Gas Consumption (1 Viewer)

Duzzied

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This might be a "How long is a piece of string" question but here goes.

We're thinking of heading to Austria next Christmas for a couple of weeks in the van and wondering if 2 6kg calor lite bottles would suffice?

I intend to have 2 stop overs on the way down (then 2 on the way back up) which will probably be on Aires or equivalent but intend to spend the rest of the time on site plugged in.

We have a Bailey autograph which is winterised and the heating can be used on electric as can the hob. We are intending to take a halogen oven to cook in most of the time as well.

Would also be interested in people's experience of a similar trip

Thanks in advance
 
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Chockswahay

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If you use leccy when you are there then yes .......... plenty :)
 

Big Nick

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Yes, that's definitely enough I think

We have used our Bailey MH for around 18 nights away so far and probably only had it on hookup for half the time. Even on hook up we use the gas oven and hob quite often as well though.

The rest of the time we've been using the gas a lot for heating, fridge and cooking and we are just about at the end of an 11kg bottle

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Dec 6, 2011
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IMHO ... NO.... most EHU / elec van heaters are no more than 2 kw and you will freeze your bits off at night.

you will need gas heating; remember Austria in late December will likely be -15 to -20'C at night; and 2 kw will not make you comfortable. the person to ask is @jonandshell they do lots of skiing in their van and if its going to be parked up for any period you will need to be aware of a few other little nuances:whistle:
 
Dec 6, 2011
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PS; with respect your Bailey like most new vans is only "lightly" winterised. I do not think it has a double floor and the other of the higher levels of insulation on fully winterised vans. has your water tank got trace heating? or inboard? and if you use your waste tank to hold waste water does that have trace heating?
 

jonandshell

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Take your Bailey by all means but I think you will find it woefully lacking for Alpine Winter use.

You will find that 'grade 3' Insulation and and the 'winterisation' will count for nothing once you are persistently below zero.

I could be wrong, but I have seen folks have to give up and book into hotels in Brit vans which were sold as 'winterised'.

If your fresh tank and ALL your water system aren't inside you will have problems. A water pipe simply touching an outer wall will freeze.
Proper winterised vans have a water system completely within the thermal shell of the van and all components followed by hot air ducting or adjacent to Alde radiators.

As previously mentioned, 2000 watts of heat won't be sufficient once the sun goes down. Continental sites tend to limit the hookup amperage too. You will need more than 2x 6 kg bottles for 2 weeks. 6 kg will last no longer than 2 days.

I am not slagging your van. Brit vans are just as well made as continental ones, they are just different.

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jonandshell

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The other option of course is to run your van 'dry' and rely on bottled water and site facilities. This will reduce your gas consumption due to the fact you won't be trying to keep your water system frost free.
You will still need more than 12kg for 2 weeks though!
 

Lenny HB

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Agree with most of the replies, 6 kg may just last only 2 nights obviously depends on temperature. Why not fit a couple 11kg re- fillables, then you you won't need to worry. Bear in mind your electric heating is only 1 .8 kW compared to 6 kW on gas.
 

mikebeaches

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You would certainly need to check how many amps are available at the hook-up on the campsite. Whilst it can often be 16 amps in the UK, we regularly find only 6 amps available on the continent, and that will only run an electric heater at 1kw. And even if you've got 10amps available, you are only just about going to manage 2kw, provided you've not much else on.

I think you might well be pushing it with just 2 x 6kg of propane.

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haganap

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much will depend on what type of van you have. Jon is right 1 full 13kg will give you about 3 days in a coachbuilt but more in an a class.
We took out Brit van and with a few mods was as good as anything else but much depends on where you go. There's nothing better than a good site with good EHU but nothing beats the gas on full chat...
2 x 11kgs will not last you a week in a van, or could last you in a van depending how much you use and what the night temps drop too. We have experienced -30 before and a full bottle was gone in 1.5 days, other times, we have used half that in 3 days.
My advice, spend on a quality site with good EHU and the money you save on the gas put towards extra time on the slopes.
 

Big Nick

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IMHO ... NO.... most EHU / elec van heaters are no more than 2 kw and you will freeze your bits off at night.

you will need gas heating; remember Austria in late December will likely be -15 to -20'C at night; and 2 kw will not make you comfortable. the person to ask is @jonandshell they do lots of skiing in their van and if its going to be parked up for any period you will need to be aware of a few other little nuances:whistle:

As cold as that??

We were in our Bailey all weekend in freezing temps around zero and the van was pretty hot just off the 2kw heating via the EHU

It would be interesting to see it perform in -15 though!!!
 

mjltigger

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I read this and panicked.. our 6kg has been in the van since we bought it and I have no idea how much is left... we are off for the long weekend coming (taken Friday off work) and I was wondering whether to swap one of the big bottles we have lying around for another 6kg but thought I wouldn't bother as there really isn't anywhere handy to put it.. then I remembered.. diesel heating :)

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C

Chockswahay

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OK .................. I put my hands up :oops:

I was too hasty to reply and completely overlooked the severity of the temperatures! The replies you have had since mine are from people with much more experience with these matters.

My advice? Take their advice (y) Ignore it at your peril :eek:
 
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Duzzied

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Thanks for all of your replies its food for thought - Might need to look at a gas low system although my local garage that sell log is a shell and it seems there are getting rid of there log pumps.

It does make me wonder how people used to do it 10 or 15 years ago. I presume caravan and motorhome construction is much better now in terms of insulation.
 
Dec 6, 2011
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i remember them "good old days"! We have been in a previous van where the toilet casett froze overnight when the heating was on full.....we slept in thermals with highest Tog quilt, and after several large Brandies :xblush:
 

Minxy

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Have you lot never heard of hot water bottles ...! Best to have a hot drink before bed too, alcohol actually has the opposite effect.
 
Dec 6, 2011
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Have you lot never heard of hot water bottles ...! Best to have a hot drink before bed too, alcohol actually has the opposite effect.


yep it does..... but.... phsycoligicalllllllllly its more effective. ....... short term :xdoh:

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sallylillian

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You could get a local cylinder and regulator and back feed through a BBQ point if you have one. Maybe a local company will deliver extra cylinders as you need them?
 
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It does make me wonder how people used to do it 10 or 15 years ago. I presume caravan and motorhome construction is much better now in terms of insulation.
What Minxy said .Hot water bottles. Just make sure if you have a dog you get in bed first as they'll hog it by lying on top. Or buy them one as well !:xThumb:
Have you lot never heard of hot water bottles ...! Best to have a hot drink before bed too, alcohol actually has the opposite effect.
Exactly !

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