floor around 5 inches, once the walls are warmed up the tend to stay that way I tried to get an all round heat so every area is evenly warmed, we don't seem to get any cold spots and therefore very little condensation even on the single glazed window's

that was my thinking with running tube heater/frost I can achieve a nice even heat through out the van. as far noise is concerned our lass cant have a clock that ticks in the same room the fridge in the house had to be hidin away because its "buzzes" me i could sleep on a washing line lol
 
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Would it not be easier and cheaper to buy her some earplugs and a hotwater bottle ?
 

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